The GLI deserves a lot of praise. VW didn't skimp on the engine and drive train from the GTI, the brakes from the Golf R (and the upper trim GTI) and even added the digital cockpit with eye candy that the US spec GTI won't get until the MK8 is released. The most puzzling decision, though, is limiting the "Dynamic Chassis Control" to the "35th Anniversary Edition" and leaving it out, altogether, in the higher priced Autobahn trim level. It's especially puzzling given the fact that the "35" in Canada is actually an Autobahn with "35" badges and includes DCC. It's also a standard feature of the upper trim GTI in the US and well worth it. It's not unusual for Canadian VW's to be somewhat differently configured than those available in the US. I've long believed that someone in VW Canada has embarrassing photos of German VW execs that enable Canada to get options not available south of the border. A more likely explanation, though, is that the components required for DCC are currently in short supply. Sufficient to supply the limited "35" edition in the smaller Canadian market but not sufficient for the much larger US market. Since the "35" is a limited edition, I suspect that once it's exhausted in the US DCC will be standard on at least the Autobahn GLI trim just as it is in Canada. For those who don't care about the "35" badges and want the features of the Autobahn trim along with DCC, it may be worth waiting for some months.
Stephen Hendricks, I noticed it’s the same for the special Rabbit Edition of the GTI. It’s limited to 3000 units in the US but unlimited in Canada, and of course better equipped in Canada like so many other cars.
@@subvet3668 Yes, I think it's obviously a production limit problem for the GLI, a model that's likely to be especially popular in Europe, VW's home market. Once the US allocation is exhausted I suspect VW will reconfigure the options.
@@DavGreg I understand that sentiment. But cost cutting in US spec VW's is not unusual. VW has been burned repeatedly by American consumers' unwillingness to pay what Europeans willngly pay for what they consider to be premium vehicles. A top trim Autobahn GTI in Germany with some bells and whistles not available in the US (e.g digital cockpit), for example, sells for well over $50,000 at current exchange rates. Furthermore, VW has found to its sorrow that Americans want bigger, cheaper vehicles than Europeans (European Passat vs US Passat, European Tiguan vs US Tiguan, Touareg vs Atlas, etc.) Obviously, in a shrinking compact sedan segment VW aimed the GLI at a $30K price point while giving it the same engine and drive train as the GTI. That objective means skimping elsewhere. Sometimes small things can make a big difference to an individual consumer. I personally don't mind hard plastics in return for the great engine/drive train combination in the GLI. But I haul around a big dog and a teenage daughter in the back seat of my GTI. And for them A/C vents in the back seat are a necessity.
My daughter has a 2019 GLI Autobahn in white with the 6 speed. The car is fully loaded, comfortable, and very fast. The 2.0 Turbo right out of the GTI is outstanding, as is the smoothness of the 6 speed. It is an outstanding vehicle!
Hey Steve. I am a fan of this latest GLI. However, VW should have made rear a/c vents and adaptive cruise standard on the top trim autobahn. Some people might want take rear seat occupants on a long road trip in the summer time
TestDriveNow Reviews by Auto Critic Steve Hammes They cut a lot of corners on the Jetta- last version and this. $30k is too much for a Mexican made car. And VW resale value makes buying this a bad investment- buy a used Audi A3 instead.
TestDriveNow Reviews by Auto Critic Steve Hammes I can see it emerging as a winner “by committee.” A car that doesn’t light my fire, but does a lot of things well for the price (especially if it’s caught at the right moment), and offers a decent dose of engagement.
I bought this model a few weeks ago and so far I really like it. I am a little disappointed in the Beats system, it is lacking in my opinion, but I am used to dropping $1,200-$1,500 in after market sound systems for my vehicle. I suppose for a stock/factory system the Beats is adequate, but I think I may still upgrade it. Only other annoyance with the car is in order to save gas it sort of partially shuts off the engine when you stop then reverts when you press on the gas again. I find it incredibly annoying, the sound of this toggling bothers me. There is a button to disengage this feature which I try to remember to press every time I get in, but I wish I could permanently disable it. I find the seats to be very comfortable, I think the car handles great. I am still breaking the car in, but as of now I would recommend the car to a friend for sure.
