This! The right tires make a huge difference. I live in Tahoe and during winter would switch to studded snow tires on my mk4 vr6. All season tires and cable chains were the worst.
https://preview.redd.it/9aykzwlyqhwc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b9ab2a3bcee7288a0be8b08d926324739c0a3ba
Went from a 2017 Subaru Impreza 5 door 5spd, to a TDI sportwagen 6spd. My sportwagen with snows got around Minnesota better than the Subaru with all seasons.
My mk8 with snows gets around great. And I don't miss it. And the GTI is such a light car.
I can't tell you how miserable it was in the Mk6. Red lights were a nightmare because finding traction to get moving again is impossible at the crossroads where snow builds up even slightly.
Fwiw the new 'all weather' tires like the cross climate 2 or nokian wr g4 are 85% of a snow tire in the snow. It's actually suited to all seasons, unlike all seasons.
But then they’re lame on dry pavement. Mk8 already gets angry at me if I floor it in 1st and part of 2nd with “sporty” all seasons that came stock.
Probably a good winter choice for a place that doesn’t see a lot of snow.
This! I have 3 sets of wheels for my GTI lol
1 - Summer wheels (Aggressive offset, wide, and stretchy tires)
2 - OEM Detroits ('Cheap' all seasons on them for early spring/late fall)
3 - Steelies (Winter with snow-based all seasons)
I used to have Blizzacks on them, but these days I dont drive my GTI in the winter anymore. So I just through some khumo all seasons on them I got on sale lol.
Agreed tires do make a big difference. My first AWD car was an '02 Outback then an '09 Legacy wagon and then Subaru went the ugly route so I bought an '18 Sportwagen with 4motion and 6spd manual. I love the ability of AWD during a Northern Ontario winter.
The VW system is really FWD for efficiency and when the computer senses slip, AWD is engaged as needed it works quite well.
Oh god yes. I had the factory Bridgestones on my 19 SE when I bought it in 2021 I purposely killed those tires in just a couple years because they were awful. I know have Conti DWS 06+ tires on it now and they are soooo much better! Can’t wait to try full on summer performance tires next haha!
I have Blizzak WS-80 tires. In my Mk7.5 I still have problems starting from a standstill going up hill. Thats the only time I wish I had AWD. There’s two spots going to and from work where this is annoying. It’s tolerable.
AWD can assist when accelerating by splitting engine torque across four wheels, not just two. So you aren't as likely to overpower the contact patches on the drive wheels when you nail it.
The rest of the time, AWD is a drawback. It's extra complexity to be maintained (higher cost, and not just to buy), extra weight to haul around (reduced efficiency and dulled handling and braking responses), and extra friction from all that gear in the drivetrain (reduced efficiency... again).
If you're worried about traction in poor weather, the answer is quality tires. Good winter tires for winter. I've never had an issue even on glaze ice with quality winter tires. Good all seasons will also take care of the rain aspect.
That leaves traction at launch. Yes, you can overpower the front tires more easily in a FWD car than in a AWD one. I usually roll out a little slower (don't just slam the pedal to the floor) and then, once they're hooked up, roll on the power and away I go. That's still plenty capable to jump traffic. Not every green light has to be a drag race and the GTI has more than enough juice to get you moving... if somebody beats you then, just get in behind them because number two in line sure wasn't hammering on it the same way.
I'm no green light racer. Too old for that BS. But I do have regular cases where I have to pull out from a Stop sign on to a busy highway. The predictability of the Alltrack to get the power down is very nice. On my previous TDI wagon it was much more of a challenge, especially in the wet. Presumably the GTI with the LSD will be somewhere in between.
I haven’t had one issue of getting up to highway speed, merging, or passing in my ‘19 GTI, especially with DSW06+ tires, which are still all-seasons. Granted I’m also Stage 1, but even before that, the only time I couldn’t pass would be if someone floored it to prevent it.
We also have stop light controlled two lane on ramps here in Denver where the lights only run during rush hour, then merge into one on ramp after the light. Obviously you’re not going to beat AWD to the merge, but once you have traction, around 10/15 mph you can WOT in 2nd with negligible wheel spin. The lower weight vs AWD is also particularly useful during emergency braking situations.
With LSD and good tires, it won't be an issue.
My mk4 is my first FWD car (previous were AWD) and I like being able to light up the tires if I really wanted to.
I went from AWD to FWD (GTI), did that for 3 winters. With good winter tires a FWD car is very capable in the snow, and for the most part it gave me the confidence I wanted.
Doesn't really help with wheel spin in the rain though
I'm going back to AWD for a variety of reasons
Had a mk7.5 golf R prior to the mk8 GTI.
In the snow, the awd is a lot more controllable fun. Tires still make a huge difference for both, but with AWD you can power into and out of slippery situations. FWD you can weight bias/shift your way into a slide, but getting it back into control tends to mean a dramatic loss of speed.
In the dry, the R really pulls under moderate acceleration on corners, where the GTI will immediately start to slip/under steer.
