- 911 997 - Expensive to run, maybe not as practical as I'd like?
Big Money for one with any kind of creature comforts
- M2 - No ACC, pricey. RWD in winter a problem?
Imo the best option
- Golf R - Not different enough
golf
- TCR - Again, "just" a more powerful GTI (in my eyes) golf
- S3 - basically a golf R
golf
- A35 - would always wonder, "should I have sprung for the A45?"
Dubious build quality on some but an epic car which Chris Harris has said is better than the A45S
- A45 (new) - too expensive
Too expensive and too powerful
- 2018 RS3 - currently winning, particularly the saloon
5 cylinder golf
- New 235i GC - Ugly, lacking Golf features
Why not the 135i? but the 235i sounds great
One of the Clubsport S owners had the same problem with replacing his golf. They tried 911's, 718's, Audi's, Alfas etc, they have since bought an M2 Competition, take from that what you will.
I've added a few comments to your list.
Thanks for the input!
I was team M2 (Comp) for a while, until I learned it came without Android Auto and adaptive cruise control (and less so, dynamic dampers). These are features that I use almost every day and more so on a 100-odd mile drive to go and visit family. I read that a 235i is considered by many to be a more livable car day-to-day, but I never know if these are older people saying this (I'm 27, so it might not bother me so much). Anyway, it suffers from the same flaws as the M2.
The original M2 is much more affordable than the M2 Comp, but most reviews of the latter said it's everything the former should have been. I think there would always be a "what if" if I went for the original.
I'm sure the A35 is very nice, but I think I would suffer the same "what if" wrt. the A45. Plus, a friend and a BIL have an A35, and I'd rather something different. I'm the type who tends to go for the more left-field option.
A new M2 with the features I want would be out of budget. The new M135i is just another turbo, 4cyl, 300HP hatchback. At least the old one had some unique characteristics (but this fells outdated even next to a 7.5 GTI).
The new M240i looks promising - I forgot I was only considering the GC (because of the liftback). Will be one I give some thought to.
I know you've listed the RS3 as a "5 cylinder golf," and I kind of agree, which is why I was leaning towards the saloon. Fells more "grown up", but it can also be specced with ALL the features I currently have, and I wouldn't have to compromise. Might lack in driving dynamics, though.
I should say that I probably don't need any more than my 7.5 GTI gives me, and it's interesting that you say the A45S has too much power - that could probably be levied at most of my choices bearing in mind this is for a daily driver and it won't see a track. The GTI is honestly very very good and it is only because I had to do a 100 mile drive in torrential rain a couple of weeks ago that I got to daydreaming about a car that doesn't care about the conditions and it just has globs of power at your disposal year round. A tuned RS3 sat top of that imaginary list! Plenty practical to do everything I do now, upgrading in the areas that the GTI lacks the most - engine note and traction.
Been looking at the new M240i a bit more and it does seem it offers a decent package with everything I want (as options).
I think I, and many others, find myself of falling into the trap of reading and watching reviews of other cars and thinking "wow I want that, wow my car could handle better, wow I wish I had more power" when forgetting realistically how often we actually use full throttle in our current cars. New things are just nice to have, though!