I thought that Beats system was pretty hard hitting the bass for a stock unit...I liked it. As for start/stop that's just part of life these days...everyone uses it.
Check out the "OBDELEVEN PRO" device on either Amazon.com or ECStuning.com that might permanently deactivate that annoying auto stop/start feature ! The Obd11 comes with more cool options you can do to your car too.
@@bassandtrebleclef On the contrary, the "norm" is a trouble-free experience, not only for VW but for literally every brand. Not only has reliability of new vehicles improved vastly over the last several decades but the differences among brands has shrunk tremendously. Rank ordering of brands is one thing; the level of actual risk is quite another. Even problems that are widespread enough to warrant recalls of vehicles typically affect far less than 1% of all such vehicles sold.
@@stephenhendricks103 you forgot to add 'for 4 years or 50k miles, whichever comes first'. Reliability for brands like VW and BMW tank after then. Reliability, like any other factor, is either engineered in our it's not.
Had the car for 2 weeks, the leather seats with heating and ventilation are the most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in ( including 6 other VW cars that my family owned) Anyone else experienckng the firm seats ?
This car has my attention. BUT we had a Passat about 10 yrs ago that died and was only worth its weight in metal to a salvager. I have been burnt once, not sure if I could handle another piece of shoddy work.
The reason there are blank buttons on the Jetta and other models is two-fold. First, national markets differ in terms of how various functions are accessed/controlled, sometimes as a result of regulations and in other cases a result of consumer preferences. For example, the blank buttons may well be used in other markets to control features that on the North American version of the Jetta are controlled via the touch screen infotainment system. Secondly, VW has learned hard lessons about what North Americans are willing to pay for their vehicles. In Europe a number of VW models are viewed as premium products for which consumers are willing to pay premium prices. A fully loaded top trim Autobahn GTI in Germany, for example, retails for the equivalent of over $55,000. As a result VW routinely drops features of North American vehicles (e.g. the digital cockpit on the 2019 GTI; dual injection for the engine) to bring the cost of vehicles into line with what North Americans are willing to pay. I purchased a fully loaded Autobahn DSG GTI last summer for $32K here in Seattle.
How hundreds of commenters and reviewers can really care about that so much leaves me perplexed. Why can't people accept that the "blanks" are there to help give style and symmetry to the area where there are 2 or 3 buttons? It looks nice.
You practically can't get a car without blank buttons these days, because of the huge variety of electronic functions. Even a fully loaded car can't always escape blank buttons because of market needs.
"And ironically, I find that VW’s fuel economy estimates are more accurate than most.." The irony being Dieselgate where VW cheated and lied about such things.
Nice review .. that styling to me juss isn’t impressive... I like it though and I agree they drive really good.. but for me I think I’ll take an civic si...
I have a '17 GTI and my wife has a '18 civic si. If you think VW has cheaped out you should see this civic. You literally can't lean against it the panels are so thin. The seat belts are much thinner than the VW and the rear end hits so hard on bumps it'll knock your fillings out. This is my second GTI, both were tuned to over 300hp and have never given me a problem. I should have waited for this car and made my wife get it instead.
I never really liked VW's. The interior is just so plain and cheap looking. Can they not make a volume knob where the power button for the radio doesn't turn?
I would love for someone to explain to me why this is an issue, big or small. I've come to believe there are legions of "Adrian Monks" out there commenting on automobiles.
@@stephenhendricks103Exactly. People read something somewhere and repeat elsewhere. That is a non issue. Never considered a VW ever in over 40 years of driving. Am definitely liking the GLI. The interior is basic compared to the Mazda 6 I was considering, but if you enjoy driving in this class, the GLI is the car.
VW dashboard look like they were designed by adults- unlike the garish crap coming from Japan and elsewhere. The problem is they skimp with cheap hard plastic and no A/V vents in the back. The money is getter spent on a used Audi that will retain more value.
