The latest generation Volkswagen Golf, the Mk VI, currently holds the title of World Car of The Year 2009. More indicative of the success of the VW Golf though, is the shear volume of units sold since it's inception over 30 years ago. 26 Million VW Golf's sold in more than 120 countries around our globe, make it one of the best selling cars of our time. Then there is the GTI version.

Since the first generation Golf was launched in1976, VW have been assigning the GTI badge to those Golf's which have received more power, stiffer suspension and subtle aerodynamic tweaks - and which originally helped to coin the term 'hot hatch'. Over the years the Golf GTI has evolved and has always been a 'crowd' favourite - able to strike the balance between performance and practicality, with a look of understated athleticism. The new Volkswagen Golf 6 GTI is proclaimed by many as merely an update of the previous generation, a Golf 5.5 GTI rather than a wholely new version. And they wouldn't be wrong, after all, what's wrong with improving on the Golf 5 GTI, which made up for over 40% of all Golf 5's sold in this country? This is the question we set out to answer.

The biggest change to the new GTI is at the front. The bumper, radiator grille and inner design of the headlights are a new creation. The outer grille, painted in high-gloss black, is a flat surface again, as it was with the first generation GTI, which made the car look wider than it was. The red grille surround is legendary and frames the grille at the top and bottom. Below lies the honeycomb radiator screen, bordered by vertically aligned front fog lights located on either edge of the bumper that help to give the new GTI its wider and lower appearance.

The black side sills running between the two wheels arches of the Golf 5 GTI have been replaced with a shorter and more stylish design.

At the rear, a new diffuser has been added with the twin tailpipes now residing on opposite ends. The only item left unchanged from the Mk5 GTI are the 18-inch "Detroit" alloy wheels. The openings in the 5-spoke alloys have a 'piano black' finish but a new set of wheels to complement the new face of the GTI wouldn't have been a bad idea.

The overall styling of the Golf 6 GTI continues the heritage of sporting looks with a touch of class - we like it. 

When we tested VW's new 1,4-litre TSI Golf 6 we commented that "we immediately felt at home behind the controls - like slipping into your favourite pair of jeans". Well the new GTI is no different, road test dmv  for one thing, it's a GTI!

Heavily bolstered seats, a chunky 3-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel, brushed stainless-steel covered pedals and decorative red seams on the steering wheel, gearshift surround and leather parking brake, immediately tell you this is not an average Golf. Instruments and controls are clearly legible, easy to reach and operate. The decorative inserts in the doors and instruments are finished in a black, high-gloss metallic look, which serve to round off a high quality interior.