Personal GTI reviews

[matchboy]

Downside - only thing I can come up with is there's not masses of room in the back - bothered!

Nice review.

The back seats or the boot?

Back seats. Boot was ample!

[ajmoir36]

I have driven the South Hereford Garages 5 Door, Manual, Blue GTI today, I have to admit it was a short stint had a deadline to get somewhere. Was impressed with the car had a nice growl to the car when revved in third gear. Seats were comfortable, ride was good on the 18's, had everything set to Sport. Air Con on and 30mpg which dropped rapidly when ramped and rose quickly when driven steadily.

Car had Discover Nav Pro, beast, never really got to play too much.
Keyless entry and push to start button (nightmare).
Heated seats didn't try was a hot day.

Things I took note of, easy to stall, (where is my diesel). Frustrating that I tried to grab the handbrake on several occasions and it just wasn't there.

Stalled on a slight hill, before I know it its going backwards down a hill and me frantically trying to grab the handbrake which wasn't there. It didn't help that the salesmans jacket was covering the e-brake switch too. It also wouldn't restart that quickly as it had to reset before letting you start again with the stupid pushbutton. Auto hill hold worked once I had restarted the car, little weird although I believe its a waste of petrol, as you have to gas it to take off, same with the e-brake.

Interior looked good seats comfy, not gloss black dash more like a carbon fibre ish look.

Accelerator pedal hinged from the top no floor mount pedal (not an issue).

Boot feels slightly smaller even when the floor is set to the lower position.

LED interior lighting everywhere.

The dash clocks looked cluttered with the KM/h now on the clocks too, they seemed to be smaller than the mk6 clocks too (not sure if its an illusion or not).

Gear throw seemed to be short and a little notchy only 352miles on the clock.

Clutch was light, brakes good (mines three years old).

Steering wheel was thinner than the mk6, seemed smaller with the centre boss like the beetle too.

Buttons on the steering wheel seemed overwhelming compared to the mk6.

Trip computer in colour looked good with the readouts being rather large fonted and a bit childish, not as straight and sensible like the mk6.

Compared to the 1.2 TSI (75ps) Polo that had three up all day the GTI seemed like a whippet. Although the polo returned 53mpg on a 20 mile journey and it even over took two cars up a hill. Which I was impressed at overall was 47mpg. GTI came back with 30mpg but only covered 8miles.

Clock read out on the trip computer seemed really small fonted.

I have never driven a mk6 GTI so cant compare, but as soon as I was back in my 6 I was at home again.

Can you please expand on the start button being a nightmare? And how can you possibly compare economy of a 1.2 Polo to a GTI - two totally different animals 

When I stalled it, it seemed to take forever to restart even though I was frantically trying to restart it. i.e. stalled, just jammed my finger on the restart button and nothing happened. In the mean time trying to grab the non-existent handbrake as it rolled back down the incline. Had to wait for all the dash lights to drop first then push the button to restart.  With the key you just turn it back to just passed 2 and then turn to start seems quicker.  Trying not to look like a goon in front of the salesman.

Sorry polo was just part of the day out not really a comparison. Was just impressed with the tiny 3cylinder getting 53mpg its amazing what they can do in a petrol now. I would love to take the GTI on an economy run to see if it can achieve 47mpg.

[CraigW]

When I stalled it, it seemed to take forever to restart even though I was frantically trying to restart it. i.e. stalled, just jammed my finger on the restart button and nothing happened. In the mean time trying to grab the non-existent handbrake as it rolled back down the incline. Had to wait for all the dash lights to drop first then push the button to restart.  With the key you just turn it back to just passed 2 and then turn to start seems quicker.  Trying not to look like a goon in front of the salesman.

Sorry polo was just part of the day out not really a comparison. Was just impressed with the tiny 3cylinder getting 53mpg its amazing what they can do in a petrol now. I would love to take the GTI on an economy run to see if it can achieve 47mpg.

I think you would get used to it. My girlfriend has a Mini Cooper S which has the engine start/stop button and whenever she stalls it (of course as a guy I never stall    ) she knows how to quickly get it started again.

In terms of economy, well you don't really buy a GTI if you want to be economical, that's what the GTD is for

[monkeyhanger]

I bet a 1.2 Polo being caned is about as economical as a GTI being driven to the same speed.

That electronic handbrake does look like something that'll need some getting used to or trusted. Hill hold is standard on my current Roc, and i'm not a fan. An aid for someone who can't drive properly and rides the clutch at junctions. Hill-hold function on a car with no physical hand brake lever makes more sense.

The hill hold does offer more resistance when pulling away - first few times I got my Roc it seemed so easy to stall until I got used to giving a little more gas when pulling away to overcome the resistance.

[mcmaddy]

Never ever rode the clutch in any previous cars and can pull away just fine on a hill but the auto hold just works. you don't need to worry about anything. you can drive the car without ever needing to touch any handbrake button. yes it's not how we learnt to drive but it works just fine.

[OF1]

The hill hold is nothing to do with bad driving or for people who can't drive. It's it not even anything to do with riding the clutch either.

I have it on my Mini and it just means when I'm stopped on a hill I don't have to put the handbrake on. I just keep the brake pedal pressed instead. Then when I'm going from the brake pedal to the accelerator, my car doesn't roll back down. I.e it does the job of the handbrake without actually touching it. So you don't need to touch the electronic handbrake in the Golf the same I don't need to with the proper one in my Mini.

[matchboy]

My misses had the electronic handbrake on her A4. It takes ages to get used to but once you do it's very handy. She had the hill start as well, and has it on her current guilietta - it's a very good bit of kit as you think the car is going to roll back but it doesn't! Scary at first but you soon get used to it!

[monkeyhanger]

I think for me it's a matter of trusting it to hold for 2 seconds - i've just never gotten around to trusting it when the handbrake lever is there and available. I guess I will have to trust it when I have no hand brake lever on the new one.

[mcmaddy]

on the tiguan if your on a hill or incline all you need to do is stop and release the foot brake. holds you until you pull away. if you don't pull away it applies the handbrake which releases anyway when you pull away. you could drive your car without ever touching the handbrake.

[monkeyhanger]

on the tiguan if your on a hill or incline all you need to do is stop and release the foot brake. holds you until you pull away. if you don't pull away it applies the handbrake which releases anyway when you pull away. you could drive your car without ever touching the handbrake.

Might be how the new Golf functions also, but on the Roc you've got 2 seconds to pull away or it starts rolling, rather than holding it until you move off.