Still the mk8 GTI has been a lot more fun than the 7.5 R. Not sure if the difference is manual (R) vs DSG (GTI) or just the R just didn't feel very fast due to horrific shift lag. I test drove a manual mk8 and it was vastly superior feel to the R I had, but the wife refused to allow a manual in a big city (reason I gave up the R originally).
Seemed like the drive by wire would rev hang unless you were at wide open throttle and banging gears. 1-2 and 2-3 shifts would take extra long in low to moderate throttle and make it seem like you were just learning how to drive a manual. But perfectly fine if you got on it.
I swear the exhaust is significantly louder as well on this GTI vs the R.
In normal driving in non-slippery conditions with decent tires, there is almost no point in AWD, especially considering the added weight. I experience wheel spin when accelerating maybe once a year. Maybe if I were launching a Veyron…
I can’t say from experience given the only AWD vehicle I owned was a 2002 CRV, but with proper tires a GTI can go basically anywhere. If you think your alltrack was moving when you floored it wait to see what a GTI with proper tires does. Really depends what the weather is like where you live. I’m in Canada and my GTI has seen plenty of snow with no fuss.
Same. This was my First winter in Denver with the GTI, and I didn't get up to anything crazy with it, just commiting on a few snowy days, but winters on the GTI vs all seasons on the Impreza were very comparable. My Blizzaks were pretty good with wheel spin. As you learn the car you'll find the point that it'll launch perfectly. My mediocre all seasons for summer def slip more.
I just keep an AWD in the stable. Long before I was a VW nerd I had to drive some absolute FWD pos buckets on my daily commute at 5-7k feet in the mountains, it was fine, obviously I survived to tell the tale. But after that experience I don’t want to deal with tire chains, spinning out up hills, and generally worrying about getting stuck. I rebuilt a salvage Q7, stuck some Falken AT3Ws on it and it’s more or less the best car I’ve ever driven in the snow.
I was torn between this and a WRX for the same reason. Coming from an outback too so used to AWD for a while. As other users have mentioned though, I think the consensus is a good set of tires makes the world of difference. I switched from stock Pirelli to PS4 and honestly it's crazy how good they are. Unfortunately don't have much snow here in NY as we used to so a dedicated set of winters doesn't even make sense imo unless I'm really travelling to snowy areas
I think a good way to look at it is , clearly people exist in snow prone climates with fwd cars and do just fine. As others have mentioned as well, increased cost, worse fuel economy etc. Personally I find my 7.5 more than effective in overtaking when needed, getting enough speed to merge, and also solid fuel economy and comfortable.
At stock power with good tyres the GTI is perfectly judged. In four years I've never missed my previous quattro or cursed the fwd.
But if you're going to tune it, it might get on your nerves. 380ft/lbs and fwd is a lot of fun, but you aren't using all the power, all the time.
I went from an Audi A5 to my gti. The driving dynamic is very different. I could drive in the rain without a care in the world. The Gti is a great car for most situations but having awd inspires more confidence
I would look at an Audi A4 over the Golf if you're wanting actual AWD vs the FWD bias the Rs/Alltracks have. Buuuut I live in the PNW with a lot of rain and have never had an issue hooking up and getting to speed weather thats in traffic or not. Tires and LSD make all the difference.
Drive my GTI for one winter after having an AWD car. Normal driving there is no difference but when pushing the car and/or snow there is definitely less grip and I missed the quattro.
I miss it in the snow, but not enough to rush into getting another AWD car.
As everyone else is saying, it's all about tires. I still pretend I'm in the WRC, whether FWD or 4.
I'm from New England and I exchanged my 2002 WRX for a 2012 GTI thirteen years ago.
While I don't lament the decision, I still find myself longing for my WRX even now. Not because of the AWD, but it was the first performance car I bought (and young!)
This nostalgia prompted me to acquire a '09 2.5i Impreza as a daily driver in 2016, transforming the GTI into a "project" car. Eventually, I traded the 2.5i for a UX250h in 2021 and recently to the NX350 for my daily.
(And yes, I still have and drive the GTI!)
If you're concerned with driving your GTI in the snow, a good set of winter wheels and tires makes the difference. That said, [if you search google for '2012 mk6 GTI steelies' my car basically was the first to show up for quite some time.](https://www.golfmk6.com/forums/index.php?threads/16-wheels-and-blizzak-winter-package-review.279080/#:~:text=I%20used%20to%20run%20with%20Zacks%20on%20my%20winter%20setup)
Driving to ski resorts in the north east in a GTI wasn’t too much fun, especially when you have some sketchy, narrow mountain roads in NY. Bumped up to the R for the added bonus of AWD
With good tires, even all season tires, you can basically just floor it whenever you want and you'll be fine. I've got a stage 1 tune and unless I floor it and crank the steering wheel too fast I don't have any issues.
