Hey, Our 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI Is More Than Just Fun

The first words that come to mind when talking about our yearlong review 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI are fun, cool, and vibrant. But practical? Not particularly. I recently drove our city-friendly hot hatch from Los Angeles to Houston to visit my family, and during my stay and on my way back, I was amazed at how practical and flexible it is. This shouldn’t be a huge surprise, though. While hatchbacks have a tighter passenger space than sedans, their overall interior volume is better than sedans’. But the amount of stuff that it could carry was impressive.

As I discovered on this road trip, the GTI isn’t only a hot hatch—it combines fun driving dynamics with tons of practicality.

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Three Passengers, Four Large Suitcases, and More

During a trip to the airport with my mom and sister, we fit four large suitcases, one carry-on, a large picture frame, and two backpacks (plus three humans) in the GTI. We Cortinas clearly don’t travel lightly, but despite its small size, our VW swallowed all of that with no issues. I had to play a bit of IRL Tetris to get all the cargo in place, but my family and I were in awe when we closed the hatch and headed to the airport.

The rear seats can fold flat in a 40/60 split, so we kept the single seat in place for my sister while the middle and right passenger seats were folded down. Its versatility is superb—we couldn’t fit anything else, and the car drove decently despite being loaded to the maximum.

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Similarly, on my way back from Houston to Los Angeles, I brought a lot of stuff with me from my parents’ house. Although the car wasn’t as full on the way back, I was thankful for its convenience. I brought a golf bag, a large suitcase, a couple of large shopping bags, a large plastic box, a backpack, and a mini golf setup packed in its own bag. I didn’t have a passenger, which helped me manage the interior space, but I was nevertheless surprised to see how much stuff fit in the GTI.

“That’s a Fun Car”

The more time I spend driving the GTI, the more I like it. I’ve grown to appreciate its driving dynamics, size, and yes, even its technology. I’ve been critical of its infotainment system, but I haven’t had as many issues as I was having, and CarPlay, for the most part, has been working.

I also got many compliments when driving my car in Texas. Whether it was the valet guys or my friends, they’d point out its cool, fun, charismatic looks. And after closing in on six months of chaperoning it, I agree—the GTI is a fun car.

For More on Our Long-Term 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI 40th Anniversary Edition:

• Forty, Flirty, and Thriving
• Technology Isn't Its Strongest Suit
• The Long Way Home