Iconic hot hatch now $8000 cheaper: 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI gains equipment and a lower price to fight off the Hyundai i30 N and Honda Civic Type R – Car News

Volkswagen has slashed the price of its fully loaded Golf GTI performance car.

The iconic hatchback, which was the hot hatch benchmark for decades, is now priced at $59,990 drive-away nationwide.

Volkswagen has added the previously two optional packs as standard. 

The German brand said this car with all the options would usually cost about $68,000 drive-away, give or take a few hundred depending on your location.

The new price puts it in the same ballpark as a full-fruit Hyundai i30 N and much cheaper than the more potent but similarly front-wheel-drive Honda Civic Type R.

The formerly optional Luxury pack adds plush leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel and power adjustment for the driver’s seat.

It now comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, a head-up display and a premium Harman Kardon stereo via the Sound and Style pack.

Power comes from a familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine that makes 180kW and 370Nm and is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.

There are also multiple driving modes and a customisable setting with 15 different levels of spring firmness, ranging from soft and supple to hard and sharp.

Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles Head of Product Michelle Rowney said the Golf GTI was still as popular as ever and sales doubled in 2023 compared to 2022.

The Golf GTI blends sporty driving with everyday liveability.

“Increased production availability of the Golf GTI allows us to finally meet the demand for our quintessential hot hatchback, and we want to accelerate its appeal with a special, fully loaded $59,990 drive-away offer,” said Rowney.

The Golf GTI already came with plenty of standard features such as a 10-inch multimedia screen and a digital driver display of the same size, wireless smartphone mirroring and a wireless device charging pad.

The rest of this year promises to be a boon for new-car shoppers as many brands are starting to offer sharp drive-away deals and heavy discounts as demand for new cars slows and production woes of the past few years subside.