Internally, Volkswagen calls them GTX models. There’s the GTI, the turbo-diesel GTD, and the plug-in hybrid that Europe dubbed the GTE with the Audi A3 e-tron’s hybrid powertrain. Now VW is launching the eighth-generation Golf, and the new GTE version makes a GTI-matching 242 horsepower. In Germany, it costs 4000 euros (about $4,800) more than a GTI. We’ve driven both cars now and are ready to answer whether the GTE is worth the extra money.
The GTE comes with a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder good for 148 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque paired, which is paired with an electric motor that can add 107 horses and 243 pound-feet. The hybrid powertrain sends its power to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The powertrain is largely carried over from the previous GTE, although it is electronically tweaked to produce 242 horsepower instead of the previous 204. Should you be feeling nostalgic for the old GTE, a 204-hp version called the e-Hybrid is available, but you don’t get the GTI looks.
City dwellers may find that the plug-in hybrid powertrain has its merits. It’s possible to drive up to around 40 miles on an electric charge, although such a distance requires an extremely light foot. In the European cycle, the GTE is rated at 138.4 mpg due to its ability to run the test in EV mode. The electric motor also offers lightning-quick throttle response. By comparison, a GTI needs a blink of an eye for the turbo to wake up and provide meaningful boost. But what happens with the GTE after the initial accelerator response is less impressive.
VW claims the sprint from zero to 62 mph takes 6.7 seconds, a mere 0.5 second more than the GTI. In our last test of the 204-hp powertrain, the heavier 2016 A3 e-tron Sportback hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. Beyond 60 mph, the gap begins to widen. The GTE very noticeably loses steam in the 60-to-90-mph range, and finding the 140-mph top speed requires patience and a long stretch of road. The GTI, by contrast, hustles its way relentlessly up to a governed 155 mph. Blame the weight of the GTE’s motor and battery; they add a claimed 361 pounds to the roughly 3200-pound GTI.
On curvy roads, the heft of the plug-in hybrid system (which also eats into cargo space) is obvious. Compared to the GTI, the GTE rolls more, has a lazier turn-in, and the car just feels softer. Brake feel is good for a hybrid but mediocre when compared to the GTI. The GTE doesn’t blow us away in a straight line, nor does it impress in corners. There are many reasons to go for a plug-in hybrid—subsidies, tax incentives, a perception of environmental friendliness—but there will be a trade-off in vehicle dynamics, as (not just) the Golf GTE amply illustrates.
Inside, the Golf GTE is dressed like the GTI: same fantastic seats, generous space, and the futuristic dashboard that graces every new-gen Golf. Sadly, there are still teething problems with the user interface. In two of the three Golfs we drove at the hybrid event, we couldn’t get the navigation to work, and one of them couldn’t execute all of the heating and cooling options. When it works, it is a good system, and we are confident VW will iron out the proverbial wrinkles by the time the GTI comes to the United States in late 2021.
Barring any massive regulatory changes or a big spike in oil prices, the GTE won’t be making it stateside. Volkswagen is keeping the Golf lineup in the U.S. to the GTI and the Golf R. Considering its mediocre handling, we are not surprised that Audi has opted to keep its new A3 e-tron away from the States as well. We’d be more excited about a new GTD, but diesel and Volkswagen aren’t going together for the foreseeable future.
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Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com
