2015 VW Golf GTI Wins “Cheap Speed Challenge”
The 2015 VW Golf GTI won USA Today/Cars.com’s “Cheap Speed Challenge”
Looking to get a powerful performer without breaking the bank? Cars.com and USA Today’s “Cheap Speed Challenge” suggests that those wanting a performance-oriented ride without paying more than $30,000 would be best suited to turn their attentions to the 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI, which topped seven other new vehicles for the crown.
“Not only does the all-new 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI offer the best performance bang for the buck, it is also one of the most comfortable,” said Joe Wiesenfelder, Executive Editor at Cars.com in a statement issued by Volkswagen. “The GTI outperformed most cars in just about every test we conducted. Also, unlike some of the other Cheap Speed competitors, the GTI offers an impressively roomy and high-quality interior in addition to being seriously fun-to-drive.”
The 2015 VW Golf GTI beat out the 2014 Fiat 500 Abarth, 2015 Ford Fiesta ST, 2014 Hyundai Veloster Turbo, 2014 Kia Fote5 CQ SX Turbo, 2014 Nissan Juke NISMO RS, 2014 Scion FR-S, and 2015 Subaru WRX. The Golf GTI was evaluated by experts including USA Today’s James R. Healey; MotorWeek’s Brian Robinson; and Cars.com’s Joe Bruzek, Dave Thomas, and Joe Wiesenfelder. Also along for the ride was consumer judge Joe Weiss, a quality assurance manager from Chicago who just so happens to be looking for a quick car that won’t cost an arm and a leg.
The 2015 Golf GTI scored 878 out of a possible 1,000 and was praised for its track and on-road performance, superb handling and acceleration, quality interior, and the feel of the GTI’s dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Tests included: zero-to-60 mph times; quarter-mile times/speeds; 60 mph to zero braking distance; road course testing; 200 miles of real-world road testing; and a round-robin driving test.
“Best performance bang for the buck, bar none; it’s one of the most comfortable cars here,” Robinson told USA Today. “This is the one I would buy right now.”
Having sold 1,927 units in its first month of availability (June), it seems that a good many performance-seekers agree.
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