The Volkswagen Golf GTI 50 is fantastic, but £50k is crazy – here’s how else you could spend that money

When I drove the Volkswagen Golf GTI 50 back in January, it’s safe to say that I was a fan. It’s great fun to drive, hugely capable on track and yet still comfortable and practical enough to use everyday.

You can find out more about the Golf GTI 50 in my review, but the one number you can’t ignore is the price. It starts from just under £48,000, and once you’ve added a few options it’ll start to head towards £50,000.

That’s quite a lot of money for a Golf GTI, and at this price it faces some stiff competition. I’ve had a think about what other fun performance cars you could consider for £50,000, and these are my five favourites.

Five alternatives to the Volkswagen Golf GTI 50

1. Volkswagen Golf R
2. BMW M135 Dynamic Pack
3. Honda Civic Type R
4. Audi RS3
5. Alpine A110

1. Volkswagen Golf R

The most obvious alternative is the VW Golf R, because despite being Volkswagen’s flagship performance car it’s slightly cheaper than the GTI 50. The 2.0-litre engine makes 333hp, up from 325hp in the GTI 50, and it’s more than half a second quicker to 60mph as well.

However, I would still buy the Golf GTI 50. The Golf R is ballistically quick in a straight line, and the four-wheel drive system means it has an incredible amount of grip through the corners, but the GTI 50 feels more playful and fun to drive at lower speeds.

2. BMW M135 Dynamic Pack

I wouldn’t consider the standard BMW M135 an alternative to the Golf GTI 50 because it’s not the most exciting hot hatch to drive, but the £3,000 Dynamic pack adds uprated suspension and stickier tyres.

This makes it much more fun to drive, but it’s still not as grin-inducing as the Golf GTI 50. That said, it is slightly quicker to 60mph than the Golf despite being 25hp down, so if outright speed is important then it’s worth a look.

3. Honda Civic Type R

The Honda Civic Type R went off sale last year, but there are still a few nearly-new examples floating around on forecourts. It’s a fantastic driver’s car with sharp steering and a wonderful manual gearbox, something I like to have in a hot hatch.

The 2.0-litre petrol engine makes 315hp, and 0-60mph takes 5.4 seconds. That’s pretty much exactly the same as the Golf GTI 50, and choosing between the two cars is tricky for me.

4. Audi RS3

You can’t get a new Audi RS3 for £50,000, but you can find used examples for this sort of money. This car crossed my mind because of the lovely 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine, which puts out a ludicrous 400hp and makes a fantastic noise.

It’ll do 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds, and the four-wheel drive system means it’s hugely capable on a twisty road, even in damp conditions. It’s a fantastic all-round performance car, but I do find that cars like this can feel a bit too fast to enjoy on UK roads a lot of the time.

5. Alpine A110

This may seem like a bit of a curveball, but as a single person living alone practicality isn’t particularly important to me. This is why I’d consider an Alpine A110. New ones cost around £55,000, but you can find second hand examples for the same price as a GTI 50.

It may only have 252hp on tap, but it’s also more than 300kg lighter than the Golf GTI 50. This means it’s super agile through the bends, and you can really thrash the peppy 1.8-litre engine without getting into trouble with the law. It’s one of the finest sports cars of the last 10 years.

My final verdict: would I buy a GTI 50 or one of these alternatives?

If I was shopping for a brand new hot hatch, there aren’t any on the market I like more than the Golf GTI 50 for £50,000. However, if I was looking to spend £50,000 on a performance car then I would have an Alpine A110. I don’t need the practicality of a hatchback, and the Alpine delivers the most fun for this sort of money.

I’d choose a nearly-new Honda Civic Type R if I did need something more versatile, though. Manual hot hatches are a dying breed, and one which I’m a huge fan of. It’s a close call though, because the Golf GTI 50 is brilliant.

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