Driving the Iconic Hot Hatch - 1984 Volkswagen Mk1 Rabbit GTI POV Drive (Binaural Audio) 

Thank you so much to owner for letting me showcase his original GTI and thanks to my Patreon supporters for making this content possible! Find this car listed on Hemmings if you get the itch to pick up a classic hot hatch

Back when small cars were actually small.

Never driven a mk1 but I want to so badly, they look like so much fun. I love the seats on this one too

So funny its called rabbit in the states 😁. And cool that your dad used to have a scirocco, I love the old scirocco’s.

3:20 this door sound is so iconic!!!

Holy hot mama that interior is handsomely vintage. This seems like a great city night car

#First50 What a brilliant example of this car. Totally agree with your low HP point. Being able to use the full power of the car, and maintain the speed limit, is what makes it a blast!

Had one of these in red- my dad bought it used for me in about 1990 and he was much more excited about it then I was,lol. I didn't know what I had back then. It was actually pretty fun to drive now that I think about it:) He bought me a 71 beetle in 1986 and then a 72 beetle and then I got this car for college. I can still vividly remember the feeling of sitting in those older style cars- such nostalgia!

This is the exact car I grew up in back in the 80's. It was considered a sports-car back then. I remember the green dash lights and the unique key in whine... and the fan that remained on after the car was turned off... I miss the simplicity pre saftey and air-bag era... Peace from SoCal ✌🏾

Had an 84, sold it years ago. I have owned many cars since and I miss the GTI more than any of them.

One of my favorite cars. Ran one as a daily driver 1997 to 2001. You can't find a better car for a twisty two lane road. Mine was a no option car. No a/c, power steering, no sunroof, and weight was less then 2000#. Looked like a mild mannered hatchback, until a wide-open throttle blast in third gear! Good commuter car, could take advantage of small openings in traffic. That car still puts a smile on my face.

I have such fond memories of that GTI. My 1st car was an 83 GTI, my 2nd was a MK2 1990 GTI which I sold in mid 90's once I started getting company cars. It took me 20+ years but I finally bought another GTI this year, a 2017 MK7 which serves as weekend/occasional track car.

I love how you can easily reach over and roll up the passenger-side window from the driver's seat

i remember going to a track event here in michigan, one of the instructors would bring this car out, every turn he would 3 wheel it and keep up with all the porshes! allways a good laugh

This was the first car i ever owned. I really wish I had the foresight to hold on to it, but mine was a rust bucket already when I first go it and I needed something, ahem, more reliable by the time I sold it... This was a hoot of a car, it weighed nothing and got you into lots of hooligan trouble. It was one of the fastest cars 0-60 kph, but it ran out of breath above 110 kph. I miss the feel of the cable actuated clutch, but there was a lot of wind-up in the gear train so you had to feed the power in carefully on 1st gear. Super light weight, so even though it was front wheel drive it went around corners like it was on rails. It also road like a coalcart compared to a modern car. The seats were the most comfortable seats ever; girlfriends loved that. The highway noise was abysmal, nearly all of my passengers hated it. Great steering, a total bitch to parallel park because it didn't have power steering. It was tiny but I did smush 4 passengers and luggage into it for road trips. So happy to see this example so super clean and minty. When people talk about "mechanical" "analogue" cars, this is what they mean. I can't go back to daily-ing a car like this again, I'm a grown ass adult now that needs a safe and practical car for family, but like I said, it would have been nice if I could have held on to mine.

Hey!!! I know where he recorded that video… my home town of New Canaan, CT! He parked it in front of Waveny - where back in the day I’d ride with my sister in HER VW to pick up her paycheck from Parks & Rec for her summer job giving tennis lessons. You even drove down Valley Road right toward where we lived on Mariomi Road. Thanks for the drive down memory lane!

Looks so tiny compared to my mk4! I love the GTI. All generations.

9:23 - "it has history, it has herpes"

90hp and over 2000lbs..... You guys got shafted over the euro spec one. Just over 1900lbs and 22hp more

I can barely watch this whole video because it evokes so many memories of my late teens and twenties. I had an silver version with the blue interior. I got it right after I turned 19 yo. I had an 86 scirocco that got totaled, my girlfriend was looking in the paper( this was 1996 at the time) and she was like I found the perfect car for you! 84 GTI for $2000. $200 less than book value. I thought, well it’s not a scirocco but hell I’ll go look at it. Been in love with GTI’s ever since. I gotta a good almost 10 years out of it before the rust and all around problems caught up over time. Although the engine ran great, the rust wouldn’t stop with this Kentucky weather and no garage. Even with the engine I was chasing one problem after another. It was a great car, it just needed love. So by 2005 I had to trade it in for a brand new mk4 GTI. Which was great! But I still long to get my Mk1 back😢

Thank you for making and posting this! My dad gave me his 81 "Rabbit S" (before GTI) when I was in high school and it looked just like this inside and out. Since then I have owned 3 GTIs, but you never forget your first one. Today I own an e-Golf; waiting for the ID.3 to come to the US.

