Getting More Luxurious

Getting More Luxurious

I have taken up a new job that requires me to drive 60 miles round trip in Chicago and burb's traffic-infested motorways. Take into account the nasty winters we have, and I'm not so sure my highly modified 2000 Nissan Sentra SE would fair.

The Sentra SE was a very limited 2-year production model that had the last SR20DE engine - an overbuilt iron block 2.0 liter, which could take a beating in pounds-per-square-inch. It was turbo charged to create a maximum of 250 hp to the wheels. It will be hard to find a factory-stock replacement car for it.

A few cars were in the running. I rounded up a few in the same price range, but not all exactly in the same playing field. The Mazda Mazdaspeed3, VW GTI, Honda Civic Si, and the Mini Cooper. The last that was counted out very quickly were leftover 2007 stock of Subaru's WRXes. Since it is now December 2007, there were no 2007 models of any cars from any of the manufacturers.

The 2008 Volkswagen MkV GTI
Volkswagen seems to be all about luxury for the mass. Since the last Volkswagen my brother bought, a 2004 GTI 1.8T (MkIV) was such an enjoyable one, I decided to take a look at what the current MkV GTI offered.

Styling
It seems that the newest generation of Volkswagen cars have taken a lot from the Bug's DNA - round and cute. The GTI and GLI seem to have also infused some rabid genes as well. The front fascia seem to have a bit of a menacing look, but such a cute face. Much like a rabid poodle, I guess - especially if you get it in white.

It's actually refreshing to see a much more rounded design compared to the hard-square look of the previous generation. However, some actually prefer the look of the MkIV than the new MkV. I am on the fence on that one.

The stock rotary-dial wheels seem to drive home the "cute" look, but seems out of place for a nameplate that is suppose to screen "performance". It better suited on it's lesser brother, the Rabbit.

The black grill is accented with a red line that gives it a bit of a menacing look, which I like. The black color extends below the grill as well, which accentuates the red no matter what color GTI you buy. Of course, it's not complete without a "GTI" adorned on the grill itself. Nothing says "you're special" like special badging on the grill. I mean, look at the GT-R, right?

The rear seems plain, but it was designed this way. VW went as far as hiding the rear lift handle. They camouflaged it as the VW logo, for goodness sake! The tail lights are uninspiring, however, but doesn't detract from the rear looks too much. The bumper seem to be one with the car, which gives it a more aerodynamic look.

Overall,, the car looks like a typical hot hatch with VW's new signature nose.

Interior
The funny thing about the interior is that even though it has been changed, sitting inside feels oddly at home if you have driven in the previous GTI. The seat felt exactly the same. The controls as well.

Although I wouldn't say controls are logically placed (especially if you are used to American and Japanese cars), they would me familiar to you if you have driven a VW previously.

The plaid cloth may not do it for most people, but for the enthusiast who remembers the original, this is a nostalgic touch. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people. It's not very distracting, however, and I wouldn't mind having it.

Seems like the old packages of 2004 isn't the same in 2008. There are no other packages other than the "Autobahn Package" which includes sport seats with partial leather seating surfaces, heatable front seats and washer nozzles, power sunroof, and their "premium audio system" that includes an amplifier.

The standard audio is actually very impressive. The list of features made me do a double-take and asked this questions several times: "Are you sure this is a standard feature?". First of all, a Sirius tuner is included, as well as a 6-CD changer that plays MP3 and WMA discs! That is a lot of music you can bring with you that's stored inside of the head unit instead of lying inside of the glove box! Also new is the automatic volume control which raises the volume when road noise is louder during highway driving. Thankfully, the audio controls are just as easy to understand as the previous generation. To that note, it's actually easier to understand than most solutions found in Japanese and Domestic cars.

The sound was very good with both FM and CD. It doesn't sound as muffled as my brother's previous gen GTI (the premium Monsoon audio), but instead, have a brighter treble, which made the music sound more natural.

In all, the standard audio solution in the 2008 GTI is the most impressive out of the 3 vehicles I'm looking at.

Also impressive for a base configuration is the Drivers Information Center, which includes info such as fuel efficiency and distance you can travel depending on the fuel level. This rectangle red display between the tach and speedo is chock full of info including the time, outside temperature, and a compass.

