2012 Volkswagen GTI Consumer Reviews
Most Helpful Reviews
Positive Review
If you are in the market for a fun car that can serve as a daily driver and great utility, then this is the car for you. On the freeway it is fantastic, it has the horsepower to get you into a tight fit and do it in a hurry but that is nothing compared to what it can do in the twisty bits, it can corner on rails and has plenty of torque to accelerate through the apex with very little turbo lag. BTW, the max torque shows up at just 1750 RPMs! The seats are great, holds you in place nicely and are very comfortable on long trips. I have the bi-xenon lights that light up the sky! I got as many options as I could up to but not including the leather seats, the plaid is just, well, GTI what else can be said. I also have the six speed manual gearbox, would not have it any other way, it is butter smooth and allows me much more control of the car. I cannot speak highly enough about the GTI, it is for the money, a phenom! The fit and finish is miles above the competition. I looked at the Mazda Speed 3 and the Ford Focus STI, both have some things that are better, but overall, neither comes close to the GTI. If you are considering a new purchase, don't walk, run and get yourself into one of these, you will not have any regrets!
VS
Critical Review
Reliability is substandard. First water pump replaced before 11000 miles. Second and third water pump replaced in late Nov.14. Never again VW! Should have bought a Toyota or Honda. All this before 20900 miles.
2012 GTI Reviews
Showing 8 of 105 reviews.
200+ horse power. fun to drive with stick shift
50000 miles need new gasket
good quality, fast, fun to drive good milage reliable good quality, fast, fun to drive good milage reliable good quality, fast, fun to drive good milage reliable
Great storage space, fun to drive, well built
Higher running costs
The GTI is a great all round car. The after market support for this vehicle is great. Running costs are a little high due to it being a German car, but as long as you keep up with scheduled maintenance, it is a very reliable car. The vehicle is quick enough and handles great with direct steering. It is also comfortable for daily use and has a great amount of cargo space for a small car. Overall, this is a perfect daily.
This is for sure the fastest car I've ever driven and it handles beautifully!! It's sleek, stylish and everything I've wanted in a car. Plus it's a manual transmission!!! Those are hard to come by these days.
Fun to drive, quality interior, stylish
AC takes a while to kick in
This is my 2nd GTI and my next car will also be a GTI. The main reason is that it is so much fun to drive. The handling is amazing and it's fast. The braking is also top notch. I have never been in a car accident and I think that's partially because of how nimble this car is and the exceptional braking. I have had cars blow stop signs but was able to avoid them due to the GTI's responsiveness. Another thing that sets this car apart is the quality of the interior. It is solid. Most other cars in this price range have a lot of cheap plastic parts, but the GTI is top notch and I absolutely love the tartan seats. This car is so much fun to drive, while also being practical. It is a smooth ride and can easily fit 4 adults. I find that a lot of other sporty cars have a rough ride, which doesn't make them practical for every-day use. As far as reliability goes, I think it's good. I got 170K miles out of my 2007 GTI. Things start to go once you get over 100K miles, but nothing that shouldn't be expected. I had a 2007 GTI (my fav), now have the 2013, and am looking forward to the MK8! Fun! Fun! Fun!
Not bad, quick, fun to drive. German cars are hard to work on yourself altogether, but other than that I highly recommend it.
All Pluses
No Negatives
I switched from fancy to fun. I’ve owned them all, even a McLaren, and this car is still my favorite. As a former test pilot, this car reminds me of single seaters that feel like an extension of the pilot.
Bought a new 2013 2 door base model GTI. I can get 30mpg on the highway easily. In town about 23mpg, less in sport mode. I have done all of the factory recommended maintenance. Plus one carbon cleaning at 60k, along with a cracked manifold. Otherwise, normal maintenance, tires, battery, etc. I think a Honda or Toyota are less expensive to maintain so in that regard would be a better value, but the GTI is a little beast to drive. A well maintained one anyways. And there is value in that. : )
Makes the driver smile
NA
Fun to drive, space that is flexible, efficient, reliable!
