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


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!
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- Lou_BC "15mpg EPA" The 2023 ZR2 Colorado is supposed to be 16 mpg
- ToolGuy "The more aerodynamic, organic shape of the Mark VIII meant ride height was slightly lower than before at 53.6 inches, over 54.2” for the Mark VII."• I am not sure that ride height means what you think it means.Elaboration: There is some possible disagreement about what "ride height" refers to. Some say ground clearance, some say H point (without calling it that), some say something else. But none of those people would use a number of over 4 feet for a stock Mark anything.Then you go on to use it correctly ("A notable advancement in the Mark VIII’s suspension was programming to lower the ride height slightly at high speeds, which assisted fuel economy via improved aerodynamics.") so what do I know. Plus, I ended a sentence with a preposition. 🙂
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I guess it's safer to borrow a Ford from VW than the other way around.
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!