@havinthangs55 as we've shown in this episode, the GTI was faster than the Mazdaspeed3 on our track. We also discussed that the GTI starts at $23k, below the price of the MS3 or WRX, and that our $31k test car had every concievable option. We also discussed that the GTI is, in our opinion, better to drive than any of the 3 cars you mentioned, and feels every bit as expensive as its price suggests, something we thought was worth the money.

@waterproofduck A dual clutch transmission is basically two transmissions in one. One of them handles the even gears, the other, the odd gears. When the computer tells the transmission to shift, one clutch disengages at the precise moment the other engages, so there's no drop in power when the car shifts. It's a faster, more seamless transition between gears. I don't have any plans for the GT350 yet, but we're taking the GT500 on the Bullrun Rally this July, so there will be plenty of video.

@mk6aaddict that's a great number. We could have probably run a tenth or two faster as well if Dan's car had the sport summer-only tires, but with the all-seasons, we ran out of grip in a couple places...

@juukame difficult to determine indeed, but if you're buying a brand new car you're gonna get a warranty.... the DSG does remove all the "driver error" possibilities that come with a manual though...

Another great video, guys. Love having Dan on camera. You guys did a fine job with this episode and I have a WHOLE NEW RESPECT for the GTi and properly engineered FWD cars. Dan: your car is very, very nice....good choice!

Yes but the cobalt ss is something you buy to be dissapointed

@MrRwallach i never said they come standard, they are an option available when you order the car.

"Ugh, Dan listens to the douchiest music..." it made my day

im definatley getting one this week iam excited. in Southern Africa most of them come standard in Leather seats and sunroof. The checkered seats are mostlty imports.

Best review I've seen on the new GTI. I love the sound of the DSG shifts. I like this guy, he doesnt dribble crap.

I love your videos but I wish this test drive was done like most of your other drives; on a wonderful mountain road. That would have been great. And, I think most people expected that kind of test drive for this car. Still, I love your videos and will continue to watch as long as they don't start to suck. Much love. P.S. Stick is the way to go for ALL and EVERY car.

@stealthcorvette The GTI put down a faster lap time than the Mazdaspeed 3 on our track, despite being down over 50 horsepower. Although I wouldn't say no to more power from the 2.0T engine, it certainly isn't a requirement for the GTI to do what it's designed for. Besides, we will have the Golf R with 270hp and AWD in a couple years.

Great stuff guys! I've been really looking forward to this review. I bought a white manual 4 door a couple months ago and love it. I'm in Kentucky right now driving the snot out of it on the gnarly backroads. Matts right, this car does feel very upscale. Its comfortable, roomy( I was able to pack all my college stuff in the back) with lots of legroom, fast, fuel efficient, and good looking. As Jeremy clarkson put it, the gti is all things to all men.

@player1hasentered the GTI is made in Germany, and as we've said, 31k is fully loaded. The base GTI, only $23k, is also built in Germany.

For about 500 dollars you can get a stage 1 ecu flash. This adds about 30 or 40 hp putting it right with the speed3 in hp

@bulletsRflying

9 жыл бұрын

yeshhh ! thats why I love my car. and after stage 1 you can go for stage 2, just add a down-pipe for about 185 bucks and you can get 40 more HP.

@BelgianSimRacing

9 жыл бұрын

Thafussa i just did a stage 2 on my mk6 :D its not a GTI tho .. its a 1.6 TDI .. but the thing is a beast with stage 2 .. 155hp en 335nm torque. Its not GTI material .. but hey its a VW ! :D

@bulletsRflying

9 жыл бұрын

Kevin Deckers nice man ! it doesn't matter if you have a TDI, once chipped im sure you will be smilling like the Grinch lol. I dont have a GTI. I have a SEAT FR petrol 2.0T 2008. I know you guys dont have that in the U.S. It was imported here to the Caribbean Curacao. I haven't tuned mine yet..:(. Looking forward on a REVO stage 2 or 1.

