2011 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

Buy me, regardless of your age.

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 4

a great sporty little car

Timeless car...

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Breathtaking... Now in all my years of owning cars this car replaces my all time favorite car my old 2003 Infiniti 4 door sedan. Taking this beauty from the lot for almost over a week I have yet to head to a gas station to fill up this bad boy. Gas mileage is amazing!!! Not as amazing as a Prius but I think they are being modest. It's a German car obviously and vw seems to be titled the poor mans Chanel, and that's okay why? Well besides not having a 500 payment for a BMW or Mercedes this car is far more eye catching than anything currently on the market. The other competitors well... They just are either too feminine or rugged for my taste in style. Timeless is what I named her.

2 years and still fun

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I live in the NE and use my 2011 VW GTI, DSGwSunroof as a commuter, after 2 years. I continue to enjoy driving with no breakdowns, rattles, or any problems. Mileage is up to 16000 and I recently drove a 750mi one way road trip and this car was fine, but of course small. Everything still applies from my 1 year review. I read in depth about the Bluetooth problem and there is no solution. When using the system and go to make a call with the voice, the volume is simply too loud, I've tried all different adjustments. I have had the experience to use other BT systems and overall the VW system is the best. Only wear after 2 years is the side bolster. Customer service at the dealer has been good.

Exactly What I Expected and Thought I Wanted.

Performance: 4 Comfort: 2 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

I feel this car has delivered exactly what was promised based on reputation and car magazine reviews. It is fun to drive, especially with the sweet shifting manual and quickly spooling engine, the ergonomics are exactly aligned to how I think, and the hatchback practicality is obviously a big plus. I have had absolutely zero reliability issues over 16,000 miles and 13 months and have not experienced any poor customer service when I have been to the dealership. After a over a year though, I cannot stand the leather seats as they are not perforated and are always disgustingly hot, and the exterior styling looks cheap from some angles.

Fun and sensible

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Coming from Acura, I don't miss a bit of luxury. Actually the GTI makes much more sense. It's extremely well-built with a logical and spartan/germanic layout. Navigation and ipod integration work smoothly and fast. The leather seats are very comfy and supportive while the interior is much more spacious than you think. I left the powertrain last. It's a blast to drive the GTI. Whether commuting or playing, it just brings a smile. I had a VW in 2003, so I was afraid of VW's reliability... But GTI has come a long way. It's not as reliable as my 2009 TSX but it's quite close. Actually you wouldn't want GTI to become Japanese... you definitely want it to stay German: a toy and a commuter.

1 year with the GTI

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I live in the NE and use my 2011 VW GTI, DSGwSunroof as a daily commuter and recently drove a 250 road trip with it. Overall it's been a very likeable car. Appearance is still very new with just over 8000 miles on it. I notice some slight wear in the left hand side bolster on the drivers seat from entering/exiting. No squeaks or rattles or any other hickups in my year of driving. The interior is in great shape and I have become accustomed to all the controls. I don't care for the round knobs on the sunroof control and climate controls, more on that later. Also a feature I'm not fond of is the tiny rear-view mirror. I especially like the bluetooth, very easy to use. Back seat access is fair.

Great, fun, reliable car

Performance: 3 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

I traded a Nissan Titan for this about a year ago when gas prices began to rise. I was worried about not having a large, practical vehicle with plenty of storage. I can say, with a bike rack installed, I haven't had any issues with space or being able to haul stuff home from Target or Lowe's. There is lots of room with the rear seats folded down. I live in NC so no experience with snow yet. The car is fun to drive (especially around town), gets very good gas mileage even with premium gas, the DSG transmission is great, and the interior is at least one price point above the GTI. I have almost 10,000 miles on it, drive it pretty hard, and haven't had one quality/reliability issue.

