Gradually, the well-deserved GTI reputation softened as it went from being a truly special model in the lineup to a glorified trim package at the top of the Golf range. But the lean years weren't without hope. The occasional VR6-powered rockets and the delightfully uncompromising 20th-anniversary special edition showed us there were still a few folks inside the company who knew what a GTI should be. So when we discovered that the fifth-generation GTI had resurrected the spirit of the first- and second-gen GTIs, we placed it on our 10Best list and added one to our long-term fleet.

Although we are occasionally gluttonous in our optioning of vehicles, we kept the GTI as simple as possible, forgoing 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, navigation, heated seats, and automatic climate control. We selected only option Package 1 (sunroof and satellite radio), for $1370, and the excellent twin-clutch Direct Shift Gearbox ($1075), which brought the total to $25,065. We would have been happy with the standard six-speed manual, but we opted for the complex DSG to see if 40,000 hard miles would temper our love for it.

Our Reflex Silver metallic GTI arrived in March 2006 and immediately drew compliments from the usually jaded staff. From the plaid seats and high-quality interior appointments to the snarling bark of the direct-injection 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder at wide-open throttle and its lively chassis, the latest GTI caused a flood of '80s flashbacks.

For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Volkswagen GTI, click here for our buyer's guide.

Unfortunately for those who have owned a GTI, or any Volkswagen, for that matter, some of those flashbacks involve mysterious pieces of goo-covered plastic sitting on the footwell and squeaks and rattles. In our car, the sunroof and a dash vent started making noise soon after the car was delivered. It's a conundrum VW owners are quite familiar with: The interior materials might be first-rate, but does that matter if it sounds as if there were a baby tooth clattering around inside the dash? Volkswagen loyalists get used to these problems. Honda and Toyota fans would be appalled. To quell the racket, a new sliding-sunroof panel was ordered at our first service stop at 5000 miles; the dash rattle would magically heal itself whenever the GTI went in for service.

For the 2.0-liter turbo engine, Volkswagen recommends service stops at 5000 and 10,000 miles and, thereafter, every 10,000 miles. A synthetic oil change (five quarts) at 4835 miles set us back $107; the stop at 11,108 miles added nearly an hour of inspections to the oil change and set us back $179. The next scheduled service came at 20,012 miles and involved even more inspections, for $270. A 30K service (similar to the 10K service), while the GTI was in the hands of editor-at-large Patrick Bedard, cost $136. Our final scheduled stop came at 41,437 miles and required a battery of inspections, as well as an oil change, a new air filter, and fresh brake fluid, for $394. The dealer neglected to change the gearbox fluid, which would have cost us a staggering $375. Scheduled maintenance totaled $1086 (or $1461 with the transmission-fluid change). Our long-term '06 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT's scheduled maintenance cost $432 over 40,000 miles [May 2007].

Those were the scheduled stops. Our first unscheduled stop came at 8368 miles when the airbag warning light wouldn't stop glowing. An inspection disclosed an unhooked electrical connection under the passenger seat. Reconnecting it was covered under the GTI's four-year/50,000-mile warranty. At this time the replacement sunroof panel was installed, and that cured the chattering, but a nonessential additional piece of sunroof trim wasn't ordered and wouldn't be replaced until the 20,000-mile service. At the 10,000-mile service, the airbag light was again warning us of impending doom. To get the light to turn off the second time required the driver's seat to be removed and the wiring harness under the seat to be repaired.

For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Volkswagen GTI, click here for our buyer's guide.

Despite the minor hiccups, the GTI was a favorite here. After trips to New York, Ohio, and northern Michigan, staffers complimented the point-and-squirt nature of the GTI's fantastic powertrain. Wrote one traveler: "Zipped around New York and fought for space with taxis from Spanish Harlem to Midtown Manhattan, and won." However, a speedometer that overstated speeds by 6 to 8 mph at highway speeds drew its share of flack, "The speedo says 80 mph, but I'm well below the speed of traffic." At some point an automatic carwash snapped a piece of trim off the rear wiper, and about the same time, we discovered that the rear-seat cup holder was in pieces. Both items were replaced at the 20,000-mile service-the cup holder (our fault) set us back $121.

A few more annoyances emerged at about 23,000 miles. At idle, the inexplicable sound of castanets would emanate from the passenger-side footwell. Loose clips that were allowing the fuel lines to vibrate against the car were the culprits; an adjustment cost us nothing. And then the rearview mirror fell off in our managing editor's sensitive hands-glued back under warranty. Last, a burned-out $3 taillight bulb was replaced.

An accident at about 30,000 miles nearly ripped the driver's-side door from its hinges and ended up costing us $2925. We sailed on until 34,578 miles when a check-engine light alerted us to a faulty intake-flap motor that was covered under warranty. At the end of the test and during a 5000-mile cross-country jaunt, both 12-volt outlets stopped working-a $1 fuse brought them back to life.

