No Golf, no GTI, but this Volkswagen sports car has 230 PS and costs €17,000 less

Using the market in Spain as an example, we have gotten used to the fact that an SUV like the Toyota Land Cruiser has gone from €51,400 to €76,450 in just over a year, and it also seems normal to us that a compact sports car like the Volkswagen Golf GTI costs €46,765.

This price may even seem cheap considering that it offers 265 PS, which is more than ever before, or that a GTI Clubsport costs €48,715, a joke compared to the €53,650 that the Golf R starts at, albeit with 300 PS.

However, this price madness should not distract us from the fact that a seventh-generation Golf GTI with 230 PS back in 2018 cost €34,325. What can we buy today for that price?

It's not a Golf GTI, but this VW costs €17,300 less

Well, if we jump the pond, we will find the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, which is neither a Golf nor a GTI, but which allows us to enjoy a sporty appearance and a 2.0-litre engine with 230 PS of power.

Gallery: Volkswagen Vento GLi (2025)

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Source: Motor1 Argentina

In fact, it can be found in markets such as the United States and Mexico, where its price starts at 667,000 Mexican pesos, the equivalent of €31,388 at the current exchange rate. That's €17,327 (approx. £14,360) less than its European 'brother'.

In addition, it revives a historic name for the brand, the Jetta, used intermittently in Europe for the saloon 'derivatives' of the Golf, until its total disappearance during the last decade. However, in Argentina the model is called Vento GLI.

Recent VW Golf stories:

The Volkswagen Golf will be produced in Mexico, the ID.Golf in Germany

VW Golf gets new petrol, diesel, and hybrid engines in the UK

VW Golf GTI 4.5 (2007): This facelift was only available in Brazil

VW Golf GTI Clubsport and Golf R in dual test: Who offers more driving pleasure?

That said, the Jetta GLI claims 350 Nm of peak torque and offers drivers a choice of two gearboxes: a six-speed manual and a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic.

In addition to a sporty exterior and interior appearance, the Jetta GLI can be fitted with DCC adaptive suspension, which is always a plus from a dynamic point of view, and is combined with a sports brake system with red callipers on the front axle.