Nothing really bad to say about the GTD really.
Sure it's not the quickest thing on four wheels (if you want quicker in a Golf - get a GTI or an R), but still not slow - in fact far from it. Coupled with the DSG gearbox (which I think is made for the diesels narrowish torque band compared to a petrol), it bloody flies, and feels very much quicker than my previous 140 CR Scirocco.
MPG seems to be settling down with along term average over the 2100 miles of 47.1, and when you consider that 70% of that is commuting, I can't really complain. Obviously the cold weather will have an impact if I use the PET heater, heated seats, heated rear window, etc, and the car will take longer to warm up, but I'm sure it will even itself out with the spring and summer runs.
As others had said, it just feel sort of...right, when you sit in it. Seats are supremely comfortable with adequate support, seating position perfect, and a very elegant and more importantly ergonomic dash, make driving it a real pleasure.You also tend to forget how safe the car is (as it's generally considered boring), but with adaptive cruise control, city emergency braking, 7 air bags, powerful brakes, fatigue detection, superb headlights, sorted chassis will excellent traction etc. etc., it really is a safe place to be.
Although priced higher than most of the competition, the GTD is a very well equipped car with lots of standard kit (even without raiding the options list).
Overall then, a solid performer, very quiet and comfortable to drive, and very safe as well. Lots of good points.
Negatives....
Very few to be honest, and most of them are not the fault of the car but VW UK's decisions about UK spec.
Would be nice to have the option of Leather / Alcantera seats as our Irish and European cousins get. Likewise, why we can't get lane assist (with the inherent traffic sign recognition) in the UK, but is available everywhere else is beyond me.
Also, the colour pallet is just a little limited with only one blue (the midnight blue) and the metallic red not available at all, and Onyx White ridiculously priced.
Finally, taking a leaf from Audi (in their S-Line A3 model), seats with extending squabs would be nice (it is an option on the continent), as whilst as I said the seats are very good, for those long in the leg, it would make them just about perfect. and lastly, come on VW, if you are going to supply your premium Golf models with a colour DIS screen, perhaps you might want to think about using some colour in the screens. Apart form the door open warning, pretty much everything else is monochrome - a wasted opportunity methinks.
