MK7 GTI test drive disappointed me and I feel bad

"PardonMyFlemish16" (TheCoolKid) 01/02/2018 at 18:50 • Filed to: None

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I love my G37 but it gets truly abysmal gas mileage. Just appalling. ~19MPG combined is a good tank. Also to be fair my G is on coilovers and 255 width tires all around. Other than that and some K&N filters it’s otherwise stock.

I figured the GTI would provide a similar driving experience because like the G, with the DSG it has a 100MPH 1/4 mile trap (which I have determined is my threshold for a street car), and it’s ~700lb lighter while being a little more practical. I’m drive wheel agnostic so going back to FWD wouldn’t have bothered me.

Big issue was the engine. Just no replacement for displacement. Throttle response was very soggy and inconsistent. Engine didn’t seem to really come alive until about 3500 RPM and once it was there it didn’t pull as hard as the G. I guess that is to be expected with it being down 100HP, but even still the power to weight ratios (when factoring in the GTI’s real power rating and my G’s slushbox) are very close. The chassis was also not as phenomenal as I’d heard, but again my frame of reference is my decently modified G, a motorcycle and a bunch of previous modified cars.

Gas mileage and worse practicality (the seats don’t fold down....) aside I appreciate my G more. Last of a dying breed. I was on the fence about doing some make noise mods but now I’m definitely gonna do it. If I’m gonna get 19MPG I want to enjoy it as much as possible. Because I don’t think I’m gonna be able to avoid the turbos when this thing is due for replacement. I just feel bad because the press hails the GTI as the second coming. The working man’s 911. My god, I hope 911s don’t disappoint me this way.

Here is a gratuitous photo of the G:

I hope I can retain my enthusiast card.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 19:12

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Abysmal gas mileage? 19?

Heh. Try 16 combined, or 14 combined. One is a 6.2L American Muscle Car, the other is a diesel pickup.

There are times I would do drastic things to have 19+ MPG... Then I remember that I have a V8.

Amoore100 > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/02/2018 at 19:14

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I manage 17 combined from a turbo I6 so you’re not too bad off!

Ash78, voting early and often > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/02/2018 at 19:18

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16.5 in the Honda Odyssey over the past 20k miles, including some long distance roadtrips.

17/29 my hairy white ass.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Amoore100 01/02/2018 at 19:19

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The naturally aspirated I6 in my BMW does about 24MPG.

Camaro SS? 16.

Silverado 2500HD diesel? 14.

Not owning a 4 cylinder car anymore: priceless.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Ash78, voting early and often 01/02/2018 at 19:22

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17/29 with no kids on board, measured in miles per gallon of gasoline.

12/18 with kids on board, measured in miles per argument about who gets to play the Nintendo 3DS/he’s squishing me/are we there yet/don’t make me pull this car over.

(Disclaimer: your kids may not be like this, but it’s exactly what my brother and I did in the back of various Mercury Sable wagons/Chrysler vans)

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 19:24

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Your G looks fucking fire

Ash78, voting early and often > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/02/2018 at 19:28

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Don’t forget “gun it, we’re late for ___, as usual.”

ToyotaFamily > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 19:28

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The GTI isn’t bad to drive in stock form, but with a tune it really comes alive. But I get where you’re coming from, I went from a GTI to a G35 like a year and a half ago and I really appreciated the throttle response in the G when compared to the GTI.

Gerry197 > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 19:31

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My E46 BMW (328I manual) rarely gets better than 19 mpg in mixed driving, though my new Ford F150 2.7L gets me almost 22.5 mpg on the same commute, while surprising being faster 0-60.

But there is an 18 year difference between these two vehicles, technology advancement has come a long way.

I recommend trying another example of that car, just in case there was something wrong there. Everyone I know who’s driven that car thinks its amazing.

RPM esq. > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 19:34

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I might get 19 mpg on a road trip in my 4Runner, if the whole trip was downhill. I don’t think I’d hit 19 in the AMG even then.

Also, I really like those wheels on the G37.

46and2aheadofme > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/02/2018 at 19:41

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I grew up, my whole life, with cars (trucks) that struggled to ger double digit gas mileage. Around 20 seems wonderous to me. Certainly not abysmal. Not even bad.

sony1492 > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 19:54

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What about a BMW 2 series?

Die-Trying > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/02/2018 at 20:06

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old reliable, the former daily transportation, got a SOLID 8mpg. solid, uphill or downhill, loaded or unloaded, 8. was my 30 mile each way daily comuter. every trip was an adventure. it sadly met with an accident just this last year. it will be back.

my POINT, is that i believe in having a car for whatever its specific job might be, and not asking it to do anything other than its specific job.

fun cars, are thier own job, so long as that they are fun, they are doing thier job. work trucks/cars, so long as they can pull whatever trailer, haul whatever work related things you are doing, it is doing its job. and there are commuters, that so long as that they can haul all of your people, and get decent/good gas mileage they are doing thier job.

i have since been driving around on SAVINGS since having to find a different commuter. i save ballpark around $17 per day i drive. its a soulless jellybean, but it is providing the budget for all the FUN projects at the house.....

been getting a very consistent 40 mpg from the manual and a 1.5l 4cyl . its the right tool for the job......

