Evolution, thy name is Volkswagen. Driving the 2015 Volkswagen GTI this past week in San Francisco, California (as well as the Golf TSI, Golf TDI, and the battery-powered e-Golf) had me realizing just how cautious the German company is when it comes to making major changes to any of its most popular automobiles. You can certainly count the Golf and GTI in amongst that category, as they account for the majority of VW’s North American volume.
That’s not to say that the 2015 Volkswagen Golf and 2015 Volkswagen GTI are carbon copies of the models that came before them – far from it. There’s a new platform underpinning each of these hatchbacks, a tweaked styling language, and a revised set of drivetrains across the board. And yet, the more things change, the more they stay the same: what you’re getting from the 2015 Golf and GTI is the same mix of practicality, affordability, and smooth driving experience that has long been the hatchback’s trademark.