AutoCar Mk7 GTI with P Pack review places it No3.

[Gryzor]

When something you are passionate about gets a great review that you agree with, the reviewer is great.  When the same thing gets a not so great review that you disagree with, the reviewer isn't so great.  End of the day, it changes nothing - I bought the GTI for a number reasons, none of which can be satisfied by the other cars, regardless of how well they handle in the wet and dry when driven like they are on a track...

[Thornster]

I haven't read the review, but for me the RS265 and ST would both cost more to buy and run (total cost of ownership) than the MK7 GTI i've ordered which was a big factor (not to mention the interiors!).

I did consider the M135i - but it got expensive very quickly once you started looking at the options list.

I also wish these tests would include like-for-like price points i.e. it should have been the BMW 125i, not the M135i which cost £££££s more than the GTI.

[JoeGTI]

I'd take these reviews with a pinch of salt. I quite like the Focus ST but I wouldn't have a Renault Anything if I got it for free.

[PenguinGTI]

Chris Harris is top of my list in terms of reviews. His review of the GTI was very positive and also very fair in my opinion. He didn't take it anywhere near a track and noted this, which I think is spot on. I took my Mk6 on track and within a few laps I realised the suspension and brakes needed a fair amount of tweaking before it would be suitable.

Instead he treated it as a quick, practical hatch that served up thrills when you fancied but remained faithful when needed. And I think that's spot on. The RS265 has had the podium for a while and that's fine. The new VXR seems to be a fantastic step up over the old car and the ST seems to be decent enough. I think looks wise the GTI is now firmly behind the others (although I'm not as keen on the ST), but the GTI somehow still looks very stylish and very GTI-ish on the road. I just wish they had kept the Monza Shadows.

But where I think they have improved the GTI is in terms of excitement. The Mk6 I found (being honest) a tad dull to drive and so I turned to a remap to liven it up. The remap was spot on and I'm sure pretty much anyone who remapped their GTI would agree it was how the car should have been built.

But if the handling of the new GTI is as good as the reviews suggest, I'm not sure a remap will be quite the necessity it previously has been on GTI's. Which in my books would be very good indeed.

Still to test drive the Mk7. But having sat in one my initial disappointment is the steering wheel. It's too big and not thick enough.

[matchboy]

It's too big and not thick enough.

That's what she said 

[JoeGTI]

It's too big and not thick enough.

That's what she said 

 

[Exonian]

Chris Harris is top of my list in terms of reviews. His review of the GTI was very positive and also very fair in my opinion. He didn't take it anywhere near a track and noted this, which I think is spot on. I took my Mk6 on track and within a few laps I realised the suspension and brakes needed a fair amount of tweaking before it would be suitable.

Instead he treated it as a quick, practical hatch that served up thrills when you fancied but remained faithful when needed. And I think that's spot on. The RS265 has had the podium for a while and that's fine. The new VXR seems to be a fantastic step up over the old car and the ST seems to be decent enough. I think looks wise the GTI is now firmly behind the others (although I'm not as keen on the ST), but the GTI somehow still looks very stylish and very GTI-ish on the road. I just wish they had kept the Monza Shadows.

But where I think they have improved the GTI is in terms of excitement. The Mk6 I found (being honest) a tad dull to drive and so I turned to a remap to liven it up. The remap was spot on and I'm sure pretty much anyone who remapped their GTI would agree it was how the car should have been built.

But if the handling of the new GTI is as good as the reviews suggest, I'm not sure a remap will be quite the necessity it previously has been on GTI's. Which in my books would be very good indeed.

Still to test drive the Mk7. But having sat in one my initial disappointment is the steering wheel. It's too big and not thick enough.

Agree with that 100%
Mind you, a couple of years down the line and once you're bored of the standard performance a remap would have to be added to the mk7 too, surely? 

[Bill_the_Bear]

Just bought the mag and read it... wish I'd saved my coins.  I'm left with the feeling I've read a lot of words, yet learned practically nothing.  My comments:

The usual refrain of "its good, but not exciting enough" is peppered throughout.  I think this goes hand in hand with their assessment of the Megane and Focus getting the no.1 and no.2 spots.  By being tailored for just one task (Megane, track) or just being a bit crap at handling (Focus) those two cars will be more "exciting" if you run them around a track a couple of times.  However, if you do the track repeatedly I'll bet the Focus becomes annoying.  And if you do anything but the track I'll bet the Megane becomes annoying.

I really can't see that they could rank the GTI or the BMW below these 2 cars unless the criteria is "couple of goes around a track".  In all other respects both GTI and BMW are miles ahead of the Megane or Focus.  Just seems ridiculous to me.  They're putting all the weight into one specific and rare use for the car and none into the many other uses that happen everyday.

Another problem (slightly related to the above) is that every aspect of the car is described as good, but not great.  Engineering wise I think these guys need to realise that modern cars are highly refined and you're just not going to see the kind of gains you would have with say the mk5 GTI over the mk4.  We are beyond the days of huge increases in power and sitting in the days of minor refinements to improve efficiency or reliability.  So its no good hoping that each part of the car will be revolutionary and blow them away, that's not going to happen unless some new kind of engine is invented or something.

They did say the e-diff is not very noticeable, which almost classes as learning something if it didn't go against what has been said in previous tests.  I dunno what to make of that review really.  What is the point of just listing all the "handling is poised" "ride is good" "shifts are sharp" buzz words into a massive 6 page spread which leaves you with just a heap of buzz words that could apply to almost any car with no problems.  I guess that is all you can say from this review, there is nothing wrong with the GTI worth mentioning.  End.

So yeah, its 100x more helpful to hear the comments of you guys on here than this kind of journalism.

[david25]

Here are my points;

1. Not surprising after last week's Autoexpress test (ST first, Golf second, R265 third)

2. Where did the extra 50Kg come from?

3. VW Driver got 6.3 for the MK6 2dr manual

6.5 for the MK6 DSG 5dr

6.0 for the MK5 2rd manual!

[AAddict]

Here are my points;

1. Not surprising after last week's Autoexpress test (ST first, Golf second, R265 third)

2. Where did the extra 50Kg come from?

3. VW Driver got 6.3 for the MK6 2dr manual

6.5 for the MK6 DSG 5dr

6.0 for the MK5 2rd manual!

Car and Driver 5.6s MK7 GTI 220 (non PP) 0-60