That interior is to die for. My dad has owned Volkswagens all through my childhood and still does. He has a Mk1 Rabbit GTI and it got in pretty rough shape and he mechanically restored it recently, but the upholstery is nearly impossible to find. It isn't manufactured anymore and barely anyone is selling it if they have it. Such cool cars.

I love old classic manual vehicles its just Perfect 😍😍

I got a brand new Honda Civic S in 1983 and took my buddy who had an 84 Rabbit GTI for a ride and he was blown away by how well the little Honda handled and how quick it was, it only had 67 horsepower, but it had a much prettier interior than the GTI and was a great little car. If I could buy one today, I would.

I miss my MKI! Best GTI out of all of the 8 I've had! White over Blue with moonroof

I can smell the car! I love it... Rabbit? In Europe we call this once Golf I

I owned one I bought new in 84 while in the Army in Germany and had it shipped there from the USA. I loved it, it was fantastic on back roads and I wish I still had it. I could keep it on a table in the back of the garage it was so small!

I own a 1989 mk1 with nearly 300 000 on the clock and she never skips a heartbeat

Everyone who says that these little cars aren't quick, have never seen or driven one. They are one of the most fun vehicles you could ever drive and give a lot of much larger cars of comparable displacement trouble due to their low weight. Also when well set up they are pretty economical at around 33mpg. Agreed they aren't the safest cars on the road but they did have front crumple zones for example so VW did try 😋 On the long road they are not bad for comfort, I've done many 300-400 mile trips in mine without feeling tired or bored. The Kruger Park was fun. Dirt in the carb meant I had to sit down, strip and clean it at a park bench at Crocodile bridge gate with a herd of warthogs running by 😂 I found the differences between this car and the South African MK1 to be very interesting. Less power than ours and heavier as well compared to mine for example tipping the scale at 1875 lbs. Our 1800 carb motors put out around 100hp stock but it seems like nothing states side was free of emissions crap. I love the quarterlight windows on that car. Have seen them on eBay but as far as I know they weren't available here. The brakes are good but if you really throw the car around they fade quick. A good upgrade is a MK2 16 valve full front and rear disk setup with vented front rotors compared to the solid disk and drum setup on the MK1. Seriously underrated car. Every trip is and adventure, tons of fun and the MK1 is one of the best handling cars out there. Awesome review though great to see the MK1's get some love on RU-vid for a change. Subscribed 😉👍

Great, legendary 'hot hatch'! My first car was a 1985 MKII GTI (tornado red) purchased brand new. It was a blast to drive, but proved to be faulty when the manual transmission failed suddenly. Apparently, a planetary gear came loose inside and wore a hole in the case at around 40K miles! I now drive a MK4 GTI VR6. I'm a fan of all incarnations of the GTI, and can't imagine what the latest ones drive like!

First new car was a 1984 GTI. Black with blue interior. This was like looking at that car. We kept it for 14 years and I would still have it today if some old guy in a Cadillac hadn't creamed me at a stop sign. There was literally never a minute I wasn't smiling when I drove that car. Thanks for the look back.

Watching this because I had the most vivid and lucid dream of my life last night where I was driving this car. It was surreal and I think this is a sign I need this car.

Brings back memories. My college roommate had an '83 GTI bought brand new. I got to drive it quite a bit. So much fun. The '84s had a taller 5th gear so we're better/quieter on the highway.

I had one just like it, remember having 4 people in it with snowboards on top and climbing local mountains like they were flat, loved that car.

Mkii was the first car I bought with my own money, years back. Love old GTIs!

Glad you brought up FWD still being a driver's platform. Ever since buying my MK7 GTI 2 months ago, I've had multiple people grimace at the fact that it's FWD. I'm just like "Well, I'd let you drive it to see what I mean, but obviously you haven't driven enough FWD cars for me to trust you." FWD is still tons of fun, and has its own unique challenges vs RWD. Yeah, if you're looking to get sideways and all that, FWD isn't going to do it. But if you just want to bomb through some curves and all that, it's great! Especially the MK7 and up with the E-LSD. It really does just pull you through corners.

im not a huge vw guy at all but the instant I saw the full car I couldn't help but have the biggest smile on my face and I have no clue why

I loved my 85 Scirocco. Lift off oversteer was the most entertaining part of driving that thing!

