Volkswagen’s GTI is an automotive icon. What’s more, it’s also the founding father of the hot hatch scene that started more than 25 years ago. The GTI is still around for a reason. It’s comfortable, practical, and fast to boot. Not only that, but the GTI’s reletively low pricing point makes it a great fun alternative to many larger and more expensive family SUVs. Now, Volkswagen is offering an amazing lease deal, just in time to get out and enjoy the summer weather.

The Volkswagen GTI is for everyone

The GTI truly is the everyman’s car. The four-cylinder motor makes good power (225 hp) and is still good on gas. It’s also one of the few vehicles left with a standard manual transmission, just as the automotive gods intended. Generally speaking, reliability is nothing to shake a stick at either. There are plenty of GTI’s on the road will well over 200,000 miles on the odometer.

All this to say nothing of the practicality of the little hot hatch. They feel anything but little on the inside. I’ve fit four new wheels and tires, a mountain bike, and a 55-inch flat-screen in mine. That was in a two-door version. Sadly, those aren’t made anymore, but the 2021 GTI is more practical for it. There’s truly no need for a big SUV if you’re living the GTI life.

Leasing now nets a killer deal

So, the 2021 Golf GTI is a hell of a hatch. But is it a hell of a deal? In a word: yes. No, leasing isn’t for everyone, but it is a great way around a lot of car ownership headaches and costs. New GTI’s have a fantastic warranty for both the body and powertrain and most leases will let you cover a vast 15,000 miles a year. The down payment is a little high; attribute that to the Golf’s sporty nature. It’ll run you around $3,000 up front, according to CarsDirect.

Now for the payment. It’s not terrible as lease payments go, and properly qualified buyers can expect to pay around $329 a month for a brand new GTI. Should leasing not be your thing, well-qualified buyers can expect 0% APR for 60 months from Volkswagen, though your local dealer’s specific option may vary.

Always get the last model year of a car

But why lease now with the new MK8 Volkswagen GTI on the horizon? First and foremost, the last model year of any car is going to be the pinnacle of what the manufacturer was able to achieve with that platform. All of the kinks have been worked out, and deals are plentiful because everyone is holding out for the new one. Frankly, I think the older MK7 and 7.5 models are more handsome, too. So there you have it. A killer lease deal, and if that isn’t your thing, a great way to finance, though the term is a little long in the teeth. What more do you need?