Agreed. That's the only thing I don't like about my '20 GLI. Don't really have peeps in the back seat a whole lot, but would definitely like to have them, just in case.
I thought the same thing until I realized… my kids would have destroyed it… so I ended up appreciating the fact that it isn’t there. A/C ends up reaching back there fairly quick according to my oldest lol.
Agreed. It’s like they think people don’t use back seats nor require heat nor cold in the back seat. It can’t cost that much just to include rear vents does it?
I avoided a deer in my '24 40th 6MT the other morning - emergency braking performance was excellent. I actually had to turn slightly into the grass to avoid it and stalled it out because I didn't get on the clutch but really happy the GLI was equipped for the moment.
I would've never thought it would matter, but I love the fact that you actually took the video perspective from the back seat. It really gives a true sense of the space, and I've never seen another review do this...
Have owned the ‘21 Autobahn 6MT since April ‘21 and travelled all over the US - mostly California- and am completely happy with my choice. Great mileage - fun to drive - extremely practical, and can handle mountain twisties with aplomb. I’m actually not even mad at the Beats audio - it’s loud, spacious and clear. Would have preferred the Fender though - just a wonderful high fidelity system.
@@annieb1011NE - thank you. I think road tripping is where it excels. Unlike, for example, the new intégra - which is great but more fun for spirited driving and shifting gears - the GLI has longer gearing and more torque and hp - so definitely better for long drives. The drivers seat is super comfy for long drives - I’ve driven the entire state of California - twice - and loved it each time!
Thank you, Omari- I’m in the market for VW (current owner of Passat SEL) and the GLI Autobahn is tugging at my heart!Having drove the Autobahn in Germany (military brat) I want to go back to manual transmission and the German-built road-hugging experience. Driving all over Cali would cover most all types of terrain. I head to the Rockies from cornfields so I should be good!! 😆 I will take any other advice you have to give!!🇺🇸🚘
@@annieb1011NE - just a minor update. I just drove through the mountains during the recent storm in northern ÇA and the Jetta was fine. Especially manual because you can torque brake. The car even survived a few mishaps through deep flooded roads and came out fine. As it turns out I had a scheduled dealer service appointment the day after I got back to LA - and all systems were fine. I only needed an oil change and tire rotation. I also got it detailed - because of the snow and rain and mud - and got the undercarriage washed too.
We just hit 1k miles on the wife's new GLI 6MT. I agree - that's a ridiculous omission, especially when most people who buy this are gonna put people in the back at times. Also - the rear door cards are hideously cheap. Fronts have soft-touch material on top, some nice pleather with red stitching in the center, and are generally nice. Rears are hard plastic on top, hard plastic in the center (which aside from being super cheap doesn't match the front at ALL), and the lack of vents. Everything in the back is a poverty-spec experience, and that's a shame. Yet the front seats are even cooled as well as heated - a really nice feature at this price point but a head-scratcher in a car with so much cost cutting in the back. Overall we're both pleased with it as it's a great value for the money, and I fully agree with Topher that it's a fantastic daily driver, more so than a "sports sedan", especially with the crazy-tall gearing.
The GLI keeps on my list just because it's the best value in the VW lineup and one of the best in the industry. Basically a GTI Autobahn with an 8K discount.
I really liked my 2019 GLI, I hada mild sftermarket tune that really livened the car up, but it did kind of suck that VW could potentially void your warranty just because of a bit more boost and I hated that my pre-facelifted GLI didn't have adaptive cruise. Also, The Beats audio was terrible. It's a solid 7/10 and WAY more fun than the Mazda3 Turbo that I replaced it with-and sold back to Mazda 5 months later. I have decided to order a 2022 Miata Club and I can't wait for it to show up. Great video as always.
I was cross shopping the jetta gli with elantra n and my biggest issue was the beats audio system. It's just so bad I was happy paying more money for my elantra
I replaced a 2016 GTI with a 2021 Mazda 3 turbo hatch, and while I agree it's a more subdued car in handling and overall performance, it has plenty of power on tap and the interior is always a nice place to be. I think if I was expecting it to be a poor mans Golf R due to the AWD I would have been disappointed just like you were, but I took 2 test drives before pulling the trigger and knew exactly what I was getting.
@@AndreThompson925 Yeah, it's a car that does so many things right it's extra frustrating when things do go wrong either with the electronics or mechanically. Most of the time it's just annoyances like squeaks and rattles that are hard to pin down, or things like the frame around the moonroof cracking and causing minor water leakage. I can say the actual driving enjoyment part was higher with my MK7 GTI, but the Mazda 3 turbo is a better car to live with day to day...and so far hasnt produced a single rattle that can be attributed to something on the car itself.
This car can be nuts with a downpipe and exhaust with a tune - 310 hp. Yes VW will void your warranty. BUT, VW's warranty is garbage anyway - they look for every reason not to honour warranty. For example, they wont replace warped rotors on my golf with 7000 km on it - said it's a "wearable part". I told them my Xterra has original rotors at 202000 km. They looked at me blankly.
I got GLI (DSG) just before Memorial Day weekend. It is an awesome car for the money. Very driver oriented tho. No power seats and not even Munjal height adjustment for front passenger seat. No rear vents (weight savings probably? Not 100% sure). If anyone has any doubt regarding the capacitive buttons, don’t worry about them. They don’t get toggled that easily. You have to intentionally press to activate (maybe my hands position is not letting buttons to toggle?) but I also tried to see how pressure is needed to activate the controls. As I said you have to intentionally press them. Also, during night time, the capacitive touch buttons area looks nice. I love the paddle shifters response. But the only gripe I have is it upshifts, my friends mk7 GTI doesn’t upshift even when the engine reaches engine cut off. I saw that APR stage 1 tune can make this go away. Overall it is a fun and practical car.
so glad you did an audio test for the beats system. I was looking into the integra for the els audio system and because it looks much better but its quite expensive compared to the gli. After watching this I think i would be satisfied with the beats system in the gli because its such a great value all around and comes with more features than the integra for less. the integra doesn't even have cooled seats and only offers a manual in the highest trim so the gli is looking very appealing
Ive also been cross shopping the GLI and Integra. The Integra has plenty going for it - looks better inside and out, Honda reliability, better warranty, amazing sound system, exterior lighting is top notch and you can fit a living room set in the trunk. But the roughly $5000 price difference is enough to make me regret not going for the car that's much faster and with a much larger aftermarket, the GLI. Lack of power/speed is something you regret, you wont get buyers remorse over tail lights or audio.
