The new family face is shared with the latest Scirocco our European counterparts are enjoying, while the front bumper is remarkably close to the twin-turbo W12 GTI 650 concept we saw in et 8/07.
At the rear, the GTI gets R32-style twin tailpipes and less offensive light clusters. The side of the car also loses its side rubbing strips and gets cleaner door handles.
However, we don't get the additional 10hp boasted by European versions. Our cars will retain the ample 200hp of the Mk5's 2.0TSI and we doubt few will notice the difference. And those who do, know how to get significantly more with software upgrades.
The new cabin is a welcome improvement over the outgoing model. The steering wheel looks considerably better and the main instruments house auxiliary dials within their faces. However, the biggest advance is the adoption of the latest touchscreen nav unit that's so much simpler to operate and allows music to be downloaded to its hard-drive or played through aux inputs.
More good news is that the Interlagos cloth trim remains, in a slightly updated form. And we're told it will be available on the seat centers in combination with leather outers to create a special ambience.
Volkswagen has also put effort into making the GTI feel more refined, giving it thicker glass, better door seals and more insulation. Along with aero-acoustically optimised exterior mirrors, wind noise has been reduced by 3dB(A) at 75mph, it's also 3dB quieter at idle, and the engine is 5dB quieter.
These new measures have ensured the Mk6 Golf GTI remains at the top of the pile, king of its castle. It's still incredibly satisfying to drive and should be just as affordable to own when prices are announced later in the year. What's more, there's already talk of high-performance derivatives, with perhaps the costly R36 being overlooked for a more nimble 260hp AWD Golf 2.0T for the US. And provided manual transmissions are made available, this exciting car should set pulses racing with its potential for 400hp and optimum traction.