Despite that, in its five-door incarnation it can comfortably and fairly easily accommodate five adults, practically making it a family hauler.

The steering is ultra-precise and so communicative that you truly feel like you’ve become one with the road. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

Ponies aren’t everything
The good people at Volkswagen don’t count solely on horsepower to fulfil their promise of thrilling performance. In fact, the GTI’s stable is limited to 200 ponies. The 2.0-litre engine’s supercharger and 207 ft-lb of torque come to the rescue though, enabling the little devil to bound from 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds. This engine has proven itself long ago and is largely up to the task.

If you consider the competition, the GTI is nearly neck-and-neck with the MINI Cooper S JCW (208 hp, $36,600), but trails far behind the MazdaSpeed 3 with its 263 ponies ($32,995). The GTI’s driving dynamics nevertheless compensate for this slight power handicap. After all, a sports car is much more than a combination of horses.

Yes, in the handling department the GTI is exemplary. The steering is ultra-precise and so communicative that you truly feel like you’ve become one with the road. The sense of security and grip is generally equalled only in much more expensive cars.

The suspension firmly plants the car on the road. While not cloud-like, its stiffness proves reassuring when pushing the GTI. As in any Volkswagen, the braking system is great on the road, however I wonder at its endurance on the track, should the occasion arise.

The icing on the cake
The DSG transmission completely obliterates any misgivings about the small engine. The six speeds effortlessly flow into each other. Ultra-quick and imperceptible, gear changes are flawlessly executed. The steering wheel paddles make us feel like we have something to say in the matter and are a blast to use.

Always redefining the standards
For 36 years, the GTI has defined the driving standards of the “pocket rocket”. The arrival of the 2010 version takes what we loved about the old models and pushes it even further. Yes, Wolfsburg has done it again.

For 36 years, the GTI has defined the driving standards of the “pocket rocket”. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

Photo Credit : Matthieu Lambert