@@spathotan currently in a similar situation debating between a GLI and a Civic Si (a nerfed Integra). It will probably be a 10th gen Civic Si because I have a hard time finding gears in the 11th gen and the shifter seems to get stuck a lot (maybe I just suck at shifting, but the shifters in the 10th gen si and the GLI feel much better and I didn't have any issues with them during test drives). I know this is 4 months late, but any suggestions, things to look out for, issues with the car, etc? I'm not big into aftermarket stuff, I just want a reliable car that's fun to drive with decent performance (civic si is more than enough for me) that won't break the bank. Obviously, I want the most reliable car possible (Honda wins here), but should I be worried by the fact that VW had the 2nd most recalls of any car brand last year?
@@FinesseBTW If you dont plan on ever modding the car and you prefer manual over automatic, then get the SI. The SI is rather slow, but overall id say has a better interior (interior in the GLI is ~4 years old at this point) and looks more subdued on the outside. I did end up buying the GLI about a month after that post, and its a very nice car and I dont regret my purchase at all. Its got enough power to handle all the common V6 trash like Camaros, Chargers, sometimes clapped G35/G37s, walks the ecoboost Mustang, and with a tune you'll be doing the same to a lot of their V8 daddys.
The GLI is an awesome car overall and extremely underrated. I think it's the only car in it's class with this kind of performance without looking like some immature boy racer POS.
What would you pick, this or the Si? GLI definitely has the edge on power, and while I haven't driven either, I would guess that the Si offers a more "connected/engaging" driving experience.
Si would definitely have a better driving feel stock for stock. I did aftermarket wheels, lowering springs, and summer tires on my GLI and it definitely made it feel more focused. Mine is DSG and acceleration blows the Si away since the car makes close to 40 more horsepower than advertised. Si would be more tossable though, it all just depends on what you’re after.
I test drove both before I just said screw it and got a Miata RF. The Si was a little more engaging but felt slower, GLI felt more composed at high speed, had slightly less road noise, and had cooled seats along with the heated that also comes on the Si. That said I feel like most people would be happy with either. The only two things that would make me go one way or the other are the cooled seats (I live in Florida) and if I decided I wanted an automatic for my GF. Personally I think the GLI looks better but that's entirely subjective. The Si is going for slightly less in my area though so there's that. I think they're both the best bargains for fun dailies.
@@RandomlnternetGuy If you're after more power the GLI is quite a bit faster. The GLI is even more underrated than the si on the dyno. Also reflected in the 1/4 and trap speeds done.
I have a 14 GLI with the Fender audio system and it absolutely blows the Beats system out of the water. Test drove a new GLI because I was considering getting one, but the terrible audio quality from the beats was one of the biggest reasons I didn't get one. That plus dealers around me were doing a large markup on them.
I couldn't buy Jetta GLI coz in Canada Manual was not available and wait time was more than 8 months.... but I got 2023 Jetta Comfortline Manual Transmission... its quite fun car.... so smooth so stable even at 150...
@@evaristocorripio5434 I like it a lot, it does everything I need it to including dad duty. It’s lowered on aftermarket wheels and handles better than stock but mine is the S so I don’t have the active suspension. I had it in the mountains a couple weeks ago with another GLI with the same mods and an Elantra N and we kept up with the N just fine.
@@SixGap nice! Im quite excited for it and I've never driven one since right now there are no demos en Mexico. And here it doesn't come with the adaptive suspension either so it would be the same. Although here it comes with a bigger 10in display with a different infotainment which is weird compared to the one in the US. But hopefully next year I would be able to get it.
I agree wholeheartedly, I really hate the tablet infotainment centers that are the trend. I’m leaning towards the VW more and more as daily driver over Honda Accord, my only concern is relatability issues. VW or Accord longterm…🤔🤔🤔
I love this car. I have three big problems though. (For the 2019 atleast). The autobahn trim does not have dcc while the 35th did... no rear seat vents.... the ammount if creaks in the doors and dash and sunroof and omfggg
I think automatic is the way with this car for a daily driver. Tall gears plus rev hang doesn't sound fun to drive in the city. I love the fact that they didnt remove all the buttons on this one, I'm considering it.
The rev hang is annoying on the 1-2 shift but not problematic above that in my experience, and it's manageable and can still be driven smoothly. I agree though, the DSG tranny would be an excellent choice here.
@@Addison0526 I would think so. I've read that the entire reason it's there in the first place is emissions-related. Which seems to make sense because no engineer would design in rev hang for any other logical reason.
@@BrakRulesAll The problem is that in the city, you live in 1st and 2nd. However for long commutes and highway cruising or if you plan to track it, yeah manual is the way to go.
finally a video from you with the GLI. I've been waiting and all the other vids suck out there. I'm trying to pick between the 2022 GLI or 2022 GTI or a 2019-2020 Kia Stinger. All have their pros and cons and all have very little to no stock available. I've test drove them all and can't decide. Obviously the stinger is a bit more expensive but you cant find the GLI's or GTI's anywhere
I guess it depends, im not a hatch person so GLI is my choice easy, but then again the GTI is a little faster this year compared to the GLI. I just love the sedan look, and that the interior is not all touch sensitive buttons.
I guess it depends where you live, but they are out there. I chose to order mine from the factory since I wanted the pure gray w/ black package. There were only two in the state with that color and option. I waited a little over 2 months but it was well worth it.
Good to know, I have a 2015 GTI and one thing I would change would be the tall gearing. But I imagine , the DSG gets shorter gearing with the extra gear.
