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The
Volkswagen GTI 1.8 Turbo Road Test
What a differences
a decades makes. Volkswagen’s GTI was the scourge of the hot economy-compact
crowd just ten years ago and set the tone for young drivers who loved the pep
and panache it provided. That was then this is now. Honda has just introduced a
new Civic Si, Subaru’s WRX
has become legendary, the Mitsubishi has stolen the youth market, the
MINI S
continues to dominate
handling contests, and even Mazda has entered the fray with a dynamic modified 3
model that is nearly as fast and costs many thousands less. The bottom line is
that the GTI has grown fat and old as it pushes nearly 3000 pounds around on a
dated chassis that relies heavily on the turbocharged 1.8 engine to overcome any
deficiencies.
In this category
nearly all of the cars are priced in the same range, and although the Volkswagen
has a bit more cargo room than some, they are within inches of each other in all
other people oriented dimensions. So where does the soon to be replaced GTI
stand? Well it dwells in the hearts of those who love its past glory, visual
allure, abundant standard equipment, eager to play engine, and enjoy circling
the dealerships awaiting end of the run sales.
Mom’s view:
The turbo engine is the same 1.8-liter with 20 values that propel a variety of
Audi and Volkswagen products. It is peppy, thanks to 173 ft.lbs of torque at a
very low 1950 rpms, but this forceful thrust also make daily commuting a chore
with the six speed transmission as you had better be in the right gear to keep
the turbo on boost when passing or making a lane change in traffic. If you let
yourself be lulled to sleep by the quietness of fifth gear, there aren’t enough
cubic inches to enable you to scoot around obstacles without a downshift. So be
warned, this is a driver’s car. Also note that these abrupt downshifts can also
promote a notable amount of torque steer that is amplified when you are driving
on rutted lanes.
You can tell that
Volkswagen is not having the banner years they once had as its customer service
ratings have plummeted and now this once all conquering marque rests below
average in consumer satisfaction surveys. It is also easy to notice the lack of
improvements inside. For example the seats are comfortable, but they still have
the outmoded combination of knobs and levers to adjust them. The seatbelt cuts
into your neck, and if you are wearing a necklace and a scoop-neck blouse, it is
a source of constant irritation. The interior buttons and gauges and switches
feel less robust than they should.
The fine shifting five-speed overdrive manual transmission is very good, but for
someone who does not have long arms getting it into high gear requires you to
actually lean forward in the seat. The Internet has many sites dedicated to VWs
and complaints about rattles and service are not unusual. On the other hand, the
engine and transmission are seldom mentioned with anything but glowing comments
and we recorded 25 mpg on premium whenever we decided to blend into the traffic
rather than lead the pack.
The ride is quite
sturdy, but when cornering on a roughened surface, it becomes stiff legged and
hops more than I would like in a turbocharged car with front wheel drive. In
other words, it can throw off your line and when the bump transmits it
unpleasantness through the sporty chassis and cause you to apply a little too
much pressure on the accelerator. The result is sloppy handling at best and
encourage torque steer. In other words, this would be a good car for a smooth
racetrack, but if you plan on driving it aggressively in town you better have a
tender touch and live in a city with a good street maintenance program.
There is no
question that the GTI is a fun car to drive and the rear hatch opens to provide
enough room to carry six to eight grocery bags. The backseats are really just
leather appointed jump seats although there is more foot room than it appears.
Your vision is good to the sides and also to the back, if the rear head rests is
removed. Also of note are the gauges, which at night are bathed in a soothing
blue and pink glow making them fairly easy to read. The heater takes a while to
come online and the position of the armrests are such that you can’t shift into
some gears comfortable with it down. Annoyingly-placed cupholders that prevent
the use of the center armrest when anything more than standard 12 ounce
containers are onboard, and closely placed pedals that make using the clutch
with any type of raised heel dress shoe make this model needing some female
design input.
Safety wise the
GTI has four-wheel antilock disc brakes, traction control, side and head curtain
airbags, and an optional and highly recommended stability control system. Crash
test scores have been very good which is reassuring while driving a smaller car.
If this Teutonic
hatchback appeals to you this would be an exceptionally good time to buy, as a
new model is ready to emerge. It certainly has a temperament and a style that is
distinct, and having a nephew in the tuner business who works on such models
there is a lot of untapped reserve under the hood.
