I have a teenage daughter who'll be driving next year. The major reason I replaced my 2013 GTI with a 2018 version last summer was the wealth of convenience and safety features that I wanted when she gets to drive it. We're now engaged in serious negotiations regarding the grade point average she will have to maintain to get the key fob.
This car has to have the widest consumer base of any car in its class. I’m 20 years old with a MK7 and I see people well into their 60s buying these things.
Imo it is the best everyday driver. It's fun, looks good, good mpg, sporty but elegant at the same time and affordable. I picked up my GTI S with manual transmission and a 6 year warranty for 23k
I've had 3 GTI's, and they are great cars! Fun to drive, well engineered and made, upscale interiors, and practical. I'm currently driving a 2003 GTI VR6, which has almost 200K miles, and has had no mechanical issues. Super reliable and built like a tank!
I prefer the older VAG cars myself and the early 2000 cars are easier to fix than the current cars, plus they are much more basic, which is a good thing. I just sold my 84 Audi with over 300k on it and that thing was super basic and easy to fix. I dont miss it yet, I had that car for 11 years and really just got tired of it.
From my experience, as a 4-month ownership of the Golf GTI '19. -It drives like an expensive car. -Sounds perfect, not noisy or silent. -Road noise is acceptable on 18' wheels. -It's fast and responds real quick. -Has lots of safety feature, blind spot, ACC and dynamic cornering light. Blind spot and ACC are optional but you have to consider Blindspot and give out ACC (Active Cruise Control). -Brakes are way good for it. (Advantage) --------------------- Any question, please ask me, I'll help you 🤞🏼
Jason Abadie until now, not a single issue. You'll feel the car bogging when your car downshifts so early, that'll happen when the weather is 39°/102°F and higher.
Do you use regular 87 octane or premium grade fuel? Are you having any issues so far? Like stalling or anything else? Which trim level did you buy? And what did you compare it to before choosing this?
@@t.k.morris I used Premium until 1000 miles and switched to regular for the last two fillups, haven't really seen a difference in mileage or performance. I just got the S, I didnt want leather.
T.K. Morris I use 95 ron which is the least I can run on my car. I have sensors issue which is super annoying, not a single thing around me yet it beeps. I bought the SE trim (Alcantara, Blindspot, Sunroof and 9.2 inch screen) I honestly compared it to other AWD cars like Subaru wrx sti and the Arteon R-line since I hated fwd drivetrain but then the GTI was the only one in my budget list so then bought it and I loved it ever since.
Great review for the every day driver, I just subscribed. I saw on the VW website builder that for the 2019 SE model for an extra $800 you can get the “experience” package that adds the Premium Audio and most importantly the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) which up until now was only available on the Autobahn trim. For a daily driver having the comfort chassis is nice when you want it. I like that VW is giving its consumers more pick and choose options.
The way you reviewed it, is probably the best I have seen. I watched UK carwow review, think yours is more to the point, clearer, in detail and the drive segment fantastic. Reviewing a car could become an art, but for such a car(!) you had to match it. Cheers. Well done.
The answer is yes. Why? Because it's just more 'nicer' to be inside. The numbers don't matter cuz it's just fun to drive and there is this annoying thing called a speed limit. Also the hatch is so damn practical. A win win.
A 2016 mk7 is my daily driver and I put a ton of miles on it. No issues, and at this point, my next car will likely be another GTI or R. Nothing else is this fun, nice, and comfortable.
I have owned 2x VW GTIs, 2012 2dr and now a 2018 4dr. What makes GTI so great is that it is so fun to drive and the quality/fit and finish feels above the price tag. The later is what has kept me from buying a WRX or anything else. Also, the VW Golf/GTI styling ages very, very well... just like most German-made cars.
Great cars. The Gti is quite unique in the way it sits in the hot hatch market. Understated, purposeful, slick at everything with kerb side appeal. There are more dynamic engaging hatches no doubt but they all tend to be more one dimensional. Having regularly driven a mk 7.5 pp they are brilliant, pop them in sport mode and everything tightens up without turning the car in to a crashy mess. Put the car in comfort and it’s like a normal golf. They are also quicker and more dynamic than some people think. Great also if you have grown out of the fast and furious looks!
Solid review. Kudos for the attention to detail & the quality camerawork. Things the average driver would want to see. Also kudos for having music that doesn’t make me feel like I’m at TomorrowWorld.
I love my 2016 GTi SE performance package. It’s a great daily imo. I’m tuned with COBB, resonator delete, 034 rear sway bar and SP rear end links. Dog bone insert. The best daily and my other car is an M3.
I picked up a 2019 GTI a few months back in manual. I already ditched the stock Bridgstones for performance tires. It really improves the overall grip and turning agility over stock. My occasional wheel hop has been eliminated at speeds where the stocks would fail.
Excellent review -- have one purchased new in 19. Still in excellent shape, no major issues over lifetime. Perfect balanced hot hatch/practical car -- spacious, quality feel, excellent on the road, and super nimble for urban warfare/parking. Super easy to use integrated touch screen/ manual controls -- greatly superior to the subsequent, much-loathed 2022 complex replacement touch screen system. Mine has the six speed manual (great if you WANT wheelspin...), upgraded Fender sound system (very good but not great). Two niggles -- the sliding cover for the sunroof does not secure well, with road vibration loosening it every ride. (Dealer fix would have meant tearing headliner/roof apart - NOT worth it.), and some of the center roof buttons (spotlights) not backlit at night. (Also would have LOVED the 60 hp VW squeezed out of the same powerplant for the R model, beyond my budget at the time.) But it is still plenty quick, if not blazingly fast. That's it -- a 9.3 out of ten for course of my ownership.
