It seems General Motors->ke1024 is not the only automaker busy recalling cars these days. German manufacturer Volkswagen->ke94 has ordered U.S. and Canadian dealers to halt sales for about 800 units of its 2015 Golf and Golf GTI hatches, quoting front suspension issues. Sure, 800 cars is nothing compared to the millions of vehicles GM has to fix, but we're talking about a brand-new and highly acclaimed model.

Although Volkswagen has sent notifications to stop 813 Golfs from leaving U.S. and Canadian dealer lots, 1,634 hatches affected by this problem have been already sold to North American customers. The stop-sale order sent to dealerships says the "front stabilizer links in the affected vehicles were installed with too little torque," which could cause them to come loose detach entirely, affecting the car's steering, Automotive News reports.

According to Jalopnik, the German automaker plans to notify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the defect, meaning owners will soon receive a recall notice. The affected hatches will have their faulty front stabilizer links replaced at no cost to the customers. Volkswagen is not aware of any crashes and injuries as of 07/08/2014.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Why It Matters

While losing steering ability in a car such as the Golf GTI is a scary thought, the company's report suggests customers aren't facing major risks as the issue is detectable at first. On the other hand, the stop-sale and the recall will slow early sales of both the GTI and the Golf in the United States and Canada. The high-performance GTI is available in North American showrooms since May, while the regular Golf has yet to go on sale, with deliveries set to commence in August.

Volkswagen Golf GTI

The 2015 Golf GTI came to the U.S. with subtle exterior changes, but with a 2.2-inch longer and 0.5-inch wider body than its predecessor. Also closer to the ground by 1.1 inches, the revised GTI boasts better aerodynamics that help improve its performance. Much like the exterior, the interior gained a limited amount of new features, highlighted by a leather-wrapped, multifunction steering wheel and a new touchscreen radio.

Moving the 2015 Golf GTI down the road is the same turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine found in the previous version. The updated output sits at 210 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, which represents a 10-pony and 51-pound-feet improvement over the 2014 model. When equipped with the optional DSG transmission, the Golf GTI sprints from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.3 seconds, making it faster that the hatch it replaced. As with most German cars, the GTI's top speed is limited at 155 mph.

Pricing for the hot hatch begins at $24,395 in the United States and goes all the way up to $30,695 for the range-topping Autobahn trim. A Performance Package can be added to just about any model for $1,495.