@bulletsRflying

9 жыл бұрын

MrThePrivateer yep at stage 2 for sure

@OhMyMemories

9 жыл бұрын

paid 320 for my COBB access port, tuned it my self and making over 300HP in my ms3 :^)

@vipeme1 I prefer the manual as well, however it's nice to know that if you live somewhere with a lot of traffic, like LA, the DSG is a much better option than a standard automatic.

@mellowdalyricist we will be getting the Golf R here in a year or two.

Over five years old now (released late 2008 in Europe if I'm not mistaken) and still such a beautiful car with so much character and class. I still love mine like the first day I got it.

@Leonidae The 130 isn't available in the US, we only have the 128 and 135 here.

test drove a manual gti the other day... liked it alot!!... thanks for finally doing a review of one!

@khompressor It's for Four 3-lap runs.

@That70sRocker I don't know you, and I don't know what you need a car to do, so I can't make a good recommendation. My standard response to the "first car" question is always the same: Miata.

@EthanL21800

3 жыл бұрын

Legendary

Does Dan still have his GTI?

Very Impressive GTI. My best lap time so far was 49.1 and that's after 12 laps of practice, upgraded brake pads, springs, and tune. The MS3 and GTI would be faster with more track time. THANKS MATT!! for another great episode that we local tuners can get excited about.

@fkumro yes, it's available if you don't get the leather.

@piltv I love the scirocco, wish we got it here ...

@ApachyDaro Personal preference.... I don't love the Picnic Basket cloth, although I do like the material they use for the cloth seats. The leather is very nice though.

@bynxer whether you like the styling or not is what's questionable. It's a fact that the Mini Cooper's dash is more styled than, say, the Mazda3 or WRX, both of which look very plain by comparison.

the part of this review that tells me the most about this car is the time attack. the fact that you have absolutely nothing to say during the time attack -- where, in the mazdaspeed3 review, for example, you have the time (and the car is disinteresting enough) to give a monologue -- is impressive. it says, "i am too busy enjoying this." great work.

@mattofeast 1) It's not "considerably cheaper." The GTI starts at $23k, about the same as the Mustang. Loaded it's $31k, about the same as the Mustang. They get similar gas mileage, and where the Mustang has the horsepower edge, the GTI is more fun in the corners. The Mustang does feel nearly as solidly built as the GTI, but the GTI drives tighter.

@testify221 what do you mean?

This is only the second car review ive watched by matt, and he really knows how to describe a car in a way that appeals to everyone Some people have reviews fit for car junkies and i have no idea what they say sometimes! lol Matt, I really hope you excel in a career of reviewing cars because I even had thoughts of getting the Audi R8 after you reviewed it, but then I quickly remembered my account balance :P

@dannukesem the GTI's horsepower is measured at the crank.

@4jiggy1 I have scored exactly two sets of free tires, one for my Corvette, and another for the Jetta in the fix-up episodes. Both from Goodyear. The ones for my Corvette (Eagle F1 Supercar Assymetric) are sick, I love them. Otherwise, no way.

@160calories no, VW's quoted performance numbers for the two transmissions are nearly identical.

I love how he says the other cars like WRX, felt like disposable goods. In 2010, I found and purchased a used 2010 STi for 32k, and traded it 6 months later because it just felt limp and disposable. Its the only way I was able to sum up its feeling.

Thanks for the review, LOVE mine! At the prices they're willing to let them go at, it becomes a much better value - I got mine for over 2k under MSRP (mid-optioned). I see Dan's already color matched the side markers, makes SUCH a huge difference.

Thanks for reviewing the GTI Matt, and for posting a faster lap time than the Mazdaspeed3! Greatly enjoyed the review, but I noticed you didn't mention the adaptive xenons - they turn when you turn the wheel and it's a really nice feature at night.

gti's are the best front wheel drive car out there, i am a tech a VW and i know what i am talking about, most people who criticize this car have never driven one, those TSI engines can handle over 400hp with no internal work, the volumetric efficiency curve is so awesome on this car. EUROCODE tune those cars to reach 500Hp on stock internals. such an awesome car.

