Next Week Is VW Intramural Week, And This Time There's A New GTI In Town

Jack Baruth
by Jack Baruth

Two years ago, I caused VWVortex members to spit bits of Pocky all over their mothers’ basement walls when I declared the Jetta GLI the winner in a four-way comparison test of Volkswagens equipped with the enthusiast-oriented 2.0T engine. The idea of comparing Volkswagens to each other seemed a bit odd at the time, but take it from a guy who’s owned a 1990 Fox, a 1998 Passat, a 2000 Golf GLS 1.8T, two Phaetons, and an ’82 Quantum Coupe: if you’re a true believer, you don’t even bother to look at what the other guys have for sale. In the land of Volkswagen nutjobs, “cross-shopping” means “pretending you’re considering the lease of an Audi A4”.

Each day of next week, starting on Monday, we’ll be testing a different VW and ranking them from Worst To First. We’ll also have two surprise guests in the mix: a Ford Fusion SE 1.6 Ecoboost, provided by VW, and a Mercedes C250, provided by my Amex card. The competitors will be, in order of approximate cost:

  • 2014 Jetta 1.8T manual
  • Passat 1.8T
  • Golf Mk7 Euro-Spec
  • CC R-Line
  • Scirocco R

The GLI doesn’t return because it wasn’t changed significantly, and the Beetle doesn’t return because I’m not going to drive any more Beetles until somebody makes me do it. See you next week, VW fans and foes… FLAME ON!

Jack Baruth
Jack Baruth

More by Jack Baruth

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 38 comments
  • Jpolicke Jpolicke on Aug 30, 2013

    I guess it's safer to borrow a Ford from VW than the other way around.

  • 05lgt 05lgt on Aug 30, 2013

    Nice. FoC won't share Lincolns? That's OK, VW will spring for a Ford to be tested. She can't cut me off! She has no idea where I'm getting it!

  • MrIcky I live in a desert- you can run sand in anything if you drop enough pressure. The bigger issue is cutting your sidewalls on sharp rocks. Im running 35x11.5r17 nittos, they're fine. I wouldn't mind trying the 255/85r17 Mickey Thompsons next time around, maybe the Toyo AT3s since they're 3peak. I like 'em skinny.
  • Adam4562 I had summer tires once , I hit a pothole the wrong way and got a flat tire. Summer tires aren’t as durable as all season , especially up in the northeast . They are great of u live in Florida or down south . I have all season tires which are on my Subaru which is awd. My mom has a car so she switches from all season to snow tires . I guess depends on the situation
  • MaintenanceCosts I hope they make it. The R1 series are a genuinely innovative, appealing product, and the smaller ones look that way too from the early information.
  • MaintenanceCosts Me commenting on this topic would be exactly as well-informed as many of our overcaffeinated BEV comments, so I'll just sit here and watch.
  • SCE to AUX This year is indeed key for them, but it's worth mentioning that Rivian is actually meeting its sales and production forecasts.
Next