Volkswagen Golf GTI MkV – a review

A few days ago, I your fearless raving mad… Ed! car tester decided to go check out the new MkV GTI to see what the fuss is all about.

First off I spent a bit of time talking to the sales driod (Michael at Solitaire in Medindie, SA) who seemed to know his stuff about the car to learn what and how the dealers are selling this car. I didn?t pay all that much attention.

The seats are nice, and purdy (tartan) and the leather is just yummy to sit on but not designed for wide loads like myself. The steering wheel is very nice to look at, and the gear lever is swoit. The glove box is crappy, almost an afterthought and the quality of plastics is well, a step backward compared to the MkIV to be perfectly honest.

Enough of the chit chat – we took out a black manual to begin with, just a leisurely drive through North Adelaide and back to the dealer – the car is quiet, smooth and powerful when used/needed, surprisingly so even. It does not seem to generate much head turning. Next up was a Silver DSG, same route, very similar behaviour to the manual, but how quickly does the DSG change gears? ? bloody quick that?s how quick and talk about smooth ? a babies bum would be jealous!

Back at the dealer I ummed and aaaaed and thought about what has just transpired, and came to the conclusion that what I had just experienced was just not enough, and requested a drive up Gorge Road to see if this car is what I am looking for in a GTI and even in a car. So I sign the bit of paper, let them photocopy my licence and am handed the keys to the Silver DSG (w/ leather and sun roof).

So I wander down to Robin’s place (he has a MkII GTI ’88 Campaign UK spec/import) and picked him up for the ride – he gets in the car and immediately comments about how much like a diesel it sounds (smart arse) and we proceed up to Gorge Road.

Acceleration of the DSG is just phenomenal mind blowingly even its just bloody good?. Handling is sharp and the suspension/chassis is sweet. Then we get to the beginning of the twisties – there are cars, lots of slow cars filled with cardigan wearing grandpa?s, but the GTI just blows past them like they are not there and time on the wrong side of the road is minimised. The chassis is just plain awesome at following these curves and there is very VERY little (nay bugger all) understeer which is quite surprising. Once we get to cuddly creek we cut across to North East Road and back down to the stealer via Paracombe Road.

Once we get back to the stealer the dissection begins.

Pros: Handling is swoit, suspension is magical, acceleration/torque is just phenomenal! Its nice but…. that leads to the …
Cons: Its too easy – its lowest common denominator of a car – the exhaust is too quiet, and the engine sounds asthmatic at high revs just unsmooth but not raw enough. This car is not the kiddie eating, arm gnawing mean machine that we expect from the likes of the MkI and MkII GTI’s. This is a big friendly if somewhat dopey dog that likes strangers to death rather than a savage Guard dog that would tear all and sundry to bits to protect its master. Its not an engaging or challenging drive. Also for as good as the steering wheel looks its just plain not comfortable, its pointy/pokey sharp on the bits I like to hold (to keep the paddles close at hand) and just not nice, VW have done better steering wheels in the past and this is a step backwards.

I must say I was personally let down by the reality that is the MkV GTI, I mean its beyond most cars on the road today bang for buck, and but as a drivers car is just seems that something is lacking, unfinished, not quite there yet. Close but no banana ? and as a chunky monkey I *want* the banana!

I wanted to love this car to bits, I wanted to sell my first born to have one but in the end, i felt numb, washed out like meeting someone famous only to discover that they are the worlds biggest wanker in real life (well not quite that bad, but you know what I mean.).

The only solace that I take from my trip today is that all is not lost with the GTI, give is 10-15kW more, stick on a haldex module beefen up the exhaust, work the steering to make it seem more connected to the road, more raw and you have yourself one AWESOME car! And the DSG – I don?t care what anyone says – its a BLOODY good box, its just plain awesome – I tried all modes – trippy tronic (only change gears by paddles or +/-), Sport (keeps it at 3K minimum in each gear) and Dopey (normal) and all are adequate for driving around in, but trippy tronic and paddles was the best fun, even though S would probably have kept the car happier all on its lonesome.

Poor Robin didn’t get a change to have a go, but hey, he wasn?t a jibbering wreck post this drive, and I am not the worlds best driver (as much as I wish I was) this car drives you.

All said and done now – my mum would love this car for all the reasons I don?t – lots of power, piss easy to drive nice and insulated from the rest of the world flying by.

M