In my opinion the mark 7.5 GTI is much nicer than any other 2.0 Inline 4-cylinder turbo cars in this segment. Every time I drive my GTI I’m left with a smile on my face because even though it may not be as fast as a Veloster N or WRX STI, but it does everything right, and just feels high quality. I would definitely buy a mark 7.5 GTI again.
Amazing car. Just bought a GTI S. No brainer. Best everyday driving car. 2019 is last year for 6/72 VW warrantee. Roomy. Practical. Was crusing at 90 mph at 2200 rpm. lol.
@@jasonabadie3340 I am at about 1400 miles and have zero issues. If you like the GTI, I would buy it knowing that there is a 6 year bumper to bumper. Also, word on the street is that Volkswagen is outright buying back the 100-200 stalling cars. So I wouldn't worry, IMO...
@@jasonabadie3340 Congrats. Its a fantastic car, especially for the money. I just finished replacing all the OEM speakers with Focal 165AS and 165AC, with a pioneer GM-D9705 in the back under the hatch cover. On top of the hatch I put a 10" kicker sub. Sounds amazing. It was a pretty tricky job getting all the wires run, and the panels can be tricky getting off. I don't recommend doing it yourself unless you know what you are doing.
@@jasonabadie3340 PS I have the 7 speed DSG too. It's a great transmission, and sure at times I'd rather have the manual, but most of the time, especially in traffic, I definitely don't want to be shifting. Also, the paddles work great on the wheel for dropping gears when needed. Also, you can try pulling backwards on the shifter when in Drive mode and it will switch to S mode very quickly. Do it again to go back into Drive. It's really handy. Curious - what kind of mileage are you getting? First tank was only around 22, but slowing getting up to 23 or so. Is suspect is will get better with more break in. Speaking of which, I took it to the VW dealer to do an early oil change - definitely a good idea if you want to keep it for a long time.
Looks great from any angle which is not something you can say about a lot of cars now days. Only ding I have is they really should have auto climate on every trim above base.
@@jasonschwartz8507 I do like the air conditioning in my 1995 Toyota Tacoma 2.4 litre better than the auto climate in my 2016 GTI (apart from it's near perfect)
*Very **_ordinary looking_** car, have a job to get anywhere near excited with it, dated technology - the future is **_Electric or PLUG IN HYBRID._** I would not buy one, not worth a 'carrot' in 10 Years.* *Note the UK has a commitment that by 2040 all sales of ALL ICE Vehicles will be banned, how this works out we will see.*
@@GrrMeister Our new one is a lot of fun to drive, like an "anti Prius" In 10 years we will have this one and the next generation which will likely be a hybrid. Fun to drive and decent fuel economy are what motivates us in choosing vehicles. We seem to be getting 41 mpg on the highway.
Nice review! FYI, in my experience the GTI wheel spin is largely controlled by the quality of tires. My GTI would spin like crazy on the original tires, but switching to better tires (Michelin) eliminated 99% of the wheel spin.
It’s growing on me. I’m still not sure if I like the new body style compared to my 2013 Autobahn, but it looks nice. I can’t wait to see one in person.
*Without a doubt best buy for anyone today is the **_Golf GTE (PLUG IN HYBRID)_** - up to 30 miles on pure electric for most journeys, and unlimited range on ICE. More expensive but when you factor in running costs, road duty, congestion and 'emission charges, which we be introduced in the next few years to almost every City in UK. I tried to persuade my son, but he went ahead without parental advice and bought a Golf 'R' He has now had this for 18 months and today when I asked him any regrets he had the 'grace' to concede that perhaps I was right. He has a 2 year old son now. He would have been able to travel to/from work (26 miles) free charge it there, and run all week without needing to buy petrol. Not a quick as the 'R' but hey with speed limits and cameras what's the use of 300HP - Finally deprecation costs lower and easier to sell in the future.*
Great review. Detailed and thorough but never boring. I did notice the audio was louder and clearer inside than outside, but otherwise a really good review.
The best since the 1980’s remembered driving the rabbit 🐇 in the mexican twisty roads feeling like alan prost the “profesor” then later own golf in the 1990s, sweet car 🚗. Now i would love to own a “R” today GTI comes with many nannies not good for the old school driver aficionado but still a good car
Great review Forrest. Love your channel. Im trying to decide between the GTI and Arteon right now. Leaning more towards the GTI Autobahn for the fun factor. 🤔
As a current gti owner i appreciate your review, however it would be interesting to se a review of the regular golf, too, or maybe a gti/gli comparo OR a reg jetta/golf comparo
What did you order that it is going to take so long? I'm genuinely curious, because I test drove one yesterday and my dealer said they could get any color/trim/package for me within a week... (assuming they aren't completely full of it). I'm in Dallas Texas FYI.
Trading in my 2015 lease for a new 2019 in a few weeks. The Mk7 and 7.5s are great vehicles and pragmatic choice. Its given me so much utility with the hatch over the years. You need summers to really feel what it can do though. Fun to drive, nimble through traffic and the conservative sporty lines just make it easy on the eyes. Glad I'm leasing though, electronics are starting to act up and with the amount of spirit I drive with it's time for an upgrade.
