Volkswagen Golf GTI driven

In an era of 276bhp Astra VXRs and 247bhp Focus STs, the base Golf GTI - with its 217bhp turbo 4cyl - looks, on paper at least, like a relic from the early years of the Noughties: a time when Von Dutch was cool and MSN messaging was seen as a legitimate activity.

Last month, we tried the 227bhp Performance Pack GTI, but this is our first shot in the standard car. And, yes, the Golf is noticeably slower than, say, the VXR, taking 0.6 seconds longer to reach 62mph. But it's so much more composed in the way it gathers speed. With 258lb ft of torque on tap, power delivery is strong and far smoother than the Astra's manic turbo detonation, meaning you cover ground with more confidence and thus, in the bumpy real world, likely just as quick. Especially with the optional £1,415 6spd DSG.