Like the original 'hot hatch' icon that first appeared on U.S. shores in 1983, the 2009 GTI serves as Volkswagen's shining example of what affordable, sporty performance looks like — and acts like. With a starting price of $22,990, the latest GTI offers all the refinement and technology found on vehicles that cost thousands more. More than anything else, the GTI delivers an exhilarating driving experience — enhanced via a lowered 'sport stance' suspension — that strikes directly at the hearts and souls of those with an affinity for the brand and authentic European engineering.