you`re right in saying it`s down to personal choice, i`ll give you that..
i can`t really comment on a mk1 or mk2 as i have never owned either. but i have owned a mk3 16v and still own a mk4 1.8t. what let`s the mk4 down is its comfort and convenience bullsh!t. take all that away and it`s a tidy motor. i`ve stripped my mk4 and the weight on the recaro interior is rediculous.
but you either have build quality or performance.. now that i have stripped the interior the difference in drive is night and day.
i loved my mk3 but if i were to choose between both i would hands down choose my mk4 every time.
it would piss over a vr6 on a stage 1 generic map..
obviously older cars have less in them so thats a little advantage for them, less parts to go wrong etc.
though, if i could have a mk1 or mk2 i would love to have one. moslty because they were the cars about when i was growing up (not so much the mk1, i was still in bhagdad).
just my 2p worth, i dont have a fouvourite as i havent tryed all the flavours. but out of the mk3 and mk4 i would choose the 4
