If you ask us, every Volkswagen Golf GTI is a good GTI, but it’s clear that VW knows what really makes its hot hatch great. The automaker packed all the best stuff into the 2024 GTI‘s 380 special edition, including the manual transmission, summer tires, adaptive dampers, the golf-ball shift knob, and—unless you go for the leather-furnished Autobahn trim—those classic plaid fabric seats. But the 380 holds a bittersweet place in our hearts, because it means the end of the road for the stick-shift GTI.
Pros
- Wheelbase: 103.6 in
- Length: 168.8 in
- Width: 70.4 in
- Height: 57.9 in
Cons
- 60 mph: 5.8 sec
- 1/4-Mile: 14.3 sec
- Torque: 273 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
- Top Speed: 127 mph
That’s right: When the updated 2025 Golf GTI arrives, it’ll come standard with VW’s DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. Don’t get us wrong, we still love the two-pedal GTI, and we’re sure the new car will remain fantastic to drive. But we’re taking the manual car’s departure as a body blow. While the latest iteration of the GTI fell off our 10Best list in recent years because of its fussy infotainment interface, it still represents the kind of car we love: practical, quick, refined, and highly engaging—particularly when equipped with the six-speed manual.
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