Hello!
New to the forum, first post, and it's a doozy. I have a quick review, and a dilemma:
Do I buy a GTI? Or a GLI?
I'm sure since this is the Golf Mk7 forum, I'm going to get some skewed results, but I'm curious to hear if anyone has had similar thoughts. I recently test drove both the 2021 GTI S and the GLI S (not interested in the more expensive trim levels), both with the DSG . Here's what I made of them:
GTI:
+ Interior "feel" is nicer (materials)
+ Base sound system is marginally better
+ Better overall seating*
+ Hatchback is more versatile
+ Handling seems to be more flickable and lively
+/- More special
- No LED headlights on base trim
- No keyless entry and push button start on base trim
- ~$2000 more expensive
- Ride is slightly less comfortable
GLI:
+ Better Interior layout
+ Base trim includes LED headlights and keyless entry/push button start
+ Ambient lighting is cool
+ Slightly more comfortable for regular driving
+ ~$2000 cheaper
+/- More of a sleeper
- Sound system is worse (to my ears, in comparison)
- Heavier "feel", less flickable/lively
- Sedan is slightly less versatile than the hatchback
- Interior feel is slightly cheaper feeling
I enjoyed both of these cars. The GTI certainly feels smaller than their differences would lead you to believe: only a 2" difference in wheelbase, 17" overall difference in length, and ~100lbs difference in curb weight (as compared to the GLI). The GTI feels more lively, a bit more direct, and a bit more willing. The GLI feels a bit heavier, and slightly less responsive. As I noted, you wouldn't think the differences would add up to much, but back to back they certainly do. If I had to put a finger on it, I think that the GLI has slightly worse suspensions components and tires than the GTI, because it felt like the GLI had more body roll and understeer than the GTI. I'm far from a professional, with my only sport car experience being that I used to own (and thoroughly hoon) a 2004 S2000, but from the two test drives I took, the GTI definitely felt more "special" to me than the GLI.
On the flip side though: the GLI comes with some nice quality of life upgrades, and for $2k less than a comparable GTI, it starts to make you wonder... Would it be better to start with the GLI? The interior layout of the GLI is better. Having the infotainment higher up and angled towards the driver is really nice. Overall, despite the interior quality in the GLI feeling slightly cheaper, it has a much more modern feel, that's more driver oriented. I found the quality of the seats between the two to be adequate. Yes, the GTI has more bolstering (and plaid), but the GLI base seats felt plenty comfortable. And the standard LED headlights and keyless entry are a really nice touch. I'm sure I can improve upon it's handling with swaybars, coilovers, and even adding more front camber, but after all of that, could I really get it to handle and feel more like the GTI? Or am I just deluding myself?
Oddly, my one really big unexpected gripe with the GLI is that I found the seating arrangements to be worse than the GTI, despite the added interior space. Because it's a sedan, if I sit upright in the rear seat, my head hits the roof (I'm 6'2" with only a 32" inseam, so I have a longer torso), and because of this I have to slide forward and slouch, which negates the added leg room of the GLI. In the GTI, seated behind myself, although I have less leg room, I don't have to slouch to fit. I know, I know, I'm not the best test case for this, but between this and the handling, I'm leaning more towards the GTI.
So over all, the GTI is more special feeling than the GLI, but is that "specialness" worth $2000? And is it worth that $2000 when you get a better overall base feature set for the money with the GLI? Can a GLI be made to handle as well as a GTI? Or no matter the money, you can't make a GLI feel like a GTI?
This is what I'm wrestling with, and I'd love to hear your thoughts!
New to the forum, first post, and it's a doozy. I have a quick review, and a dilemma:
Do I buy a GTI? Or a GLI?
I'm sure since this is the Golf Mk7 forum, I'm going to get some skewed results, but I'm curious to hear if anyone has had similar thoughts. I recently test drove both the 2021 GTI S and the GLI S (not interested in the more expensive trim levels), both with the DSG . Here's what I made of them:
GTI:
+ Interior "feel" is nicer (materials)
+ Base sound system is marginally better
+ Better overall seating*
+ Hatchback is more versatile
+ Handling seems to be more flickable and lively
+/- More special
- No LED headlights on base trim
- No keyless entry and push button start on base trim
- ~$2000 more expensive
- Ride is slightly less comfortable
GLI:
+ Better Interior layout
+ Base trim includes LED headlights and keyless entry/push button start
+ Ambient lighting is cool
+ Slightly more comfortable for regular driving
+ ~$2000 cheaper
+/- More of a sleeper
- Sound system is worse (to my ears, in comparison)
- Heavier "feel", less flickable/lively
- Sedan is slightly less versatile than the hatchback
- Interior feel is slightly cheaper feeling
I enjoyed both of these cars. The GTI certainly feels smaller than their differences would lead you to believe: only a 2" difference in wheelbase, 17" overall difference in length, and ~100lbs difference in curb weight (as compared to the GLI). The GTI feels more lively, a bit more direct, and a bit more willing. The GLI feels a bit heavier, and slightly less responsive. As I noted, you wouldn't think the differences would add up to much, but back to back they certainly do. If I had to put a finger on it, I think that the GLI has slightly worse suspensions components and tires than the GTI, because it felt like the GLI had more body roll and understeer than the GTI. I'm far from a professional, with my only sport car experience being that I used to own (and thoroughly hoon) a 2004 S2000, but from the two test drives I took, the GTI definitely felt more "special" to me than the GLI.
On the flip side though: the GLI comes with some nice quality of life upgrades, and for $2k less than a comparable GTI, it starts to make you wonder... Would it be better to start with the GLI? The interior layout of the GLI is better. Having the infotainment higher up and angled towards the driver is really nice. Overall, despite the interior quality in the GLI feeling slightly cheaper, it has a much more modern feel, that's more driver oriented. I found the quality of the seats between the two to be adequate. Yes, the GTI has more bolstering (and plaid), but the GLI base seats felt plenty comfortable. And the standard LED headlights and keyless entry are a really nice touch. I'm sure I can improve upon it's handling with swaybars, coilovers, and even adding more front camber, but after all of that, could I really get it to handle and feel more like the GTI? Or am I just deluding myself?
Oddly, my one really big unexpected gripe with the GLI is that I found the seating arrangements to be worse than the GTI, despite the added interior space. Because it's a sedan, if I sit upright in the rear seat, my head hits the roof (I'm 6'2" with only a 32" inseam, so I have a longer torso), and because of this I have to slide forward and slouch, which negates the added leg room of the GLI. In the GTI, seated behind myself, although I have less leg room, I don't have to slouch to fit. I know, I know, I'm not the best test case for this, but between this and the handling, I'm leaning more towards the GTI.
So over all, the GTI is more special feeling than the GLI, but is that "specialness" worth $2000? And is it worth that $2000 when you get a better overall base feature set for the money with the GLI? Can a GLI be made to handle as well as a GTI? Or no matter the money, you can't make a GLI feel like a GTI?
This is what I'm wrestling with, and I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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