In many ways Hyundai’s first hot hatch felt like a modern reincarnation of the Mk5 Golf GTI, with an addictive, pugnacious attitude and all the sensibilities you need in an everyday car.

most will appreciate the GTI's accessible, searing pace. The normal stuff, the Golf does well. When you’re not in the mood you can calm everything down in the drive mode menu, visibility is ...

Visually, the new car is a bit more square-jawed thanks to a new front bumper; the LED front and rear light units are new, and there are now GTI badges on the front doors, which seems an odd choice.

It feels like everything is powered by an EA888 engine these days. The 2-litre lump first appeared in a GTI for the Mk6, and this latest evo4 unit is the most powerful ever fitted to a base GTI.

The Golf GTI, on the other hand, will easily sit in the high 30s and even low 40s in motorway driving. On paper, VW quotes 38.7mpg, and experience tells us that these numbers are quite easy to ...