Having lost its manual gearbox, the Golf GTI isn’t as desirable as it used to be. You could argue that interior quality has taken a hit compared to the excellent Mk7. Not that the Grand Touring Injection ever had an exciting design, but the Mk8 perhaps looks too restrained. Despite all this, at least VW is making efforts to keep the car alive in a shrinking segment. The gradual demise of gas-powered hot hatches is being accelerated by stricter emissions regulations and higher taxes, especially in Europe.
