VW Golf GTI

**A RO-95** · May 14th, 2015 09:21 PM

For those of you who find the "standard" GTI too tame, you could try the Oettinger version.

**A RO-95** · May 14th, 2015 09:24 PM

And here the latest offering from Oettinger!

**A RO-95** · May 30th, 2015 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by gwapster

Replace a mustang gt with a golf gti? That would be a first. Haha.

Hmm The stang maybe powerful and fast in straight line but put it on the twisty bits and I think you will find the VW will be quicker. Also the stang may have the fancy colour changing instruments and other toys but the VW exudes more quality and the haptic of the VW is far superior to that of a Ford. Don't get me wrong, I come from a Ford family, my father worked for Ford, I worked for Ford and the Mustang and Ford cars in general have improved tremendously over the past years, but I have worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years now and although Ford is a leader in processes and systems the products are built cheaper.

**gabster_26** · June 4th, 2015 04:52 PM

I have a Golf GTI and I have to say it's very fun to drive, very well equipped, and has given me no problems so far in the month I've owned it. Gas consumption is not too bad (7-8 km/l) considering it's a performance car. That's in mixed EDSA-Skyway-Paranaque service road traffic. I was looking at it versus the WRX/WRX STI and decided to go for the German engineering and the chance to just be different.

Granted it's not perfect (and reviews all over the internet are glowing over this Mk7), but it's pretty close. I came from a Forester so I miss the sunroof, and I wish the dash didn't show so much dust because of the carbon fiber accents.

It's also my only car so it has to be practical (I'm married), and I'm happy to say it is. It's fun when I want it to be fun, and sedate/smooth when I want it to be. It doesn't look too "angas". Nothing like switching the DSG to Sport after some guy thinks he can overtake what looks like a boring family hatchback :-)

**EQAddict** · June 4th, 2015 06:27 PM

How does the torque feel? I tried the wrx (which has more power) and didnt feel any kick.

**Radical!** · June 5th, 2015 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by gabster_26

I have a Golf GTI and I have to say it's very fun to drive, very well equipped, and has given me no problems so far in the month I've owned it. Gas consumption is not too bad (7-8 km/l) considering it's a performance car. That's in mixed EDSA-Skyway-Paranaque service road traffic. I was looking at it versus the WRX/WRX STI and decided to go for the German engineering and the chance to just be different.

Granted it's not perfect (and reviews all over the internet are glowing over this Mk7), but it's pretty close. I came from a Forester so I miss the sunroof, and I wish the dash didn't show so much dust because of the carbon fiber accents.

It's also my only car so it has to be practical (I'm married), and I'm happy to say it is. It's fun when I want it to be fun, and sedate/smooth when I want it to be. It doesn't look too "angas". Nothing like switching the DSG to Sport after some guy thinks he can overtake what looks like a boring family hatchback :-)

I have the impression that it's a better daily driver than the WRX. Is the ride comfortable? Do the rear seats have ample space for adults? What can fit in the boot? I've been searching the net for a real world, Philippines-specific review to no avail, thanks for posting.

**jut703** · June 5th, 2015 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by EQAddict

How does the torque feel? I tried the wrx (which has more power) and didnt feel any kick.

When I drove the WRX, it felt more like a locomotive than a rocket - flat powerband from 2500 rpm to redline. You'll get shocked you're in triple digit speeds with very little road.

And the grip on the corners - like on rails too. So it's basically a sports train. [emoji13]

**gabster_26** · June 5th, 2015 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Radical!

I have the impression that it's a better daily driver than the WRX. Is the ride comfortable? Do the rear seats have ample space for adults? What can fit in the boot? I've been searching the net for a real world, Philippines-specific review to no avail, thanks for posting.

Yes, the ride can be as comfortable as you want it to be - with Dynamic Chassis Control (via touchscreen) you can set it to Sport, Drive, or Eco. Eco gives you that soft ride. Sport tightens up the ride significantly and kicks up the revs. And I've found that drive is somewhere in between.

Surprisingly the rear seats have good space. I am 5'7" and I can fit in the back with plenty of knee room. The boot can fit two suitcases. Lots of storage spaces/cubby holes, e.g. under the front seats meron.

We can't get around the fact that it's more expensive than the WRX/STI. I considered this carefully. I felt in the end that the amount of toys (and it's got a lot, if not more than the Subies), the uniqueness, and the iconic-ness of the car, helped justify a premium that, compared with the other VW models, is not really as bad as the others in my opinion (e.g. Tiguan vs. Forester/CR-V, that's a mess).

Another downside: it has manual seat adjusters, the usual VW rotary knob. But I can live with it since I don't adjust the seat everytime I get in the car, I had to do it once and that's it. The seats themselves are awesome with the plaid print.

There's one review on ************ where the guy didn't like the plaid seats and he thought the entire thing was a little campy: Review: 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI | ************ - Philippine Car News, Car Reviews, Car Features, Car Buyer's Guide and Car Prices.

I disagree. Unless you need starex type space or have a farm etc. to go to every weekend, the GTI is more than enough to be your only car, even if you have a family. Plus the fun factor can't be beat :-)

Reviews that helped convince me to get a GTI:
The 2015 VW GTI Is Best Car To Get If You Can't Afford Every Car
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/au...for-26000.html
2015 Volkswagen GTI Test ? Review ? Car and Driver

**EQAddict** · June 5th, 2015 12:24 PM

Its the same price as a wrx abroad but 500k more expensive than the same wrx here. That's a tough pill to swallow though. They aren't 500k apart in performance (in fact the wrx has even more straight line and outright 10/10 performance because of AWD) and the features are roughly the same..... which is what bugs me. But I'm a fan of hatchbacks so I'm still super intrigued by it. If only the price was comparable to the wrx......

**speed_kills** · June 6th, 2015 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by gabster_26

Yes, the ride can be as comfortable as you want it to be - with Dynamic Chassis Control (via touchscreen) you can set it to Sport, Drive, or Eco. Eco gives you that soft ride. Sport tightens up the ride significantly and kicks up the revs. And I've found that drive is somewhere in between.

Surprisingly the rear seats have good space. I am 5'7" and I can fit in the back with plenty of knee room. The boot can fit two suitcases. Lots of storage spaces/cubby holes, e.g. under the front seats meron.

We can't get around the fact that it's more expensive than the WRX/STI. I considered this carefully. I felt in the end that the amount of toys (and it's got a lot, if not more than the Subies), the uniqueness, and the iconic-ness of the car, helped justify a premium that, compared with the other VW models, is not really as bad as the others in my opinion (e.g. Tiguan vs. Forester/CR-V, that's a mess).

Good to see a local GTI owner on board the forums! I asked a few VW sales guys regarding DCC and they confirmed that Dynamic Chassis Control along with "Performance Package" (+10 HP, mechanical LSD, bigger brakes) are not included in the local GTI unfortunately. But after a test drive, I find the GTI more powerful than the declared 220ps somehow.

Looking at UK prices, the local GTI seems less than 10% higher which is a good value compared to other German brands imported to our market. But then, I wish VW PH added all the performance options with their 2.3M asking price.

Comparing the GTI vs WRX, performance aside, I feel the WRX interior is of lower quality plus there are some useful features missing (e.g. parking sensors). But I guess it helps keep prices lower aside from probably cheaper shipping fees vs the GTI which is CBU from Germany.