GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Just bought my 1st VW. Here are the other cars I considered

Verichai

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Low Earth Orbit
This is my first post on this forum, as I recently purchased my first VW, a 2017 GTI Autobahn (6M PP Grey). I live in the midwest and already owned a weekend toy/ track car. I wanted something fun, comfortable, practical and loaded with features. These are the other cars I considered and test drove before deciding on the GTI:

Lexus IS350
Audi Q5
Acura RDX
Lexus CT200h
Porsche Cayman
Subaru WRX (2013 hatch)
Honda Civic SI
Focus RS
Golf R

Ultimately, I arrived at the GTI for it's perfect combination of quality, comfort, driving dynamics, practicality, fun, understated elegance, discretion, fit and finish, interior design/layout, and cost of ownership.

So far, I've been thrilled with the car.
 

Obsrvr

Ready to race!
Location
USA
This is my first post on this forum, as I recently purchased my first VW, a 2017 GTI Autobahn (6M PP Grey). I live in the midwest and already owned a weekend toy/ track car. I wanted something fun, comfortable, practical and loaded with features. These are the other cars I considered and test drove before deciding on the GTI:

Lexus IS350
Audi Q5
Acura RDX
Lexus CT200h
Porsche Cayman
Subaru WRX (2013 hatch)
Honda Civic SI
Focus RS
Golf R

Ultimately, I arrived at the GTI for it's perfect combination of quality, comfort, driving dynamics, practicality, fun, understated elegance, discretion, fit and finish, interior design/layout, and cost of ownership.

So far, I've been thrilled with the car.

Excellent choice. Welcome to the Addiction! :rolleyes:
 

BronxBomber

Ready to race!
Location
Orlando,FL
Very unusual group of vehicles. FWD, AWD, RWD, hybrid, SUV, Sports Car, Hatchback. Curious, what was the criteria and what swayed you toward the GTI?
 

Hoon

Autocross Champion
Location
Rhode Island
Very unusual group of vehicles. FWD, AWD, RWD, hybrid, SUV, Sports Car, Hatchback. Curious, what was the criteria and what swayed you toward the GTI?

Wonder if OP also cross shopped a bulldozer with the GTI? :)
 

BronxBomber

Ready to race!
Location
Orlando,FL

mattd502

Ready to race!
Location
Buffalo, NY
Very unusual group of vehicles. FWD, AWD, RWD, hybrid, SUV, Sports Car, Hatchback. Curious, what was the criteria and what swayed you toward the GTI?



Funny you say this I cross shopped my gti with a wrx and a genesis coupe, there was no rhyme or reason I just thought they were all cool cars!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

BronxBomber

Ready to race!
Location
Orlando,FL
Funny you say this I cross shopped my gti with a wrx and a genesis coupe, there was no rhyme or reason I just thought they were all cool cars!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, but those are enthusiast cars, with big aftermarket support. They’re both available with a manual and are sporty in nature also cost about the same. The OP’s car selection was all over the place, and included totally dissimilar vehicles in different classes with very different performance and pricing.
 

MeltedSolid

Autocross Newbie
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Car(s)
'15 Golf, e36 328i
Good selection. If it were me I'd be happy with the Cayman (though I prefer the Boxster), STI hatch, Focus RS, Golf R, or of course what you ultimately chose, but it looks like you already have an Elise which is already very similar to the Cayman.
 

Verichai

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Low Earth Orbit
Very unusual group of vehicles. FWD, AWD, RWD, hybrid, SUV, Sports Car, Hatchback. Curious, what was the criteria and what swayed you toward the GTI?

I actually did drive a bulldozer as well, but the NVH levels were terrible and there was a huge blind spot right in the front.

I agree, this was an odd group of cars. Basically, each offered something that I found compelling. Any car is a big purchase, and the ownership experience can vary wildly based on many factors, so I explored a variety of options before writing the check. I'll elaborate: I already own a two-seater sports car with zero practicality. So I thought it made sense to get either a small SUV or a hatchback. I also wanted something well-made, comfortable, and with room for four adults. Also I'm married, so I wanted something my wife wouldn't mind driving occasionally.

Lexus IS350 - Lexus reliability, fun, luxury

Audi Q5 - Very comfortable, great looking SUV

Acura RDX - Acura reliability, solid feel

Lexus CT200h - hatchback with really good MPG, but no performance whatsoever. Driving one made me realize that I wanted something with a turbo.

