The Volkswagen Golf GTD is a warm hatch powered by (whisper it) diesel. With all the negative press surrounding diesel power, is the GTD still relevant?

PROS:

+ Comfy yet agile to drive

+ Brilliant fuel economy

+ Usual Golf space and quality

CONS:

- Slowest of the 'GT' Golfs

- Lacks the GTI's differential

- No manual gearbox option

Verdict: Ignoring 2030 and the hoo-ha surrounding diesel, the Golf GTD is a fine warm hatch that's great to drive yet frugal when you want it to be. Most will dismiss diesel, though, and head for the even sharper, petrol Golf GTI instead.

2021 Volkswagen Golf GTD review: the five-minute read

You get the sense that if the Volkswagen Golf GTD, GTI and GTE were siblings, the petrol GTI would be the cool, athletic one, the petrol-electric GTE the eco-conscious one and the diesel GTD would be the bitter one hanging around the bike sheds looking for a scrap.

There was a time when diesel was being championed up and down the land, mainly by the Government, but with a ban on new combustion-engined cars on its way in 2030 and diesel now a dirty word, is now the right time to buy a GTD?

VW hopes so, but if your heart really is set on diesel, it'll have to tempt you away from the Skoda Octavia vRS and Ford Focus ST, both of which also still offer performance diesel versions.

To our eyes, the GTD is the best looking car of those three. Latest-Golf frown-face aside, the GTD manages to look sporty yet classy, thanks to VW's striking IQ matrix headlights that come as standard, chequered flag daytime running light design and striking standard 18-inch alloys.

Inside it's typical Golf, which is to say the quality is very good and the design unfussy. Setting the GTD apart from the rest of the range is a pair of lovely sports seats trims in Alcantara and cloth, featuring trademark VW tartan cloth. There's also a sports steering wheel, shiny sports pedals and various GTD badges.

The GTD's infotainment system has its good and bad bits. We don't much like the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel (or on the dash the climate control for that matter) but the system itself is easy to understand, the infotainment screen is responsive to touch and the digital dials look lovely and can be configured to your liking. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard if you prefer.

A warm hatchback has to do the everyday stuff well too, though. Happily, two tall adults will sit comfortably in the front of the GTD, another two will do the same in the back and although an Octavia vRS will carry more stuff in its boot, the GTD's boot will handle a family's needs perfectly well.

Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre diesel producing 200hp and 400nm of torque, good for a dash to 62mph in 7.1 seconds, but also 54mpg. Next to a petrol GTI, the GTD seems noisy on startup, but on the move, it's extremely smooth and hushed as diesels go and feels every bit as strong as the GTI through its mid-range, if not quite so at the top. That official fuel economy figure is also very much achievable in the real world.

Like any Golf, the GTD is comfortable and easy to drive in town, handles motorway journeys brilliantly (where it'll nudge 60mpg) and even entertain on a country road with its precise steering, high levels of grip and quick-witted automatic gearbox. Some might begrudge no manual gearbox option, though, and there's no clever front differential to better hook you out of tight, slow corners like the one the GTI gets.

So, if you want more cornering performance, a GTI is still the sharper Golf. It's also about the same price, comes with a manual gearbox and is powered by the more popular fuel. Even so, if you're happy to arrive a couple of seconds later and cover enough miles for diesel to make sense, the GTD remains a thoroughly well-rounded car that's preferable to the equivalent vRS or Focus ST in 2021.

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Extended read…

2021 Volkswagen Golf GTD interior and infotainment

The Volkswagen Golf GTD's interior has the same basic architecture as any other Golf, which is a very good thing.

Nothing moves, nothing squeaks, all the switches feel substantial and there are lovely piano black and chrome trim accents about the place that creates a classy feel.

Setting the GTD apart from the rest of the range is a pair of lovely sports seats trims in Alcantara and cloth, featuring trademark VW tartan cloth. There's also a sports steering wheel, shiny sports pedals, various GTD badges and black metal chrome trim on the dash and doors.

The GTD's infotainment system has its good and bad bits. We don't much like the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel (or on the dash the climate control for that matter) but the system itself is easy to understand, the standard 10-inch infotainment screen is responsive to touch and the 10-inch digital dials look lovely and can be configured to your liking. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard if you prefer.

The standard stereo system is good enough that it seems silly to spend the extra on the upgraded Harman Kardon one.

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2021 Volkswagen Golf GTD practicality and boot space

No matter if the hatch you're buying is hot like the Golf GTI or warmer like the GTD here, you'll want it to be able to handle the everyday stuff like carting people and luggage about as well as it can scythe down a country road.

The Golf has always been very good at doing just that, and hence the GTD is too. You'll fit four tall adults inside without much fuss, although three adults across the rear seats will cause a bit of complaining on a long journey.

The GTD's boot is 381 litres in size, which will handle the weekly shop or a week away with the kids without much problem. However, if you like taking the kitchen sink with you, a Skoda Octavia vRS will the job even better, offering more than 200 litres extra.

Still, the GTD's interior features similarly spacious door bins front and back, plus gets a decent glovebox, two cupholders between the front seats and a useful cubby at the base of the dashboard.

2021 Volkswagen Golf GTD engine

Under the GTD's bonnet is a 2.0-litre diesel producing 200hp and 400nm of torque, good for a dash to 62mph in 7.1 seconds, but also 54mpg.

It's much the same 2.0-litre diesel you'll find across the entire VW Group, including in Seats, Skodas, Audis and VWs in various different power outputs.

Next to a petrol GTI, the GTD seems noisy on startup, but on the move, it's extremely smooth and hushed as diesels go and feels every bit as strong as the GTI through its mid-range, if not quite so at the top.

And one of the main reasons for still buying diesel applies here: how frugal it is in the right setting. Without trying too hard that official fuel economy figure is also very much achievable in the real world. But on the motorway, you'll be nudging 60mpg if you take it steady.

There's no manual gearbox options for the GTD, so it's a seven-speed dual-clutch auto or nothing. It suits the car though, and is certainly one of the best of its type, adding to the fun of driving hard rather than getting in the way.

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2021 Volkswagen Golf GTD driving

The GTD does without the GTI's front differential, so put your foot down out of slow, tight corners and it'll struggle to put its power down with quite the GTI's efficiency. However, VW's brake vectoring which nibbles the inside wheel does help you turn into corners with more urgency and the levels of grip are high regardless.

Progressive steering that changes with the car's speed is standard, but nevertheless, the GTD's steering feels natural and precise. There's enough power to excite, enough agility to bring a smile in the car's most focused Sport driving mode even some growl from the speakers that does add to the experience. Just about.

You're able to add adaptive dampers, but we'd probably save your money and go without given the GTD's already-decent balance of comfort and agility. All told, the GTD feels more exciting to drive hard than a Skoda vRS diesel, and while it doesn't steer quite as sweet as a Focus ST, it isn't far off and manages to be slightly more comfortable most of the time.

That's felt mainly in town where the GTD is easy to drive and soaks up high street bumps very well. It's also superb on the motorway, where its low-down diesel pull feels at home, its fuel economy keeps rising and there's very little wind or engine noise to complain about.

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