My Audi a 3 hits 100kmh in 2nd gear and 200 in 4d gear but I lost my driver license for smokig Mary-J-Huana now my car is for 6months on the parking lot with rusty brake pads🤨😭
I just purchased the 2022 GLI DSG about 2 months ago. It replaced my MK6 GTI Autobahn and I have to say I never expected to love the sedan variant but they did a fantastic job with this model of GLI. Originally I was going to purchase the MK8 GTI but I was very disappointed with the infotainment and all touch-screen controls and after driving the GLI, it was an easy decision to make. I absolutely recommend this car to anyone comparing the MK8 GTI and MK7 GLI. Biggest downside I'd say is the lack of sound-proofing for road noise and the self-driving can be hit or miss with corners, especially longer or sharper corners as expected (as well as very annoying with its constant prompts to take over the wheel every 10 seconds even though I'm holding it while driving straight). Overall the GLI has impressed me, I can't wait to tune it after the warranty expires!
@@evancole2880 The ride quality and road noise are both much improved from the MK6 GTI. The GTI definitely handled better but that's due to the better tires and replacing the stock all-seasons on the GLI would probably fix that. Overall I'm still very happy with the GLI, there are things that could be improved upon like the tires, rear vents for AC, starter reliability (lots of issues with remote start or start/stop) and internal cabin rattle/noise. Most of which can be fixed with some TLC at home and aftermarket sound-deadeners.
Test drove a used one of these at CarMax 2 weeks back. As a result of no co-riding salesman, I got into a childish highway race with a Ferrari and won (he miscalculated and got stuck behind a U-Haul truck). GLI was up to the task. BUT, two deal-breakers: (1) Rev-hang, and (2) ridiculously low center air vents which blasted my shifting hand with cold air the whole time. Hard to tell at this point whether that's been slightly rectified for the 2025 refresh (never mind the rev-hang). 2025 nose job is a major improvement, however.
The fake engine sound is better here than it was in my 2020 GLI. It actually sounds like a real engine. I had my Custom mode with the engine sound set to Normal as well, since the exhaust was Toyota-Corolla-quiet, but Sport was far too loud. I liked the car a lot, but it was not as exciting as my former Mk7 GTI. As a daily, it's great. I wish VW would put better tires on these cars, too, since the OE Hankooks were not grippy at all. But I agree with Mr. Topher here that the car feels at home just cruising, which is nice for a commuter. Honestly, the worst thing about this car for me was the interior rattles. I know some people don't care about this, but I can't stand rattles. I had several different types of rattles, and I tried to fix all of them, to no avail. There was one in the dash, just below the screen, one in the B-pillar area, and one in the passenger floor board area. The dealer couldn't figure any of the issues out, and I tried my best to diagnose them as well. I even went on VW forums. For a car that was under a year old, you'd think it wouldn't have rattles yet.
I wish you would have pushed the GLI like you did in your mk8 GTI videos... I feel like this car is a stealthy sleeper and when you really get on it, especially (in/out corners) this car comes alive in surprising ways, but you do really have to push it hard to experience it's magic. I also remember the 2019 Lighting Lap track race, the 2019 Mk7 GLI (Hankook summer tires and a professional driver) actually beat both the GTI and the GOLF R (those both on all seasons) which I thought was pretty surprising. Look up the video here on TH-cam .. the size (longer wheelbase than GTI) and the MQB chassis has the GLI feeling like a baby Audi S4
I really considered this car especially as I've always driven VW but I decided to get a WRX instead. The WRX is just better at almost everything and the AWD sold me on it, as I live in Canada.
Love my 2020 GLI, but the major letdown are the all-season Hankook Kinergy tires that come from the factory. I see they are on the 2022 also. The car has so much potential but is severely let down by the tires.
Our '22 came with Bridgestone Turanzas, and they seem like a really decent all-season tire. Every other one I've seen in reviews has been the crummy Hankooks. Apparently the luck of the draw for us.
they are kinda lame but not horrible, they grip a lil better after getting them hot .. apparently you could have optioned the Hankook summer tires by dealer request (but they never tell people this) and those Hankook summer tires are supposed to be night and day compared to the all seasons .. car probably better suited/designed for summer rubber .. the GLI beat both golf R and GTI at 2019 Lightning Lap because of those Hankook summer tires, the golf and gti were on all seasons. Certainly an significant performance upgrade by changing the stock tires to summer ones
It's been my experience to note that, unlike Hyundai, VW fine tunes their cars. And it's for that, and other reasons, why I won't buy another Hyundai for the foreseeable future. Kudos VW!
trunk space is why I always got a Jetta Sadly VW opted to discontinue exports to South Africa (i.e. right hand steering) So I guess my current Jetta will be my last
The Jetta/GLI have had the cheaper looking interior versus the Golf/Golf GTI for quite some time now, but I'd argue the difference is much less these days...and not because the Jetta has taken a step up, but rather the MK8 has taken a step down. As someone who had a 2016 GTI until recently (now have a 2021 Mazda 3 turbo hatch, no regrets other than no manual) I was sooo disappointed when I first sat in a MK8 GTI. I knew then I would likely never own another VW product unless I get a used MK7/7.5 GTI..or this GLI tbh. I seriously prefer the GLI interior to the MK8 GTI even though it does have the better seats..and performance...but not enough to make up for awful haptic feedback sliders that arent even backlit ffs! Even the plastics dont feel as good in the MK8 and are no longer deep black, but rather dark charcoal like most other cars with "black" interiors. At least the GLI is reasonably priced for what it is, and a few mods will get the performance to stock GTI levels if not beyond.
Own the 2022 GLI. I’ve driven the same year golf R and the Vw iD4 both with ‘newer’ and ‘fancier’ interior. Honestly there is almost nothing I prefer in the newer interiors and would take the GLI over both. Even being the cheapest version.
I do believe the performance of the gti and gli are perfectly equall. The difference is feel. A longer wheel base is much more stable and slower to react making it feel less fun. However it actruallly corners just as hard and has a huge too end advantage. At high speeds its way more aerodynamic and stable allowing a higher top speed and safer top speed
this was the jetta i was trying to get my dad to get but he got the seL pack its such a nice riding car and when I drove it i was rev matching with the stick shit
If this is more daily focused than sport then how does it compare to an accord sport 2.0 10AT? You seemed more excited about that car when you drove it
I've owned quite a few VW's / Audi's and went to look at the 22's. I could not believe how incredibly CHEAP the interiors are made now especially at the price point. What ticked me off the most was when I got my 16' R brand new, the first time I went to the car wash and noticed that the back door panels didn't remotely have the same quality as the front panels in the car.. In the front it was beautiful, but the entire back of the interior was cheap. I could expect that at a sub-30k car but not at 45k..