@@DavGreg Sorry, David. Of course you can save money by taking advantage of someone else taking a depreciation hit. But that's a proper comparison only if you can find the a car close to what you want, put little or new value on a new car warranty, and can be sure of a car's condition and the treatment it received from a previous owner. The proper comparison is between new vs new vehicles or used vs used vehicles, not new vs used. And in those comparisons a vehicle with a lower initial purchase price is almost always a money saver. Consider the hypothetical case of two vehicles. Vehicle X is $40,000; vehicle Y is $50,000. FIve years down the road each is worth about 50% of its original value. (This is a bit unrealistic since vehicle Y will depreciate at a greater percentage rate since expensive cars lose value faster and to a greater degree than less expensive vehicles.) So 5 years down the road "X" is worth $20,000 and "Y" is worth $25,000. But taking into account the initial price difference, "X" still represents a savings of $5000. And the older a car gets, the greater the effect of initial purchase price. In fact, a less expensive model may actually be worth more than a more expensive model as they age. According to KBB.com, a 2013 GTI Autobahn has a fair selling price in my area of $14, 035 vs a 2013 A3 Premium Plus of $13,560. Considering that I purchased a 2013 GTI Autobahn for $28,000 new and the A3 with comparable bells and whistles was over $40,000, the GTI was a far better value.
At more than $10,000 difference in price, that's not surprising. On the other hand, the GTI engine in the GLI can easily be ecu "tuned" in about a half hour for a significant improvement in performance without making the car undriveable or invalidating the factory warranty.
It's 2019 the German engineering shit is old VW like it really drive's that much better than it's competition one thing it does have more of then the rest is problems
@@greenfallout1 you on my line with that bs u didn't have to say anything but you felt the need to waste your time to reply that's my opinion you apparently have nothing else to do but troll people's comments all u had to do was 👍👎 and keep it pushing
Tellie: You should learn to spell t-h-a-n consistently before posting any more remarks. What exactly are the "problems" you are referring to? None of the professional reviewers have mentioned any problems with the GLI.
$30k and one map pocket & lots of hard plastic. No thank you and I am a current (Golf Mk 7) and former VW owner. And the Jetta is not a German or European car- it was designed for the US market and is made in Mexico. The $30 grand is better spent on a used Audi A3 that will hold its value better. There is no way a few options should bump an $18k car up $12k.
Put 75K miles on my 2013 Stage I tuned GTI before trading it for a 2018 GTI last summer. Never spent a penny on anything other than routine maintenance. Had the warranty been for a half hour and five miles I would have spent exactly the same amount.
Had a Mk 6 Golf and have a Mk 7 now. Have not had any expensive problems and few recalls. I hear a lot of whining about VW maintenance expense, but have not seen it.
This is a great car for a couple of months ... after that ... your best friend will be your mechanic, if there will not be another class action against VW while you somehow before you manage to be able to get rid of this junk sooner.
On my second VW and have maintained it by the book with no problems. They were Golfs, of course. The Mk 6 was made in Wolfsburg and the Mk 7 in Puebla- both excellent cars.
@David Gregory _ "On my second VW and have maintained it by the book with no problems. They were Golfs, of course. The Mk 6 was made in Wolfsburg and the Mk 7 in Puebla- both excellent cars." On my Chevy Malibu 2011 I did not even follow the book I simply replaced the alternator and the battery/ I drove it 207K plus miles and traded it in. The good cars would last without the TLC unlike Euroshit cars, that were built to make the car maker rich
@@squidproquo2241 I work at GM and get to drive all these cars...I've been with the company since 2004 and have been to plenty of shows. The GM and euro cars can have the same problems but the fun factor, aside for a rear wheel drive v-8 just isn't there on the American cars for me. With the exception of a few. Cheaper maintenance yes but I do love driving a Porsche Twin Turbo. Anyhow all these companies are tied together now. Key is to shop online and do your own work or be friends with somebody trustworthy and experienced. Otherwise keep your Malibu. I drive a Cruze myself and CTS-V myself. Gotta see I'd enjoy this GLI much more. No American 4 Banger except the discontinued JAPANESE SRT-4 Neon is gonna hang with this car.