Porsche Cayman - Always liked these, two trunks make is somewhat practical. This would be another contender if I could only have one car.

Subaru WRX (2013 hatch) - Obvious choice for any area that gets snow. Great car. Came very close to purchasing one, but the interior quality of the GTI won out over the AWD of the WRX.

Honda Civic SI - Honda reliability and that shifter! Interior was WAY too busy.

Focus RS - Had to try one out...super fun car, but not a fan of the brand and couldn't bear to spend Cayman money on a Ford, even though they are totally different animals.

Golf R - Loved it. If I only owned one car, I probably would have gone for the R, but the GTI met my needs and I couldn't justify the premium.

So, thinking about the holistic ownership experience, the GTI offered everything I wanted in a daily driver, in a beautiful, comfortable package, and for a very reasonable price. It would have been nice to have AWD, or Prius-like economy, but the GTI struck the best balance, for me.
 

PLF8593

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Philly
Car(s)
19 Alltrack 6MT
Welcome to the forums, and excellent choice! You will only love your car more and more.

Two rules around here:

1) PICS!1!1!1!

2) Post in the correct subforum, which this is not. Better off in the general discussions. Not saying it to be a dick, just saying it before someone who IS saying it to be a dick says it haha
 

PLF8593

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Philly
Car(s)
19 Alltrack 6MT
Lexus IS350 - Lexus reliability, fun, luxury

Reliabilty, check.
Luxury, sure.
Fun????? The last fun car Lexus made was the IS300 in the early 2000's.

Audi Q5 - Very comfortable, great looking SUV

Only crossover I'd consider, besides maybe one of those Mazdas (I think they went turbo now, too).

Porsche Cayman - Always liked these, two trunks make is somewhat practical. This would be another contender if I could only have one car.

Surprising to me that you can even consider a Cayman, yet pass on an R for a GTI

Subaru WRX (2013 hatch) - Obvious choice for any area that gets snow. Great car. Came very close to purchasing one, but the interior quality of the GTI won out over the AWD of the WRX.

I agree - I'd own a subaru if they could step up their ECU and interior game.

Honda Civic SI - Honda reliability and that shifter! Interior was WAY too busy.

No power, though I've never driven one so I can't speak to the shifting experience. I do hear good things. The OEM turbo operates at like 20+ PSI lol

Focus RS - Had to try one out...super fun car, but not a fan of the brand and couldn't bear to spend Cayman money on a Ford, even though they are totally different animals.

They're also proving to be terrible for the one thing they were built for: the track. Their rear diffs overheat and deactivate with extended use. Also their engines are a slightly redesigned DISI from the Mazdaspeed 3

Golf R - Loved it. If I only owned one car, I probably would have gone for the R, but the GTI met my needs and I couldn't justify the premium.

Never considered the Alltrack? same thing as a Golf R, just with a smaller engine/turbo, and costs less than a GTI.

So, thinking about the holistic ownership experience, the GTI offered everything I wanted in a daily driver, in a beautiful, comfortable package, and for a very reasonable price. It would have been nice to have AWD, or Prius-like economy, but the GTI struck the best balance, for me.

Welcome to the club. This is the most common sentiment around here. It may be a jack of all trades, but in the realm of "Jack of all trades, master of none," It is a master of jacks of all trades... if that makes sense lol. It's better at all the things that all the other jacks of all trades are decent at.
 
Last edited:

megreene

New member
This is the actual list of cars I test drove over the 6 month decision period, pretty much in order. Almost got the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited for the wife. Drove the A3 the day I bought the gti, same dealership, just wanted to make sure:

BMW X1
BMW 320
BMW 350
BMW X3
BMW 330
Dodge charger
Honda accord v6
Honda Accord v4
Honda Civic touring
Honda Civic EXL
Honda Ridgeline
Maxima sv
Maxima SL
Nissan Altima
Golf gti se
golf gti Autobahn
Mazda 3 hatch
Jeep grand cherokee
Jeep Cherokee again
Gti SE again
Jeep again
A3










Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

Firstboost

Go Kart Champion
Location
East Bay Area
I could've sworn I was in the MK7 VS. sub-forum.
 
Top