Not so good after 5 Months

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 1 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 1

Well I blame myself for not doing my homework, but reliability has been less than poor. Three times in the shop for Oil Separator, Water Pump and Oil Pressure Sensor. Like many state VW Customer Service is terrible. When its not in the shop its a great car. Handles well, fuel consumption is also a big plus. I don't tend to keep cars long but this may be a record even for me, may be gone for the first oil change.

Not so excellent after 14 months.

Performance: 3 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 2 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

This is an update after owning GTI for 14 months. The car has a bad wind noise, which VW can not fix due to it's design. Low-profile tires provide terrible ride and are easily destroyed over regular road imperfections. No potholes, replaced 2 already. Highway mileage is very mediocre due to the low ratio 6th. gear, which results in a constant high RPM. Interior panels rattle. Turbo lag is severe if A/C compressor is on. Engine consumes oil (1 qt. every 5000 miles). VW customer service is left to be desired. Headlights are alwauys dirty due to lack of the headlight wahers. Navigation screen is extremely small and very hard to see. Navigation system features are extremely limited.

Steal

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Traded in BMW X5 4.8is 2005 and feel this is better in every meaningful way. Similar room and straight line performance with much better interior (I like cloth seats!) and much nicer handling. Interior is tighter and better thought out than my recently traded in 2009 M3 and comparable to my new 1 M coupe! Autostick a concession to being the "3rd car"/wagon so my wife can drive it, but it is really fun in its own way. I look at the many lame cars out there that people pay more than 25K for and shake my head. The excuse I guess is that VW only recently started taking build quality seriously.

Fun GTI

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I changed from a Mini Clubman S to the GTI. The mini was fun but got tired of the torque steer. The GTI is a great balance of handling and speed. As a person who prefers a stick to an auto the DSG transmission in this car is excellent, as I use all 3 modes, the manual mode being the best for spirited driving. The interior is exremely welcoming and comfortable. I am always disappointed when I arrive at my destination. I look forward to many miles of happy motoring, and hope not to many tickets.

Two cars one month and now water?

Performance: 5 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 1

I got my car in May and after 300 miles the engine had to be replaced due to a hole in the upper oil pan (isn't that the crank case?). Fast forward a month of hell and I ended up getting another new car. Shortly after getting my second car it I had water issues and a funky smell slowly developed. It wasn't till I took it in that I ascertained it was due to water leak in a body seam. It spent two weeks in the shop at the dealer before being fixed. Mean while in both warranty situations I've driven a crapy toyta camry. Can you say numb? If this is average reliability I want out NOW. I'd gladly have paid the premium and eaten the gas mileage difference for a subaru wrx at this point

Excellent choice

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

The GTI isn't all that fast but handles well, gets great mpg, and is practical and comfortable. It's very easy to live with on an every day basis. The interior is nearly ideal, the blue tooth works flawlessly and the navigation system is easy to use. The standard stereo sounds great and the I-pod integration works fine. There is good torque available at low rpms and the shifter and clutch are very smooth and easy to use. Another 50 horsepower would be ideal. My 4-door has been solid and rattle free for the first several thousand miles, and the second set of doors is very practical. The 4 door also provides power seat back angle adjustment rather than the dreaded lower knob.

Best car I ever owned

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I am one of those types of people that buy a new car every year. To name a few of my favorites I owned, Honda Prelude, Suburu STI, Jeep Wrangler, Honda Accord. My 2011 GTI is by far my favorite. The look, the feel, the performance..I could go on for days. If you are thinking about getting one, take it for a test drive and you will not regret it.

AWESOME!!!!!!! (as expected)

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Absolutely the best engineered, designed and built vehicle ever!!

Don't pass up the GTI!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I was a bit skeptical about purchasing a VW as I don't know many individuals that have purchased them. I see a lot of Honda and Toyota's on the road and not as many VW's. I have always been an admirer or German design and they have been known for solid engineering. I'm about 6 feet and it fits my figure very well. Feature for feature you can't compare the value with other cars, as they are left in the dust! This car would sell more if the dealerships would carry more automatic versions. The mileage is much better than listed. My only dissatisfaction is the rattling noise when the engine revs past 3K RPM. I'm very pleased to have purchased this car as it is an awesome car to drive!