@jpratx _ I am from Europe and my uncle was a mechanic, and my other uncle was a mechanical engineer and I worked on my cars for a long time. If you think that I said those things without experience or enough background, you are wrong. One thing you said was true though all of the car companies re intermingled these days the only difference is in the management. And, as it was seen on the VW diesel scandal Europeans, yet again, proved themselves as the most unethical bunch of them all. Not many people know this but right after the diesel scandal all the VW cars went through a software "update." This is suspicious because there were people complaining that their VW's were breaking down right after the warranty period was over. As for the fun factor you mention, you can have fun with any car, The only car that I couldn't keep up with my Malibu was a C7 Corvette. People does not understand one thing the track performance is something way different than driving in traffic and public roads. If the road is right, not straight that is, you can fun with a decent car on public roads quite decently. And my Malibu not only kept up with those BMW's but it was more comfortable than them as well soaked up the bumps and it was a four banger way economical than them, too. So, no, I don't agree with you. European cars are more expensive to buy, more expensive to maintain, degrade so fast and almost no value on the second hand market. And one more thing which I experienced with my high end European cars (BMW that is) they are like they have ghosts in them. Once they start to break down even the dealers fix the cars. So you stick with your European out of factory junk cars that would drain your pocket to provide you an overblown "fun" while you are driving, If you see a Malibu in the rear view mirror persisting to following you on public roads that you can't shake, try to imagine how much fun that driver gets with a much less money he spent in his car than your euro junk.
@@squidproquo2241 lol you are right with the scams...the computers are setup pretty much for things to fail. And some won't take alternative fuels even if adjusted. A good documentary on that is called pump. I'm with you on some things but they aren't all trash lol. Now for Mercedes and some...even BMW...they just suck wallets dry. But owners who get them should know that. Doesn't excuse the makers but there is always this to the buyer beware. I've spoken with service advisors and folks that have worked a BMW and they'll tell me what to avoid if I get one. I like Audi but again very exclusive parts and $$$. Maintenance is key and unfortunately it would cost the same if not more on the 2003 M3 that I would have bought for 12k than it did new at 4 times that. You can get an E63 here for 10k USD but when something breaks then what lol. Thing is it's the same for Cadillac...same 6.0 liter engine that goes in the other GM vehicles but they want to charge more because it's Cadillac. Some of the BMW repairs are ridiculous though. And the cost of parts...not a huge after market or third party like for Japanese and American. VW is still higher just being German even though it's so common in the states. We can get AC Delco on our own for many of the GM parts. And sad we still aren't using hemp for fuel! That's big oil and big pharma for you!
The GLI deserves a lot of praise. VW didn't skimp on the engine and drive train from the GTI, the brakes from the Golf R (and the upper trim GTI) and even added the digital cockpit with eye candy that the US spec GTI won't get until the MK8 is released. The most puzzling decision, though, is limiting the "Dynamic Chassis Control" to the "35th Anniversary Edition" and leaving it out, altogether, in the higher priced Autobahn trim level. It's especially puzzling given the fact that the "35" in Canada is actually an Autobahn with "35" badges and includes DCC. It's also a standard feature of the upper trim GTI in the US and well worth it.
It's not unusual for Canadian VW's to be somewhat differently configured than those available in the US. I've long believed that someone in VW Canada has embarrassing photos of German VW execs that enable Canada to get options not available south of the border. A more likely explanation, though, is that the components required for DCC are currently in short supply. Sufficient to supply the limited "35" edition in the smaller Canadian market but not sufficient for the much larger US market. Since the "35" is a limited edition, I suspect that once it's exhausted in the US DCC will be standard on at least the Autobahn GLI trim just as it is in Canada. For those who don't care about the "35" badges and want the features of the Autobahn trim along with DCC, it may be worth waiting for some months.
Stephen Hendricks, I noticed it’s the same for the special Rabbit Edition of the GTI. It’s limited to 3000 units in the US but unlimited in Canada, and of course better equipped in Canada like so many other cars.
@@subvet3668 Yes, I think it's obviously a production limit problem for the GLI, a model that's likely to be especially popular in Europe, VW's home market. Once the US allocation is exhausted I suspect VW will reconfigure the options.
But they went cheap with the hard plastic and skimped on stuff like A/C vents in the rear seat console.