I swear VW designed that front end in such a way that the GLI doesn’t encroach on an Audi A3 or S3. It’s the only explanation why it looks just a little off and ungainly. Every time I see it, I see a missed opportunity at a handsome sedan.
I think switching from Fender Audio to Beats Audio is a shame. My 2017 GTI had fender audio and it was so amazing. Nice and loud and didn't distort at loud volumes. Instrument separation was amazing. Beats audio just doesn't compare.
rev hang, gearing is way tall. pedal placement isnt ideal for rev matching. And when you do manage to blip the throttle, theres a delay before the revs actually go up. Basically, all the things that make it a driver's car are bad.
Does the dash just vibrate in sport mode or all modes? A lot of owners say the dash rattle is from the soundaktor, but it only vibrates enough to cause a rattle in sport mode.
My first car was an 87 GLI which I loved excellent car gas mileage and fun to drive I bought a few more over the years my last being a 2007 FAHRENHEIT edition excellent car inside and out superb seats but after that the next redesign the quality inside took a huge nose dive and never bought another one since I also agree this design is not appealing and the inside is horrible very suprising for VW just like the cheap looking Atlas dash. Judging by the 2024 Atlas things look to be improving so hopefully the 24- 25 redesign for this car is much better !
Not really, but based on the average new car price here, it's "cheap"...no one really has 32k to outright buy but banks will finance so you can be in debt for years!
How do you rev-match? Do you clutch in first then shift and give gas after that or shift at the same time when giving gas? Sorry for asking here. I have been trying to do it different older cars and mostly putting it first into gear works if throttle response is good. Some cars works while giving gas while neutral stick position into lower gear.
14:55 is a PRIME example of the issue with too much tech in cars. You straight up forgot to turn off your right signal because you were too busy navigating through touch menus. For all these efforts for people to be safer on the road, manufactures sure love to make people focus less on actually driving.
Not a bad car, interior is nice, exterior is a little bloated and round for my liking. Personally i'd rather get an Si, for less money you'd get a much lighter car (almost 400lb), higher reliability and just as engaging of a drive.
@@RandomlnternetGuy I don’t need to be bias to speak the truth. It out preforms the SI like there is no tomorrow. It out handled it and beat its record on lightning lap which is Honda bias. It has the better premium build. Better chassis etc
Rear vents should be universally standard on all 4 door cars.
Agreed. That's the only thing I don't like about my '20 GLI. Don't really have peeps in the back seat a whole lot, but would definitely like to have them, just in case.
@@waterlevelroute it’s jus the fact that it’s blank. Looks cheap
I thought the same thing until I realized… my kids would have destroyed it… so I ended up appreciating the fact that it isn’t there. A/C ends up reaching back there fairly quick according to my oldest lol.
The problem with rear vents is there is never enough air coming out of them. Most cars rear vents the airflow barely reaches your face if at all.
Agreed. It’s like they think people don’t use back seats nor require heat nor cold in the back seat. It can’t cost that much just to include rear vents does it?
as a motorcyclist, there's nothing quite like hearing a manual; transmission being joyfully put through its paces. well done
I avoided a deer in my '24 40th 6MT the other morning - emergency braking performance was excellent. I actually had to turn slightly into the grass to avoid it and stalled it out because I didn't get on the clutch but really happy the GLI was equipped for the moment.
I would've never thought it would matter, but I love the fact that you actually took the video perspective from the back seat.
It really gives a true sense of the space, and I've never seen another review do this...
Have owned the ‘21 Autobahn 6MT since April ‘21 and travelled all over the US - mostly California- and am completely happy with my choice. Great mileage - fun to drive - extremely practical, and can handle mountain twisties with aplomb. I’m actually not even mad at the Beats audio - it’s loud, spacious and clear. Would have preferred the Fender though - just a wonderful high fidelity system.
Hi- thank you for your story!! Did you find the drivers seat to be comfy on long drives??
@@annieb1011NE - thank you. I think road tripping is where it excels. Unlike, for example, the new intégra - which is great but more fun for spirited driving and shifting gears - the GLI has longer gearing and more torque and hp - so definitely better for long drives. The drivers seat is super comfy for long drives - I’ve driven the entire state of California - twice - and loved it each time!
Thank you, Omari- I’m in the market for VW (current owner of Passat SEL) and the GLI Autobahn is tugging at my heart!Having drove the Autobahn in Germany (military brat) I want to go back to manual transmission and the German-built road-hugging experience. Driving all over Cali would cover most all types of terrain. I head to the Rockies from cornfields so I should be good!! 😆 I will take any other advice you have to give!!🇺🇸🚘
@@annieb1011NE - just a minor update. I just drove through the mountains during the recent storm in northern ÇA and the Jetta was fine. Especially manual because you can torque brake. The car even survived a few mishaps through deep flooded roads and came out fine. As it turns out I had a scheduled dealer service appointment the day after I got back to LA - and all systems were fine. I only needed an oil change and tire rotation. I also got it detailed - because of the snow and rain and mud - and got the undercarriage washed too.
I wonder how much it would add to cost for them to include rear seat vents. That kind of option really needs to be added to more cars.
GTI has rear HVAC so it's an active choice not to include it for the GLI
We just hit 1k miles on the wife's new GLI 6MT. I agree - that's a ridiculous omission, especially when most people who buy this are gonna put people in the back at times. Also - the rear door cards are hideously cheap. Fronts have soft-touch material on top, some nice pleather with red stitching in the center, and are generally nice. Rears are hard plastic on top, hard plastic in the center (which aside from being super cheap doesn't match the front at ALL), and the lack of vents. Everything in the back is a poverty-spec experience, and that's a shame. Yet the front seats are even cooled as well as heated - a really nice feature at this price point but a head-scratcher in a car with so much cost cutting in the back. Overall we're both pleased with it as it's a great value for the money, and I fully agree with Topher that it's a fantastic daily driver, more so than a "sports sedan", especially with the crazy-tall gearing.
