The manual in this car is really designed for the non modder who is probably going to lease the car or leave it completely stock. More than likely they wouldn't complain about it. It's light, smooth and simple. No thrills shifting for a car lacking power stock. Makes sense VW went cheap on the clutch.
Once you begin the modding or appreciate a good shift, that is when the manual in stock form shows its weakness. Though with that said, it is nothing you couldn't fix with around 80 bucks worth of a mod... The mk6 manual also sucked. Well, short shifted that biz with Diesel Geek and turned it into a very pleasant experience. This car, Boomba'd her up and she's a very pleasant ride now. Clutch is still a lil too soft for my liking of a "performance" car, but whatever. It's dying day by day with stg1 high toooorque, "so much torque the chassis twisted coming off the line."