Very good thread. My wife and I have been having the very same discussions over the last few months (6
). Having driven both (and also a 125d), the main conclusions we came out with were as follows:
The GTD is significantly better value for money
The GTD is a more comofortable ride
The GTD interface is easier and far more user friendly
The GTD is safer to drive (this was her point given the RWD of the 120d - I don't necessarily agree)
Went for the GTD. It's worth noting that hers is a company car, so the lease price also was a factor. The stock GTD before adding options was £60 cheaper a month. Both cars once loaded had options totaling nearly the same, therefore the £60 difference still applied.
It's also worth noting that we also seriously considered a 125d, given its near GTI like performance. Again, apart from the added speed and auto box (BMW was far slicker than the DSG), the GTD came out on top in every other factor.
Finally, I'm no VW fan boy (although I do love them
) - I really like the 1 series as its a great drive and I actually like the looks - but the GTD just is the better all rounder, and wins on far more points in our own comparison tests.