First Impression

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Turned in my '08 Jetta for a '11 GTI 3 days ago. This is a 2 door model w/sunroof and auto trans. Noteworthy features are the easy to use bluetooth now in all new VWs I think, cloth trim (GTI fashion), and touchscreen radio. Even the base GTI has an impressive list of features like heated seats, all power controls, and leather trimmed appointments. Exterior design is slightly updated for 2011 with a new horizontal grill and separated duel exhaust pipes which gives the back end a squatter look. Inside I'm happy to say fit and finish is typical VW first rate. Quality materials put together well. Driving is wonderful, good road feel, excellent accelleration, and easy steering make it a blast!

Nice car, not good on NW roads

Performance: 4 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

The 2011 GTI is without a doubt a nice car. It performs well, is fun to drive, and the interior is first rate. The only very disappointing aspect of the car is road noise. I don't expect a small sporty car to be super quiet, but this car has a split personality. I test drove it on some smooth highway and, as advertised, is very quiet. The problem with WA State is that a lot of the highway is fairly rough, and when this car hits rough road the interior noise goes up exponentially, it even makes my old Ford Ranger seem quiet. As I said, overall a very nice car, but like most other small cars it's not going to be quiet.

I truly enjoy driving again, thanks to this car

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I did plenty of research on this, and have not been dissapointed. I bought a 2011 4 door with the 6 spd manual, and its been perfect. This is the best balance of fun/value/comfort I could ask for. 3 months, 3K miles and so far its been great. I did get an extended warranty just in case, however so far its been solid. The car has a very high quality feel, but you still feel involved as the driver. Its comfortable and practical when I need it, and its quick and precise when I need it- I can't imagine needing anything more than this out of a daily driver car. Roomier in the backl seat than my Volvo S60, love the look of the car and the hatchback practicality. Beautiful

Never knew it was so much fun

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I haven't had my GTI for very long, but it is a great little car. The build quality is perfect, it's fun to drive, the features look like the should be in a more expensive car. The DSG takes some getting used to, but the paddle shifters are a lot of fun to play with. If you're looking for a quality car, that is fun to drive, look no further. If you're looking for a stoplight racer, then look somewhere else. This car is about combining great features into a great car. The suspension, engine, transmission, all work seamlessly to create a great driving experience. I have two cars, one for 4 months of summer in Chicago, lol. The other is my GTI.

Over-priced, over-hyped

Performance: 3 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 2 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 2

BAD turbo lag, LONG delay on multiple downshifts with DSG, poor lateral support from standard seats, small gas tank, audio interface is full of bugs (my car has been in 4 times already; it ate my cd's & the dealer couldn't extract them), iPod interface is horrible & slow. Passenger door alignment was poor. Lots of creaks from the body as you drive. If you're a halfway serious driver, avoid this car; at least get the stick-shift. The DSG will will leave you for dead in any "competitive" situation. It doesn't even get good mileage. I get 13.9mpg in combined city/highway driving with a somewhat leaden foot. I do really like the cars' exterior and interior design and its' good quality materials.

More fun than than I thought possible

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I was expecting to buy an Audi A4 or A3 and I drove the GTI on a whim. It's a good thing that I did this because I bought the the 2011 model almost immediately. This car is unbelievably fun to drive and it's economical, practical, reasonably priced (29k for the Autobahn package) and compares very favorably to every other car in it's class. The interior has an Audi build quality but costs a couple k less and the VW warranty is now better than Audi. The amenities included in many ways trump the Audis as well. For instance, the Bluetooth package on the GTI has the A2DP streaming protocol included as part of the base features. Not on the Audis, you'll pay extra & lose your iPod integration too.

Great car so far

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

Have only had for a couple of days but wife has 09 version. Biggest differences are exterior styling and much better interior. Haven't pushed it yet to know what the XDS is all about but really fun to drive.

