What other cars did you test drive or consider before buying your VW?

[GenX Retread]

Mustang GT PP1: this is the car I really wanted, but optioned equally to my GTI - all the driver assist tech, adaptive suspension, LSD etc.- would have cost just a hair under $60K CAD - that's $20K more than I paid.

Mini: Mostly because they look cool, but they drive horribly, lack power, and the interior is awful.

Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo: really good (250HP/320TQ) AWD powertrain, nice interior, Mazda does chassis dynamics as well as anyone, awful infotainment, ugly as sin from the rear and 3/4 perspectives.

I also looked at some crossovers like the CX-5, RAV-4, Forester, and Edge, but they're kitchen appliances, regardless of dress or trim level, and CVTs are sacrilege.

Starting out the GTI was actually the dark horse on my list, but it's generally a better package than everything listed above except the Mustang, which really is a great car as well. I like the DSG better than the 8spd in the Ford. In the Mustang, Ford's manual isn't really better than VW's manual in the GTI; they're both just ok.

You?

 

[Treadup]

I’m a father and thought I needed a bigger car and was lookin at CX-5s and Toyota Rav 4.
I started listening to the Everyday Driver podcast and their opening statement about how the car we drive everyday should be fun got me thinking.
I work hard and provide for my family, you only live once and I’ve always liked GTIs.
I started looking and knew what I wanted. When I found the specs I was looking for, there was literally know other car I would have considered. I’m still extremely happy with my choice.

 

[Clem604]

I test drove the 2017 Elantra Sport and the 2017 Civic Si and they were decent cars but didn't really blow me away. I was coming from a 07 MK5 GTI so I knew I would have to test drive the new one. My decision was quite easy after that. Had the Hyundai i30N been available here, I would have considered that.

 

[gixxerfool]

I window shopped a bunch of cars and narrowed it to the Golf R. I had a Sonoma pickup for 17 years before I got my Civic. I needed something cheap, reliable and cheap to maintain. The Civic fit the bill at the time since my truck was literally falling apart. Seriously. I was replacing the converter when the body mount fell out of the bed.

The Civic was good to me. 35mpg and oil changes. It wasn’t exciting to drive. It was functional for sure. My wife and daughter hated the coupe. I was pretty open to options when I started shopping.

I needed something four doors, AWD, Turbo 4, with CarPlay and I know this is sacrilegious on these forums, but it had to be automatic. I had no desire to have a manual and my wife can’t drive one, so it wasn’t an option.

I looked at WRXs and Kia Stingers. The WRX has a slush box and aren’t really too mod friendly. The AWD is amazing though. The Stinger was cool, but the depreciation on them made me weary. The Golf R popped up on my radar and I was obsessed with owning one. Took me almost a year to find one.

 

[shorty_cz]

Ford Mondeo combi, perhaps Fusion overseas. Very tight in, very large out (I was not able to sit on rear seat behind front one selected to my driver's preferences plus doesn't fit to my garage). Not suprisde that they quit the production competely despote guys in grand tour are crying. Mazda 6 combi same feeling plus terrible automatic gearbox and infotaiment. Opel Insignia (Mk1) - cheap but like elephant. Volvo V60 (nice but 3x more expensive than golf, ridiculous speed restrictions). Škoda Octavia combi (very large trunk, fine space on rear seats but too tight for drivers’ right knee and a lack of multilink rear axle in most cases, plus you guys left there cannot buy it).

Now I would go for Insignia Mk2 as they cured most of the cons of 1st gen. and prices are very good here. Perhaps Golf Mk8 variant as they have very attractive price offers (20k USD for a good piece but with 1.5 evo engine which is not bad itself but has terrible manual trany). Or Hyundai i30 combi which is finally not tak ugly inside any more and with same price like golf, one can get mild hybrid plus very good equipment.

 

[Sub-to-Dub]

I was pretty set on the GTI but had to find out what all the fuss was about with the Fiesta ST. Really fun car but would have been a worse daily; seating position didn't work for me, cheap interior, and a harsh ride ruled it out. On top of that the VW dealer was willing to negotiate and the Ford deal wasn't.

 

[GTIfan99]

WRX, but I've own a bunch of previous WRX and STIs, so I knew I wouldn't be happy it wasn't an STI and I swore to not buy another STI until the EJ was replaced.

Another Miata, but I'd had 3 in the previous 6 years, so wanted something different. I had a Miata already in the garage too that I'd gone too race car with.

A used C5 Z06, but didn't want a used car.