@bearbryant6005

5 жыл бұрын

So go tsi? Or will 2011 GTI 4 door be enough coming from Mazda 3i 2.0?

@bearbryant6005

5 жыл бұрын

Really need a wagon. Have a big dog, but fits in 09ms3 sedan.

@adner1 um, no it's not. It was the same engine last year too. They added direct injection in 09, but the 2010 is the same as the 2009.

Great review! I love your Hatchback reviews Maybe Cooper, perhaps a S, next :D btw, do you favor Interlagos or leather seats in the GTI?

@trwsandford i guess those wheels aren't for everyone, but I like them. They are optional, though, and you have 2 other wheel choices with the GTI.

Awesome review man, you really got some key points about the gti vs the sti or evo

@Trapv2 we're in the US. we don't get JDM stuff here, obviously.

I saw this vid before I bought mine. Now I'm @ 1600 miles and loving it. One note is the DSG is a great box but has some quirky behaviors at lowspeeds especially when you hesitate on the gas. I am dying to take it out to Adams one day. Thanks for the vid

@Bazz7999 yes you should be fine in the GTI, I'm 6'3"

What a great review. Nice job guys.

@Mr300RUM listen closer. The GTI starts at $23k. A fully loaded model, with every conceivable option is $31k.

@Josephalosaurus we did it on the old show already.

@NONo443 its always in the back of our minds. I wanna do a 3-bike road trip and try them all...

This one, a peugeot 208 1.6thp GTi or a seat leon 2.0 fr? I cant choose

Amazin show bro!!i enjoy ur objective reviews!keep up the good work!love ur job!haha peace

Great review Matt, the GTI is a nice car for the price. It's interesting that Autoblog had a GTI review as well but their car was a 4 door one. Keep it up!!

Excellent video. Great review!

@strikefr12 yes, but you don't want a base model 370. If you want one with the good options, it will cost you between $35k and $37k. Nice car, but not really a competitor to the GTI.

@TheSmokingTire hmm good point, and i agree that the little burble from the exhaust does sound very rewarding, now just gotta decide between 2 or 4 dr. both look so good

Love this review. However, are those velcro cargo things standard or did your intern buy them separately? From what I've been able to learn, they're an after market accessory.

One of the main reasons I bought this car is the tremendous aftermarket support. It certainly is a hot hatch when you can take it from 210 HP & inexpensively bring it to over 300 HP, for a few thousand more 375 HP can be produced putting it into a class of some heavy hitters such as the e92 M3, Carerra S etc. Also for $4k less than what was payed for the car tested, one could buy a lightly used MK VI R, that with stg3 & dsg trans is running super car times 0-60 Goapr.

hi , def thinking about buying one .My question is I here they are very expensive to fix when have problems . Are they reliable and do you see that need a lot of repairs ?ty

@JoeBird76 the RX8 is going out of production, and hence, there are no more press cars for it. sorry.

@adner1 what about the engine is "all new?" nothing, as far as I know. The 2.0TFSI engine has been in production for about 4 years now, and hasn't changed.

@oneshotkill324 that's not a fair comparison, first of all the Golf and GTI are different cars. Secondly, the GTI starts at $23k and Dan's car has every conceivable option. Thirdly, there are many used cars out there that are already depreciated, but we can't compare new cars to used cars, otherwise every single new car on the market would seem like a ripoff.

Holy chops! I almost forgot Matt had sideburns and a Metallica tattoo

This guy does the best reviews.

Amazing car! Looking at one myself. and btw... Dan listens to some amazing music!

Could someone tell me the name of the music played at the intro? Thank you guys🙏

@havinthangs55 If you're looking for a drag car, the GTI, nor any other "hot hatch" will satisfy you. On a road course or a windy road, a GTI or Mini Cooper S is about as much fun you can have, and with build quality that matches their relatively higher price.

Good review matt!

The BEST car reviews from usa

@TheSmokingTire Thanks for the clarification TST not bashing the GTI great car and as usual great show!

@300spartan16 in our last episode, I drove a 1973 Eldorado.

