ED 30 and R32

[Creepy Coupe]

If you do buy an earlier R32 say pre march 2006 you won't get stung for the full £400 a year road tax, it's ONLY £300 

[synnea]

I agree with all the points above. The V6 sounds great. But the running costs are higher.
Coming from a MKIV GT TDI the shock of now visiting the petrol station once a week and watching the petrol gauge plummet was ........erm shocking at first. But the performance is in a different league. The ED30 does have a nice exhaust note but not as good as the R32 burble.
If it was me it would depend who was paying for the petrol. Company or myself? So far having fun in the ED30 27mpg avg. On a long run at a reasonable speed 34-6 mpg.
Both great cars though

lol I came from a MKV GT TDI - it took me a while to get used to the quick movement of the petrol needle going down. I agree though, totally worth it 

[Hurdy]

Love the R32

Love the ED30 more

It has an "edge" to it that the R32 doesn't. Sure the R32 may be the Halo model, but the GTI is the definitive ICON

VW nailed it with the MKV GTI and enhanced the breed with the ED30. By comparison the R32 is an overweight beast of a car by over 200kg

Power to weight the ED30 has the R32's measure, as does it with in gear times and as for the standing quarter...I didn't see a MKV R32 go down the Pod in under 14.6 seconds and I went down in 14.3@98.27mph

The R32 knocks the ED30 into a cocked hat in the wet as we all know it will with 4WD, but again this is it's downfall if you value mpg as much as mph. However on those balmy dry days on a set of switchback B roads it's the ED30 that would have the measure of the R32 and would be more pleasureable to be in to boot. With the R32 you feel as though it is the 4WD that is doing the work, with the ED30 it is all you

[Creepy Coupe]

Love the R32

Love the ED30 more

It has an "edge" to it that the R32 doesn't. Sure the R32 may be the Halo model, but the GTI is the definitive ICON

VW nailed it with the MKV GTI and enhanced the breed with the ED30. By comparison the R32 is an overweight beast of a car by over 200kg

Power to weight the ED30 has the R32's measure, as does it with in gear times and as for the standing quarter...I didn't see a MKV R32 go down the Pod in under 14.6 seconds and I went down in 14.3@98.27mph

The R32 knocks the ED30 into a c*cked hat in the wet as we all know it will with 4WD, but again this is it's downfall if you value mpg as much as mph. However on those balmy dry days on a set of switchback B roads it's the ED30 that would have the measure of the R32 and would be more pleasureable to be in to boot. With the R32 you feel as though it is the 4WD that is doing the work, with the ED30 it is all you

Driving "flat out" isn't everything, going quick isn't just about top speed, but pace and ability to cover ground in smooth controlled way, and if you buy either car with fuel economy in mind your missing the point IMO.If you want MPG get a GT TDi, which has more torque than a GTi, the reason you won't see many R32 at the Pod is because point and shoot type cars are all about power to weight ratio's. which are far less relevent in real world day too day driving conditions.

I don't feel 4wd play too much importance in everyday driving either, unless conditions are really poor, when they might get you out of trouble, the R32 feel much better planted than the GTi aand as I've mentioned before better over the rough stuff, which there are too much of on the UK roads.

The two cars are very close to each other, but cater too slightly different buyer/owners. 

[TagnuT]

OK, it is a shock coming from a car that does 50mpg to a car that does 30mpg. But the ED30 gives me the performance that I want for a reasonable mpg ( ask a VXR + ST owner). Also I would rather keep more of my money in my pocket than giving it to this robbing government.
Also the performance is in a different league to a Diesel. Ok, I did like the large slug of torque that you get, but not the just a few more revs please! But I like the alround performance of the TFSI engine.

[Ollieb7]

Anybody noted how remarkably close the ED30 in gear times are to the new S3............. I noted ED 30 is quicker from 30 to 50 and only 0.2 secs slower 50 to 70. There you are £5k difference for 0.2 secs!

Reference - Performance Tuner for ED 30 figures - this months EVO for S3


Now where's my anorak??

[Hully]

If you do buy an earlier R32 say pre march 2006 you won't get stung for the full £400 a year road tax, it's ONLY £300 

Not with you on that one CC, its £300 this year then £400 next year for the top band of CO2 emission cars, which the R32 falls into. It has nothing to do with the age of you car, just what you put out the pipe. 

[Hully]

In answer to the original question, I would drive both cars and make my mind up from that.  Having driven both, they do offer somewhat of a different driving experience.  Only thing to bear in mind is that the R32 will probably cost you more to run due to fuel ecomomy, tax servicing etc.  If moneys no object, things become a little more complicated.

[Creepy Coupe]

If you do buy an earlier R32 say pre march 2006 you won't get stung for the full £400 a year road tax, it's ONLY £300 

Not with you on that one CC, its £300 this year then £400 next year for the top band of CO2 emission cars, which the R32 falls into. It has nothing to do with the age of you car, just what you put out the pipe. 

It's my understanding that only cars manufactured on or after March 06 that got clobbered for £400, and all pre that date are £300, have I gotten that wrong?

[Hully]

If you do buy an earlier R32 say pre march 2006 you won't get stung for the full £400 a year road tax, it's ONLY £300 

Not with you on that one CC, its £300 this year then £400 next year for the top band of CO2 emission cars, which the R32 falls into. It has nothing to do with the age of you car, just what you put out the pipe. 

It's my understanding that only cars manufactured on or after March 06 that got clobbered for £400, and all pre that date are £300, have I gotten that wrong?

I'm pretty sure that if you're in the top CO2 band, regardless of age, then its £300 this year then £400 the next. I hope I haven't rained on you parade, so to speak.