Nice with kids tbh but also likely to get broken by them. Just looks dumb and cheap without them.
@@stories1984No it doesn’t it would have to have a separate ac compressor and evaporator core.
It’s under the seats
The GLI keeps on my list just because it's the best value in the VW lineup and one of the best in the industry. Basically a GTI Autobahn with an 8K discount.
No
@@porfiriato84 Besides slightly detuned engine, sedan body style and longer wheelbase, yes.
@@joshuaciccoricco2947 It's not even built on the same platform at this point.
lol, no
Nope, the base GLi is only on par with SE. And unless you are talking about the start of 2020, it's not an 8k discount. Not even close.
I really liked my 2019 GLI, I hada mild sftermarket tune that really livened the car up, but it did kind of suck that VW could potentially void your warranty just because of a bit more boost and I hated that my pre-facelifted GLI didn't have adaptive cruise. Also, The Beats audio was terrible. It's a solid 7/10 and WAY more fun than the Mazda3 Turbo that I replaced it with-and sold back to Mazda 5 months later. I have decided to order a 2022 Miata Club and I can't wait for it to show up. Great video as always.
I was cross shopping the jetta gli with elantra n and my biggest issue was the beats audio system. It's just so bad I was happy paying more money for my elantra
I replaced a 2016 GTI with a 2021 Mazda 3 turbo hatch, and while I agree it's a more subdued car in handling and overall performance, it has plenty of power on tap and the interior is always a nice place to be. I think if I was expecting it to be a poor mans Golf R due to the AWD I would have been disappointed just like you were, but I took 2 test drives before pulling the trigger and knew exactly what I was getting.
@@jbm0866 my car before the GLI was a Tornado Red 2016 GTI. Easily one of my favorite cars.
@@AndreThompson925 Yeah, it's a car that does so many things right it's extra frustrating when things do go wrong either with the electronics or mechanically. Most of the time it's just annoyances like squeaks and rattles that are hard to pin down, or things like the frame around the moonroof cracking and causing minor water leakage. I can say the actual driving enjoyment part was higher with my MK7 GTI, but the Mazda 3 turbo is a better car to live with day to day...and so far hasnt produced a single rattle that can be attributed to something on the car itself.
This car can be nuts with a downpipe and exhaust with a tune - 310 hp. Yes VW will void your warranty. BUT, VW's warranty is garbage anyway - they look for every reason not to honour warranty. For example, they wont replace warped rotors on my golf with 7000 km on it - said it's a "wearable part". I told them my Xterra has original rotors at 202000 km. They looked at me blankly.
1. unplug soundaktor
2. install 200 cell catted 3” down pipe
3. stage 2 tune
4. k&n drop in with snow guard removal
5. 🎉
Boom!!
Don't forget a new clutch
I got GLI (DSG) just before Memorial Day weekend. It is an awesome car for the money. Very driver oriented tho. No power seats and not even Munjal height adjustment for front passenger seat. No rear vents (weight savings probably? Not 100% sure). If anyone has any doubt regarding the capacitive buttons, don’t worry about them. They don’t get toggled that easily. You have to intentionally press to activate (maybe my hands position is not letting buttons to toggle?) but I also tried to see how pressure is needed to activate the controls. As I said you have to intentionally press them. Also, during night time, the capacitive touch buttons area looks nice. I love the paddle shifters response. But the only gripe I have is it upshifts, my friends mk7 GTI doesn’t upshift even when the engine reaches engine cut off. I saw that APR stage 1 tune can make this go away. Overall it is a fun and practical car.
so glad you did an audio test for the beats system. I was looking into the integra for the els audio system and because it looks much better but its quite expensive compared to the gli. After watching this I think i would be satisfied with the beats system in the gli because its such a great value all around and comes with more features than the integra for less. the integra doesn't even have cooled seats and only offers a manual in the highest trim so the gli is looking very appealing
Ive also been cross shopping the GLI and Integra. The Integra has plenty going for it - looks better inside and out, Honda reliability, better warranty, amazing sound system, exterior lighting is top notch and you can fit a living room set in the trunk. But the roughly $5000 price difference is enough to make me regret not going for the car that's much faster and with a much larger aftermarket, the GLI. Lack of power/speed is something you regret, you wont get buyers remorse over tail lights or audio.
@@spathotan currently in a similar situation debating between a GLI and a Civic Si (a nerfed Integra). It will probably be a 10th gen Civic Si because I have a hard time finding gears in the 11th gen and the shifter seems to get stuck a lot (maybe I just suck at shifting, but the shifters in the 10th gen si and the GLI feel much better and I didn't have any issues with them during test drives). I know this is 4 months late, but any suggestions, things to look out for, issues with the car, etc?
I'm not big into aftermarket stuff, I just want a reliable car that's fun to drive with decent performance (civic si is more than enough for me) that won't break the bank. Obviously, I want the most reliable car possible (Honda wins here), but should I be worried by the fact that VW had the 2nd most recalls of any car brand last year?
@@FinesseBTW If you dont plan on ever modding the car and you prefer manual over automatic, then get the SI. The SI is rather slow, but overall id say has a better interior (interior in the GLI is ~4 years old at this point) and looks more subdued on the outside.
I did end up buying the GLI about a month after that post, and its a very nice car and I dont regret my purchase at all. Its got enough power to handle all the common V6 trash like Camaros, Chargers, sometimes clapped G35/G37s, walks the ecoboost Mustang, and with a tune you'll be doing the same to a lot of their V8 daddys.
The GLI is an awesome car overall and extremely underrated. I think it's the only car in it's class with this kind of performance without looking like some immature boy racer POS.
What would you pick, this or the Si? GLI definitely has the edge on power, and while I haven't driven either, I would guess that the Si offers a more "connected/engaging" driving experience.
The si is almost 350lbs lighter so the power difference really doesn't matter that much
@@RandomlnternetGuy fair point for sure.