Good review thanks you ! And a Great car, Golf is the best hatchback on the market hands down, always been always will be a benchmark for other brands. Hence the Golf Class
This is completely random for me to say, but while this is my first video of yours that I've found on your channel, I already knew who you were because I saw you on the Lincoln Corsair video LOL.
Is any better alternative? Realibility? I am confused between focus golf and mazda 3? Help me decide. I dont wont to throw money away... Thanx. Have a good day.
But it’s really impressive but that DSG transmission with the launch control something out of its class it’s so great for the money. Also comes with a limited slip standard you have to go with the SI to get that on the Honda and also it only comes manual I like the dual clutch with the launch control
Question about the seat: You said that they are the same as the ones in the R. I have sat in half a dozen GTI's of various trims (including Autobahn) and I find the seats in the GTI to be noticeably less comfortable than the seats in the R. I have back and knee problems and the seat in the R was just more comfortable and supportive to me and my wife. Does anyone know the differences in the seats? They look the same, but I think the foam must be different...
Allen Moon I don’t think they are the same. The material on the 2019 R looks very different than previous years (appears to be perforated as well, think next year will finally get ventilated seats on the R). Pretty sure the seats on the R are more “upscale”. For the price point, they should be. I also have back and knee problems so it’s something I’m conscious of as well.
If you guys are looking for one of these amazing cars, hit me up in the Portland area and I’ll get you right in one! Let’s buy now and get some great deals.. I just test drove a new one last week and man was clean all around. Tech. Power weight ratio. Comfort. Thanks for the vid man love them!
Would not agree with you. I was excited too until I actually bought the car. Cheaply made, hood has no sound proof material as these cars used to have, all kinds of noises, wind noise is really bad, blown fuses, etc. Too many issues for a brand new car. DSG is laggy, comparing to the Audi A4 2017. Love transmission on A4, assumed that GTI would be the same- sadly no. To be fair, A3 transmission is the same as GTI. It is a nice car, drives OK, but not as great as 2010 GTI I used to drive and that was the reason I went for GTI again.
@@davesearle2766 since Dec 2018, it has just reached over 5k km (approx 3000 miles). The other reason I went for VW, as I never had any issues with VW's.
@@russella5296 Hopefully things will sort themselves out, I have had only a heater issue with my 2016 which has 14,000k on it (we have 4 cars). I bought a new Audi 4000 in 1982, five cylinder 5 speed. The thing just about put me in the nut house, everything went wrong so I traded it on a brand new Silverado pickup which was even worse. A year or two along I saw the car with the new owners and they said it was a great car and they had no issues.....
I don't consider anything new a good buy to be honest. Once prices have come down I will be looking at the Veloster N though, but my 2016 GTI Autobahn with the PP is going to be tough to beat. Especially once I go stage 1. Edit: You just taught me how to lock my car without using my key... Works on the Ford as well. In my defense I have had my car for 2 weeks but this is awesome!
What's the better overall, everyday car to get for, comfort, style, good on gas, reliability - The Mazda 3 Sport GT or the GTI? I'm looking to buy one of those and my heart says Mazda. Is the GTI a good everyday car on highways?
That's one of its primary strengths. Consider that a GTI is designed and built to be driven safely and securely at well over 100 mph for extended stretches on the Autobahn. The Mazda3 is a good car but it faces no such challenges. Ask yourself which is likely to be a better "everyday car on highways".
@@iamnotinarush If you have or can find the November 2016 issue of "Car and Driver" they have a review of their long term (40,000 mile) test of the GTI Mk7 and it is pretty good reading if one considers how rough these press/test cars get treated. Zero repairs except a bad wheel bearing which was repaired under warranty. I believe that in the states you get a 7 year, 72,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty, we only get 4 in Canada......
Owned one of this gen for 3 years no problems and performed really well. Very good on gas and fun to drive. My only gripe is that the price is a little high but inthink now the base one could be nicely equip for less than i paid.
Toyota's are boring and reliable but the thing is someone like Scotty Kilmer loves to tell you Toyota's are the only cars that are reliable. Vw isn't unreliable for example just not as reliable as Toyota a lot of mechanics like working on Gti's and they will 200k miles without major issieus in most cases i'd say 150K is guaranteed if you find that enough don't even consider a Toyota cause this is better in every way except reliability
@@timmiekat6072 I would add that with GTIs you need to stick with the maintenance service listed in the manual. Change those fluids on time and keep the car stock...tunes are great but they rapidly decrease the life of the car.
i'm a mk7.5 golf R owner and the GTI still gets me excited because it looks a little more aggressive. Sometimes I regret getting the DSG, but it's incredibly fast, especially with a DSG tune. Only issues with the mk7.5 GTI are paint chips, carbon buildup, possible thrust bearing issue with manual, and of course a leaking thermostat. too much plastic in the engine, I'm not sure how it will hold up past 150k
What did you think about the new 7-speed DSG compared to the 6-speed? I have an 18 GTI Autobahn (love it), and the only difference from 19 is the transmission. (And the GTI badges are red in 19, silver in 18.)
I, too, have a 2018 Autobahn with the 6 speed DSG. I read/seen a few complaints about the new transmission (as I suspect you have), mainly in terms of "hunting" for the appropriate gear in some particular combinations of a gear change and throttle position. That's not unusual with new transmissions as the number of gears continues to grow year after year. Most manufacturers apparently rely on consumers to "beta test" their new transmissions. And since transmission behavior can be modified via a software change in the ECU, I wouldn't be surprised to see some minor modifications here and there, likely without a formal announcement by VW. It's also worth noting that like the delightfully "turnable" VW engine, the transmission behavior can be electronically tuned, as well if you want to change the transmission's behavior, (See APR products.) Frankly, I think the change was a case of VW "keeping up with the Joneses" ,an effort to improve fuel economy (very slightly) with a 7th gear, and simplifying production issues by sharing the DCT with Audi. The VW DSG is the gold standard of dual clutch "automated manual" transmissions and I don't think there was a crying need for the additional gear. And for me, it isn't an advantage in any event since I often drive my GTI in manual mode and the additional gear simply adds unnecessary complication to selection of an appropriate gear.
