2025 Volkswagen
Golf GTI

The Volkswagen Golf GTI continues to prove that the hot hatchback is far from a relic of the past. With over 40 years of well-established performance cred, this iconic five-door remains a top choice for driving enthusiasts who crave a mix of agility, style, and everyday practicality. But the Golf GTI isn’t just a source of turbocharged thrills; it’s also a versatile daily driver offering generous cargo space, a feature-packed interior, and advanced technology.

For the 2025 model year, the Golf GTI receives a series of thoughtful updates that enhance its appearance, tech features, and passenger safety. On the outside, it shows off a refreshed front bumper with updated LED headlights and illuminated upper grille elements (including the Volkswagen logo), plus new GTI badging on the front doors. Additional exterior enhancements include new paint options and redesigned wheels for the range-topping Autobahn.

The cabin has been treated to a newly designed center stack featuring a freestanding 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, illuminated climate and audio volume controls, upgraded steering wheel buttons, and available ClubSport ArtVelours seating surfaces that add a sporty yet refined touch. As the icing on top, the IQ.Drive advanced driver-assist technology suite is now standard across all trims.

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Trims, Powertrain, and Efficiency

The 2025 VW Golf GTI is a performance-focused hatchback available in three trims: S, SE, and Autobahn. Each is outfitted with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 241 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque. The rest of the mechanical big picture includes a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, paddle shifters, and a front-wheel drivetrain. To enhance its on-road dynamics, the ‘25 Golf GTI has a sport-tuned suspension and selectable drive modes for customizing performance to specific situations.

As far as fuel efficiency, the Golf GTI strikes a nice balance between power and practicality. According to the EPA’s official estimates, all trims return 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway, making this hot hatch both thrilling and efficient for everyday driving.

Noteworthy Features

The standard features in the S trim include heated front sport seats, the signature plaid cloth upholstery, a heated leather-wrapped sport steering wheel with paddle shifters, single-zone automatic climate control, push-button ignition, LED headlights and taillights, adaptive front lighting with dynamic cornering lights, heated power-folding side mirrors with position memory and passenger-side reverse gear tilt-down, rain-sensing windshield wipers, distinctive red brake calipers, a 60/40-split folding rear seat with a center armrest and pass-through, and stainless-steel sport pedals. Tech highlights for the S include a wireless phone charger, Digital Cockpit Pro with a customizable 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, multicolor ambient interior lighting, and four USB-C ports (two front data and two rear charging).

The SE doubles down on premium refinements, adding ClubSport ArtVelours upholstery (a sporty blend of cloth, leather, and synthetic suede), proximity keyless entry, and a power tilt-and-slide panoramic sunroof. Buyers can also opt for the available SE Leather Seating Package, which upgrades the interior with leather upholstery and power-adjustable ventilated front seats.

At the top of the lineup, the Autobahn provides the most advanced features and performance upgrades. It get all of the components of the SE Leather Seating Package, plus tri-zone automatic climate control, heated outboard second-row seats, a dynamic chassis control system that continuously adjusts the suspension for optimal handling, a head-up display, and high-performance summer tires.

Advanced Driver-Assist Technology

Every ‘25 Golf GTI trim is set up with IQ.Drive, VW’s advanced suite of driver-assistance technologies. Those components are an active blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, dynamic road sign display, Front Assist (forward collision warning and automatic braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection), Park Distance Control (front and rear parking sensors), Travel Assist (combines adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist to manage speed and distance from other vehicles), and Emergency Assist (driver attention monitoring). The SE and Autobahn add Light Assist (automatic high beams), while the range-topping Autobahn is the only trim to get Park Assist Plus, Volkswagen’s advanced automatic parking system.

Infotainment and Connectivity

Every trim gets the advanced Discover Pro multimedia system, anchored by a 12.9-inch touchscreen that includes built-in navigation, wireless App-Connect (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, and Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming. While the S delivers solid audio quality with its unbranded sound system, the SE and Autobahn go for an advanced listening experience with a supreme Harman Kardon setup.

MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of the vehicle. Dealer sets final price. Sales tax, title, and registration fees are not included in vehicle prices or manufacturer offers that appear on this site and must be paid by the purchaser. $420 doc & title prep fees apply to all vehicle sales, including manufacturer offers that may appear on this website (with the exception of vehicle sales under $10,000 which incur only a $20 title preparation fee). Actual odometer reading may vary due to test drives and other miles driven since vehicle was listed. MPG ratings are EPA estimates. Actual results may vary for many reasons, including driving conditions and how you drive and maintain your vehicle. See full site disclosure here.

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