PardonMyFlemish16 > ToyotaFamily 01/02/2018 at 20:10

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Even with the less than great 7AT it really gets up and goes. From about 5500 up it’s more power than I need for the street. But the midrange is ample and responsive. Very satisfying on the street

CB > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 20:13

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The problem with the internet is that things are one way or the other: the second coming or hot garbage. So your take of “meh, not for me” is one I appreciate and entirely fair.

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 20:13

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Man, don’t feel too bad. My Legacy only gets 19mpg in this awful cold. I’m lucky to break 21 if all of my driving is highway.

PardonMyFlemish16 > RPM esq. 01/02/2018 at 20:14

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FWIW I think my wife’s MKX gets worse mileage on the highway.

And thanks. I haven’t seen these style of wheels on a G sedan. I think the fitment is what really sets it off though.

ToyotaFamily > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 20:15

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Yours is a Sport package right? I’m thinking about getting one as long as it’s not AWD.

boxrocket > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 20:31

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So, Focus RS then? Or G25? Or GS Hybrid?

I’ve never found the GTI to be that intriguing. It’s good, and perhaps the benchmark for sportier hatchbacks, but that just means there’s room for (and examples of) improvement. If I had to have an audi/vw hatch, I’d get an quattro-driven audi. ...And then sell it.

Tekamul > Ash78, voting early and often 01/02/2018 at 20:34

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How in the world.

My 12 year old Odyssey still does 24 Summer/22 Winter with the same boring mix of highway/city it’s always had. Are you sure there isn’t a boat anchor under it?

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 20:38

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I’d keep the G (although I’m a little biased :p). Your wheel fitment is great! What specs are you running?

E92M3 > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 21:26

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Good! I never understand when people buy a new car to get 5-10 mpg more. Congratulations you saved $50 a month on gas, but your new car depreciates $300-500 a month more than your old car did. It’s one thing if you need a new car, or you just WANT a new car. Just don’t tell me it was to save money on gas.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 21:32

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Stay positive! My IS 300 gets 21 MPGs combined, everywhere, all conditions, always. Your car has a good chunk more power and only gets 2 less MPGs.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Ash78, voting early and often 01/02/2018 at 21:35

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You may as well trade it in for a used LX.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > boxrocket 01/02/2018 at 21:49

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The GTI/R is the better car, the ST/RS is the more fun/exciting car.

PardonMyFlemish16 > ToyotaFamily 01/02/2018 at 21:56

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Yes, sport package is worth it for the bigger brakes and quasi-LSD. Coilovers really transformed the dynamics. It’s a blast to drive and look at. But the sport packages are hard to find. With a manual it’s damn near impossible.

PardonMyFlemish16 > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 01/02/2018 at 21:57

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19x9.5 +25 up front with a camber kit, 19x9.5 + 35 out back. Had to space the front to clear the brakes, but it worked out. Looks great. Lot of late nights and research lol.

PardonMyFlemish16 > sony1492 01/02/2018 at 21:59

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I need 4 doors for now. But that is on the short list. My friend has a 228i with the sport package and it’s pretty damn good. Really different from the 328i I rented. I’d want the 6 banger though

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > PardonMyFlemish16 01/02/2018 at 23:51

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The VQ37 is more entertaining that people give it credit for. Wifey had the G37 coupe (aka Q60), traded it for a Q50 with the turbo V6 and often says she misses the way the old car sounded and went.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > PardonMyFlemish16 01/03/2018 at 00:38

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Nice! It looks like the V36 sedan can fit lower offsets than the V35 sedan.

PardonMyFlemish16 > RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire 01/03/2018 at 01:57

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Very interesting. Did she get the base or red sport? Either way it’s not that much faster. Nissan would have done better to update the transmission. For me the Q50 is just that bit too big, and with the new tech the lack of Android auto is disappointing. I actually have an aftermarket middle coming that will give me Android in the center screen

PardonMyFlemish16 > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 01/03/2018 at 01:59

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Definitely. There are folks squeezing 305s in the back of the sedans and even more in the back of coupes. Sometimes I miss the V35s simplicity though. I had a Z33 that was pretty fun.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > PardonMyFlemish16 01/03/2018 at 02:09

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The V36s also don’t seem to share the same inclination towards big, dirty oversteer that the V35s have. Mind you, the interior on a V36 sedan is leagues better than the interior on my 04 6MT sedan, and road noise is significantly hushed in the newer car. Z33s are awesome. If it wasn’t for the insurance costs, I would have picked one up. CD008 issues are overblown anyway, and the 350Z was one of the somewhat-attainable hero cars of my childhood.

