VW has revealed power and trim details for its 2025 Golf GTI and R lineup. Both cars are DSG-only; GTI gets a 1 hp bump to 242 hp, R makes 13 hp more for 328 hp. A new 12.9-inch touchscreen is standard and a Black Edition joins the R range for ’25.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R have been staples in the hot hatch segment for decades, and the 2025 models continue that tradition. While the US-spec GTI misses out on the more potent European engine tune,

Spanish brand Cupra may be preparing to call last drinks on its version of the Volkswagen Golf GTI. The Cupra Leon VZ hot hatch is the mechanical twin to the Golf GTI, sharing a 180kW 2.0-litre turbo engine, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and front-wheel drive layout.

Perhaps nothing demonstrates what’s happened to hot hatches in recent years better than the evolution of the Golf GTI Clubsport. Introduced a couple of years into the Mk7’s life, it offered power between a GTI and an R,

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a stalwart model in the hot hatchback space, and while the European market has historically gotten more radical versions, we North-Americans have nonetheless been blessed with a lot of the good stuff in recent years.