@@DavGreg I understand that sentiment. But cost cutting in US spec VW's is not unusual. VW has been burned repeatedly by American consumers' unwillingness to pay what Europeans willngly pay for what they consider to be premium vehicles. A top trim Autobahn GTI in Germany with some bells and whistles not available in the US (e.g digital cockpit), for example, sells for well over $50,000 at current exchange rates. Furthermore, VW has found to its sorrow that Americans want bigger, cheaper vehicles than Europeans (European Passat vs US Passat, European Tiguan vs US Tiguan, Touareg vs Atlas, etc.)
Obviously, in a shrinking compact sedan segment VW aimed the GLI at a $30K price point while giving it the same engine and drive train as the GTI. That objective means skimping elsewhere. Sometimes small things can make a big difference to an individual consumer. I personally don't mind hard plastics in return for the great engine/drive train combination in the GLI. But I haul around a big dog and a teenage daughter in the back seat of my GTI. And for them A/C vents in the back seat are a necessity.
Nice car. I like the styling. Should age well.
This is my FAV big 4 Door Volkswagen, if not my absolute FAV VW.
My daughter has a 2019 GLI Autobahn in white with the 6 speed. The car is fully loaded, comfortable, and very fast. The 2.0 Turbo right out of the GTI is outstanding, as is the smoothness of the 6 speed. It is an outstanding vehicle!
Glad we agree!
Not the smoothest 6 speed
jay czyzyk Have you driven it? Smooth as silk
This one also has multi link rear suspension instead of the torsion beam.
Yes it does.
Hey Steve. I am a fan of this latest GLI. However, VW should have made rear a/c vents and adaptive cruise standard on the top trim autobahn. Some people might want take rear seat occupants on a long road trip in the summer time
Absolutely. They cut some corners in the cabin.
There is a vent under the front seat
TestDriveNow Reviews by Auto Critic Steve Hammes They cut a lot of corners on the Jetta- last version and this. $30k is too much for a Mexican made car. And VW resale value makes buying this a bad investment- buy a used Audi A3 instead.
Or have dogs.
Excellent review.
Thanks!
Nice review. Nice car. If price is right, will definitely warrant a look when the time comes.
I could see you in this, Andy!
TestDriveNow Reviews by Auto Critic Steve Hammes I can see it emerging as a winner “by committee.” A car that doesn’t light my fire, but does a lot of things well for the price (especially if it’s caught at the right moment), and offers a decent dose of engagement.
I bought this model a few weeks ago and so far I really like it. I am a little disappointed in the Beats system, it is lacking in my opinion, but I am used to dropping $1,200-$1,500 in after market sound systems for my vehicle. I suppose for a stock/factory system the Beats is adequate, but I think I may still upgrade it. Only other annoyance with the car is in order to save gas it sort of partially shuts off the engine when you stop then reverts when you press on the gas again. I find it incredibly annoying, the sound of this toggling bothers me. There is a button to disengage this feature which I try to remember to press every time I get in, but I wish I could permanently disable it. I find the seats to be very comfortable, I think the car handles great. I am still breaking the car in, but as of now I would recommend the car to a friend for sure.
I thought that Beats system was pretty hard hitting the bass for a stock unit...I liked it. As for start/stop that's just part of life these days...everyone uses it.
Check out the "OBDELEVEN PRO" device on either Amazon.com or ECStuning.com that might permanently deactivate that annoying auto stop/start feature ! The Obd11 comes with more cool options you can do to your car too.
Vw's best feature didn't get mentioned... The new long warranty. Makes buying one a possibility where before I wouldn't take the risk.
Good point...because it's likely you'll use it a lot ;-)
@@stevehammes Come now, Steve. I'm on my second GTI after putting about 75K on a 2013 model without a single issue.
@@stephenhendricks103 that's great, but if you go to VW vortex, you'll see that your experience is not the norm.
@@bassandtrebleclef On the contrary, the "norm" is a trouble-free experience, not only for VW but for literally every brand. Not only has reliability of new vehicles improved vastly over the last several decades but the differences among brands has shrunk tremendously. Rank ordering of brands is one thing; the level of actual risk is quite another. Even problems that are widespread enough to warrant recalls of vehicles typically affect far less than 1% of all such vehicles sold.