A nice touch is the heat vents for the rear passengers. This allows for even and quicker heating and cooling to both areas of the car.

The Drive
In test driving the VW GTI, one question came to mind: does it handle better than the previous GTI? In short: yes!

With the old GTI and stock tires, the car seems to plow forward in turns at the limits of adhesion. The only way to correct this (without expensive suspension modifications) was to adjust the tire pressure. We stiffened up the fronts to 42 psi while the rears were at 37 psi. During an autocross, it was apparent that having a large difference in tire pressures is indicative of how the car handles itself naturally. In the slalom, I find myself having to let go of the gas much more coming out of a maneuver so that I can get on the gas to transfer more weight to the back for the next turn. This can be very tricky when too much speed is not what you want.

With the new GTI, front plow is still there, but much less prevalent. It is much more predictable than the previous generation. Fast switch-back maneuvers shouldn't provide a huge problem as long as the driver remains calm and remember to leave a bit of weight in the rear (small amount of acceleration). They'd have to remember to slow down in between manuvers to remain a constant speed.

I rarely comment on the steering wheel, but the new GTI's wheel is hard not to notice! It is thick and race inspired. It is a very substantial wheel and have bulges in the 10 and 2 o'clock position, while 6 o'clock is flatten to allow for easy entrance. Overall, it gives the steering better feel.

Steering performance itself (steering wheel not-withstanding) communicates more than the older GTI. However, that is not saying much. It still feels numb compared to the MS3 or the Civic Si (or even my current 2000 Sentra SE). But it seems to be a traditional VW feel, as feeling road harshness is not very luxurious.

The shifter is improved from the previous generation. While the older GTI had truck-like long throws, the new MkV GTI is shorter. It still feels longer than most import cars in the same category, but it's a step in the right direction. The ball shifter is less "ball-like" now, and feels a bit more solid than the previous generation. It still feels like cheap plastic, though, which is a disappointment as the rest of the car looks and feel more substantial. And like the previous generation, it doesn't not require any effort to change gears. The clutch is also just as easy to manipulate as the shifter. The friction point seems to be about the same as the old GTI.

Straight-line acceleration feel improved significantly. Unlike the old 1.8T, the new 2.0 turbo generate much more torque down low. At 2000 RPM, I was able to stop on the gas in 3rd gear and feel the engine pull. With the 1.8T, it required higher revs before it felt like the engine was willing to do any work. It felt more like the VR6, which is a good thing. The new 2.0T engine seem to effectively negate the need of 2 different engines in the GTI nameplate. No longer do you need to choose between a turbo 4 or a torquey 6.

Just like the old GTI, it feels that there is a lot of sound deadening materials involved. The interior is eerily quite compared to most cars. This may have contribute to the hefty 3100 lbs weight compared to most other hot hatches of it's size.

Overall, the new GTI feels much more substantial than the previous GTI. With better engine response and shifter feel, the new GTI feels less numb and more willing than it's previous self.

Conclusion
With a base price of nearly $24,000, it is the highest priced in my round up. There is no sunroof or seat warmers in the price. I would miss those seat warmers, since my brother have them in his old GTI. Seat warmers are a $225 "Winter Package", while the sunroof is available as a $1000 option.

The GTI is still in the running, but the lack of a LSD (limited slip differential) puts a small ding in the entire package when comparing to the others. There are many times where I found it difficult to park my brother's GTI in the garage when there was significant amount of snow on the ground.

The Mazdaspeed3 Sport (263 hp at around $23,000) seems to be much more of a direct factory replacement for my 250 whp Sentra, while remaining all of the factory warranty. The GTi is much more luxurious for daily driving, but is not as competitive in the autocross, and have a higher base price to boot. The next runner, the Honda Civic Si, seem to have a better performance-based package (LSD included) as well as a nicer standard 7-speaker stereo system that includes a subwoofer. However, the interior is not as nice as the GTI or the MS3.

If a nice comfortable daily-driver vehicle with a good-sized boot is your priority, then look no further than the GTI. In this price range, there really isn't anything better. However, if you long for something more performance-oriented, there are 2 other cars you may want to take a look at that may be cheaper.