A great little car - so far

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I bought this car because I enjoyed it so much during the test drive and I was looking for a relaible and economical alternative to my truck. Other family memebers have had great luck vith VW's, so I thought I would give the GTI a shot and I'm glad I did. In three weeks I have tallied 1400 miles and the car has performed flawlessly. I would strongly recommend this ride, however if you buy this car opt for the extended warranty (5yr - 100000 miles) for piece of mind reasons if nothing else. Most dealerships will give you a discount on the warranty if you demand it!

Smiles all around

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Bought in September and now have just over 3,000 miles. Always puts smile on my face. Is it the fastest in it's class, no. Reality is after the first week or two... how many 0-60 trials are you really doing? I wanted sporty, fun, fast that could still get the fam around. My finalists were BMW 328i, Audi A4, GTI, and CC. Questioned reliability of BMW recently, Audi was my choice, but ultimately was able to get more features but same fit & finish in the VW for less. Liked the CC which but I felt I really needed the flexibility of the middle seat. Hello GTI, hello smiles, waves, thumbs ups from onlookers. I get seat of the pants fun w/mpg like my Honda. Can't beat German handling & feel

German Greatness, No German Drawbacks

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

This car is an absolute blast to drive! It's responsive, comfortable, and perfect for both daily driving and weekend flogging. I got it to replace my college car (2000 Mazda Protege) and it has done nothing but exceed my expectations. The flat torque band makes it both fun and easy to drive, the interior is a wonderful man-machine interface, and the exterior is beautifully sporty without drawing undesirable attention. I have even been fortunate enough to avoid the quality issues associated with VWs. The performance is great but there are definitely faster cars out there like the '07 STI Limited and '10 Mazdaspeed3 I tested back to back with the GTI. Bottom line: test drive one! You'll see ;)

Love it. Did my homework and am happy!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

For starters, I'm not a racerboy nor a true sports car fan. I wanted a great balance of features, fun, and practicality. I did a ton a research before landing on the GTI (3 months worth!). Fit and finish are above the competition it really feels like an Audi or other premium brand. I can haul people or cargo and still accelerate quickly into any pocket on the freeway or sneak a parking space on a crowded street. It handles really well and is silky smooth if you use a light touch. It can feel a little jerky depending on the road, but overall a great ride. I don't know if I can ever go back to a regular sedan or compact. I decided on this after a lifetime of Toyotas and Hondas, but this is fun

VW Lengendary Unreliability

Performance: 2 Comfort: 2 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 2 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 2 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1

Here's a car that does nothing well. I bought a GTI mainly as a commuter that would be fun to drive. Now, one month into my purchase, I've barely driven it. My GTI has spent most of its time in the service department because the engine cuts out on every stop light. Two weeks this car has been at the dealership with no resolution. I should have bought a WRX or any other car for that matter. This GTI is outclassed by just about every competitor in its price range. I'm so mad for buying this piece of junk. If you want a sporty hatchback look elsewhere. There are numerous better all around performing cars out there. VW= "Das Unkluge Auto"

Looking of something fun?

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I purchased my 4dr GTI Autobahn about 2 weeks ago. In this time, it has continued to surprise me in every way possible. I traded my Infiniti G37s coupe on this, looking for something that was sporty, fun and bigger. It is a blast to drive and has all the features most of us could ever need.

Excellent machine!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I just purchased the car a week ago, was very lucky to find candy white I wanted with the manual transmission. I was shopping for Audi A4, but realised that significant premium in price is not worth it. It has vertially the same engine and the same features (except Quattro), since Audi eliminated all goodies last year to save money. Engine is very powerful and torqey. It's a lot of fun to drive, it has a well appointed high quality interior. It's rather spacious inside and looks nice outside. Though the last one is according to the taste. The gearshifter is precise, the brakes are strong and the steering is tight. The dashboard layout is convinient and instrument cluster is easy to read.