@KoolCordell unfortunately, no.

Excellent review. Instead of typical flurry of numbers and such you gave us an "on the drivers seat"-report of how the new GTi feels and what kind of impressions it gives off. Good job! Is there any chance of you guys doing a BMW 130i M-sport anytime soon?

@TheMainMan318 who said 33k? I said $31,500. And like we said, that car has every single option available. Most GTI's sell for about $25-27k.

@TheSmokingTire are the cloth seats the same as the leather as in being comfortable

@phantomloita The GTI, at least the 2-door, has a shorter wheelbase and handles a bit better than the Audi. In an upcoming episode, we drive the Audi, so I don't want to give too much away.

@unholyevili those are factory wheels.

@sspope The Mustang V6 is a great handling car, for what it is. The GTI handles better, and is more fun to drive. There is a horrible stigma that FWD cars are bad. After driving a JCW Mini for 3 years, I can tell you that's not the case at all. Hot hatches are just about the most fun affordable cars you can buy. If you really want a RWD pony car, the GTI won't satisfy you. But there are plenty of people out there who would prefer the dynamics of the GTI to the V6 Mustang.

@Leonidae yeah, we get fucked. the amazing BMW e320d, that gets almost 60 mpg and can do 60 in 8 seconds, we don't get that here.

I hear this sound like dry leaves being thrown in a fan almost when I’m accelerating is this normal for them

how would you compare the 2010 model to the new 2011? any significant differences between the two? i'm planning to buy one soon

@DBVolz did they move the engine rearward? did they relocate the battery? is the chassis totally different?

Great review. I love 'The Smoking Tire" - these guys rock! Matt is hillarious. Anyway, the GTI is probably going to be the next car... new, used, leased, whatever - somehow, I am getting one! I want an old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness, manual. Although DSG may be faster, the very essence of a sporting car is to row your own gears! DSG may be the future, but at 42 years old, I am certainlt old-school for a GTI customer. Others may be faster, but none more refined. I want one now!

hmm i really want a GTi but cant decide, 2 doors or 4 doors? manual or DSG? Great review as always Matt

Different engine to the Mk5, this engine can produce much much more torque

@mj23polairs Nope, the car is discontinued, so no more press cars.

seems like a very nice car i do enjoy the exhaust burble when you shift gears with the dual clutch gear box,.

One of the things i love most about this car, is the wheels! Theres just something amazing about them.

@humbertitonote we already did that car on the old show.

when are u gonna drive a S2000? we are waiting.

@waterproofduck Bit of an oversimplification, but: DSG has 2 wet clutches that are computer controlled. The gears are set up along two separate shafts - 1-3-5-r on one (A), 2-4-6 (B) on the other. When you're driving in 1st, the car will spin up 2 on the other shaft for a perfect speed match. When you shift, A clutch disengages and B clutch engages. The computer then spins up 3rd on A shaft so it's prepared to shift up to 3rd. Super fast shifts, very smooth too, but it has some quirks.

@nikothecrazygreek If my daily commute was in bumper-to-bumper traffic in LA, I wouldn't buy the stick either. I don't think he plans on tuning it anyway.

Where did he get those color matched side markers? ECS?

Hey Matt, What about a A3 2.0TFSI? It basically the same chassis and engine. I Know its not available in 2 door in the US. But if it was me I would choose the Audi over the GTI. What do you think is handling different?

how do the dsg transmissions compare to the manual in terms of reliability? i suppose that's probably hard to determine since they're fairly new.

@adner1 Yes is true that engine have been out close to 4 years now, but is new for the gti. The 2009 model have the FSI engine.

Matt is the only other person I can watch present cars, apart from top gear UK.

is there any way to make it so that the E diff dosent use the anti lock break system to keep control of the car?

horsepower does not always matter, its being able to deliver the power to the pavement, sometimes its the driver.

@ryann914311 I'm happy to take the keys to someone else's Cobalt and beat on it, and I'm sure I'd have a good time. But the bottom line is I would never be caught dead owning one.