Si would definitely have a better driving feel stock for stock. I did aftermarket wheels, lowering springs, and summer tires on my GLI and it definitely made it feel more focused. Mine is DSG and acceleration blows the Si away since the car makes close to 40 more horsepower than advertised. Si would be more tossable though, it all just depends on what you’re after.
I test drove both before I just said screw it and got a Miata RF. The Si was a little more engaging but felt slower, GLI felt more composed at high speed, had slightly less road noise, and had cooled seats along with the heated that also comes on the Si.
That said I feel like most people would be happy with either. The only two things that would make me go one way or the other are the cooled seats (I live in Florida) and if I decided I wanted an automatic for my GF. Personally I think the GLI looks better but that's entirely subjective. The Si is going for slightly less in my area though so there's that. I think they're both the best bargains for fun dailies.
@@RandomlnternetGuy If you're after more power the GLI is quite a bit faster. The GLI is even more underrated than the si on the dyno. Also reflected in the 1/4 and trap speeds done.
I have a 14 GLI with the Fender audio system and it absolutely blows the Beats system out of the water. Test drove a new GLI because I was considering getting one, but the terrible audio quality from the beats was one of the biggest reasons I didn't get one. That plus dealers around me were doing a large markup on them.
I couldn't buy Jetta GLI coz in Canada Manual was not available and wait time was more than 8 months.... but I got 2023 Jetta Comfortline Manual Transmission... its quite fun car.... so smooth so stable even at 150...
Another amazing review from the Toph. Great breakdown.
I’ve gotten 40mpg on the highway in my DSG GLI, made me pretty happy.
How are you liking it so far? Looking into one for next year!
@@evaristocorripio5434 I like it a lot, it does everything I need it to including dad duty. It’s lowered on aftermarket wheels and handles better than stock but mine is the S so I don’t have the active suspension. I had it in the mountains a couple weeks ago with another GLI with the same mods and an Elantra N and we kept up with the N just fine.
@@SixGap nice! Im quite excited for it and I've never driven one since right now there are no demos en Mexico. And here it doesn't come with the adaptive suspension either so it would be the same. Although here it comes with a bigger 10in display with a different infotainment which is weird compared to the one in the US. But hopefully next year I would be able to get it.
Perfect interior 👍
I agree wholeheartedly, I really hate the tablet infotainment centers that are the trend. I’m leaning towards the VW more and more as daily driver over Honda Accord, my only concern is relatability issues.
VW or Accord longterm…🤔🤔🤔
The red detail on the console makes it beatiful
I love this car. I have three big problems though. (For the 2019 atleast). The autobahn trim does not have dcc while the 35th did... no rear seat vents.... the ammount if creaks in the doors and dash and sunroof and omfggg
I think automatic is the way with this car for a daily driver. Tall gears plus rev hang doesn't sound fun to drive in the city. I love the fact that they didnt remove all the buttons on this one, I'm considering it.
Honestly most cars I’d take an auto for city driving.
The rev hang is annoying on the 1-2 shift but not problematic above that in my experience, and it's manageable and can still be driven smoothly. I agree though, the DSG tranny would be an excellent choice here.
Rev hang can be tuned out most likely
@@Addison0526 I would think so. I've read that the entire reason it's there in the first place is emissions-related. Which seems to make sense because no engineer would design in rev hang for any other logical reason.
@@BrakRulesAll The problem is that in the city, you live in 1st and 2nd. However for long commutes and highway cruising or if you plan to track it, yeah manual is the way to go.
finally a video from you with the GLI. I've been waiting and all the other vids suck out there. I'm trying to pick between the 2022 GLI or 2022 GTI or a 2019-2020 Kia Stinger. All have their pros and cons and all have very little to no stock available. I've test drove them all and can't decide. Obviously the stinger is a bit more expensive but you cant find the GLI's or GTI's anywhere
I guess it depends, im not a hatch person so GLI is my choice easy, but then again the GTI is a little faster this year compared to the GLI. I just love the sedan look, and that the interior is not all touch sensitive buttons.
I guess it depends where you live, but they are out there. I chose to order mine from the factory since I wanted the pure gray w/ black package. There were only two in the state with that color and option. I waited a little over 2 months but it was well worth it.
@@trikilon98 I want the exact same spec, pure gray with black package, hopefully next year! Looks awesome
Mk 7.5 Golf R or Audi S3?
I wish he would have pushed the gli hard like he did in those mk8 gti vids
Thanks for an honest review.
They should make a gli sport wagon… I’d be all over it!
Just stumbled across this video. Mannnnn does this make me miss my 2014. Such a great little car.
That second gear is crazy. The MK8 GTI tops out around 58mph.
Good to know, I have a 2015 GTI and one thing I would change would be the tall gearing. But I imagine , the DSG gets shorter gearing with the extra gear.
@@bucknut2000 Yeah the dsg is def shorter so that means faster acceleration also.
That may be the case for the dct, but my manual mk8 hits 70+ in second gear.
My Audi a 3 hits 100kmh in 2nd gear and 200 in 4d gear but I lost my driver license for smokig Mary-J-Huana now my car is for 6months on the parking lot with rusty brake pads🤨😭
I like the taller gearing for daily driving personally
I just purchased the 2022 GLI DSG about 2 months ago. It replaced my MK6 GTI Autobahn and I have to say I never expected to love the sedan variant but they did a fantastic job with this model of GLI. Originally I was going to purchase the MK8 GTI but I was very disappointed with the infotainment and all touch-screen controls and after driving the GLI, it was an easy decision to make. I absolutely recommend this car to anyone comparing the MK8 GTI and MK7 GLI. Biggest downside I'd say is the lack of sound-proofing for road noise and the self-driving can be hit or miss with corners, especially longer or sharper corners as expected (as well as very annoying with its constant prompts to take over the wheel every 10 seconds even though I'm holding it while driving straight). Overall the GLI has impressed me, I can't wait to tune it after the warranty expires!
I’m considering getting one from a mk6 gti as well, how does the ride quality and road noise compare?