@@stephenhendricks103 you forgot to add 'for 4 years or 50k miles, whichever comes first'. Reliability for brands like VW and BMW tank after then. Reliability, like any other factor, is either engineered in our it's not.
Going to get 1 hope that iam doing a good choice
Yes!!
Had the car for 2 weeks, the leather seats with heating and ventilation are the most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in ( including 6 other VW cars that my family owned)
Anyone else experienckng the firm seats ?
Best car
Compared to what?
Also I don't like that it has no rear AC vents.
I dont quite see a review, more of galant advertising... what would its areas of improvement are? Besides the rear vents
The car stinks but VW paid me off. Please don’t tell. Thanks.
@@stevehammes Still didn't answer. Cheers and hope you get to see the comment as an area of opportunity more then an attack.
I only want to know one thing, Does VW get rid of the twist beam rear suspension on this thing?
Fully independent rear on GLI
This car has my attention. BUT we had a Passat about 10 yrs ago that died and was only worth its weight in metal to a salvager. I have been burnt once, not sure if I could handle another piece of shoddy work.
It’s the Blank Buttons that have me saying no thanks. It reminds you of the options you didn’t get or can’t get.
The reason there are blank buttons on the Jetta and other models is two-fold. First, national markets differ in terms of how various functions are accessed/controlled, sometimes as a result of regulations and in other cases a result of consumer preferences. For example, the blank buttons may well be used in other markets to control features that on the North American version of the Jetta are controlled via the touch screen infotainment system.
Secondly, VW has learned hard lessons about what North Americans are willing to pay for their vehicles. In Europe a number of VW models are viewed as premium products for which consumers are willing to pay premium prices. A fully loaded top trim Autobahn GTI in Germany, for example, retails for the equivalent of over $55,000. As a result VW routinely drops features of North American vehicles (e.g. the digital cockpit on the 2019 GTI; dual injection for the engine) to bring the cost of vehicles into line with what North Americans are willing to pay. I purchased a fully loaded Autobahn DSG GTI last summer for $32K here in Seattle.
How hundreds of commenters and reviewers can really care about that so much leaves me perplexed. Why can't people accept that the "blanks" are there to help give style and symmetry to the area where there are 2 or 3 buttons? It looks nice.
You practically can't get a car without blank buttons these days, because of the huge variety of electronic functions. Even a fully loaded car can't always escape blank buttons because of market needs.
Dodge Charger DRL in the front
Just wish it got all the same features the none Gli gets. And some rear seat vents. Make it a tad more like Audi.
The rear AC vents for sure.
I wish VW was more reliable… I'd buy this car with no hesitation.
@@beableish I can't tell if you're being sarcastic about the BMW thing :)
@@beableish oh ok hehe well... +1 for the not buying a VW then!
Yo, the back looks like a Hyundai Sonata. Did VW copied it from Hyundai??
Well that would be the first time someone accused someone of copying a Korean maker of anything.
Nice design except for the red stripe on the grill. Can you paint over it to make it black?
Unless you absolutely want the hatch, the GLI is a much better value with more tech , comfort and safety features and same performance
Nice job by VW but I'd still take a Golf!
How is accurate MPG “ironic”? Misusing a word here…
"And ironically, I find that VW’s fuel economy estimates are more accurate than most.." The irony being Dieselgate where VW cheated and lied about such things.
@@stevehammes I had a recalled 2013 Golf TDI that I sold back to VW. The rated 30 MPG city is below what I got with my Golf (about 34-36 MPG).
# Save the Maunals.
GTI is still better..even when going slow in a drive through
Nice review .. that styling to me juss isn’t impressive... I like it though and I agree they drive really good.. but for me I think I’ll take an civic si...
I have a '17 GTI and my wife has a '18 civic si. If you think VW has cheaped out you should see this civic. You literally can't lean against it the panels are so thin. The seat belts are much thinner than the VW and the rear end hits so hard on bumps it'll knock your fillings out. This is my second GTI, both were tuned to over 300hp and have never given me a problem. I should have waited for this car and made my wife get it instead.
frank Bommarito really.. ima have to check that out...... now I went to a vw dealer and I admit .. looks better in person with soft touch points
Passengers seat doesn't go up
I never really liked VW's. The interior is just so plain and cheap looking. Can they not make a volume knob where the power button for the radio doesn't turn?
