If you drive a Golf Gti, congratulations! You are one of the lucky few who realize the special place this car holds in the automotive industry. Not only that, not many people these days tend to appreciate the relaxed and tastefully restrained style language of the Gti.
Most dismiss it as a grandma mobile especially if your car is totally bone stock as its looks have been criticized by a significant number of journalists as slightly bland.
If you are planning to spice things up and give your magnificent piece of German engineering a well deserved makeover, the easiest and the most obvious place to start with would be the wheels.
Things tend to get confusing when you are looking for wheels to match your Golf as the choice can be complicated by restrained and sophisticated styling of this timeless beauty and it is easy to go overboard with the dozens of design elements present in every wheel of this era.
Our team of editors have hand-picked five masterfully crafted wheels, keeping all these things in mind, to grace your ride. We’re The Car Factor, that’s what we do!
The Top 5 Best Wheels for Volkswagen Golf Gti
Here’s an overview:
- Verde Wheels Saga
- Enkei LUSSO- Luxury Series Wheel, Black
- Enkei RPF1 (Silver)
- Touren TR9 3190 Chrome Wheel (18×8″)
- TSW DONINGTON Black Wheel with Painted Finish
1. Verde Wheels Saga
The most beautiful wheel on the planet, in my opinion…
Verde wheels have had a history of producing stunning looking wheels and this one is gladly no exception. With 9 long and sleek spokes each elegantly splitting into two, this wheel has an amazingly complicated design making it mesmerizing to look at and difficult to clean at the same time.
The wheel has a heavy-duty construction which will be sufficient for your daily use while still managing to shave off every last ounce and gram. To further attest to the quality construction, a lifetime structural warranty has been provided along with 1-year warranty for the exterior which in our experience could be the limiting factor for this wheel’s life.
Regarding practicality, few after-market wheels can match the level of brake caliper clearance that this wheel provides. Also, the price to looks ratio is off the charts here with a huge percentage of users getting compliments everywhere they go.
This exquisite wheel is available in two finishes: satin black and hyper-silver and I can guarantee you will not regret choosing either of these. The available sizes are 17 x 7.5″, 18 x 8″ and 20 x 8.5″ with two options for offset: 38 and 40 mm. All common bolt patterns are also available.
A complete brand review of Verde wheels has been completed.
Pros:
- Insanely good looking
- Well-priced
- Premium construction materials
- Fits a variety of vehicles
Cons:
- Prone to scratching
- Difficult to clean
2. Enkei LUSSO- Luxury Series Wheel, Black
A black beauty with machined lip(s)…
Enkei, a no stranger to rigorous quality control, introduced the luxury series quite some time ago, part of which is the LUSSO. Enkei tests its wheels according to the spec-E standards which are higher than the JWL standards commonly used. The 45 mm offset is perfect for an aggressive stance but not so much that it becomes an issue.
The design language is definitely contemporary with hints of classic. The exterior give off an impression of convexity which is reminiscent of custom forged wheels. The wheel is offered in adequately large sizes of 18 and 20 inches which gives plenty of real estate to showcase all the minor details. Cherry on top, the wheels are also available for a staggered setup.
This black wheel looks especially good on white vehicles and is highly recommended to those who seek a menacing look. This wheel comes with complementary black valve stems for a complete look. The design, although extremely beautiful and not as dull as one might expect, has a polished lip style not an deep inset dish. The bright machined lip really makes the wheel pop and makes the tire appear larger than they are.
You absolutely have no reason to worry about the durability going for Enkei wheels due to their commitment to rigorous quality control. Although the brand offers a warranty, the details of it are surprisingly a mystery.
Pros:
- Performance wheel
- Great design
- Polished lip
- Spec-E inspected
Cons:
- Difficult to clean
- Warranty details not available
3. Enkei RPF1 (Silver)
Simple, silver, sassy…
This is another performance wheel by Enkei crafted by the utterly brilliant MAT technology which makes possible the one-piece alloy construction and manages to shave of more weight than otherwise possible. To give you a perspective, the 16 inch wheel weighs a tad over 13 pounds which is lightweight but on a whole new level!
