Good to hear you are happy with the TCR as I expected at this time of the year you might be missing that AWD traction.
The TCR is on my list of potentials but not sure it's different enough as had a 7.5 GTI for nearly a year prior to my current one.
And I fancy scratching the 'R' itch... But there are also other things on my radar.
Not missed the AWD at all yet, though mainly think to fact still under the 1000 miles and not really booted it when wet, so sure that day will come when the AWD traction will have been appreciated., just not yet.
Outside of that the GTI is rock solid as imagine you and most GTI owners will testify,
If I was driving a GTI now I would 100% be going for an R, or maybe one of the other AWD in the 300 BHP if fancied a real change as my enthusiasm is coming from the GTI being very new to me, and its satisfied a heritage itch also, where as pretty sure you would get the same enthusiasm moving to an R - The TCR with all the 7.5 lifts is giving me differentiation between cars, and another flavour of great so on my needs its hit the sweet spot - where as you already in a 7.5 you might appreciate the R more as change from the GTI
That’s what swung me to the R this time. I’d owned a Mk7 pp gti before the S3 so felt more like a new car rather than another gti, even though I absolutely love them.
Any forum would not exist if discussion did not come at a more granular level, as everyone picks at the finite details of the differences
But all these cars, the S3, the R, GTI and even the GTD are great cars in their own right, they just each give you a little something different on that more detailed level of discussion.
My enthusiasm for the TCR is definitely down to scratching the GTI heritage itch and with this run out model being able to retain the pace of the R that grew so used to.
Have about 2.5 years to make my next decision, but think its going to be the most difficult to date of what direction to take given not really liking what see of where cars going