May 11th, 2009 | 
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The 1998 Golf is an important vehicle to Volkswagen for the hatchback market segment. The GTI is a member of a series of four trim levels for the Golf which include CL, TDI, GL, GTI, GTI VR6, and K2. The two-door car with its front-wheel drive is positioned to aggressively fill this niche for Volkswagen. There is strong competition from vehicles from Nissan.
Performance
Volkswagen Golf Engine Specs: The Golf GTI comes outfitted with a 2.0 liter, 4-cylinder motor that uses 8 valves. The engine, manufactured by Volkswagen, is teamed up with a Volkswagen 5-speed transaxle. This arrangement has demonstrated to be an effective style for Volkswagen.
The 1998 Golf’s traditional fuel system runs on gas. The fuel is regulated electronically, with a fuel-injected multi-port fuel injection (MFI) style of design. The fuel tank holds 14.50 gallons.
The Golf uses power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are disc. Steering is handled through a power-steering rack-style configuration. The car uses coil and coil springs front and rear respectively.
Golf GTI Statistics
The dimensions of the Golf GTI are 66.70 inches wide by 160.40 inches long. It sits a comfortable 56.20 inches off the ground. It seats a standard five passengers, with 2 doors. The wheelbase of 97.40 allows for limited leg room for the backseat passengers.
The listed retail price in 1998 (MSRP) was $13,495, with an invoice cost of $12,455. This price is above average of the industry average price for a two-door Hatchback.
There is a 50,000* mile, 60* month warranty with this vehicle, including a powertrain warranty of 50,000*/36* miles/months. This is normal for this price range.
Fuel Efficiency
The Golf GTI received a miles-per-gallon rating of 22 - 24 in-city driving and 29 - 31 when it came to long-distance. Being a gas-powered non-green car, this was subpar.
Conclusion
The 1998 model year was unsuccessful for the Volkswagen Golf. The introduction of several trim levels (along with the GTI version) meant that buyers had several options to choose from..
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