I think that as a whole the MK7 feels a bit sterile. It is much faster than it feels, maybe it is too polished for me, but i've been VW fan for a very long time, jump from MK6 to MK7 has seen by far the biggest refinement jump between the MKs.
I had far more fun with my 170TDI Scirocco than I have with my MK7 GTD. I have chased the R because it's genuinely rapid, I might get a better sense of performance despite the polished edges.
I have to disagree about the need to spec an R up highly vs a GTI. Is £27k really the threshold beyond which expensive options like 19" wheels, Satnav and leather become essential? The R has everything I want as standard (as did the GTD), An R is still a Golf, I don't need it to feel like a £45k car. To some the GTD and GTI Tartan do not appeal, some get leather purely to not have the Tartan, just as some may not like the R seats. The seats in all 3 performance Golfs let down the interior IMO, the MK6 set had nicer looking seats.
Think the best point made here, that continually gets overlooked, is that you are going a lot quicker than the car makes it feel.
Even in my lowly GTD to the discussion or R vs GTI you can look down and find yourself way past where think are speed wise and have to reel it in quite quickly.
My previous 170BHP was flat and steady and then boom as pressed the accellerator.
The MK7 does the same but without all the notable grunt and thrust in doing so and to some expecting that in a performance hatchback it can be quite hard to see past.
With the DCC and DSG the ride is cossetted and smooth but with no less pace and its something come to admire and really like now adjusted to the car.
Have been in a vanilla GTI and experience was pretty much the same and so imagine R even with its added BHP is still going to be pretty refined and something you will have to adjust to.
