Features / 22 July 2021 / Jarred Els

What the VW Golf 8 GTI is competing against in South Africa

The new VW Golf 8 GTI has received its official South African pricing – R669,300.

For this price, the Golf 8 GTI provides you with its iconic red grille line, hexagonal patterns, and GTI badging.

Its LED headlights have been updated to be sharper and thinner while the rear spoiler, diffuser, and round tailpipes have also received an overhaul.

The engine is updated, too, and the turbocharged, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder motor now produces 180kW and 370Nm.

This is mated to VW’s seven-speed DSG automatic transmission, which transfers all the power to the GTI’s front wheels.

New equipment

Attached to the car’s front wheels is an electronically-controlled locking differential, which VW said eliminates the inherent grip disadvantage of front-wheel-drive vehicles.

Thanks to its combination of power and grip technology, the Golf 8 GTI can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.4 seconds.

The Golf 8 GTI is also fitted with a plethora of standard equipment.

This includes LED headlights, a heated multifunction steering wheel, Vienna leather upholstery, cruise control, and paddle shifters.

Along with this comes a 10.25-inch infotainment display that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality as standard.

Additionally, the 8th-gen car gets exclusive wheels in the form of 18-inch “Richmond” alloys.

Based on these specifications and its official pricing, we have compiled a list of cars the VW Golf 8 GTI will be competing against in South Africa, below.