Golf R, but I think the Mk7 GTI was a better choice for autocross and tracking. Plus, I try to keep cars I'm going to bear on for autocross and track $30k or less, in case I destroy it. I can absorb a $25-30k loss, totalling a really expensive car, like a $90k Cayman or $120 911 would significantly impact my retirement plans.

I looked at the 2.0l Alfa Guilia too, but came to my senses


I'm actually considering not tracking the GTI anymore and buying a vintage race car. There's a nicely prepped TR4 for sale on Savanah, that's so light, I could pull it around with my wife's Outback. Years ago I had a vintage prepped MGB that I planned on racing, but I was to busy with work and sold.

I ended up with an 18 GTI S while looking for a daily driver Golf, because my NC3 Club had gone full track car. I likes the 18 S so much, I ended to selling the Miata. A year until the S, i really wanted a 19 Rabbit Edition, so I gave my son the 18 S.

I'd previously owned 3 GTI's and a VR6 Corrado, and this thing is what I wanted all of them to be as good as the Mk7.5 PP. I can't see getting rid of it, but I may eventually park it and use it as my weekend fun car.

 

[Sparky589]

Had no intention of buying a 'sporty' car initially, and the final competition really came down between the Civic and the Golf. Back when I was shopping in early 2016 Civic Hatches hadn't yet hit dealer lots, and quite frankly that was the key reason I went with the VW, as I really wanted the shorter vehicle dimensions and increased cargo capacity. Had the Civic Hatch been in the market when I was shopping, I may have very well been driving a Honda right now.

 

[Escape Hatch]

Nothing. Wanted a commuter that I could easily squeeze power out of and get good mileage.

 

[Thomas.brian23]

I was looking for a fun but fuel efficient sporty car and the GTI fits the bill pretty well. The only car I seriously considered was the Focus ST but the Recaros were a deal breaker. Additionally, I preferred the more subdued styling of the GTI.

Two regrets:
(1) That I didn’t spring for the Autobahn
(2) That I didn’t check out a Miata with the power folding hardtop.

I appreciate and use the GTI’s hatchbackiness frequently, but I didn’t really need it since I also have an SUV.

 

[Keehs360]

Jcw clubsport s

veloster n

high performance variant of the eco boost mustang

Kia stinger gt2

and a few others. Can’t remember them.

I would’ve absolutely went with the n if the back seat space was just a bit better. No one over 5ft tall fits there.

would’ve absolutely went with the stinger if the suspension wasn’t so damn soft and floaty.

 

[GenX Retread]

I forgot to mention one that I didn't seriously shop because they're at or in the $70s, but since he knew I was shopping a Mustang, a guy I work with insisted I go to his uncle's dealership and drive... a Challenger R/T 392 Widebody Scat Pack. In F8 Green. So I did.

If you like to feel like an absolute 900lb gorilla bad ass MF gangster, drive this car. It is not a good car, but it looks and sounds mean as fuck and it will make you feel like you're a movie character.

 

[GTIfan99]

I forgot to mention one that I didn't seriously shop because they're at or in the $70s, but since he knew I was shopping a Mustang, a guy I work with insisted I go to his uncle's dealership and drive... a Challenger R/T 392 Widebody Scat Pack. So I did.

If you like to feel like an absolute 900lb gorilla bad ass MF gangster, drive this car. It is not a good car, but it looks and sounds mean as fuck and it will make you feel like you're a movie character.

Yeah, I totally want to hoon in a bunch of Dodge:s offerings, but don't want to own any of them.

 

[GenX Retread]

I was looking for a fun but fuel efficient sporty car and the GTI fits the bill pretty well. The only car I seriously considered was the Focus ST but the Recaros were a deal breaker. Additionally, I preferred the more subdued styling of the GTI.

Two regrets:
(1) That I didn’t spring for the Autobahn
(2) That I didn’t check out a Miata with the power folding hardtop.

I appreciate and use the GTI’s hatchbackiness frequently, but I didn’t really need it since I also have an SUV.

Having liked the 2003 NB MX-5 I had, I thought about and showroom browsed the MX-5 RF. They look awesome and there's never been a Miata that wasn't fun, but it's just too small for a DD or only car. You can't toss a bike in the back or get a proper load of groceries into it. If it had the power this GTI does I might have looked harder (and swore not to sell my truck).

Edit: Oh yeah, Mazda's infotainment is hot garbage. No touch interface, but rather a knob down in the centre console behind the shifter. They eschew touch screens as a safety hazard. I suspect that's more of a sales hazard for Mazda.

 

[Corprin]

Nothing.

I took the Tiguan in for service. While waiting I test drove a GTi S, three days later I drove my Rabbit home.

A week later I sold my Infiniti.