Dad’s view:
In a straight line this is a hoot to drive. With standard features such as power
windows, mirrors, door locks, head curtain airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, a
full-size spare, height-adjustable sport seats, an eight-speaker CD stereo, a
tilt and telescoping steering wheel, keyless entry with alarm, and cruise
control. The problem is that the Acura RSX Type-S,
Mini Cooper S, and the Honda Si are just as fun
and a bit more updated. Despite this the VW is a much more aggressive car to
drive on the highway and can stay with the competition’s newbies with ease until
a corner comes calling. At that point it is just a tad to soft in stock form to
give you the 1G lateral pressure so enjoyable for those so depraved. Most
drivers are never going to know the difference between this in the competition
with a salesperson onboard anyway so trust us that this is a good, but not a
great car for corner clippers.
VW has two GTI
models, the 1.8T we tested, and the more expensive VR6. Of the two, the 1.8 is
much more enjoyable and lighter on its feet. The five speed manual transmission
has one of the better shift mechanisms and only a soft clutch that seems
reluctant at times to give up its grip on the clutch disc takes any fun out of
driving. Overall, this Volkswagen reminds me of riding a recently broken, young
horse. It is fast, sometimes unpredictable, and exciting, but sometimes you just
let it stay in the barn because you rather just ride Old Nellie and relax.
Young businesswoman’s view: Too youthful for my tastes, nevertheless the
GTI is attractive in its way and offers a very convenient hatchback that is easy
to open. However, the rear handle is located above the back bumper and is
seemingly always dirty. The 60/40-split rear seat is comfortable, and the front
passenger seat flips forward making it possible for adults to enter without any
indignity. There is some legroom back there, but any ride over 30 minutes is
painful for those over 40. I really liked the cargo capacity of the GTI. Even
with the rear seats up there was still 18 cubic feet of room and with them down
you have 42 cubic feet.
Basically, this is
Golf with a more sporty-tuned independent suspension. As such, it is a
compromise between the host vehicle’s soft ride and the stiff struts that have
been added. What that means is that it is a compromise that the potential owners
must find satisfactory or it can wear thin after a while over unkept roads. When
you have four adults onboard you can pretty much feel the suspension bottoming
out on most any notable rut. The brakes are quite good for the 3000-pound weight
of this Volkswagen, and I never tired of the torque that made it easy to shift
from first to third to fifth without having to bother with the rest of the
gears.
If you are at a
stop you should be aware that there is a trick to a smooth take-off and that is
to make sure you are not above 1500 rpm and not below 1000. Above that mark and
the turbo provides too much power and below that it lugs. The clutch suffers
from a slightly elastic feeling that didn't clearly communicate where the
engagement point was which adds to the cautionary note above. I also did not
like the seating position that only had a limited number of rake adjustments and
none of them fit me. I would welcome power seats. The warranty is four years,
50,000 miles which is quite reassuring, and roadside assistance.
College going
male’s view: This is more of a luxury-hatch than a hot hatchback and the sad
part about it is that it was designed for my demographic group and I can’t find
anything I can’t find somewhere else for less money. Consumer Reports and others
have noted its worse than average repair record which makes it even of less
interest. The stereo has above average reception, but is only middling in tone
with the small graphic dials unremarkably ineffective for creating that deep
pitch enjoyed by many of my friends. I really liked the looks of the rims and it
does attract a fair amount of attention. So where do I stand? Well, I would wait
for the new model for three reasons. First, I think the engine needs a little
more size so it can relax more while cruising. Secondly, the interior is too
bland and although there is adequate space to squirrel away odds and ends in the
center console, two-tiered glove compartment, and door pockets, it is too
difficult for me to multi-task such as plug in a radar detector, hold my cup of
caffeine, and store the garage door opener while trying to find reverse.
Thirdly, I can get more room, the same engine, more attention, and multi-task in
the similarly turbo engined Beatle for the nearly the same money and better
resale. Of course, I give up cornering ability, but I can live with that
trade-off.
Family
conference: There is so much competition for the sports compact niche that
Volkswagen created with the GTI that it is difficult to recommend it without
having spent time in such cars as the Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Tiburon,
MINI, Sentra, Chrysler Neon,
Ford Focus and the Honda Integra. Anyway you look at it, deciding which car to
buy in this group is going to be an enjoyable treat. Meanwhile we hope that
Volkswagen puts more Fahrvergnugen into new model.
Written by The
Car Family |
