The 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI has been crowned the winner of Cars.com’s first-ever “Cheap Speed Challenge”, which focused on compact coupes, sedans and hatchbacks that cost less that $30,000 when well equipped. Cars.com found that the Golf GTI not only was one of the most comfortable cars in the test, but it also offered the best performance “bang for the buck”, beating out seven other competitors for the title. The 2015 Golf GTI went on sale in June, and went on to sell nearly 2,000 units in its first month.

Read the full Press Release below.

Herndon, VA — Just one month after arriving in U.S. dealerships, the all-new 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI has been named winner of Cars.com’s first-ever “Cheap Speed Challenge.” The challenge focused on compact coupes, sedans and hatchbacks that cost less than $30,000 and are equipped with features popular among drivers seeking performance in a new car. The 2015 Golf GTI beat out seven contenders in the “Challenge”.

“Not only does the all-new 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI offer the best performance bang for the buck, it is also one of the most comfortable,” said Joe Wiesenfelder, Executive Editor at Cars.com. “The GTI outperformed most cars in just about every test we conducted. Also, unlike some of the other Cheap Speed competitors, the GTI offers an impressively roomy and high-quality interior in addition to being seriously fun-to-drive.”

“We are thrilled that the Golf GTI has been recognized by such expert media as a high-performing vehicle that offers an incredible value, and we thank the voters for their choice,” said Joerg Sommer, Vice President, Product Marketing, Volkswagen of America. “The Golf GTI is an iconic vehicle for Volkswagen, and we are extremely proud that is already earning accolades and admiration in the U.S. market.”

Experts from Cars.com, USA Today, and MotorWeek, as well as an actual car shopper in the market for an affordable performance car, tested the eight contenders over a five-day period. Additional performance-focused testing was done on a racetrack.

Tests included:

Zero-to-60-mph times and quarter-mile times and speeds

60 mph to zero braking distances

Professional road course testing on a closed track

200 miles of driving on varying roads to test each car for real-world fuel economy

Round-robin driving where each expert evaluated each car on the same street route, back-to-back, to gather overall impressions on drive, features and comfort

The 2015 Golf GTI went on sale in the United States in June 2014, and has enjoyed healthy sales, delivering 1,927 units for the month—the best since March 2006.

The Golf GTI features a highly sophisticated EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® engine that makes 210 horsepower and a healthy 258 pound-feet of torque, figures that are 10 hp and 51 lb-ft higher than in the previous-generation GTI model. When equipped with the optional Driver Assistance Package, the Golf GTI has also earned the coveted 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).