Seen this on the Autocar website,
http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/Fir ... TI/255165/
Post your thoughts
Personally feel its a little harsh!
Autocar First Drive of the POLO GTI in UK
Re: Autocar First Drive of the POLO GTI in UK
The comments about the DSG box - or rather the lack of a manual version - are probably warranted. Some potential GTi buyers will simply not want an automatic however good it is.
Here's a youtube video comparing the Golf R DSG v manual - and the DSG wins every time. For straight line acceleration the DSG in impossible to beat with a manual. I have the 7-speed DSG box on my Polo 1.4 16v and after 13 months and 18,000kms, I am still unsure if I really like it. My previous two cars were automatic 4-speed Golfs - so I have some experience with automatics and frankly would never buy a manual again.
The problem with the DSG is complicated:
Firstly, and for me this is the biggest problem, in the D position it holds on to higher gears too long, while in S it is too extreme the other way and is usually in too low a gear and just burns fuel.
Then there is the occasional "jump" as the DSG is caught out. It thought the next gear would be higher, but stamping on the gas means it actually should be lower and there is a split -second hesitation, then the box and car jump as the lower gear is thrown in.
Presumably the more powerful GTi engine will exaggerate this second problem...
Here's a youtube video comparing the Golf R DSG v manual - and the DSG wins every time. For straight line acceleration the DSG in impossible to beat with a manual. I have the 7-speed DSG box on my Polo 1.4 16v and after 13 months and 18,000kms, I am still unsure if I really like it. My previous two cars were automatic 4-speed Golfs - so I have some experience with automatics and frankly would never buy a manual again.
The problem with the DSG is complicated:
Firstly, and for me this is the biggest problem, in the D position it holds on to higher gears too long, while in S it is too extreme the other way and is usually in too low a gear and just burns fuel.
Then there is the occasional "jump" as the DSG is caught out. It thought the next gear would be higher, but stamping on the gas means it actually should be lower and there is a split -second hesitation, then the box and car jump as the lower gear is thrown in.
Presumably the more powerful GTi engine will exaggerate this second problem...
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Edi30
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Re: Autocar First Drive of the POLO GTI in UK
Firstly I always take any car report in a mag with a pinch of salt. I have never purchased a car on the strength of a mags recommendation. I have had Golf GTI's for the last 17 years from Mk2 to current Mk6. The motoring press have rated or slated individual Mk's and I can understand some of the reasons but at the end of the day all of them have been great or Fantastic with great reliability a good drive with minimal depreciation and therefore great all round. The Polo GTI is very much in the same mould and to be honest I don't care what mags say, GTI's will always be the original and best.
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bennyboy
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- Drives: old 6r GTI , now 6c GTI
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Re: Autocar First Drive of the POLO GTI in UK
i second that .Edi30 wrote:Firstly I always take any car report in a mag with a pinch of salt. I have never purchased a car on the strength of a mags recommendation. I have had Golf GTI's for the last 17 years from Mk2 to current Mk6. The motoring press have rated or slated individual Mk's and I can understand some of the reasons but at the end of the day all of them have been great or Fantastic with great reliability a good drive with minimal depreciation and therefore great all round. The Polo GTI is very much in the same mould and to be honest I don't care what mags say, GTI's will always be the original and best.
its just 1 or 2 peoples review which will be read by load of people and you carnt please all the people all the time . there is always something bigger better faster out there for your money but for me once i got a vw im finding hard to leave . yes the polo gti isnt perfect in every way for me but at the minute its dam close .
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Edi30
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Re: Autocar First Drive of the POLO GTI in UK
I like this vid it shows what DSG can do for the car. I have been lucky enough to drive both manual and DSG Golf R's and I would say that the DSG equipped car is faster in all driving situations.
Going back to your comments I have never experienced anything but perfect changes in the DSG box in any of my DSG equipped cars ever. I am on my 3rd DSG equipped car (Golf GTI Edition 30, Golf GTI MK6 and now Polo GTI) and find this the single most impressive and technical leap forward for the car in years. I would never go back to a manual if DSG was an option.
I am very used to DSG now and found it was good to learn a new skill as part of driving. When I drive manuals now they just seam very agricultural in comparison and I just don't subscribe to the opinion that it takes away driving pleasure because when you are pressing on having the ability to change gear quickly at your finger tips at any time allows you to focus even more on the steering and throttle to get the perfect line with out having to take your hands off the wheel. I tend to drive in manual all the time and only drive in Auto mode when in heavy traffic.
On another point DSG is not an auto it is a manual with two clutches with electro mechanical control which is very different to a true auto with a torque converter. I had a Passat 20v Turbo sport about 5 years ago with tip tronic which I liked but it was no substitute for a manual or DSG as a sports gearbox.
Going back to your comments I have never experienced anything but perfect changes in the DSG box in any of my DSG equipped cars ever. I am on my 3rd DSG equipped car (Golf GTI Edition 30, Golf GTI MK6 and now Polo GTI) and find this the single most impressive and technical leap forward for the car in years. I would never go back to a manual if DSG was an option.
I am very used to DSG now and found it was good to learn a new skill as part of driving. When I drive manuals now they just seam very agricultural in comparison and I just don't subscribe to the opinion that it takes away driving pleasure because when you are pressing on having the ability to change gear quickly at your finger tips at any time allows you to focus even more on the steering and throttle to get the perfect line with out having to take your hands off the wheel. I tend to drive in manual all the time and only drive in Auto mode when in heavy traffic.
On another point DSG is not an auto it is a manual with two clutches with electro mechanical control which is very different to a true auto with a torque converter. I had a Passat 20v Turbo sport about 5 years ago with tip tronic which I liked but it was no substitute for a manual or DSG as a sports gearbox.