If there are any better cars in a similar price range, please tell me what they might be. Seriously so I can consider buying one but it has to be under $40k
Don't know why Volkswagen continues to use that same kind of wheel bolt that the Volkswagen Beetle had. Where the wheel is held on by bolts that screw into threaded holes in the wheel hub instead of the wheel mounting on studs and held on with lug nuts. Basically the reverse of most other car brands. Would think it would be a pain when you have a flat tire.
Two years ago I paid $30K for a brand new fully loaded 2017 GTI DSG Autobahn for just $30K. But $37K for a 2019 Autobahn DSG is just too expensive. Now if it had +320 HP, it might be a reason to justify the cost 😎
As you know, this is the last of this generation before the MK8 comes to US. Couple of questions: A) Have you physically seen the MK8 GTI? B) If yes, would you wait for that, and what's the increase in power?
Cool review, but next time I suggest to do a proper launch. Disabling traction control and enabling Launch Control. It feels much faster and time will be much better.
That red is seriously good and only second to Mazda's red (personal opinion). The red stripe in the front works ok with *most* of the available colors, but not all. The nice thing about the top of the GTI dash is that there are *no* digital distractions if you want to focus on driving. Glance down at the gauges if you like and fiddle with the infotainment if you must, but if you want to drive with minimal bullshit, you can. How did you find the audio system, if you listened off-camera? And how did you find the LED headlights? P.S. you have great video quality. I'm running at 1440p on a 24" IPS display and, damn, it looks good. Not bad on the 5k iMac display @ 4k, too!
that wasn’t launch control. if you’re doing launch control, it will come up and say “launch control program active” on the dash. you have to change the driving mode to sport in order to use launch control
Very good review . I'm 58 years old and bought one. Fun car. Only problem is I have to fight my son for the keys.
I'm in my 40's and no way my teenager is driving mine.
I have a teenage daughter who'll be driving next year. The major reason I replaced my 2013 GTI with a 2018 version last summer was the wealth of convenience and safety features that I wanted when she gets to drive it. We're now engaged in serious negotiations regarding the grade point average she will have to maintain to get the key fob.
@@shipmate3577 We bought our two daughters used cars when they turned sixteen so they would not drive ours, a BMW 320i and a Jetta.
Learn Brazilian jui Jitsu and you will be able to drive it all the time..
@@stephenhendricks103 Brave lad!
This car has to have the widest consumer base of any car in its class. I’m 20 years old with a MK7 and I see people well into their 60s buying these things.
Ya, lol. I'm 40 and going to get one soon. It is a strange car with features that appeal to all age groups.
I just bought one of these ‘things’ and am 76…….
Imo it is the best everyday driver. It's fun, looks good, good mpg, sporty but elegant at the same time and affordable. I picked up my GTI S with manual transmission and a 6 year warranty for 23k
I've had 3 GTI's, and they are great cars! Fun to drive, well engineered and made, upscale interiors, and practical. I'm currently driving a 2003 GTI VR6, which has almost 200K miles, and has had no mechanical issues. Super reliable and built like a tank!
I prefer the older VAG cars myself and the early 2000 cars are easier to fix than the current cars, plus they are much more basic, which is a good thing. I just sold my 84 Audi with over 300k on it and that thing was super basic and easy to fix. I dont miss it yet, I had that car for 11 years and really just got tired of it.
From my experience, as a 4-month ownership of the Golf GTI '19.
-It drives like an expensive car.
-Sounds perfect, not noisy or silent.
-Road noise is acceptable on 18' wheels.
-It's fast and responds real quick.
-Has lots of safety feature, blind spot, ACC and dynamic cornering light. Blind spot and ACC are optional but you have to consider Blindspot and give out ACC (Active Cruise Control).
-Brakes are way good for it. (Advantage)
---------------------
Any question, please ask me, I'll help you 🤞🏼
Psychopath ِI just picked one up today. Have you had any issues?
Jason Abadie until now, not a single issue. You'll feel the car bogging when your car downshifts so early, that'll happen when the weather is 39°/102°F and higher.
Do you use regular 87 octane or premium grade fuel?
Are you having any issues so far? Like stalling or anything else?
Which trim level did you buy?
And what did you compare it to before choosing this?
@@t.k.morris I used Premium until 1000 miles and switched to regular for the last two fillups, haven't really seen a difference in mileage or performance. I just got the S, I didnt want leather.
T.K. Morris I use 95 ron which is the least I can run on my car. I have sensors issue which is super annoying, not a single thing around me yet it beeps. I bought the SE trim (Alcantara, Blindspot, Sunroof and 9.2 inch screen) I honestly compared it to other AWD cars like Subaru wrx sti and the Arteon R-line since I hated fwd drivetrain but then the GTI was the only one in my budget list so then bought it and I loved it ever since.
Excellent review, thank you. Talking about things that ordinary people care about.
