I think it very much depends on the colour of your car on how Glendales will look.
True, they are a Marmite wheel, but I think they look great on a black or white car. I have them on my black GTI and, no, I'm not pretending it's an ED35
I've had Monza Shadows on two previous GTI's and don't think there's a massive difference in ride. Maybe a bit more road feel but that could be down to the tyres. I have ACC and you can always stick it on comfort for a softer ride if you like. That said, I like the connection with the road. Here's a pic of them.