GTI continues 'hot hatchback' tradition

The moment I sat in the new 2007 Volkswagen GTI, I had flashbacks of exhilaration -- going through the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, driving Highway 1 in northern California.

I know I'm not alone with memorable GTI trips but it would belittle the new GTI to say it's a mere throwback.

The original "hot hatchback," as it was called when it came to the United States from Europe in 1983, the GTI is a sporty, new, fifth-generation model now.

The familiar, youthful hatchback shape is there, but the front end is striking with black honeycomb-design grille and lower air dam plus more prominent headlights. Wheels are sizable at 17 inches and come with summer performance tires for maximum grip.

This new-generation model also rides tightly on a modern platform and is the first GTI with fully independent suspension -- tuned for enthusiastic driving, of course.

And a palpable 207 foot-pounds of torque coming on quickly from the larger-displacement, 200-horsepower, turbocharged and intercooled, four-cylinder engine can push a driver into the seatback instantly upon acceleration.

To be sure, the starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $22,730 for a 2007 two-door GTI hatchback is nearly $2,000 more than the previous-generation GTI.

And it's higher than the Mini Cooper S hatchback, which started at $21,450 for a 2006 model.

But the Cooper S, with a supercharged four-cylinder engine, delivers only 168 horsepower.

Indeed, the GTI might be positioned against the Audi A3, which is a four-door hatchback with the same 200-horsepower, 2-liter, turbocharged and intercooled four cylinder that's in the GTI.

German automaker Volkswagen AG owns both the VW and Audi brands. But the A3 starts at $26,060 as a larger, luxury-branded car.

The 2007 GTI can be aptly described as an affordable performance car for drivers with complex tastes -- and needs.

For example, it showcases the nimble, quick handling that comes from a more solid, more rigid car platform that's also used in VW's Golf compact car.

But there's none of the heaviness and muscle-car brashness of say, a Ford Mustang with V8. While I heard the GTI engine on acceleration, the ride and noise levels were mild compared with muscle cars.

There's also none of the lightweight feel of a Japanese small car, say, a Honda Civic Si. Instead, the GTI feels every bit a taut, focused and surprisingly meaty car from Germany.

It provides flexible cargo space akin to that of a much larger car like the midsize Toyota Camry. Indeed, with rear seats folded down, the 2007 GTI offers 15.3 cubic feet of cargo volume in back. This compares with 15 cubic feet in the trunk of a 2007 Camry.

The GTI's emphasis on the driver is evident. Front bucket seats are thick and well-shaped to cradle bodies. The steering wheel is perfectly sized, all controls are within easy reach, and the standard six-speed manual transmission that was in the test car moved with purpose through the gears as the power came on strongly.

The clutch pedal required more effort than I expected, and it took some practice for me to work it smoothly.

Expensive fuel

Another drawback of the GTI: Pricey premium gasoline is required.

The fuel economy rating, though, isn't bad at 23 miles a gallon in city driving and 32 mpg on the highway. But driving with gusto, I didn't see either of these numbers.

Rear seats in the two-door tester feel thick and supportive, though I wouldn't want to travel far with three people back there. Two adults do much better, and rear-seat legroom is a competitive 35.3 inches.

I just wish the GTI's reliability was better. The car performed admirably until the last day, when the radiator fan suddenly stopped working in stop-and-go traffic on the freeway. The VW had to be limped off on an exit ramp, and the radiator was cooled with splashes of cold water so the car could get to a dealership for repair.

This is not the kind of thing to have happen with a high-running, turbo engine.

For the record, Consumer Reports does not provide a reliability rating for the new GTI.

But VW ranked third from the bottom in automotive researcher J.D. Power and Associates' annual Initial Quality Study released in June. The study measures owner complaints after three months of vehicle use and obviously pre-dates the 2007 GTI.

VW also ranked sixth from the bottom in Power's annual Dependability Study that looks at problems owners report on their 3-year-old vehicles.

The 2007 GTI comes standard with a full complement of safety equipment, including traction control, stability control, antilock brakes, active head restraints in front that help reduce whiplash injuries and six air bags, including curtain air bags.

There's no federal government crash test rating for the test car.