Great review for the every day driver, I just subscribed. I saw on the VW website builder that for the 2019 SE model for an extra $800 you can get the “experience” package that adds the Premium Audio and most importantly the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) which up until now was only available on the Autobahn trim. For a daily driver having the comfort chassis is nice when you want it. I like that VW is giving its consumers more pick and choose options.
The way you reviewed it, is probably the best I have seen. I watched UK carwow review, think yours is more to the point, clearer, in detail and the drive segment fantastic. Reviewing a car could become an art, but for such a car(!) you had to match it. Cheers. Well done.
The answer is yes. Why? Because it's just more 'nicer' to be inside. The numbers don't matter cuz it's just fun to drive and there is this annoying thing called a speed limit. Also the hatch is so damn practical. A win win.
To some, it does matter because there’s this thing called a race track.
To others doesn`t matter, because we live in Germany, where there are not speed limits :)
Autobahn GTI is fully adjustable on the driver side. Solid Review, you made some notes that I've never seen anyone mention before.
A 2016 mk7 is my daily driver and I put a ton of miles on it. No issues, and at this point, my next car will likely be another GTI or R. Nothing else is this fun, nice, and comfortable.
I have owned 2x VW GTIs, 2012 2dr and now a 2018 4dr. What makes GTI so great is that it is so fun to drive and the quality/fit and finish feels above the price tag. The later is what has kept me from buying a WRX or anything else. Also, the VW Golf/GTI styling ages very, very well... just like most German-made cars.
Great cars. The Gti is quite unique in the way it sits in the hot hatch market. Understated, purposeful, slick at everything with kerb side appeal. There are more dynamic engaging hatches no doubt but they all tend to be more one dimensional. Having regularly driven a mk 7.5 pp they are brilliant, pop them in sport mode and everything tightens up without turning the car in to a crashy mess. Put the car in comfort and it’s like a normal golf. They are also quicker and more dynamic than some people think. Great also if you have grown out of the fast and furious looks!
The armrest also pulls out to create more armrest extension.
Just picked up mine last week! I love it!
Still running okay?
what’re the odds you still got it ?
Solid review. Kudos for the attention to detail & the quality camerawork. Things the average driver would want to see. Also kudos for having music that doesn’t make me feel like I’m at TomorrowWorld.
I love my 2016 GTi SE performance package. It’s a great daily imo. I’m tuned with COBB, resonator delete, 034 rear sway bar and SP rear end links. Dog bone insert. The best daily and my other car is an M3.
Nice review, best I have seen on TH-cam! I bought one with the manual.
Best review of this car. I just bought an Autobahn today. Love it!
I live in europe and im a proud owner of the GTI clubsport. Its the 40th anniversary version of the gti, it has the R engine :)
how does the R engine work with FWD?
I picked up a 2019 GTI a few months back in manual. I already ditched the stock Bridgstones for performance tires. It really improves the overall grip and turning agility over stock. My occasional wheel hop has been eliminated at speeds where the stocks would fail.
NeloDiavolo which tires did you get Kind Sir?
Excellent review -- have one purchased new in 19. Still in excellent shape, no major issues over lifetime. Perfect balanced hot hatch/practical car -- spacious, quality feel, excellent on the road, and super nimble for urban warfare/parking. Super easy to use integrated touch screen/ manual controls -- greatly superior to the subsequent, much-loathed 2022 complex replacement touch screen system. Mine has the six speed manual (great if you WANT wheelspin...), upgraded Fender sound system (very good but not great). Two niggles -- the sliding cover for the sunroof does not secure well, with road vibration loosening it every ride. (Dealer fix would have meant tearing headliner/roof apart - NOT worth it.), and some of the center roof buttons (spotlights) not backlit at night. (Also would have LOVED the 60 hp VW squeezed out of the same powerplant for the R model, beyond my budget at the time.) But it is still plenty quick, if not blazingly fast. That's it -- a 9.3 out of ten for course of my ownership.
Most thorough review I’ve seen. Thanks, dude
Id daily that all day, looks like a really fun little car.
In my opinion the mark 7.5 GTI is much nicer than any other 2.0 Inline 4-cylinder turbo cars in this segment. Every time I drive my GTI I’m left with a smile on my face because even though it may not be as fast as a Veloster N or WRX STI, but it does everything right, and just feels high quality. I would definitely buy a mark 7.5 GTI again.
Best review of the Gti on TH-cam, great video I really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Complete overview. Solid job
Keep up the good work!👍🏽
Amazing car. Just bought a GTI S. No brainer. Best everyday driving car. 2019 is last year for 6/72 VW warrantee. Roomy. Practical. Was crusing at 90 mph at 2200 rpm. lol.
super wiseman have you had any issues?
@@jasonabadie3340 I am at about 1400 miles and have zero issues. If you like the GTI, I would buy it knowing that there is a 6 year bumper to bumper. Also, word on the street is that Volkswagen is outright buying back the 100-200 stalling cars. So I wouldn't worry, IMO...
super wiseman I bought one yesterday, I got the DSG though. Yeah I wasn’t concerned saying the warranty is so long.
@@jasonabadie3340 Congrats. Its a fantastic car, especially for the money. I just finished replacing all the OEM speakers with Focal 165AS and 165AC, with a pioneer GM-D9705 in the back under the hatch cover. On top of the hatch I put a 10" kicker sub. Sounds amazing. It was a pretty tricky job getting all the wires run, and the panels can be tricky getting off. I don't recommend doing it yourself unless you know what you are doing.
