This car requires no introduction.

41 years ago, as consumers demanded more refinement and quality, Volkswagen decided to replace their ageing Beetle with an all-new car, dubbed the Golf. The Golf was built as a sensible, family hatchback, capable of ferrying four in relative comfort, while providing the kind of practicality demanded by young families. And fulfill its brief, it did, and it went on to become a sales success. Of course, the vanilla-flavoured Golf has always been a staple in many households across the world, but that’s not the one we’re talking about today.

As successful as the Golf was, there existed at the time a small group of engineers who thought they could make it a little bit better. Against the wishes of their boss, these engineers began working on something after hours, using what they could from the Volkswagen parts bin, fiddling and fettling to their hearts’ content. And when they’d built something complete, they brought it to VW top brass, who were beyond besotted with their results. It was then christened the Golf ‘Grand Touring Injection,’ or GTi.

Although the GTi had a difficult, almost unwanted birth, it quickly gained traction among its target market. Young families suddenly saw themselves going everywhere much faster, with toddlers undoubtedly arriving at daycare more and more often with soiled diapers. With 106hp and not much weight to hold it back, the Golf GTi injected a little more fun in otherwise mundane chores, with its whizzy little engine and fantastic manual gearbox. It made it possible to be exciting and practical, all at once. And Volkswagen hasn’t really looked back since.

But we’re not in the 70’s, and my endless drivel about the past is largely pointless. Many of those reading this were probably just ideas or fetuses when the original Golf GTi made its debut, but that simply lays testament to how reputable the name has become, even after a brief sullying by the Golf’s of the 90’s and early 00’s. No, I want to prattle on about the current Golf GTi, here in its 7th iteration.

By god, is it a looker.

Seen here with optional billion-spoke wheels that are the size of a small moon, the current Golf GTi has a whif of the first two generations about it. The twin-U elements in the headlights remind me of the Mk1 and Mk2, as do the tartan-design seats that come as standard (in the 3-door; leather is the fare on the 5-door, as seen here). Although it’s subtle, the Golf GTi has a sort of refined anger about it, with its discrete foglights, GTi badging on the wings, and that sexy red line that goes from one headlight, through the grille, ending on the other side. I like it very much.

Inside, you know this is a hot Golf. No, there isn’t a six-speed manual in the 5-door, but you get lots of things in red, like ambient lighting, and needles in the dials, and even a GTi badge on the steering wheel. Those aside though, it feels like a plush VW. Pleasant, but unimaginative. Which is great, if you intend to hold onto it forever. Which I’d suggest you do, because of reasons that’ll become clearer in time.

On the move, is where the Mk7 comes into its own. In Eco or Comfort mode (which you can choose using the drive select button, which is curiously on the left side of the gearknob), it’s a perfectly civilised machine. Its 220PS engine knows how to play nice, and even comes fitted with what this writer considers as the best engine start-stop system on the market, to help sip fuel. The best fuel consumption average we saw in town (with some highway jaunts) was 8.2l/100km, which is perfectly acceptable for something like this.

What certainly helps it along is the infallible refinement and poise the GTi displayed on the highway. Often, hot hatches tend to be a bit light on sound dampening and ride with all the comfort of an Albanian prison, but the Mk7 Golf GTi, much like the Mk1, has done its best to be the best of both worlds. And in the world where it will undoubtedly spend most of its time, it felt as calm and collected as any D-segment saloon or even an SUV, with plenty of torque to help it overtake at high speed. Here’s a little car that felt like a much bigger one, and was doing a fine job at it, too.

On a short trip to Cameron Highlands though, I got to see the GTi excel. Its vario-rack steering wheel (which, in short, changes the angle of wheel movement in relation to the steering input based on speed) provided excellent feel and response, making the hatch dart through corners like a stabbed rat, and ‘Sport’ mode ensured a quick response from the DSG gearbox and the throttle, with paddles behind the wheel for those looking for a little more control. On top of all that, drivers would be treated to a lovely soundtrack coming from both the front and the rear, which eggs you to go further.

Even in situations where I may have overcooked it a little, the GTi stepped in to save me before I made a complete hash of things. Fitted as standard is a trick limited-slip differential, to ensure that power goes exactly where it needs to, making sure you get through a corner just how you imagined, and not backwards, in a cloud of smoke (and possibly sitting in a puddle of your own poo). The Golf GTi rewards keen drivers, and it makes amateurs giggle in delight.

That’s basically the Golf GTi though, isn’t it? An all-purpose car, ensuring fun for all-people. Which is very Volkswagen too, I should add. And what I said earlier, about wanting to keep it forever? The reason you’d want to do that is, you’d be hard pressed to find something better.

I was actually very sad to send this car back to Volkswagen after a long weekend. The GTi had gone to great lengths to win me over, which is no mean feat, because I generally greet VWs with a yawn. Although competition is stiff now, with plenty of hot hatchbacks on the market, the GTi provides an experience that is truly unique. If it’s a Golf GTi you want, then I’m afraid that it’s a Golf GTi that you simply must get.