If Tedward likes quirky 80s cars, he should definitely review Saab 900.

one of my favorite cars ever made.

My second race car and my favorite by far to race! SCCA ITB in the Southeast back in the late 90's was epic! What a great blast from the past!!! Thank you!

Thank you, Tedward. Subscribed! This car is the same age as I am and I'm born in 1984. It is not too often you can find a 1984 MK1 GTI 5-speed manual hatchback in this condition, all original and with no mods. 👍🏻😎✌😍😁

This is so cool! My dad actually learned how to drive stick on this car lol. Now we’re buying the Mk7 and it’s incredible to see how it’s evolved from the eighties.

This is so fun to see! My first car was a 1985 Caribe GT In Mexico basically the same thing only carburante motor mine had Recaro Sitting. White, and some lines on the button doors.

My mom used to have a rabbit diesel and the air con was so good that even when it was a hot summer day, it would blow literal snow out of the vents. R12 was crazy stuff

I really love old cars with good interior being driven with POV

Wonderful, put a smile on my face. I own a 1984 MK2 GTi, essentially a MK1 on a MK2 body/interior. Even had the same wheels when it came to me. I love every bit of it

Friend of mine had one of these, and we used to go riding around all the time. Hella fun car, there's a reason these were so popular. Such a blast to drive.

Owned one of these in silver back in the day. Ironically it was in New England like the reviewer. I got rid of mine as it had a very firm suspension and would just beat you up but was great on the back roads. Many great memories. Thanks for the video!

My father had a Mk1 and Mk2, this definitely brought me some nostalgia

My first car is an 83 gti. I’m in the process of restoring it

I had a '79 Rabbit Diesel when I lived up in North Carolina. Had over 250,000 miles and plenty of issues, but just to drive it was always a blast.

My first car was a 1985 Volkswagen gti red and I loved it 350 plus thousand miles odometer stopped working, I gave that car hell as did my dad, I literally took it to the beach often and burned out every time I took off. Always did 100 plus. Ahhhh nostalgia

I miss my ‘84 GTI. It was my first car, and I loved it!

As an owner of a MK7 nice to see it's Grandpa! Such a great ride. Love the vent windows and that you can reach over and roll up the passenger window. And as with the Porsche review - proper road!

I loved my ‘84 Scirocco! It was so much fun👍

From Belgium, I had the MK II 1988 with 112 hp fuel injection, 890 KG, with modified Sachs suspension and It was the most fun car to drive especially on the 1st bend where you'd lose anyone. It was unique after even after 30 years! The MK III with 140 hp 16v that was the BMW 328 killer as they had 172 hp with the same suspension.

Ur pumping these videos out like nothing, Keep up the good work. Love your videos

Love your enthusiastic reviews - so much energy. My first Golf Gti was a 1984 also but was the first of the Mk II versions.

This was my first car. Same color inside and out. An exact match. Bought it in 1985 used with 95k on it. Growing up in the navy this was the best car i ever owned. Kept it until 2006. I regret to this day getting rid of my GTI 😢

$40K?!! WOW! I've got the sister car to this GTi - an '84 Jetta GLi coupe that's in good condition too. Maybe I should post a listing on Hemmings and see what I can get for it as well! 😁 As for the steering, my car's steering is much more reactive then what was shown in the video. I was getting anxiety spasms after seeing how much wheel input was needed to steer on those soft turns. My car is a Canadian--spec Jetta, which was built in Wolfsburg, Germany. The American Golf/Rabbit GTi's were built in Westmoreland, PA, and I suspect the US cars had a higher-ratio steering rack in order to help with low-speed turning (since these are manual steer racks). I always have a smile on my face driving this car, and I get a ton of compliments too. One of the best small sporty cars ever made! Great video - those NE roads are gorgeous!

this is something i needed to see, i drive a 2015 kia rio lx manual and i used to tell myself this is basically a modern version of the mk1 gti, this video gave me that impression! The car is paid and still enjoyable daily for next to nothing! My brain tells me to buy something new but my guts tells me this is fun, enjoy it, anyway the resale is crap so might enjoy it! Thanks man!

Had one of these new in 1984, silver with the blue interior. This brings back memories. Thanks for your video. It was a very fun car to drive.

When I was younger my friend had 2 of these. And I had an 85 GTI. Was my first car, damn I miss it.

