Gadgetory

this is the 2015 volkswagen golf gte and no i didn't misspeak its GTE not GTI this is the plug-in hybrid version of the hot hatchback and it's what happens when you take all of that turbocharged performance and excellent handling and combine it with a little electric know how gathered from Volkswagens eGolf program now I've plug-in hybrid we've got a combination of engines under the hood first is a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine that's smaller than the two-liter you'll find in the GTI and has made it within electric engine and together they put their power to the front wheels through a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission total system power is 200 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque which coincidentally are the exact same numbers that you'll find in the conventional GTI the difference here is how that torque is delivered where the standard GTI sort of builds its power in linear fashion the GTE kind of has the advantage of having the immediate electric torque on tap at all times now why bother with a plug-in hybrid version of the GTI if your numbers are going to be about the same well the big difference comes when you're talking about efficiency because it's got a battery and a place to plug in the GTE can do about 31 miles under a full electric charge before it's gasoline engine has to jump in to help Volkswagen says that the GTE is good for a combined about 150 to 160 6 miles of driving if you plug in regularly and have short commutes or short trips between charges now unfortunately they did not supply us with an American plug for this European model and it's charging port is not the same standard as our j1772 plug that we have at most charging stations here in California so I haven't actually been able to plug this thing in to test it's sort of full electrified performance consequently I've just been driving it as a hybrid which is still pretty fun but that means that i've only been getting about 33 to 42 miles per gallon per trip and with the gasoline and electric engines working in concert this vehicle feels every bit as awesome as the GT I with the GTE volkswagen has added a lot of city car practicality and efficiency to one of the best hot hatchbacks on the market without compromising very much of its performance so the GT is as fun as the GTI and it's more efficient but what about price well we don't have us pricing because this is a European model so let's go with that in Europe the GTE is about a five percent price premium over the GTI so that's thirty-six thousand euro instead of 30 so we can expect a similar price to that if it comes to America now Volkswagen currently has no official plans to bring the GT each of the United States yet here we are in California and there is the GTE so we can at least hope personally I think that a plug-in hybrid version the DCI is going to sell like hotcakes when you get here