JDMatt > PardonMyFlemish16 01/03/2018 at 02:46

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I’ve had my G37 sedan for 2 months now. I was cross shopping with a BMW 328 and a Mercedes C300. The engine alone was enough to make me pick the Infiniti over the German cars.

That being said, I live in big city. If I had to move apartments and was forced to park on the streets, I’d buy a GTI or a Jetta GLI. I’d be fine with having 100 less horsepower for a car that’s easier to street park.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > PardonMyFlemish16 01/03/2018 at 03:19

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Base model. It’s not faster (30 less hp according to Infiniti’s own specs) but the driving sensation is very different, almost like an electric vehicle. Near silent, near instant go (in sport mode when it’s actually in the right gear). Very easy to go faster than you thought you were going. The car wasn’t my choice though - she just wanted something pretty.

I’m not really a fan of tech in cars, but the surround top view backup camera is awesome if you have to park in dense urban areas.

edit: I’ve driven a MK6 GTI DSG and found its drivetrain similar - I guess I just don’t really like mainstream turbo engines as driving experiences. And the variable steering ratio took a while to get used to.

PardonMyFlemish16 > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 01/03/2018 at 07:38

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I think it’s the stock suspension settings. Strangely when I put my coilovers on the car became a lot more stable. I was scared the coilovers would make it snap into oversteer. This was even with the cheap shitty tires the dealership I bought it from threw on (Nexen N5000s) which got to this point within about 4 months of ownership:

Needless to say, fun times in the rain. Now I am on DWS06s with a good alignment and things seem to be wearing evenly. Grip is better and oversteer (with TCS on) is manageable.

The V35/Z33 were worse though. I did donuts around a roundabout in a G35x rental (oh the follies of youth) and my Z33 did a full on 180 spin in the rain with TCS on. I think the crudeness of the TCS back then didn’t help. The V36's seems to intervene much more smoothly.

PardonMyFlemish16 > JDMatt 01/03/2018 at 07:44

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Yes, I spent 28 years in NYC and it took me some time to make the length to parking correlation. By the time I did I was done with cars and just bought a motorcycle. But if I were in a city I’d probably go for a Golf. I rented a ~15-16 version and it was pretty glorious. No sporting pretensions... just big balloon tires, good noise isolation and ample torque. From what I remember it was a more cohesive and less laggy driving experience than the GTI, but not sharp enough to replace the G

theloudmouth > PardonMyFlemish16 01/03/2018 at 08:53

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As a current GTI owner I can say you are 100% right. The GTI is the most massively overrated car. It’s not that quick, it has no emotion to it at all (it’s just cold and clinical about everything), I’m major anti FWD though also so that impacts things. The entire time it nags at me that I should be happier, but there’s no moments where it just makes me grin like my 3-series does and old Saabaru did so what’s the point?

You made the right call, the GTI is a truly “logical” decision you’ll constantly be unhappy with because if you’re going to compromise you may as well truly get a commuter.

PardonMyFlemish16 > theloudmouth 01/03/2018 at 10:06

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Wow, thanks for the honesty.

So what’s up with the press? It was the same story with the Mazda 3 for me. It drove exactly the same as the Golf TSI, with what felt like half the power and torque. I don’t think horsepower can replace character, but a lot of these cars are just slow. They need more oomph.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > PardonMyFlemish16 01/03/2018 at 14:11

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Yeah, the V36 seems a lot more stable. The V35 is just like “whee!” I can totally relate to G35x shenanigans. The night my cousin picked his up was interesting. His friend was shocked that an AWD car was smoother to transition than a Genesis Coupe.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > PardonMyFlemish16 01/03/2018 at 15:43

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Did you test drive one with the Performance Pack? Was the engine in normal or sport mode?

Anyway, if you can, I think it’d be interesting to get a test drive in a modified GTI (tune, throttle and DSG remap, coilovers). That should be a fairer comparison to a modified G37. It’ll never be a real screamer of an engine though, unless you go big turbo, but then you might as well start off with an R.

PardonMyFlemish16 > Out, but with a W - has found the answer 01/03/2018 at 19:44

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Ah, I should have done my research. It was probably in normal mode.

And you are right, maybe a 1 to 1 comparison would endear me further. But I’m leery about reflashing a car under warranty. Especially a VW. And unless I can reprogram the Soundaktor to make noise like a Huracan there’s no bolt on that will make that engine sound good. I wish the R came with the 3.6.

theloudmouth > PardonMyFlemish16 01/05/2018 at 13:27

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I guess just because it’s so good on paper and fit and finish, etc that logically it is such a great item at its price point so it’s really hard for in a comparison test to say “loses because has no soil” and it is SOOOO much better than most of its competition.