@@evancole2880 The ride quality and road noise are both much improved from the MK6 GTI. The GTI definitely handled better but that's due to the better tires and replacing the stock all-seasons on the GLI would probably fix that. Overall I'm still very happy with the GLI, there are things that could be improved upon like the tires, rear vents for AC, starter reliability (lots of issues with remote start or start/stop) and internal cabin rattle/noise. Most of which can be fixed with some TLC at home and aftermarket sound-deadeners.
Test drove a used one of these at CarMax 2 weeks back. As a result of no co-riding salesman, I got into a childish highway race with a Ferrari and won (he miscalculated and got stuck behind a U-Haul truck). GLI was up to the task.
BUT, two deal-breakers: (1) Rev-hang, and (2) ridiculously low center air vents which blasted my shifting hand with cold air the whole time. Hard to tell at this point whether that's been slightly rectified for the 2025 refresh (never mind the rev-hang). 2025 nose job is a major improvement, however.
The fake engine sound is better here than it was in my 2020 GLI. It actually sounds like a real engine. I had my Custom mode with the engine sound set to Normal as well, since the exhaust was Toyota-Corolla-quiet, but Sport was far too loud.
I liked the car a lot, but it was not as exciting as my former Mk7 GTI. As a daily, it's great. I wish VW would put better tires on these cars, too, since the OE Hankooks were not grippy at all. But I agree with Mr. Topher here that the car feels at home just cruising, which is nice for a commuter.
Honestly, the worst thing about this car for me was the interior rattles. I know some people don't care about this, but I can't stand rattles. I had several different types of rattles, and I tried to fix all of them, to no avail. There was one in the dash, just below the screen, one in the B-pillar area, and one in the passenger floor board area. The dealer couldn't figure any of the issues out, and I tried my best to diagnose them as well. I even went on VW forums. For a car that was under a year old, you'd think it wouldn't have rattles yet.
THE REAR SEATS HAVE VENTS JUST UNDER THE SEAT. SO AC IS THE SAME.
The Canadian version of this does get heated seats in the rear, but vents would be nice. We also get the black package as standard
I love the jetta
I wish you would have pushed the GLI like you did in your mk8 GTI videos... I feel like this car is a stealthy sleeper and when you really get on it, especially (in/out corners) this car comes alive in surprising ways, but you do really have to push it hard to experience it's magic. I also remember the 2019 Lighting Lap track race, the 2019 Mk7 GLI (Hankook summer tires and a professional driver) actually beat both the GTI and the GOLF R (those both on all seasons) which I thought was pretty surprising. Look up the video here on TH-cam .. the size (longer wheelbase than GTI) and the MQB chassis has the GLI feeling like a baby Audi S4
Man I agree with you about the looks. The mk6 gli is a pretty car
The sound doesn't get louder. It's synthetic from the stereo.
My 2008 GLI has rear climate vents and door lock buttons, why VW omits basic features is beyond me
it does have vents but they are hidden under the front seats .. but I know what you mean about it needing rear center vents like Golf R or Audi
I really considered this car especially as I've always driven VW but I decided to get a WRX instead. The WRX is just better at almost everything and the AWD sold me on it, as I live in Canada.
Love my 2020 GLI, but the major letdown are the all-season Hankook Kinergy tires that come from the factory. I see they are on the 2022 also. The car has so much potential but is severely let down by the tires.
Our '22 came with Bridgestone Turanzas, and they seem like a really decent all-season tire. Every other one I've seen in reviews has been the crummy Hankooks. Apparently the luck of the draw for us.
they are kinda lame but not horrible, they grip a lil better after getting them hot .. apparently you could have optioned the Hankook summer tires by dealer request (but they never tell people this) and those Hankook summer tires are supposed to be night and day compared to the all seasons .. car probably better suited/designed for summer rubber .. the GLI beat both golf R and GTI at 2019 Lightning Lap because of those Hankook summer tires, the golf and gti were on all seasons. Certainly an significant performance upgrade by changing the stock tires to summer ones
It's been my experience to note that, unlike Hyundai, VW fine tunes their cars. And it's for that, and other reasons, why I won't buy another Hyundai for the foreseeable future. Kudos VW!
You acn turn off traction and esc with obd eleven. Pretty much anything electronic you dont like you can change
I was in the position to either get a GLI autobahn or a GTI autobahn. I am so glad I went with the GTI.
trunk space is why I always got a Jetta Sadly VW opted to discontinue exports to South Africa (i.e. right hand steering) So I guess my current Jetta will be my last
Great review. I like this car. Does anyone else feel like this is shaped ALLOT like the new Civic SI? Did Honda copy homework?🤔😆
@@cameronmander710 That’s exactly what he just said.
What a beautiful car! Shame we don't have this model over here in Europe.
The Jetta/GLI have had the cheaper looking interior versus the Golf/Golf GTI for quite some time now, but I'd argue the difference is much less these days...and not because the Jetta has taken a step up, but rather the MK8 has taken a step down. As someone who had a 2016 GTI until recently (now have a 2021 Mazda 3 turbo hatch, no regrets other than no manual) I was sooo disappointed when I first sat in a MK8 GTI. I knew then I would likely never own another VW product unless I get a used MK7/7.5 GTI..or this GLI tbh. I seriously prefer the GLI interior to the MK8 GTI even though it does have the better seats..and performance...but not enough to make up for awful haptic feedback sliders that arent even backlit ffs! Even the plastics dont feel as good in the MK8 and are no longer deep black, but rather dark charcoal like most other cars with "black" interiors. At least the GLI is reasonably priced for what it is, and a few mods will get the performance to stock GTI levels if not beyond.
Own the 2022 GLI. I’ve driven the same year golf R and the Vw iD4 both with ‘newer’ and ‘fancier’ interior. Honestly there is almost nothing I prefer in the newer interiors and would take the GLI over both. Even being the cheapest version.
Cross shopping a lot of cars... And I keep coming back to the same conclusion. Kia Forte GT, best bang for your buck.
Did you get the forte?
Would this be a good car for lyft?
That would be a good sleeper in an NPC paint color, Also I can't stop thinking that this looks like a twin siblings of Honda Civic 11th gen
Or the new civic is trying to look like the mk7 GLI since the GLI came out in 2019 .. I can see why Honda bit it's style, they both look dope!
