Golf GTD, the vastly underrated underdog with a mean bite

Sadly, it is that time again – and by that time, I mean it is time to bid our long-term VW Golf GTD farewell.

I wish I could tell you some juicy stories of how we had issues with it, or how it might have let us down. But I simply can’t.

There is a reason why VW are near the top of the sales charts most of the time. They build good-looking, dynamic cars that people want. And our GTD fits this profile almost perfectly, never missing a beat in 17 529km.

This mileage is the most I have covered in a long-term test car and that speaks volumes to just how much fun it was to drive. VWSA decided to bring this high-performance turbodiesel model to South Africa for the first time as a frugal alternative to their unbeatable GTI. But as much as we seemed to love fast diesels in the form of the popular Polo TDI of a few years ago, the GTD has not found itself a popular choice.

This can only be because of our crazy love for the GTI and for outright, traffic light racing-type performance. The six-speed DSG-driven, 130kW/350Nm oil burner ran a tested 0-100km/h in 7.72 sec and has a top speed of 220km/h. Numbers that are respectable. What was better than GTI, was fuel consumption that came in under 7l/100km – 6.91l for the full year we had the car.

It had an open-road best of 4.8l/100km. This is an aspect that should not be ignored, with the price of fuel going through the roof. Handling was above acceptable and many a challenger underestimated the ability of this hatch to hustle through the bends.

That could be done with the knowledge that this car created new benchmarks for assistance systems, with the likes of optional blind-spot monitor with rear-traffic alert as well as adaptive cruise control with front assist and autonomous emergency braking system. The VW Golf GTD retails from R529 200 and comes standard with a five-year/90 000km service plan, three-year/120 000km warranty and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.

I can tell you though, if you are prepared to shop around, I have seen on Facebook dealer groups are offering substantial discounts and you should be able to steal one at a brilliant price right now.

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