I have a Golf GT 2.0TDI – not the GTD – and I love it.
The GTD will be better specced and pretty nippy I would imagine – 184bhp IIRC.
Yes there are plenty about but so what? They’re great cars. I guess ultimately it’s what you’re comparing it with ie previous cars etc. I’ve not been lucky enough to try lots of ‘better’/faster/more expensive cars – my car is plenty good enough for what I need and contemplated the GTD when I got mine – just those bloody seats put me right off!
Sat in newer A3 and didn’t like it at all.
If a Golf is ‘dull’ the Volvo is hardly a masterpiece in aesthetics is it 🙄

The Volvo is streets ahead in design and aesthetics. Easily the classiest looking, I mean even Volvo trucks look nice.

Audis are getting a bit nouveau riche. And they ruined the Golf after the last square-ish one.

This is of course just my opinion. I would rather get a van and spend the rest on something important like carbon rims and a Fray Bentos Steak & Kidney pie.

dragon – Member
How a car built by a Chinese owned company and based on Ford platform can be called cool is beyond me.

Yeah in comparison that mqb platform is achingly cool. 8)

I literally cannot wait to see what they do with it next.

I guess the Golf GTE isn’t on your list of options? I’ve got one of those on order as a company car, and it’s going to work out loads cheaper than the GTD on tax and fuel – although my usage profile is different than yours. It was also loads cheaper to lease and much better specced than the equivalent Audi – as well as having a much more neutral image. The Volvo wasn’t an option for me as I wanted a plug-in, and theirs is stoopidly expensive. I think they’re stylish, but not as refined in my previous experience.

The Volvo is a Ford (IIRC) and the other two are VAG.

So the Volvo will drive better, be more refined, more reliable and less of an image problem. It may use a little more fuel.

You chose.

Most of the Golfs/Octavias/Leons have a rather budget torsion beam rear suspension which has been damned by faint praise by reviewers.

Every Ford Focus since launch has had a multi point rear suspension.

So the Volvo will drive better, be more refined, more reliable and less of an image problem. It may use a little more fuel.

Haha!

Most of the Golfs/Octavias/Leons have a rather budget torsion beam rear suspension which has been damned by faint praise by reviewers.
Every Ford Focus since launch has had a multi point rear suspension.

But surely no idiot would choose a focus over a Golf…

Isn’t it only the entry level Golf S that has the torsion beam rear suspension anyway?

GTD has Multi Link rear suspension and strut front. Also a clever diff which independently brakes any wheel to pull it into a corner.

Isn’t it only the entry level Golf S that has the torsion beam rear suspension anyway?

Certainly that was the case on the Mark VI.

dragon – Member

How a car built by a Chinese owned company and based on Ford platform can be called cool is beyond me.

I’d imagine that a good portion of the Indian owned JLR still has a good proportion of Ford in it’s genome. Still cool cars.

Most of the Golfs/Octavias/Leons have a rather budget torsion beam rear suspension which has been damned by faint praise by reviewers.

In the MK7 it is the lower power output ones that have the old rear axle. Everything above 120 BHP has multilink on the rear.

I have a Mk 7 golf GT 1.4 tsi, I have the say it’s one of the best cars I have ever owned.
All the toys on it, and not the eye watering insurance of the GTi.
I like body styling over the MK6 which VW only ran for a few years.
A petrol engine easily which gives over 50+ mpg, I only do around 7000 mile a year in it so diesel not worth it.

Lol at those suggesting a car based on a ford platform is a problem. They have produced the best chassis across the mainstream cars for over 15 years.

Also lol at all the fawning over the golf. Mid range cars that they try to charge premium prices for now simply because of threads like this. They are very competent in all areas but very little else.

Do people not think the dash on the Focus is a vulgar thing to look at though? It’s the one thing stopping me from having one. Just seems too low in the car and has those huge vents.

Can’t say it really bothered me on my old one. At least it looks like someone has tried to design something a bit different, unlike the dull golf.

We tested the golf when my fiancée changed her mini but she ruled it out quickly simply because it was so dull.

@chest VW can change a certain price because like many of the posters here customers know it’s a superior product. That’s why it’s such a strong seller.

Superior to what?

VW cars won’t even allow you to do left foot braking.

Glad I’m not the only one that gets annoyed by this, luckily it’s not quick enough to react to heel/toe.

Surely the Golf and Audi are that similar that you can simply pick whichever you like the look of more… just don’t get a white one.

Audi is the premium VW and IMO it shows in fit and finish. VW very good, Audi better.

