Golf R -v- Golf GTI

[AdamD]

I was gonna take a swipe at this, but I'll just have 10 miserable bastards pull out their soapboxes and tell me I'm a hoon.

Don't worry dave-, no-one would accuse you of not utilising your AWD to the full.

And just to take an alternate tack here: I'm not going to insinuate you're a hoon - far from it. I'm a GTI driver who's enjoyed XDS countless times already, and don't consider myself a hoon. I'm using my car to its full potential, and I don't feel that I need AWD. I enjoy the challenge of limited traction - it keeps things interesting!

Let me.. Some people are just silly tbh. Like a Prius driven erratically isnt dangerous?

<SNIP>

You want to put stickers on your Prius? Awesome. Just dont expect an owner with a better car than you, to have to listen to your dribble about how their cheap, less capable car, is as good or more justified than yours.

I don't believe anyone was insinuating any such thing. Seriously, I know the thread is titled Golf R -v- Golf GTI and all, but the original comment was that the majority of R owners won't use their car to the potential that demands AWD. To be honest, I agree with that statement. It's not all about justifying a purchase or convincing oneself he (or she) has a better car!

It's a fact that plenty of less enthusiastic drivers will also buy Golf Rs (and GTIs, and Ferraris for that matter), and the closest they'll get to experiencing the car's performance potential is a quick floor of the throttle away from the lights. Sad but true.

And as for AWD being demanded - with the exception of treacherous wet conditions or gravel roads, I'd suggest it's not essential. But there are times when it's really really fun to have!

[AdamD]

All true but it also means the following

mod·u·late
<snip>
Which is in context

Thanks for clarifying that SilvrFoxX and coreying!

[Corey_R]

On this Golf R owners won't utilise their cars in a way which demands AWD, I'll throw in my opinion... I disagree.

In my opinion, when talking about cornering, neither GTI or R owners can fully utilise their cars on the roads whilst obeying the law. So the argument in that situation in GTI vs R is moot.

So if you're not cornering, you're going straight. In the traffic lights GP, if you engage "launch control" you are then fully utilising the potential of the R and its AWD system. An R owner will out run a GTI owner (DSG vs DSG here... no point discussing the randomness of manuals). Going up to Stage 1 or 2 even further separates the GTI and R and puts more emphasis on the R's AWD system in the traffic lights GP. Thus, in this most common form of on-the-roads-richard-measuring-contests, there is great benefit to owning the R.

[dave_r]

So if the only selling point over the GTI for the R is the AWD system then i don't see the point in laying down extra cash to upgrade.

You've made it very clear from lots of other posts that you don't see the value in an R but I'm not going to try to convince you given there are already 500 posts in this thread discussing it. Not everyone is interested in a soccer-mum-mobile.

[AdamD]

On this Golf R owners won't utilise their cars in a way which demands AWD, I'll throw in my opinion... I disagree.

<SNIP>

In the traffic lights GP, if you engage "launch control" you are then fully utilising the potential of the R and its AWD system. An R owner will out run a GTI owner (DSG vs DSG here... no point discussing the randomness of manuals).

True, good point - hadn't thought of the traffic light GP. That R traction will demolish FWD wheelspin every time.

[Mr_Bob]

I can say that if would need to significantly change my driving habits if my current car was 2wd.
and i do this whilst being within 10% of the speed limit....I just don't slow down much for corners, and i can hit the power again on the apex.

There's also a nice stretch of twisty mountain road not too far away too.
4wd allows a good entry speed, and earlier throttle application on exit.

Granted the XDS keeps the GTi on rails, however it's reducing power to maintain traction via application of the brakes.
I could feel it pulling me tighter into corners when i took a GTi for a test drive, and I wasn't driving any harder than i normally would.

[Happs]

Although there are performance differences between 2WD, RWD, AWD, 4WD etc, we could argue till we're red in the face about the merrits of each and the practicality of each when used within legal limits etc...

However, I think there are BIG reasons to look at the AWD version that is not performance related that hasn't really been spoken about, and that is SAFETY!

I like spirited driving (that's the legal term for enthusiastic driving on the road), but one of the main considerations in going for the R over the GTi for me was the fact that when in an emergency situation (not related to speeding etc), you will have more control.

On wet roads even under normal driving conditions (and unintentionally), we've all experienced loss of traction, sometimes dangerous, sometimes not as we've had to swerve or brake. But the point at which an AWD system will loose traction is after when a 2WD/RWD does - It's just a fact.

The other thing is braking. The R has bigger and better brakes and a lower center of gravity. Under emergency braking conditions, the R would pull up faster and shorter than a GTi in all driving conditions.

These safety items can't be overlooked when making the comparison. Better safety is always a good thing and could save your life even when not braking the law! (which no one here does anyway!).

(PS: I was tossing up between the Golf GTi, Golf R, Skoda Octavia and the Skoda Superb - considering all things, the AWD variances of these cars was appealing to me (even at a premium option price) because of the safety/control).

[SilvrFoxX]

I dont want to get into one is better than the other but I can say that driving the GTI and the R the comfort and assurance that comes from the AWD regardless of how it is being applied is fantastic. If you enjoy a sprirted and exciting drive then the GTI will do it for you.. but I kind of like the idea that whatever the driving conditions the car behaves the same at all times

[WhiteJames]

Golf R -v- Golf GTI

DCC -v- DCC

19" Wheels -v- 18" Wheels

AWD -v- XDS

Neighbour -v- Neighbour

***

We took out a Golf R and Golf GTI - both fitted with DCC - for a short back to back blast south of Sydney, around tight twisting hilly roadways.

The results of our drives are intriguing - ... stay tuned ....

See pics here in page 14 - post 289:


WHITE JAMES: Suspension & Wheel Reviews - Page 14 - VW GTI Forum / VW Rabbit Forum / VW R32 Forum / VW Golf Forum - Golfmkv.com

Cheers
WJ

[team_v]

Although there are performance differences between 2WD, RWD, AWD, 4WD etc, we could argue till we're red in the face about the merrits of each and the practicality of each when used within legal limits etc...

However, I think there are BIG reasons to look at the AWD version that is not performance related that hasn't really been spoken about, and that is SAFETY!

I like spirited driving (that's the legal term for enthusiastic driving on the road), but one of the main considerations in going for the R over the GTi for me was the fact that when in an emergency situation (not related to speeding etc), you will have more control.

On wet roads even under normal driving conditions (and unintentionally), we've all experienced loss of traction, sometimes dangerous, sometimes not as we've had to swerve or brake. But the point at which an AWD system will loose traction is after when a 2WD/RWD does - It's just a fact.

The other thing is braking. The R has bigger and better brakes and a lower center of gravity. Under emergency braking conditions, the R would pull up faster and shorter than a GTi in all driving conditions.

These safety items can't be overlooked when making the comparison. Better safety is always a good thing and could save your life even when not braking the law! (which no one here does anyway!).

(PS: I was tossing up between the Golf GTi, Golf R, Skoda Octavia and the Skoda Superb - considering all things, the AWD variances of these cars was appealing to me (even at a premium option price) because of the safety/control).

the problem is that people have the missconception that their AWDD system means they can push the car so much furhter and get in to trouble.
If you get in trouble in a FWD car you can regain control by releaseing the throttle, if you lose it in an AWD car you are essentially stuffed.

While the R has bigger brakes, it also weighs more due to the 4Mo system so it will take longer to slow down.
I believe they did a braking test at the tuner shootout and both cars were very similar.


I enjoy the safety of my AWD system but i haven't ever pushed it to the limit.
It was more to give me the ability to soft-road when i tkae it on holiday trips.