Subaru wrx at vs golf gti at

**EQAddict** · February 28th, 2015 08:36 AM

What would you guys choose? Driving experience is the number one priority. This is purely a mental exercise. Im not in the market for either.

**jdjoeydean** · February 28th, 2015 09:14 AM

I prefer Golf, but the price is too much.

**erick_214** · February 28th, 2015 10:40 AM

Subaru wrx...

**freeloader** · February 28th, 2015 12:27 PM

Subaru wrx cvt

**fireice2** · February 28th, 2015 11:54 PM

Wrx any day.

**foresterx** · March 1st, 2015 09:48 AM

wrx for the driving experience. in terms of performance, it will run circles around the gti it won't even be a competition.

the gti isn't as powerful and as connected to the driver as the wrx.

**RF02** · March 1st, 2015 11:55 AM

even looks i'll still go to wrx haha =)

**jut703** · March 1st, 2015 01:52 PM

WRX MT. If it has to be an automatic, Forester XT.

If I wanted a sports car I'd like to be as involved as possible in the driving experience.

What's the point of youth if you don't spend it tiring your knees out in EDSA traffic with a stickshift?

**niky** · March 1st, 2015 05:04 PM

Having driven both... though the GTI only on the slalom course... if the driving experience is most important... the GTI.

The WRX is faster. No doubt about it. Acceleration is about equal on the butt-dyno... and the real-world dynos are backing that up. The GTI makes about 220 whp on most dynos. The WRX makes just over 220 whp. But the WRX definitely has an advantage in cornering. Very sticky Dunlop SportMaxx tires, bags and bags of grip, a stiffer suspension, more composure, active torque-vectoring that uses the brakes to trim your line through a corner... it's a very potent machine, and calls into question why you would ever need an STI.

The CVT is good, too. It allows you to stay under boost through corners... though take off is a bit slow. Certainly a much better daily transmission than the manual.

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The Golf, well... that was quite impressive. Fantastic acceleration with the DSG. All the shifts bang into place quite nicely (other seven speeds feel too "tame", this one feels solid without being harsh) and there's a nice "braaap" between shifts as the motor backfires for a slight anti-lag effect. I'd say it actually feels more linear and revvier than the WRX, which has a rather soft top end.

Handling is great. The steering is not twitchy, but it's very sharp and precise, and the weight is very good. I'd say it's better than the WRX, but that might be because of the tires. The GTI uses less grippy Potenza S002s, which sacrifice some cornering grip but communicate better than the SportMaxx. (I feel that the tires also corrupt the steering feel of the Mazda3... the 1.6 has nicer steering than the 2.0R) Brakes are just as potent as in the WRX, but the Golf is lighter. The GTI also feels more willing to rotate than the WRX. (again, less grip) But it isn't a lift-off oversteer machine like some hot hatches. The suspension is too soft for that... the rear too stable.

For the experience alone, the GTI is more tactile, more refined, and more delightful to the senses than the WRX... which is buzzy, stiff, noisy, and drones on the highway. But if you relish speed above everything else, the WRX is a much more hardcore machine than the GTI.

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Having driven both... though the GTI only on the slalom course... if the driving experience is most important... the GTI.

The WRX is faster. No doubt about it. Acceleration is about equal on the butt-dyno... and the real-world dynos are backing that up. The GTI makes about 220 whp on most dynos. The WRX makes just over 220 whp. But the WRX definitely has an advantage in cornering. Very sticky Dunlop SportMaxx tires, bags and bags of grip, a stiffer suspension, more composure, active torque-vectoring that uses the brakes to trim your line through a corner... it's a very potent machine, and calls into question why you would ever need an STI.

The CVT is good, too. It allows you to stay under boost through corners... though take off is a bit slow. Certainly a much better daily transmission than the manual.

-

The Golf, well... that was quite impressive. Fantastic acceleration with the DSG. All the shifts bang into place quite nicely (other seven speeds feel too "tame", this one feels solid without being harsh) and there's a nice "braaap" between shifts as the motor backfires for a slight anti-lag effect. I'd say it actually feels more linear and revvier than the WRX, which has a rather soft top end.

Handling is great. The steering is not twitchy, but it's very sharp and precise, and the weight is very good. I'd say it's better than the WRX, but that might be because of the tires. The GTI uses less grippy Potenza S002s, which sacrifice some cornering grip but communicate better than the SportMaxx. (I feel that the tires also corrupt the steering feel of the Mazda3... the 1.6 has nicer steering than the 2.0R) Brakes are just as potent as in the WRX, but the Golf is lighter. The GTI also feels more willing to rotate than the WRX. (again, less grip) But it isn't a lift-off oversteer machine like some hot hatches. The suspension is too soft for that... the rear too stable.

For the experience alone, the GTI is more tactile, more refined, and more delightful to the senses than the WRX... which is buzzy, stiff, noisy, and drones on the highway. But if you relish speed above everything else, the WRX is a much more hardcore machine than the GTI.