@@jasonabadie3340 PS I have the 7 speed DSG too. It's a great transmission, and sure at times I'd rather have the manual, but most of the time, especially in traffic, I definitely don't want to be shifting. Also, the paddles work great on the wheel for dropping gears when needed. Also, you can try pulling backwards on the shifter when in Drive mode and it will switch to S mode very quickly. Do it again to go back into Drive. It's really handy. Curious - what kind of mileage are you getting? First tank was only around 22, but slowing getting up to 23 or so. Is suspect is will get better with more break in. Speaking of which, I took it to the VW dealer to do an early oil change - definitely a good idea if you want to keep it for a long time.
Looks great from any angle which is not something you can say about a lot of cars now days. Only ding I have is they really should have auto climate on every trim above base.
Auto climate on all in Canada.
Auto climate is worse than the simple regular climate
@@jasonschwartz8507 I do like the air conditioning in my 1995 Toyota Tacoma 2.4 litre better than the auto climate in my 2016 GTI (apart from it's near perfect)
*Very **_ordinary looking_** car, have a job to get anywhere near excited with it, dated technology - the future is **_Electric or PLUG IN HYBRID._** I would not buy one, not worth a 'carrot' in 10 Years.*
*Note the UK has a commitment that by 2040 all sales of ALL ICE Vehicles will be banned, how this works out we will see.*
@@GrrMeister Our new one is a lot of fun to drive, like an "anti Prius" In 10 years we will have this one and the next generation which will likely be a hybrid. Fun to drive and decent fuel economy are what motivates us in choosing vehicles. We seem to be getting 41 mpg on the highway.
Love watching GTI videos even tho I already have one🤣
Same here 😂
Probably thee best review out there on the gti!!!!! 👍
Nice review! FYI, in my experience the GTI wheel spin is largely controlled by the quality of tires. My GTI would spin like crazy on the original tires, but switching to better tires (Michelin) eliminated 99% of the wheel spin.
I love that car. I currently have a GLI, and had a GTI before I traded it in, and I miss the hell out of my GTI!! I want that one!!
What do you think of the new gli?
It’s growing on me. I’m still not sure if I like the new body style compared to my 2013 Autobahn, but it looks nice. I can’t wait to see one in person.
Awesome review! I love your “hair test” hahaha
I’ve seen a couple of your reviews and you are really good at what you do. Keep them coming! :)
Really nice video given tons of details reviewing.
*Without a doubt best buy for anyone today is the **_Golf GTE (PLUG IN HYBRID)_** - up to 30 miles on pure electric for most journeys, and unlimited range on ICE. More expensive but when you factor in running costs, road duty, congestion and 'emission charges, which we be introduced in the next few years to almost every City in UK. I tried to persuade my son, but he went ahead without parental advice and bought a Golf 'R' He has now had this for 18 months and today when I asked him any regrets he had the 'grace' to concede that perhaps I was right. He has a 2 year old son now. He would have been able to travel to/from work (26 miles) free charge it there, and run all week without needing to buy petrol. Not a quick as the 'R' but hey with speed limits and cameras what's the use of 300HP - Finally deprecation costs lower and easier to sell in the future.*
GrrMeister I tend to agree but we don’t get the GTE in N America. As it is the R is amazing and will be my next.
Be honest, I just want a basic 6 MT golf hatchback, with manual roll down window. Fun to drive, cheap to buy.
You got that right the GTI is the best low-key fun daily
Exploding headgaskets are not worth the extra bit of power.
@Lukas Gröndahl If you're in North America you can't buy one anymore.
Unstable in the corners doesn't equal more fun.
what did I make a typo or something? Yes unstable.
Clearly I have, and also a golf. That's how I know it's an unstable car by comparison.
Great review. Detailed and thorough but never boring. I did notice the audio was louder and clearer inside than outside, but otherwise a really good review.
The best since the 1980’s remembered driving the rabbit 🐇 in the mexican twisty roads feeling like alan prost the “profesor” then later own golf in the 1990s, sweet car 🚗. Now i would love to own a “R” today GTI comes with many nannies not good for the old school driver aficionado but still a good car
Great review Forrest. Love your channel. Im trying to decide between the GTI and Arteon right now. Leaning more towards the GTI Autobahn for the fun factor. 🤔
Nice that they kept the conventional hand brake and didnt go to that ebrake crap.
The MK7 GTI is the best car for the money PERIOD. Lightly modded or adding the Golf R is38 turbo to it and the GTI will take any v8 on
As a current gti owner i appreciate your review, however it would be interesting to se a review of the regular golf, too, or maybe a gti/gli comparo OR a reg jetta/golf comparo
Our new GLI 6 speed doesn't feel as fast as my 2016 GTI base 6 speed but the speedometer says different....
Thanks for the review! I have a GTI on order (delivery in June), so very pleased to see you still like it. :-D
What did you order that it is going to take so long? I'm genuinely curious, because I test drove one yesterday and my dealer said they could get any color/trim/package for me within a week... (assuming they aren't completely full of it). I'm in Dallas Texas FYI.
Trading in my 2015 lease for a new 2019 in a few weeks. The Mk7 and 7.5s are great vehicles and pragmatic choice. Its given me so much utility with the hatch over the years. You need summers to really feel what it can do though. Fun to drive, nimble through traffic and the conservative sporty lines just make it easy on the eyes. Glad I'm leasing though, electronics are starting to act up and with the amount of spirit I drive with it's time for an upgrade.
Love your content man! Keep up the good work! Your 2018/2019 Honda Accord videos convinced me to buy the car!
Bought one of these last night.