I would love for someone to explain to me why this is an issue, big or small. I've come to believe there are legions of "Adrian Monks" out there commenting on automobiles.
@@stephenhendricks103Exactly. People read something somewhere and repeat elsewhere. That is a non issue.
Never considered a VW ever in over 40 years of driving. Am definitely liking the GLI. The interior is basic compared to the Mazda 6 I was considering, but if you enjoy driving in this class, the GLI is the car.
VW dashboard look like they were designed by adults- unlike the garish crap coming from Japan and elsewhere. The problem is they skimp with cheap hard plastic and no A/V vents in the back. The money is getter spent on a used Audi that will retain more value.
@@DavGreg Sorry, David. Of course you can save money by taking advantage of someone else taking a depreciation hit. But that's a proper comparison only if you can find the a car close to what you want, put little or new value on a new car warranty, and can be sure of a car's condition and the treatment it received from a previous owner. The proper comparison is between new vs new vehicles or used vs used vehicles, not new vs used. And in those comparisons a vehicle with a lower initial purchase price is almost always a money saver.
Consider the hypothetical case of two vehicles. Vehicle X is $40,000; vehicle Y is $50,000. FIve years down the road each is worth about 50% of its original value. (This is a bit unrealistic since vehicle Y will depreciate at a greater percentage rate since expensive cars lose value faster and to a greater degree than less expensive vehicles.) So 5 years down the road "X" is worth $20,000 and "Y" is worth $25,000. But taking into account the initial price difference, "X" still represents a savings of $5000.
And the older a car gets, the greater the effect of initial purchase price. In fact, a less expensive model may actually be worth more than a more expensive model as they age. According to KBB.com, a 2013 GTI Autobahn has a fair selling price in my area of $14, 035 vs a 2013 A3 Premium Plus of $13,560. Considering that I purchased a 2013 GTI Autobahn for $28,000 new and the A3 with comparable bells and whistles was over $40,000, the GTI was a far better value.
Rather get a Golf R.
At more than $10,000 difference in price, that's not surprising. On the other hand, the GTI engine in the GLI can easily be ecu "tuned" in about a half hour for a significant improvement in performance without making the car undriveable or invalidating the factory warranty.
Rather buy a Porsche Panamera.
@@mikem2253 Why not two? It's only money.
@@stephenhendricks103 I regularly enjoy setting piles of money on fire.
@@mikem2253 If you'd like to get rid of it, I'll send you an address. :)
LOL
gd reveiw these cars r stalling
It's 2019 the German engineering shit is old VW like it really drive's that much better than it's competition one thing it does have more of then the rest is problems
Tellie Smith: Please repeat this comment in English! Ich habe es nicht verstanden; danke schön.
Tellie, please grow up. If you don't have any educated facts to put forth go and troll some other videos.
@@greenfallout1 you on my line with that bs u didn't have to say anything but you felt the need to waste your time to reply that's my opinion you apparently have nothing else to do but troll people's comments all u had to do was 👍👎 and keep it pushing
Tellie: You should learn to spell t-h-a-n consistently before posting any more remarks.
What exactly are the "problems" you are referring to? None of the professional reviewers have mentioned any problems with the GLI.
@@HansDelbruck53 why do you even care like really
$30k and one map pocket & lots of hard plastic. No thank you and I am a current (Golf Mk 7) and former VW owner.
And the Jetta is not a German or European car- it was designed for the US market and is made in Mexico.
The $30 grand is better spent on a used Audi A3 that will hold its value better. There is no way a few options should bump an $18k car up $12k.
Endless money pit.
Put 75K miles on my 2013 Stage I tuned GTI before trading it for a 2018 GTI last summer. Never spent a penny on anything other than routine maintenance. Had the warranty been for a half hour and five miles I would have spent exactly the same amount.
Mateen S. ---> another troll
User2014 ok user2014...
@User2014 _ Another paid Eurofan
Had a Mk 6 Golf and have a Mk 7 now. Have not had any expensive problems and few recalls. I hear a lot of whining about VW maintenance expense, but have not seen it.
