As I am used to an ED35 my comparisons are not going to be as objective as they could be if I were comparing it against a Mk6 GT.
I picked up the car at 9:00 and got shown some of the new features before I drove off.
First impressions are MK7 looks really nice being longer lower and wider. As its a GT it is a little bland compared to the GTI but very nicely proportioned.
I tried the car on my usual A and B road routes which included dual carriage ways and twisty back roads. Luckily it was sunny so the roads were no longer slippery so I could drive the car properly.
The Interior is where the biggest differences are with the std DNS nav and infotainment system which is just brilliant it works really well and has all the features I would need and is really easy to use and is intuitive. The upgraded system with the bigger screen would be even better. The sound is very good for the std system better than the std MK6 system but not as good as the Dynaudio. I would like to try the upgraded sound package next to compare. The DIS is improved again with more screens and information and for those who have changed the display in the Mk6 it has a big digital mph display too. It also gives eco tips while you are driving which is really annoying so I would have to get that disabled. Dashboard and switch layout is great too, very clear and quality feel just as you expect being a VW with lots of piano black surrounds and really high quality materials. I really like the fact that iPod and MP3 payers can now sit in the compartment which was the ash tray in the MK6 this allows the centre armrest to be used as storage. Glove box has CD and SD card connectivity and the glove box is much bigger.
Interior space is better too it is bigger inside with more room everywhere especially leg room. I found the rear seats more comfortable but the fronts not as good as the ED35 seats eg didn't hug your sides and hips, perhaps they have been made bigger? Sat on them rather than in them.
On the road it is very quiet and refined more like a Passat CC or an Audi A4, the ride is great even in sport mode. The switchable modes are Eco, normal and sport and it was interesting to try out and after trying all I left it in sport as I like a firmer ride and the steering was more direct and throttle response was better. One thing I didn't like was the lack of steering feel. In Eco mode it just felt light and vague in the centre, normal didn't feel much different and sport was more positive but was heavily weighted, much more than on the ED35 and as a result was dead. This for me was a disappointment as you could not feel the road or had much feedback which is what I like about my ED35 with 19"s, lets hope the GTI is better and at least as good as it is now.
The engine was a surprise with lots of low down grunt and it felt very nippy up to 3.5k rpm but after this it felt very flat compared to what I am used to. Despite it being bigger and the fact that it is lighter the car didn't feel any bigger and the car handled well with good turn in, changed direction quickly and had good grip too.
The Mk7 is good and VW have moved this on compared to the Mk6. I have been hiring cars a lot on business recently so have driven many of the golf rivals including Astra and Focus and I can say that these are not as good in all aspects.
I won't be buying a Mk7 until I have tried the GTI and I hope that VW can improve on the points that I didn't like about the GT. The GT was good but wasn't what I call fun and was no where near as entertaining as my ED35. So I handed the car back late afternoon and then drove my ED35 back from the dealer, when I put my foot down I had a huge grin on my face which the Mk7 GT 140 unfortunately didn't do. However the GT does fit its VW description; 'Sporty style and luxurious comfort'.