Good review thanks you ! And a Great car, Golf is the best hatchback on the market hands down, always been always will be a benchmark for other brands. Hence the Golf Class
This is completely random for me to say, but while this is my first video of yours that I've found on your channel, I already knew who you were because I saw you on the Lincoln Corsair video LOL.
Nice review , Im looking to buy one , and you have a new subscriber :)
Is any better alternative? Realibility? I am confused between focus golf and mazda 3? Help me decide. I dont wont to throw money away... Thanx. Have a good day.
But it’s really impressive but that DSG transmission with the launch control something out of its class it’s so great for the money. Also comes with a limited slip standard you have to go with the SI to get that on the Honda and also it only comes manual I like the dual clutch with the launch control
But it’s just the reliability I’m iffy on with the Volkswagen
Question about the seat: You said that they are the same as the ones in the R. I have sat in half a dozen GTI's of various trims (including Autobahn) and I find the seats in the GTI to be noticeably less comfortable than the seats in the R. I have back and knee problems and the seat in the R was just more comfortable and supportive to me and my wife. Does anyone know the differences in the seats? They look the same, but I think the foam must be different...
Allen Moon I don’t think they are the same. The material on the 2019 R looks very different than previous years (appears to be perforated as well, think next year will finally get ventilated seats on the R). Pretty sure the seats on the R are more “upscale”. For the price point, they should be. I also have back and knee problems so it’s something I’m conscious of as well.
Great detail in your review.
Subbed 👍🏽
Absolutely fantastic review
Merry Christmas 🎁 happy birthday 🎂
Great video..... I don't know when you started showing yourself... But nice to see you!
I knew you were more than hands and fingers... lol
If you guys are looking for one of these amazing cars, hit me up in the Portland area and I’ll get you right in one! Let’s buy now and get some great deals.. I just test drove a new one last week and man was clean all around. Tech. Power weight ratio. Comfort.
Thanks for the vid man love them!
Would not agree with you. I was excited too until I actually bought the car. Cheaply made, hood has no sound proof material as these cars used to have, all kinds of noises, wind noise is really bad, blown fuses, etc. Too many issues for a brand new car. DSG is laggy, comparing to the Audi A4 2017. Love transmission on A4, assumed that GTI would be the same- sadly no. To be fair, A3 transmission is the same as GTI. It is a nice car, drives OK, but not as great as 2010 GTI I used to drive and that was the reason I went for GTI again.
@@russella5296 How long have you had the car?
@@davesearle2766 since Dec 2018, it has just reached over 5k km (approx 3000 miles). The other reason I went for VW, as I never had any issues with VW's.
@@russella5296 Hopefully things will sort themselves out, I have had only a heater issue with my 2016 which has 14,000k on it (we have 4 cars). I bought a new Audi 4000 in 1982, five cylinder 5 speed. The thing just about put me in the nut house, everything went wrong so I traded it on a brand new Silverado pickup which was even worse. A year or two along I saw the car with the new owners and they said it was a great car and they had no issues.....
I don't consider anything new a good buy to be honest. Once prices have come down I will be looking at the Veloster N though, but my 2016 GTI Autobahn with the PP is going to be tough to beat. Especially once I go stage 1.
Edit: You just taught me how to lock my car without using my key... Works on the Ford as well. In my defense I have had my car for 2 weeks but this is awesome!
Veloster is so much different from your GTI with the "boy racer" look.
I own the mk7 2016, but I love looking at other GTI’s
Great video my guy. This vid earned you a new sub
Mine has the Digital cockpit (standard on Euro spec) and it's great. Actually looks like you get screwed on the spec in the US
Love the outro song. Soulful!
What's the better overall, everyday car to get for, comfort, style, good on gas, reliability - The Mazda 3 Sport GT or the GTI? I'm looking to buy one of those and my heart says Mazda. Is the GTI a good everyday car on highways?
That's one of its primary strengths. Consider that a GTI is designed and built to be driven safely and securely at well over 100 mph for extended stretches on the Autobahn. The Mazda3 is a good car but it faces no such challenges. Ask yourself which is likely to be a better "everyday car on highways".
Both great cars, GTI is comfortable at speed all day.
@@stephenhendricks103 cheers man
@@davesearle2766 thanks buddy
@@iamnotinarush If you have or can find the November 2016 issue of "Car and Driver" they have a review of their long term (40,000 mile) test of the GTI Mk7 and it is pretty good reading if one considers how rough these press/test cars get treated. Zero repairs except a bad wheel bearing which was repaired under warranty. I believe that in the states you get a 7 year, 72,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty, we only get 4 in Canada......
This color on the gti with the rotiform wheels will look really nice👀
The GTI is a fun car to drive.
wildwest1 it’s 2019 mate ain’t nobody got time for manual. Plus the new dsg and too gooodddd
Joshua Penny Yes, I had a 2011 with a DSG, it was fun.
@Joseph McAuley The take rate for the DSG version of the GTI is about 50%.
@@joshuapenny6053 automatic cars are so boring
Owned one of this gen for 3 years no problems and performed really well. Very good on gas and fun to drive. My only gripe is that the price is a little high but inthink now the base one could be nicely equip for less than i paid.
Great video bro, really good.
It looks 1000x better than that new civic, but even an 83 camry looks better than a new civic.
Great review) u got new subscriber!