An amazing car! This car brought ‘fun’ to regular buyers and a lot of cars today owe it to MK1 GTI

Yes!! I’ve always wondered how these drive. Whether they’re overhyped or not but it actually seems awesome. Nice video!

Had the same Golf1 GTI, MY83. Called Pirelli Golf. Was in white with sun roof etc. and the first 1.8 litre engine with 112 HP and 5 speed gear. Loved it.

Mine was a 1984 in white. It was so much fun to drive stock, but as a young man I had to do something with it. I added a larger throttlebody, G -grind cam, exhaust header, free flow exhaust, and lowered it an inch to an inch and a half with Bilsteins and larger Nuespeed anti-sway bars. Too much fun… It had so much torque and mid range that it was so easy to pass people. The handling was phenomenal especially after I lowered it slightly. If anybody has one I am looking for a white 1884 GTI!

Planning on buying one of these as a fun "get around town/mountain cruiser"!

Such a beautiful car

I remember testing a new one out back then in Austin, Texas. It was quick, noisy, a little rowdy, crude maybe, BUT, OH SO FUN!!!!

Makes me proud as a German!

Wow what a beautiful GTI👍👍👍👍! Man i had a silver one with sunroof a 1984 I bought in1986 own it for a year and got it stolen in 1987 😡 in the time they called it the pocket rocket it was such a blast driving my gti I miss that car! Thank you for showing it and i will ckeck out the listing!! 👍👍

My dude. My first car was also a golf 3 it was the gti anniversary edition. And i loved it !

I own an '05 1.8T-powered B5.5 Passat and I can definitely agree with your sentiments about VW engines preferring mid-range power. Even the 2.0 8v that was used for many years in the Jetta, Beetle, etc. likes to sit squarely in the middle of the rev range, basically 2500 to 4500 rpm.

Both the Mk1 & 2 will corner pretty well, but if you push it just too far, you'll get a lot of understeer very quickly. I used to put front tires on with a soft compound rubber, which made the front end more grippy and made the transition into understeer much more gradual and predictable. Only downside was that the soft compound rubber combined with my driving style back then meant that I had to get a new set of tires every 15000km / 9320mi ;)

I had two of these, both 84's back to back in the late 90's as a teen. A black/red interior, and a white/red interior (which I later heard is rare). I paid no more than $900 each for them... I SHOULD HAVE NEVER SOLD THEM!!!!! I'd be sitting on easily 10k or more right now as they were.

I had this GTI... Man I loved it!!

GTI is definitely the Ford Mustang of hot hatches. Everyone who loves hot hatches has or wants one pretty much. Also got to love 80s European car interiors. BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Peugeot, etc... love the boxiness and simplicity of those older cars.

Compressor is mounted to the engine….condenser is in front of the radiator 😊. Nice review…great car

I recently acquired one of these with 55k miles, its immaculate, I will be posting up for sale on BaT at somepoint.

I was lucky enough to have 2 of these back in the 90s an 83 with red interior and an 84 with blue guts. So much fun to drive around Fairfield County ct

I can literally smell the interior😍

The best daily drive car ever! =)

2:34 - "...and you Volkswagen nerds are going to like it." _You have my attention._

That Borg Warner AC compressor is legendarily cold.

My grandpa had a white VW rabbit back in the early 80s, and sold it for a '91 Geo metro, and got rid of it in 2007.

With those square front lights the front of the car looks like that small Yugo from around the same time this was around!

I want one so bad! Even if it’s not in great shape... it could be a fun project!

That car belongs in a museum

I loved my '84 GTI. I was exactly like this one down to the fog lights.

A friend had one of those, he was a crazy driver.

I have a mk1 with a motor from a golf 3 gti making 135hp at the wheels. It's pretty fun to drive!

Great little cars! My poor mk2 isn't doing to well currently. Can't wait to get her back on the road!

I had an ‘84 like this in black but with the red interior. It was a fun car.

i have a mk1 cabriolet. i love my little cabby :)

I had a 1983 GTI in silver with the exact same interior as that one. Loved that thing. Unfortunately, I totalled it in a bad accident many years ago.

Cheap slow fun cars are what we enthusiasts are trying to save now. And I would say that fwd has lots of grip compared to rwd especially in winter times just make sure you don’t understeer it which could be dangerous at times.

I owned a few 84 GTi’s back in the mid 90’s and these cars were about 10 years old at the time. I remember how ugly the engines were. I helped a buddy swap in a much better 16v engine. These are very fun cars to work on. Best one I’ve seen has a 2.0 turbo swapped engine plus the 90’s cabriolet body kits.

As the owner of a mk7.5... thank you for this video