For many people, the car is simply a way of getting from one place to another. We climbed in, started the engine and headed to wherever we needed to be.
There are no doubt many people who still feel that way, and it’s certainly not restricted to age.
A friend of mine who is a complete petrolhead has a son who couldn’t care less whether a screaming Ferrari drives past them on the highway, a little budget car or the latest BEV.
Visit any car meet or racing event, and you’ll see veterans and the older crowd, including myself, spending hours gazing over restored classics or some of the latest vehicle releases.
Cars are changing and so are we
As times change, so does how we look at cars. No longer are performance and handling figures the only important factors. Technology, total cost of ownership and safety features are becoming increasingly critical when people choose a car.
It also means that the car is becoming part of the experience itself.
It is not necessarily about driving faster or owning the most powerful car, but about taking the long way home, finding a scenic route or turning a weekend drive into something worth remembering.
Modern cars have become remarkably good at making travel easier. They are quieter, more comfortable and packed with technology that would have seemed like science fiction not that long ago.
Driver assistance systems, if they are not too intrusive, take some of the strain out of long journeys, while navigation, connectivity and increasingly sophisticated infotainment systems make it easier to stay connected while on the move.
Technology has changed the journey
Electric vehicles and hybrids have added another dimension to this.
A quieter cabin, smooth acceleration, lower running costs and the ability to travel without the constant background noise of an internal combustion engine can change the character of a journey.
However, for all the talk about efficiency and autonomous driving, there remains a group of people who still want to drive.
They enjoy the sensation of being behind the wheel, the way a car responds to an input and even the sound and feel of a well-engineered engine.
Why the Golf GTI still makes you smile
I was pondering that while recently spending time driving the new Volkswagen Golf 8.5 GTI.
First introduced here in 1982, it has garnered a legendary local following over four decades, and you can’t scroll through social media without someone posting a uniquely South African "Vrrrpha" video that describes the smile-inducing crackle and pop sounds emanating from its exhausts.
It is one of those cars that you take the long way simply because you can.
While sedans and hatchbacks are increasingly taking a back seat to SUVs, the GTI hot hatch continues to buck the trend.
The GTI is practical enough to use every day, but it also has a personality that encourages you to seek out smooth sections of tar that have a few bends and sharp corners.
There’s a reason it has a Sport Mode.
Every steering and throttle input becomes more responsive, and yes, there is still the "Vrrrpha", but it’s a lot less muted than before.
It’s about more than performance
But the GTI is not just about performance.
Sure, the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 195kW and 370Nm, paired with a seven-speed DSG gearbox, will get you from 0 to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and reach 250km/h, but those are just numbers.
With technology and connectivity playing a large role in purchasing decisions, the GTI has all of that and then some without being overwhelming.
The new MIB4 infotainment system brings a large 12.9-inch free-standing touchscreen with a cleaner, more intuitive interface and standard IDA voice assistance, while the customisable Digital Cockpit Pro puts the information you actually need directly in front of the driver.
Volkswagen reintroduced proper buttons, bringing physical multi-function controls back to the leather sports steering wheel.
Even for a luddite like me, it’s easy to comprehend.
Outside, the IQ.Light LED Plus headlights add another touch, using dynamic shadowing technology to reduce glare for oncoming traffic. It is the sort of technology that doesn’t just look impressive but makes it easier and more pleasant to live with every day.
The best cars do both
And that’s the beauty of it.
It will happily test your driving ability while pushing the envelope and tomorrow morning tootle to school with the kids.
With a heated steering wheel and seats as well as cooled seats, the GTI has come a long way from the first generation I tried not to kill myself in while driving over Ou Kaapse Weg in Cape Town, but the fundamental fun factor remains.
But driving doesn’t have to involve a sporty hatchback. It could be an electric SUV, a comfortable cabin and the reassurance of knowing there is a charging stop along the route, while a hybrid allows you to head out for the weekend without worrying about fuel consumption.
As weekend escapes, road trips and shorter local getaways become more popular, the journey itself is becoming part of the appeal.
Perhaps the future of motoring will not be about choosing between technology and driving enjoyment. Maybe there is room for both.