I kick myself everyday for getting a Toyota :( love the gti’s
Toyota's are boring and reliable but the thing is someone like Scotty Kilmer loves to tell you Toyota's are the only cars that are reliable. Vw isn't unreliable for example just not as reliable as Toyota a lot of mechanics like working on Gti's and they will 200k miles without major issieus in most cases i'd say 150K is guaranteed if you find that enough don't even consider a Toyota cause this is better in every way except reliability
@@timmiekat6072 I would add that with GTIs you need to stick with the maintenance service listed in the manual. Change those fluids on time and keep the car stock...tunes are great but they rapidly decrease the life of the car.
i'm a mk7.5 golf R owner and the GTI still gets me excited because it looks a little more aggressive. Sometimes I regret getting the DSG, but it's incredibly fast, especially with a DSG tune.
Only issues with the mk7.5 GTI are paint chips, carbon buildup, possible thrust bearing issue with manual, and of course a leaking thermostat. too much plastic in the engine, I'm not sure how it will hold up past 150k
#maintenance
good review man!
What did you think about the new 7-speed DSG compared to the 6-speed?
I have an 18 GTI Autobahn (love it), and the only difference from 19 is the transmission. (And the GTI badges are red in 19, silver in 18.)
I, too, have a 2018 Autobahn with the 6 speed DSG. I read/seen a few complaints about the new transmission (as I suspect you have), mainly in terms of "hunting" for the appropriate gear in some particular combinations of a gear change and throttle position. That's not unusual with new transmissions as the number of gears continues to grow year after year. Most manufacturers apparently rely on consumers to "beta test" their new transmissions. And since transmission behavior can be modified via a software change in the ECU, I wouldn't be surprised to see some minor modifications here and there, likely without a formal announcement by VW. It's also worth noting that like the delightfully "turnable" VW engine, the transmission behavior can be electronically tuned, as well if you want to change the transmission's behavior, (See APR products.)
Frankly, I think the change was a case of VW "keeping up with the Joneses" ,an effort to improve fuel economy (very slightly) with a 7th gear, and simplifying production issues by sharing the DCT with Audi. The VW DSG is the gold standard of dual clutch "automated manual" transmissions and I don't think there was a crying need for the additional gear. And for me, it isn't an advantage in any event since I often drive my GTI in manual mode and the additional gear simply adds unnecessary complication to selection of an appropriate gear.
Thumbnail question is kinda no brainer, gti is always a good buy. Of course there are better cars but gti is always a GOOD buy
If there are any better cars in a similar price range, please tell me what they might be. Seriously so I can consider buying one but it has to be under $40k
Merry Christmas 🎄
Excellent review tanks you
Don't know why Volkswagen continues to use that same kind of wheel bolt that the Volkswagen Beetle had. Where the wheel is held on by bolts that screw into threaded holes in the wheel hub instead of the wheel mounting on studs and held on with lug nuts. Basically the reverse of most other car brands. Would think it would be a pain when you have a flat tire.
Two years ago I paid $30K for a brand new fully loaded 2017 GTI DSG Autobahn for just $30K. But $37K for a 2019 Autobahn DSG is just too expensive. Now if it had +320 HP, it might be a reason to justify the cost 😎
Really thorough review. I enjoyed watching this. Keep it up mate!
Nice review! Thanks. Did you mention if the 2019 is still a 6 speed DSG?
2019 GTI and the 2019 Audi A3/S3 all get the new 7 speed DSG transmission in place of the old 6 speed unit.
Love the GTI. Hate the insurance. Huge difference between this and Golf.
How much are you spending on insurance?
As you know, this is the last of this generation before the MK8 comes to US. Couple of questions:
A) Have you physically seen the MK8 GTI?
B) If yes, would you wait for that, and what's the increase in power?
Ben Hayat there are leaks of the MK8 golf, and compared to the MK7.5, I would personally choose the MK7.5, definitive HP have not been released yet
@@maddcrz
Well, the're moving the current GTI engine into Jetta GLI, which I've been told the MK8 gets a more powerful engine.
Its a nice red but mazda soul red is mesmerizing.
I own this and a 2021 Tiguan Black Line and now wondering should I sell the Tiguan 😬☺️
VW have used felt on the top of their doors for many years! 😎
Cool review, but next time I suggest to do a proper launch. Disabling traction control and enabling Launch Control. It feels much faster and time will be much better.
That red is seriously good and only second to Mazda's red (personal opinion). The red stripe in the front works ok with *most* of the available colors, but not all. The nice thing about the top of the GTI dash is that there are *no* digital distractions if you want to focus on driving. Glance down at the gauges if you like and fiddle with the infotainment if you must, but if you want to drive with minimal bullshit, you can. How did you find the audio system, if you listened off-camera? And how did you find the LED headlights?
P.S. you have great video quality. I'm running at 1440p on a 24" IPS display and, damn, it looks good. Not bad on the 5k iMac display @ 4k, too!
What are expenses for servicing this car?
Very well done that's a sub.
Still pushing a 90hp 1.9 tdi...its casual.50 mpg.
So which options come with the VW virtual cockpit?
Once again, FELT shows up! AAAAYyyeeeeee!
The Camera doesn't capture the red enough. VW's red is Super Red. haha
😍Volkswagen Golf GTI Power😍
Question: GTI or Loaded Mazda3? GTI has more HP but the 3 is beautiful. Having a tough time choosing between the two. :(
GTI. Love the Mazda so much but it's definitely a really nice, great handling cruiser. The GTI is more focused.
that wasn’t launch control. if you’re doing launch control, it will come up and say “launch control program active” on the dash. you have to change the driving mode to sport in order to use launch control