The design is an elegantly simple 12-spoke one. The wheels is not at all showy and in your face but still manages to complete the look of just about any car, especially the smaller ones like the Gti. The RPF1 is thus more suited to the Gti’s shy and restrained personality than any other option on the list. The simple design also allows for easy cleaning, a blessing for daily users.
This particular 17-inch one-down size fitment for your Gti will allow you to choose a tire with greater aspect ratio and thus allow for greater comfort. One turn off for this wheel is the price which is on the higher end of the brand’s other option and slightly higher than the competition. It is up to you to decide if the innovative lightweight construction justifies the price.
Pros:
- Extremely lightweight
- Easy to clean
- Laid back design
Cons:
- Slightly expensive
4. Touren TR9 3190 Chrome Wheel
For all the chrome fans out there…
If chrome is your thing, it can not get any better than this. Touren is a highly reputable brand which offers a quite variable design language. That being said, this TR9 3190 has a simplistic turbine-style 5-spoke design in chrome finish. The Touren logo embedded in one of the spokes is a fine addition, in my opinion.
The performance of this was undoubtedly sufficient in every aspect. One major thing that we did not like was the weight: at 24 pounds for the 18 inch wheel, calling it lightweight would not be justifiable. Although the performance of this wheel is in no way affected by it, it remains a concern especially with all the other options available today.
This TR9 wheel is part of the infinity series by Touren which is characterized by the low-pressure cast method and the use of ultra-high quality alloy. Durability has always been given top priority by Touren, more on that in our dedicated brand review of Touren. Since it is not a satin or matte finish, it is significantly less prone to scratches but exterior finishes tend to be a nuisance with alloy wheels of any price category.
The TR9 is adequately priced, especially since it is a Chinese wheel. And yes, it is a Chinese wheel which might be a concern for many. To Touren’s redemption, the quality and durability is at par with most middle tier American brands which was aslo mentioned in our review of the brand.
Pros:
- Elegant simplistic design
- Well-priced
- Quality construction materials
- Robust finish
Cons:
- Chinese product
- Heavy
5. TSW DONINGTON Black Wheel with Painted Finish
Factory balanced one-piece aluminum wheels…
This premium wheel has been designed to give the smoothest drive possible by reducing all vibrations and balancing the wheels before leaving the factory. The handling characteristics and the response over rough surfaces are also significantly improved, as a result.
This wheel is offered in two finishes: black and mirror. The mirror finish has some controversial appearance, so we did not bother recommending it. The black, however, is a delight to look at. This wheel, with its sophisticated design and easy on the eyes appearance, is bound to perfectly complement the design language of your Gti.
TSW provides a 2-year warranty for the finish which is twice what most other popular brands are offering and a testament to the ruggedness of the finish. A 5-year structural warranty should suffice the average user as well.
The wheel is fully compatible with your car’s TPMS unlike a lot of other after-market wheels. The only thing holding back this wheel’s true potential is, perhaps, its weight, 21 pounds to be exact. A few of the users noticed a slight decrease in acceleration. But on the upside, the heavy weight brings improved rigidity and sturdiness from the bulky structural components of the wheel.
Pros:
- Not overly aggressive
- 2-years finish warranty
- Factory balanced
- Rock-solid construction
Cons:
- Bulky
How to choose the best wheels for your VW Golf Gti? Complete buyer’s guide:
If you are out in the field, hunting for appropriate wheels for your Gti and you contacted us for guidance, this is what we would always tell you to look out for:
1. Bolt pattern
The bolt pattern for Volkswagen Golf Gti is 5×112 mm. No other bolt pattern will fit. Always keep this in mind if you don’t want to get stuck with decent looking wheels that do not fit.
2. Wheel diameter
The stock rim diameter on the newer models is 18 inches which is sufficiently large for a not so bulky vehicle like the Gti. As such, we would not recommend exceeding it by much. Maybe go for 19’s all-round, or 18’s up-front with 19’s in the rear for a mean bull-dog stance. That is totally up to you to decide.
3. Rim width
Golf Gti is particularly touchy about this. Do not exceed rim width of 8.5 inches and for all practical applications keep it to 8 inches.
4. Brands
Premium brands actually give you a better bang for your buck in the long run. Paying an extra 200-300$ right at the purchase of a new set of wheels might be disheartening for some, but rest assured that you’ll kick yourself in the back when you have to replace your cheap set wheels an year into their use.
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