What Changed for 2008:

• Ride height lowered 15 mm


• Standard Sirius satellite radio


• Automatic climate control no longer available

Volkwagen introduced the first GTI in America in 1983. A modified Rabbit with a fuel-injected engine and stiffened suspension, the GTI was the original "hot hatch" and the car that kicked off the sport-compact craze, according to VW. The latest iteration of the GTI, based on VW's new "A5" platform, made its debut in 2006 in 2-door form; a 4-door version joined the lineup in 2007. For 2008, Volkswagen has lowered the GTI's suspension by about two-thirds of an inch, giving the car an even sportier look.