More like "most unreliable and fastest depreciating"
This is a great car for a couple of months ... after that ... your best friend will be your mechanic, if there will not be another class action against VW while you somehow before you manage to be able to get rid of this junk sooner.
On my second VW and have maintained it by the book with no problems. They were Golfs, of course. The Mk 6 was made in Wolfsburg and the Mk 7 in Puebla- both excellent cars.
@David Gregory _ "On my second VW and have maintained it by the book with no problems. They were Golfs, of course. The Mk 6 was made in Wolfsburg and the Mk 7 in Puebla- both excellent cars."
On my Chevy Malibu 2011 I did not even follow the book I simply replaced the alternator and the battery/ I drove it 207K plus miles and traded it in. The good cars would last without the TLC unlike Euroshit cars, that were built to make the car maker rich
@@squidproquo2241 I work at GM and get to drive all these cars...I've been with the company since 2004 and have been to plenty of shows. The GM and euro cars can have the same problems but the fun factor, aside for a rear wheel drive v-8 just isn't there on the American cars for me. With the exception of a few. Cheaper maintenance yes but I do love driving a Porsche Twin Turbo. Anyhow all these companies are tied together now. Key is to shop online and do your own work or be friends with somebody trustworthy and experienced. Otherwise keep your Malibu. I drive a Cruze myself and CTS-V myself. Gotta see I'd enjoy this GLI much more. No American 4 Banger except the discontinued JAPANESE SRT-4 Neon is gonna hang with this car.
@jpratx _ I am from Europe and my uncle was a mechanic, and my other uncle was a mechanical engineer and I worked on my cars for a long time. If you think that I said those things without experience or enough background, you are wrong.
One thing you said was true though all of the car companies re intermingled these days the only difference is in the management. And, as it was seen on the VW diesel scandal Europeans, yet again, proved themselves as the most unethical bunch of them all.
Not many people know this but right after the diesel scandal all the VW cars went through a software "update." This is suspicious because there were people complaining that their VW's were breaking down right after the warranty period was over.
As for the fun factor you mention, you can have fun with any car, The only car that I couldn't keep up with my Malibu was a C7 Corvette. People does not understand one thing the track performance is something way different than driving in traffic and public roads. If the road is right, not straight that is, you can fun with a decent car on public roads quite decently. And my Malibu not only kept up with those BMW's but it was more comfortable than them as well soaked up the bumps and it was a four banger way economical than them, too.
So, no, I don't agree with you. European cars are more expensive to buy, more expensive to maintain, degrade so fast and almost no value on the second hand market. And one more thing which I experienced with my high end European cars (BMW that is) they are like they have ghosts in them. Once they start to break down even the dealers fix the cars.
So you stick with your European out of factory junk cars that would drain your pocket to provide you an overblown "fun" while you are driving, If you see a Malibu in the rear view mirror persisting to following you on public roads that you can't shake, try to imagine how much fun that driver gets with a much less money he spent in his car than your euro junk.
@@squidproquo2241 lol you are right with the scams...the computers are setup pretty much for things to fail. And some won't take alternative fuels even if adjusted. A good documentary on that is called pump. I'm with you on some things but they aren't all trash lol. Now for Mercedes and some...even BMW...they just suck wallets dry. But owners who get them should know that. Doesn't excuse the makers but there is always this to the buyer beware. I've spoken with service advisors and folks that have worked a BMW and they'll tell me what to avoid if I get one. I like Audi but again very exclusive parts and $$$. Maintenance is key and unfortunately it would cost the same if not more on the 2003 M3 that I would have bought for 12k than it did new at 4 times that. You can get an E63 here for 10k USD but when something breaks then what lol. Thing is it's the same for Cadillac...same 6.0 liter engine that goes in the other GM vehicles but they want to charge more because it's Cadillac. Some of the BMW repairs are ridiculous though. And the cost of parts...not a huge after market or third party like for Japanese and American. VW is still higher just being German even though it's so common in the states. We can get AC Delco on our own for many of the GM parts. And sad we still aren't using hemp for fuel! That's big oil and big pharma for you!
Boring cars all vw looks the same 👎