I do believe the performance of the gti and gli are perfectly equall. The difference is feel. A longer wheel base is much more stable and slower to react making it feel less fun. However it actruallly corners just as hard and has a huge too end advantage. At high speeds its way more aerodynamic and stable allowing a higher top speed and safer top speed
How is the seating position and comfort? I took one for a test ride and it seemed to bother my back but I'm not sure it was definitely the car
the infotainment screen when i clicked on the video 😭😭😭
Would you have this or the Civic Si?
Take this over a 23 sonata n line?
Man, I miss the old vws that were fun to drive
What year era is fun to drive? the 90's or the 2000's?
@@bantuatha Everything up to the early 90s'
this was the jetta i was trying to get my dad to get but he got the seL pack its such a nice riding car and when I drove it i was rev matching with the stick shit
MANUAL CARS ARE THE BEST !!!!
Best car ever! 🔥
If this is more daily focused than sport then how does it compare to an accord sport 2.0 10AT? You seemed more excited about that car when you drove it
I've owned quite a few VW's / Audi's and went to look at the 22's. I could not believe how incredibly CHEAP the interiors are made now especially at the price point. What ticked me off the most was when I got my 16' R brand new, the first time I went to the car wash and noticed that the back door panels didn't remotely have the same quality as the front panels in the car.. In the front it was beautiful, but the entire back of the interior was cheap. I could expect that at a sub-30k car but not at 45k..
So moral of the story... Don't buy VW?
holy crap that door open chime is awful
I swear VW designed that front end in such a way that the GLI doesn’t encroach on an Audi A3 or S3. It’s the only explanation why it looks just a little off and ungainly. Every time I see it, I see a missed opportunity at a handsome sedan.
Makes me miss my GTI I just traded in
Can anyone tell me what color this is?
This is a great car but it’s now MSRP at over $32K. Add in today’s dealer markup and you’re likely close to $40K all in.
I think switching from Fender Audio to Beats Audio is a shame. My 2017 GTI had fender audio and it was so amazing. Nice and loud and didn't distort at loud volumes. Instrument separation was amazing. Beats audio just doesn't compare.
rev hang, gearing is way tall. pedal placement isnt ideal for rev matching. And when you do manage to blip the throttle, theres a delay before the revs actually go up. Basically, all the things that make it a driver's car are bad.
That’s the VW Jetta I will go for
Does the dash just vibrate in sport mode or all modes? A lot of owners say the dash rattle is from the soundaktor, but it only vibrates enough to cause a rattle in sport mode.
I'm guessing you yelled something at that truck that cut you off at time 8:32, which is why it blacked out for a second. 😆
I really wish VW could have put the digital cluster in the mk7.5 in the autobahn. I probably would have gotten one intead of a mk8 if not
crashed one months ago. damn i miss that car.
does it come with remote start ?
How is the ride and noise on this vs. the Elantra N? I don't see the two compared as much.
Would you take it over the parallel mazda3?
I wonder if it’s different cause I have the Canadian model but I noticed you didn’t mention heated seats in the back, my car has that too
I really wish VW fix the rev hang issue in pretty much all their cars specifically manuals. Thats one major reason for me to get something else
VW rev hang is nowhere near as bad as the Civic's, and is really only noticeable when shifting during hard acceleration.
Will you try getting your hands on the 2022 arteon?
eww the rev hang
Topher I love you
can you make a mt playlist?
I enjoy watching your channel
Its a car, gets cool pretty quick in the back with "just" front vents
Lovely
I wish they would put the tuning from the R and awd in the Jetta
Then it would be an a4 😭 that’s why they won’t do that
Can you test the DSG version please?
My first car was an 87 GLI which I loved excellent car gas mileage and fun to drive I bought a few more over the years my last being a 2007 FAHRENHEIT edition excellent car inside and out superb seats but after that the next redesign the quality inside took a huge nose dive and never bought another one since I also agree this design is not appealing and the inside is horrible very suprising for VW just like the cheap looking Atlas dash. Judging by the 2024 Atlas things look to be improving so hopefully the 24- 25 redesign for this car is much better !
is 32 thousand dollars very cheap in us ??
anyone can afford ?
Not really, but based on the average new car price here, it's "cheap"...no one really has 32k to outright buy but banks will finance so you can be in debt for years!
Driving with the AC on are we?
Elantra N manual review?
hard disagree on the EA888. it still has the same oil burning issues it has had since 2010.
Is that a Omega?
How do you rev-match? Do you clutch in first then shift and give gas after that or shift at the same time when giving gas? Sorry for asking here. I have been trying to do it different older cars and mostly putting it first into gear works if throttle response is good. Some cars works while giving gas while neutral stick position into lower gear.
You want to blip the throttle as you’re releasing the clutch for the next gear .
I swear it looks like a skoda more than a volkswaggen
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Hmmm this and the Mazda 3 Turbo run close, Id take the Mazda with AWD and Bose methinks👌
wait for crv review
Lol no vents at the back in 2022. These companies are getting way too comfortable man.
Beautiful 🥰
There are zero rattles on my 2019 GLI even after 40k miles. This one must of been put together crappy
14:55 is a PRIME example of the issue with too much tech in cars. You straight up forgot to turn off your right signal because you were too busy navigating through touch menus. For all these efforts for people to be safer on the road, manufactures sure love to make people focus less on actually driving.
Can i buy VW jetta gti
Not a bad car, interior is nice, exterior is a little bloated and round for my liking. Personally i'd rather get an Si, for less money you'd get a much lighter car (almost 400lb), higher reliability and just as engaging of a drive.
AND 10000% slower LOL
@@glistud8178 your not biased at all. Not even a little bit lol
@@RandomlnternetGuy I don’t need to be bias to speak the truth. It out preforms the SI like there is no tomorrow. It out handled it and beat its record on lightning lap which is Honda bias. It has the better premium build. Better chassis etc
Where I'm at the si cost more and doesn't even come with some standard features heated seats, spare tire/jack, wireless charge etc...