Odd as I find Focus dashboards very dull they do a good hot hatch with RS and ST but other than that they’re a bit boring. Nicer to look at then they use to be on the outside but still built by Fisher Price on the inside.

Having had A3s, A4s and Mondeos in our house (currently S-Maxed) the only place where Audi are ahead of Ford (never mind Volvo) was fuel consumption.

The Mondeo was just a nicer place to be than the Audis, drove better and broke down less (2 Mondeos against 4 Audis). Admittedly the Volvo in question is a Focus.

I just wouldn’t touch VAG cars that are living off a reputation from 30 years ago that just isn’t borne out today.

However I’m sure that many people will deny my experience.

Edit: the S-Max is a nice but small van

I will. The MIL has a Focus its really not a nice car to drive and has had numerous faults. To be fair fixed under warranty which is good but compared to the VAGs I’ve owned where the only fault was a fuel sensor of around 8 cars now I can’t complain. Oh and the MIL focus before her current one has faults too.

In reality though it’s all ultimately down to preference.

Well in 6 VAG cars (TT, A4, Passat, Golf, A6, Golf), I can say I’ve had one wheel bearing, one suspension spring (TT, pothole) and one LED brakelight. Thats in 300k of driving, and not easy either. Losts of B roads and towing. Other consumables have been tyres, brakes and the odd bulb.
I reckon that’s OK, next car will be a GTD, I expect more of the same.

VAG cars are no more or less reliable than the majority of others.

Before I decide whichbis best for you. What colour are they?

Golf, would say v40 but find them tiny inside as quite tall

VAG cars are no more or less reliable than the majority of others.

I’d probably say that’s fair.

yep. Cars are certainly better than they were!

Totally unscientific comments ahead.

A3’s seem to be driven by a certain type of err, driver……

I recently had a (new) Passat estate for a week / 1200 miles and liked it’s unassuming nature and build quality. That said, our car is a 10 year old Mazda so read into that what you will.

I’d look at the Volvo first purely because it’s not a VAG.

🙄

To be fair, I liked the Mk1 Golf but not since then.

Audi faults in about 6 years included a new engine management system, a new casting that fitted on the drivetrain somewhere, an engine that cut out every time you idled in the first five minutes after startup (all related I think), new wheel bearings (before one would except), replacement air con parts (compressor and control system I think), boot seal and a thirst for oil that meant Audi actually gave you a spare bottle and carrier to keep it in.

Mondeo faults in 4.5 years – none.

Currently we have a 3-series BMW (4 fault free years), an S-Max (indicator stalk issue that I sorted by wobbling the stalk to and fro in the right turn position 2 years) and a fourteen year old MX-5 that did need a piece of roof seal replacing user warranty (it was a little creased and at a service the dealer reckoned it was causing wind noise – I hadn’t noticed as I rarely drove with roof up). To be fair the MX-5 has developed an unhealthy taste for batteries as it spends too much time in the garage and even with a trickle charger…

We tend to put a premium on a test drive down back roads when choosing a car – I think I’ll be returning from the S-Max to a Mondeo in the not too distant future – the S-Max is good for a people carrier, but…

VAGs are ok round town, and the Leon and Octavias aren’t too bad out of town, but they just don’t touch the Mondeo, 3-series or MX-5 out of town.

Or the Mini Cooper I had – now that was a silly grin car out of town.

On motorways, choose the car with the least wind / tyre noise.

SMax indicator issue – take switch apart and clean, they have loads of grease that smears all over and causes a problem. A rub clean and small bit of grease = no wiggling when turning right…

Indeed – however having given it a really good wiggle the problem is sorted and hasn’t come back.

Actually get what you want.

Just not a Scirocco where they forgot to leave room for the boot hinges and had to put a couple of dents in the bodywork to fit them.

Actually get what you want.

Just not a Scirocco where they forgot to leave room for the boot hinges and had to put a couple of dents in the bodywork to fit them.

And yet, I’ve been able to somehow overlook this during my last 3 years of trouble free motoring. 🙄

I admit, the back end of the Scirocco has never been it’s best angle. But they’re nice cars to drive, can do fun and comfort equally well. DSG box is great fun on B roads in sport mode. It’s making choosing a replacement for it pretty difficult TBH.

Now if only they did the Scirocco R in 4-motion…….

Exactly!

Vorlich – not a looks thing. Lack of proper planning and attention to detail is more what I dislike about those hinges. It is one of the nicer looking VAGs in all honesty.

Maybe I’ve just spent to long behind them waiting for a gap to overtake. 😉