Golf 6 GTI interior quality

[jaxx]

Im really keen on the MK6 GTI I live in SA and here we are'nt as lucky as you guys when it comes to changing cars every few months :sad:it costs an arm,a leg and a few other organs here so its a major financing decision.So what I want help with is does the MK6 GTI interior feel as luxurios as most reviews say it is compared to say an Audi A4?also want to know about the ride quality?My folks currently have a 2006 320i and the ride in it is amazing you dont feel a thing.Reason im asking is that here dealers only order the GTI when you want one so test drives on cars like the GTI and Scirocco are almost non-existent.

Where exactly do you live?
Ive test driven 2 at different dealers - Im not sure why you are having such a problem.
Have you tried asking your local dealer to arrange one for test driviing ?

[denyason]

Im really keen on the MK6 GTI I live in SA and here we are'nt as lucky as you guys when it comes to changing cars every few months :sad:it costs an arm,a leg and a few other organs here so its a major financing decision.So what I want help with is does the MK6 GTI interior feel as luxurios as most reviews say it is compared to say an Audi A4?also want to know about the ride quality?My folks currently have a 2006 320i and the ride in it is amazing you dont feel a thing.Reason im asking is that here dealers only order the GTI when you want one so test drives on cars like the GTI and Scirocco are almost non-existent.

vw are well built.  but if you're comparing it to an audi.  an audi is way ahead.  the reply of a4 being not so good- thats an old model, new model out already.  i have an audi tt, new shape. the interior is even better than cars costing 60 grand + ie porsches, merc, bmw.  just look at the bad quality plastic on the golf- namely  lower in the interior it is it gets worse-  cheap and tacky.  for me interior is nothing special, bit dull really for a gti-  except for some flash of chrome and gti gloss.  another example- the climate control buttons look very cheap.  even the fake aluminium rear view mirror adjusters look cheap.   there are nice touches- dont get me wrong- the steering wheel, v nice.  if you have seen the interiors of audi, bmw , merc you'd know that golf isn't anywhere near it.  though it is better thana porsches interior.  porschhe interiors are terrible, but u dont buy one because of the interior.  the reason why audi interiors are so good is take ie the a4, the 60 grand plus (yet to be released) rs4 is just the same interior as the 20 grand a4, just with some better materials.  also audi's are a top end brand.    i have audi tt new shape.  the interior is awesome.  how cans omeone compare a old shpae a4 with a mark6 golf?  the new shape a4 looks great- interior wise, sharing the design of the r8, a6 etc........  all i need to do is take a pic of some buttons to compare.  its like chalk and cheese.

[denyason]

The lowest plastics on the dash, centre console, arm rest and doors are still of the Mk5 'hard and shiney' league, but the upper centre console, dash and doors are all nicer. They actually had to put relatively little into the interior to noticably lift the sensation of luxury.

Subjectively and on the surface close to, but not as good as, an Audi. IMO.

On the subject of interiors am I the only one to be massively disappointed by the interiors on BMW's? I was in a new 5 series and even that felt harsh and toy-like. Although the leather was streets ahead of the crap found in VW's.

 i sat in my dads x5..  the leather is so soft and luxurious..   the interior is amazing, how things close, the noise that it makes.  ppl with golfs odviously aernt aware.  i have to say bmw is justa s good as audi though it id rive is a bloody urine take.   very space age tech but a nightmare to work.   just comparing and bmw's door to agolf- no comparison.  you have to ask why one costs 23 grand, the other costs 50 grand.   there is a very big reason why!!!.

golf compared to brands in its class is top dog.  i wouldn't compare it to a a3 as the a3 will be changing model soon.   the current a3 has the interior of the replaced a4 so that should be compared to a mark 5.  not a mark 6.

[Tailpipe]

No one should worry about VW making the Mk VI Golf cheaper to build; this has no impact on quality of materials used. The issue was labour costs not raw material costs. The mk VI has been extensively re-engineered so that it takes less time to put together.

The fuel cap is a good example. The outer flap is locked when the car itself is locked. But to open it you just push it in and it pops out. By eliminating the interior electrical switch, they've eliminated the extra wiring that was needed. This is very clever in my opinion.

The plastic mouldings use one-piece construction wherever possible, but a higher grade of plastic. The simplified wiring loom combines all electrical systems in a single network; again this makes the car easier to produce, but also improves electrical reliability.

All in all, a step forward.

[keelaw]

The fuel cap is a good example. The outer flap is locked when the car itself is locked. But to open it you just push it in and it pops out. By eliminating the interior electrical switch, they've eliminated the extra wiring that was needed. This is very clever in my opinion.

This is the same set up as on my old e60 5 series... so not too shabby at all.

The internal fuel cap release was very common on Japanese cars.  Even my grandad's 20 yr old toyota carina had it!!

The fuel cap itself on the Golf is really nasty tho!!   

[p3asa]

The plastic mouldings use one-piece construction wherever possible, but a higher grade of plastic.

I wish that was the case with the plastic surrounding the fog lights. I tried to remove it as per the manual to have a look at the bulbs and 2 of the plastic clips snapped!!!

[VWKev]

For a car thats £23k without extra's, the mk6 interior is a bloody bargain. Its amazing quality.

[ub7rm]

For a car thats £23k without extra's, the mk6 interior is a bloody bargain. Its amazing quality.

Golfs start at around 15k.  So even more of a bargain 

[andykram]

The interior should be good bearing in mind the cost of the car. However, don't think interior quality is the be all and end all and representative of overall quality and reliability cos it isn't. My 2 Mk 4s were generally great quality inside with enormous showroom appeal but they were the most unreliable cars I've ever owned.
Compare a Honda interior to a VW interior and the former will feel very cheap in comparison (well, it does in my opinion) but I know which one is more likely to be more reliable in the long term. The quality is in the engineering underneath and that's where the Japs seem to have the Germans licked.
I'm really hopeful my Mk 6 is better than the Mk4s (it can't be worse to be fair) but I won't be surprised if it does conk out.