car&bike Awards 2026: Volkswagen Golf GTI Wins Performance Car Of The Year Title

The Volkswagen Golf GTI has been named Performance Car of the Year at the 20th edition of the car&bike Awards 2026. The hot hatch secured the title after being evaluated against its sibling, the Skoda Octavia RS, under identical test conditions.

During the evaluation process, both models were assessed across multiple parameters such as performance, handling, and overall driving dynamics. According to the jury’s scoring, the Golf GTI emerged with the highest overall points, ultimately taking home the award.

Also Read: Volkswagen Golf GTI First Drive Review: High Speed Happiness!

The Golf GTI was launched in India in May 2025 as a completely built unit (CBU) and was launched at Rs 53 lakh (ex-showroom). Volkswagen brought only 150 units of the performance hatchback to the country, and all of them were allocated within days of bookings opening.

Under the hood, the Golf GTI is powered by a 2.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine that produces 261 bhp and 370 Nm of torque. Power is delivered to the front wheels through a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox paired with an electronic locking differential, which helps improve traction during hard acceleration and cornering. The hot hatch can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in 5.9 seconds, while the top speed is rated at 267 kmph.