Golf R -v- Golf GTI

[SilvrFoxX]

WJ,

That was a great read.. thoroughly enjoyed it... seeing both units put through their respective paces at their limits..

well done

[Pepe]

And yes... I'm buying an R.

+1 and that doesn't need 3000 words to justify (especially after a few beers tonight)

[brad]

AWD and 4WD are the same thing

Not really. I know my wife is allowed to get a Forester as a company car now because it was classified (by her Fleet Manager I believe) as a 4WD but has now been reclassified as AWD.

Generally AWD is considerred to be predominately driving the front wheels with power transferring to the rears as required (which Subaru doesn't do with Symetrical AWD), whereas 4WD is like "offroad stuff"

[Corey_R]

No seriously... they're the same thing. Lookup wiki and research etc.

AWD was a "marketing term" to differentiate cars with 4WD from "big off road truck like things" with 4WD.

You mentioned Subaru's discrepency with AWD terminology. Then there is the fact that both Subaru and Audi championed their 'AWD' with "offroad stuff" like WRC.

Places like Wiki make the distinction that 4WD is for "part time" systems where the user can select and that AWD is for "full time" 4WD systems which are usable on dry pavement where the part time 4WD system may not be suitable. Yet we all know that whilst we cannot pick the settings for the Golf it is part time (front biased), and you can pick settings with many Subarus but they're AWD.

Then there is the matter that systems from the same car manufacturer can be called AWD or 4WD regardless of their tech, Haldex and other branded traction hydraulic clutches, or a permanent-operating 4WD system with a Torsen diffs, or other types of differentials. Then even with the same tech, they can be referred to different things by different brands within the same umbrella.

So the only conclusion you can really draw is that AWD and 4WD are the same thing. What matters if the underlying technology not the first letter of the TLA.

[dave_r]

Blah to that. If anyone asks me what my car is, I'm not saying 4WD or AWD. I'm gonna say its Haldex! Should catch on with the kids like all the cool stuff in Fast and Furious did hehe.

Oh and anyone that thinks AWD is a security blanket is on crack. It's awesome until it lets go and when it does......it really does. Was piss funny watching many a muppet in the early days thinking they were invincible in their WRX's.

[Pepe]

I was under the impression the R could send 100% to the back wheels in certain circumstances, wouldn't that make it 4WD under that definition? Haldex FTW

[Happs]

AWD and 4WD are the same thing

By spelling out AWD and 4WD, the difference I was implying is that AWD splits power as and when needed (I.e. not constant 4WD) - 4WD or constant AWD is constant and permanent all the time 4 wheel power split.

I know manufacturer's change the abbreviations all the time and most of it is marketing spin, but there are constant permanent AWD or 4WD, and traditional AWD systems (torque splits) - which are different!

http://www.carsales.com.au/advice/20...d-and-awd-7530

[Happs]

If the tyres and everything else are equal, a 2WD car will stop quicker as it has less weight.

But my comparison (and this thread) is comparing the GTi to the R. The brakes on the R are bigger and most reviews have said the R has an obvious stopping power that exceeds the GTi (even with the weight difference).

Of course take any identical cars, with identical brake packages, and the lighter of the 2 wins.

On a dry racetrack, the RWD versions of cars available in both AWD and RWD are always quicker. Porsches, Lambos at the Nurburgring etc. This is why the "ultimate versions" of cars are often RWD, even if it makes them absolutely terrifying for the "average" driver to deal with.

Of course, but as many have said, who is seriously buying one over the other based on racetrack performance! 99% will never see a racetrack or go anywhere near the limits of either car.

What I said was, driving legally on normal Aus roads and a normal (read average) Aus driver; the AWD system will 'engage & save' a driver who would otherwise have lost control. I would think (and it's obviously just an opinion), your average ham-fisted driver who doesn't know an apex from their 'you-know-what', would loose traction with a FWD/RWD car before they do an AWD car, and therefore I still think that equates to 'safer' for the average driver.

And yes... I'm buying an R. AWD will get me off the line quicker at the traffic lights... so sue me

ABSOLUTELY!!! And as a few others have said, some bought it just in case they got the GTi and had that little nagging feeling that they should have sprung that little bit more for the more performance oriented car (in theory anyway).

All are perfectly valid reasons, not just the raw performance comparison - and all things I'm taking into account too

[Happs]

REMATCH:


Golf R –v- Golf GTI

Absolutely brilliant write-up! Thank you for taking the time to do the drive and to write up the comparison - certainly a LOT of food for thought.

So here's a basic question - the way your every day driver will use these cars (work commutes, occasional enthusiastic drive but probably nowhere near either car's limit), which car feels quicker?

Obviously statistically speaking there's an actual difference, but real world scenario, are they actually closely matched for acceleration performance and just good 'ol put a smile on your face fun?

[triode12]

Absolutely brilliant write-up! Thank you for taking the time to do the drive and to write up the comparison - certainly a LOT of food for thought.

So here's a basic question - the way your every day driver will use these cars (work commutes, occasional enthusiastic drive but probably nowhere near either car's limit), which car feels quicker?

Obviously statistically speaking there's an actual difference, but real world scenario, are they actually closely matched for acceleration performance and just good 'ol put a smile on your face fun?

IMO, the R feels quicker and more fun to drive having tested them back to back several times.

Your best bet would be to drive both cars and make up your mind because there will not be consensus about which one is more fun to drive on this forum. Biases playing a big part in the opinions offered. (I don't own a MkVI R or GTI btw)