2025 VW Golf GTI: Buttons are back on the menu, smiles never went away

Summary

What’s new? The improvements for model year 2025 amount to new bumpers—shades of Mk2, anybody?—and an illuminated VW badge that would have made you the coolest Beastie Boy in 1986. There are also adaptive front fog lights that turn with the wheels, and VW's improved 12.9-inch infotainment system has replaced the old 10.25-inch unit. The wireless charging pad for mobile devices is now capable of 15 W, and the much-disliked capacitive multifunction steering wheel has been replaced by a wheel with plastic buttons. Hooray! The base GTI starts at $32,445, but you'll want to at least splash out for the $37,420 SE if only for the fantastic ArtVelours seats that previously were only found in the Europe-only Clubsport. The best wheels are found on the $40,880 Autobahn—19-inch telephone dials that evoke the Mk5. The Autobahn also benefits from adaptive dampers, a heads-up display, a parking assistant, leather seats (with 12-way power adjustment for the driver), ventilated front seats, and three-zone climate control. Golf interiors have always been spartan. Volkswagen Golf interiors have always been spartan. Volkswagen This facelifted Mk2 16v GTI smelled and sounded divine. Jonathan Gitlin This facelifted Mk2 16v GTI smelled and sounded divine. Jonathan Gitlin This is an SE spec car, and the ArtVelours seats. But you have to choose between these or the ventilated leather seats in the Autobahn. Volkswagen This is an SE spec car, and the ArtVelours seats. But you have to choose between these or the ventilated leather seats in the Autobahn. Volkswagen This facelifted Mk2 16v GTI smelled and sounded divine. Jonathan Gitlin This is an SE spec car, and the ArtVelours seats. But you have to choose between these or the ventilated leather seats in the Autobahn. Volkswagen A word of warning about the infotainment. The Wi-Fi stopped working on our test car, which prevented CarPlay from operating. While there is a pair of USB-C ports up front, CarPlay over USB does not appear to be an opt...