2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI Consumer Reviews
Most Helpful Reviews
Positive Review
I have the 4 door SE DSG with the lighting package. I have had the car for only a month (this is why I did not rate reliability as I can not speak to that in such a short time period) but, so far I love it. There were three main reasons I bought the GTI 1) Sporty, fast, fun, spirited driving and great handing. 2) Practical - The hatch is great for all my work gear. 3)Premium upscale feeling interior. My number one concern was how the car drives. I wanted a car with a good amount of power but was still a comfortable ride. The GTI does this wonderfully. Every time I punch the gas I get a big goofy grin on my face. Its like a little rocket ship! The cabin is just a nice place to be. The fit and finish is very nice. Soft leather a large sunroof chunky steering wheel - I like it much better than my husbands Acura! Things I do not like: 1) Premium gas 2) Small screen - for now Europe gets the big one. 3) No usb only MMI 4) Can not pick features a la carte - they mostly come in packages Luckily none of those were deal breakers, I am ok with the screen size I only saw it as a problem when I saw what Europe got! I mostly use bluetooth so the connection thing is not a big deal but seriously VW you can get a USB port in almost the cheapest of cars. What are they waiting for? The if I could have one thing it would be to pick all of my options, I really wanted cloth seats with a sunroof and dual climate control but you can not get all of those options together! When it came down to it the other car I was considering was the Kia Forte 5 SX it is loaded with features like a heated and cooled seat , heated steering wheel, large sunroof, leather et. ect for thousands less. - but the GTI just drove so much better. I don't know if that would be the case for most casual car buyers they would probably go for features at a cheaper price but not me. If I have any issues with the car as time passes I will update this review.
VS
Critical Review
Let me start off by saying that this latest generation GTI is great to look at, fun to drive, and has a premium interior. Those qualities sold me on the car, however in the short few months since I've had it it's been nothing but a pain service wise. At 1000 miles I had a fog light module burn out and it took 2 trips to service before it was fixed and at 3000 miles we had a heavy rainstorm where I am and I noticed while driving on the highway that water was leaking in through the door seals. VW noticed when I brought it in for fixing that my headlights were fogging up inside as well but there was nothing they could do to fix it because it was considered 'normal'. They then spent an hour testing my car for leaks and came back saying that the water in my car got there from the door opening and closing and not from any product failure so they couldn't fix that either. It's funny because I was the only one driving and there was water on the passenger side as well. Their claims are as sound as their vehicles. I maintain that this GTI is a blast to drive, but I bought this as a primary car and when VW won't even stand behind their product and I get treated poorly in service, well, that's how you lose a customer for life. I hope I can save someone from going through the same headaches I have.
2020 Golf GTI Reviews
Showing 8 of 65 reviews.
maneuverability and economy!
visibility thru the rear windows could be better
Purchased in January 2018, my 2017 GTI was the last year where android auto connectivity over BT was standard fare without grabbing the more premium versions! This car has been thru a lot, but continues to provide a very pleasant and exciting mode of transportation! I have the 6spd manual transmission version; I added a dash cam recently, and even added LED headlamps!
Performance
Maintenance
Had a 2016 GTI that I wrecked after falling asleep at the wheel. Wanted to keep the GTI because I really fell liberty love with it. The 2018 is a facelift and mechanically the same as the MK7. The one thing I love about the changes is the lights and the interior info display, because the lights are way brighter and the infotainment screen is larger. I’ve made basic mods to it including an APR tune and a race line intake with the turbo muffler delete and a rear sway bar and I’m so happy and plan on keeping this car till it won’t run anymore (maybe 200,000 miles?) when this car dies I’m going to look for another manual transmission car because that’s the best way to have a daily driver
Agile, build quality, versatile, economical.
Controls take some getting used to.
My first GTI (SE) and it makes me smile every time I get behind the wheel. Really wanted a manual transmission and choices are limited. Does everything well; nice looking, capacious, comfy, agile, corners well, solid build quality, and just plain fun to drive. Acceleration is decent, and I pulled 41mpg on a recent trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco without trying too hard. Love the iconic plaid interior and golf ball shifter, tech touches like wireless phone charging, puddle lights, and Car Play. I can fit adults in the back seat without complaint, and have had no problems with the haptic controls that other users complain about. It could be quicker, and clutch could be a bit stiffer. But overall, it's been money well spent 7 months into my purchase.
Fun to drive.
None
Car is everything expected and more. Under the radar sportiness and excellent fuel economy. Solidly built. Heavy doors. Creature comforts. Ton of interior space. Accommodates 4 adults comfortably plus huge room behind for anything. You already know if you're reading this far. Not for sale.
Excellent seats, high quality interior, storage
Electrical problems, intake valve carbon deposits
I've had a 2007 Jetta and a 2012 Golf, so when my daughter needed a car in 2020 I gave her my '12 and bought a new GTI. What a great car it's been. I have a second set of wheels/tires for winter in Michigan, and it's great in snow and ice. After 17,000 miles I still love to drive it and I've had just a couple of minor problems: 1) console storage door jammed and I fixed it with help from youtube, and 2) driver's door electrical threw a code and dealership replaced it under warranty. It's probably too complex for true high-mileage durability (dual variable valve timing, direct injection, etc) but still worth it for anyone who loves cars but needs a practical daily driver!
Very fun to drive. Whips in and out of traffic quickly. Hidden backup camera that will never get dirty. Very safe and reliable. Looks great when driving. Easy to tune and modify. Great handling around corners. Functional inside. Nice comfortable, heated leather seats. Can be a little sluggish since the computer is running the transmission. Has dual clutch DSG transmission.
I am 47 years old and went on to buy my first GTI. My only regret is that I didn’t buy one earlier.
styling, saftey, reliability, gas mileage.
performance, turbo lag, complicated infotainment.
This is for a 2022 Golf GTI Autobahn review. I'll start by saying I am not a pro car reviewer or paid to review the car. I purchased this car on Dec 24, 2021. Depending on your expectation, you could be very happy or somewhat disappointed with this MK8 generation car from VW. The Good: Nice overall design, a bit longer than prior MK7 generation, car is reliable, packed with nice features, plenty of leg room. You can fit 4 adults somewhat comfortably, although the back seats are not designed for those 5.9 plus. For passenger in front seat, plenty of room. The ride is comfortable, nice safety features (e.g. lane departure warning, proximity warning). Good gas mileage. Automatic transmission is very responsive, car hugs the road, in all honesty overall the car is fun to drive but with conditions. The bad: If you are expecting strong acceleration from a car with 241 HP and 273 ft/lb turbo powered 4 CYL engines, I'd say you will need to adjust your expectation. There is a noticeable turbo lag. The car simply lacks power for its class. You will need to floor the gas pedal for some 2 seconds before the engine comes fully responsive. The Information/Entertainment system is like dealing with a mini tablet. Way too many menus, sub-menus. It is a learning curve for sure. For some reason or another VW engineers elected to over design this interface, for whatever reason. Personally I think simpler and less complicated is much better for a sporty hatchback. Is the car worth $40K price tag? Not based on what I have seen so far. If VW Golf is your thing and want better performance, then wait for the 2022 Golf R or consider other Honda Type R or the Volester.
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