The GTI never stranded us or failed to start, but its problems were often exasperating. Still, the GTI logbook filled with compliments. The car won many friends, despite its many failings, more friends than had the problem-free Mitsubishi Eclipse, whose time overlapped with the GTI's. Most of us were forgiving because the GTI is such a hoot to drive. It can run from 0 to 60 in 6.0 seconds and return 25 mpg; it possesses a quick-shifting gearbox that is the envy of the rest of the car world; its chassis is sports-car responsive; and it's practical and affordable.

Those are the same traits that established the GTI's impressive reputation in the '80s, and they're all present in the 21st-century version. Unfortunately, the electrical and trim defects remind us of 20 years ago, when flawless reliability was the exception. Today, we expect it.

For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Volkswagen GTI, click here for our buyer's guide.

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RANTS AND RAVES

MARK GILLIES
This GTI seems so much livelier than the old one, but the ride can be a bit jarring over pavement with lots of expansion joints.

DAVE VANDERWERP
The headlights don't point nearly far enough ahead. My normal line of sight isn't illuminated.

DAN WINTER
The GTI rolls too much after you put it in park. I've started using the emergency brake.

TONY SWAN
The DSG is very good in full automatic mode, but in manual mode, it will upshift on its own. Nevertheless, it's the best automatic I've ever encountered.

K.C. COLWELL
The sensation of speed on the highway is absent. I found myself in triple digits when I thought I was going about 80 mph.

CORA WEBER
Nothing about the GTI feels chintzy. Is it possible to love a transmission?

RUSS FERGUSON
DSG is your best friend in L.A. traffic.

MIKE DUSHANE
The dashboard rattles like a 10-year-old Cavalier's.

For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Volkswagen GTI, click here for our buyer's guide.

BAUBLES AND BOLT-ONS

BODY BITS: Inspired by Volkswagen's "orange speed" Golf concept and the so-called OEM-plus tuning approach that only uses manufacturer parts, we set out to make our GTI look at bit less like a garden-variety Rabbit. First up were the shorter springs that European GTIs wear-until June 2007, U.S.-market GTIs like ours came with taller springs that raised the ride height to dorky levels. We ordered the European springs from oempl.us for $309 and had them installed for $540. Next up were the handsome multispoke 18-inch Performance wheels ($3716)-from the Phaeton parts bin-bearing Yokohama Advan Neova AD07s (225/40R-18 at $245 each). Topping off the cosmetic tweaks were chrome mirror caps ($145) and the tasteful VW body kit, available from the factory for $1650.

Once the pieces were all in place, the logbook filled with compliments for the stylish look and gripes about the tires scraping against the body. Although the tires were the same size as those available from VW, the 8.5-inch-wide wheels were an inch wider and had a different offset that led to occasional contact between fender and tire when the suspension was compressed. We complained that the supple ride quality of the stock GTI was gone, a victim of shorter springs, heavier wheels, and a smaller tire sidewall. We can't just blame the springs, as VW claims the European and U.S. springs had the same spring rate. In hindsight, we probably should have gone with the narrower GTI-spec 18-inch wheels, but we fell in love with the look of the Golf concept car that wore the Phaeton wheels. And then there were the complaints regarding the amount of noise the Yokohamas made. In the end, we were reminded of the old adage that we've never subscribed to: "It is better to look good than to feel good." We loved the way the car looked, but we were happy to have our stock GTI back.

For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Volkswagen GTI, click here for our buyer's guide.

2006 Volkswagen GTI

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 3-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $25,065 (base price: $22,620)

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 121 cu in, 1984cc
Power (SAE net): 200 bhp @ 5100 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 207 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual with automated shifting and clutch

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 101.5 in
Length: 165.8 in
Width: 69.3 in
Height: 58.4 in
Curb weight: 3189 lb

PERFORMANCE:

NEW:

40,000:

Zero to 60 mph:

6.0 sec

6.1 sec

Zero to 100 mph:

16.2 sec

16.1 sec

Street start, 5-60 mph:

6.7 sec

6.5 sec

Standing ¼ mile:

14.6 sec @95 mph

14.8 sec @96 mph

Braking, 70-0 mph:

166 ft

168 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad:

0.84g

0.84g

Top speed (governor limited):

127 mph

127 mph

EPA fuel economy, city driving: 22 mpg
C/D-observed fuel economy: 25 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 6 qt

WARRANTY:
4 years/50,000 miles limited;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
12 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection

OPERATING COSTS (FOR 40,000 MILES):
Service: (5 scheduled, 3 unscheduled): $1461
Normal wear: $749
Gasoline (@ $2.96 per gallon): $4736

NONWARRANTY REPAIRS:
Accident: $2925
Rear cup holder: $121
Chin spoiler: $43

LIFE EXPECTANCIES (ESTIMATED FROM 40,000-MILE TEST):
Tires: 30,000 miles
Front brake pads: more than 100,000 miles
Rear brake pads: 80,000 miles

WHAT BITS AND PIECES COST:
Headlamp: $400
Engine air filter: $23
Oil filter: $14
Wheel: $219
Tire: $175
Wiper blades: $18
Front brake pads: $102

MODEL-YEAR CHANGES:
2007: 5-door and DSG launch control added, ride height lowered 0.6 inch
2008: new 17-inch wheel design

For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Volkswagen GTI, click here for our buyer's guide.