2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI SE

The Golf GTI is Volkswagen's hot hatch, the one that practically invented the segment and still sets the standard for everyday sportiness. It's quick and eager, with a punchy engine that pulls hard from low revs, and the manual gearbox is a joy to row through the gates. Inside, you get a clean, upscale cabin with supportive front seats and a hatchback that swallows a surprising amount of cargo for its size. The SE is the mid-grade GTI, adding the larger infotainment screen and keyless entry over the S without going all the way to the Autobahn's adaptive dampers. Its 2.0L I4 makes 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, and the seven-speed automatic snaps off quick shifts while getting 27 mpg combined.