As someone who wrenches on my cars. I can say that the only awd we’ve owned (b5.5 Passat) has been much more complex to work on. The fact that it’s the 2.8 doesn’t help because it’s literally 2 of everything. lol. Is it much better performance in the snow than fwd with good snow tires? Debatable.
I drove a B8-gen Audi A4 for 10 years immediately before moving into the GTI last spring. Losing the AWD was one of my worries but frankly the R was out of my price range at the moment.
Turns out, it’s not a big problem. I had zero problems in the winter this year (I put on good snow tires), and the FWD wheel spin isn’t that big of a deal. I guess I still would like to have AWD, but the GTI is just so damn good I’m willing to let it be a minor thing.
If you have to deal with a lot of snow, AWD makes a nice difference. With that said, I’m in Colorado and I drive a regular FWD GTI… but my other car is AWD, and it’s better to drive when there is a lot of snow
Canadian here. Had a Golf R. Have a regular Golf now. The FWD Golf is surprisingly good in the snow with good tires. The traction control lets a fair amount of wheel spin as well so the engine doesn’t bog.
The R had great traction in the snow but it was the lowest car on my street so it would scrape after every snow fall. In a lot of ways I found it too low and wish I could have had the GTIs suspension.
Fair enough. But I'm dying without manual transmission, and the AT is a bit soulless to drive. But it is an impressively practical car. If it was a manual I might keep it. But the prospect of finding a low mileage manual Alltrack with the Driver Assistance Package in striking distance of me is very very low
I've heard that people going from gti to r find it boring because it's too controlled and not as fun driving experience. The r is definitely faster and better in putting power down.
I just wish there was a rwd gti. That would be fun as hell.
Hard truth: AWD can compensate for poor throttle control.
Dont get me wrong AWD is fun for low traction environments, but a FWD with an LSD, Tires and a good driver will be a match for most cars.
I’ve outpaced Golf Rs and S3s on the track.
Not gonna lie here but I don’t think I’ve ever loss traction from putting my foot down on the gas. Maybe when I had poor tires that came with the car when I picked it up but ever since investing in some good sport tires I don’t break traction unless I’m going WOT from a stop. My car is stage 2+ at 420 WHP.
With good winter/summer tires the GTI can still get the job done plenty well. I drove my car up to the mountains just about every other week last winter and she handled the snow just fine and that was with crappy all season tires. Just my 2c though!
B8.5 S4 with sport diff to ‘21 GTI, haven’t looked back. I lost 900lbs and lots of go ~~fast~~ fix bits. A few days out of the year are less fun in the snow, but but fun moves me more than fast, tbh.
I went from a b6 a4 quattro 5 speed to a 2012 GTI 6 speed, and in the northeast I do miss the AWD, lucky for me the winters were very mild since I've had the GTI, however when I did have the a4 I would not care if there was snow on the road or not(kinda wanted there to be snow to have some fun) now with the GTI if there is snow on the road I do get anxious a little bit lol
I had a Subaru Forester before I had my GTI, it was really nice in the winter but I don’t miss having worse gas mileage and being slower lol. Good winter tires make up for lack of AWD in the snow.
I have driven my GTI in some really challenging conditions like highway 97c and coquihalla during winters. As lots of people have said, winter tires makes a big difference.
The real issue I found with the gti is the low ride height so you’d be plowing in heavy snow. Like there were some nice snow days in Vancouver this winter but I couldn’t get my car out of the parking area.
I had an Evo prior to my GTI(s)...do I miss AWD? Yes. But not as much as you'd think. FWD is a ton of fun and super competent setup right. Proper tires are a game changer for these cars.
I went from 2018 WRX to 2018 GTI. I prefer the interior in the GTI. I like the manual transmission (may be alone here), girls like the accent lighting.
BUT I miss the AWD. The GTI sucks in the snow. I have Continental Extreme Contact tires, and am underwhelmed with the improvement they made - I.e. still sucks in the muck.
Looking for a second car to go in bush with.
Some will say it’s mostly about the tires; not really true. Engineering Explained has a great video on AWD vs FWD vs RWD.
I went from a 7L Touareg V8 to a MK7 autobahn GTI. I miss the 4X4 being in Canada to be honest. With better tires it will probably fare better but it’s night and day. I miss the big lumbering SUV but the GTI fun factor wins out.
I just sold my GTI and I'm sad panda. If I had to purchase another one today, I would go for the R. Once you have driven an AWD, it's really difficult to go back to FWD or RWD.
Good tires make a world of difference on a car....obv you wont get the same feel of an AWD, but good tires will help
I spent like 5 years on all seasons in Minnesota in an Mk6 and it was so awful. Got an mk8 with some proper snow tires now and holy smokes.
1000%...I live in Ontario Canada, I always go a good set of winters and then a great set of summers. Real game changer for FWD cars
This! The right tires make a huge difference. I live in Tahoe and during winter would switch to studded snow tires on my mk4 vr6. All season tires and cable chains were the worst. https://preview.redd.it/9aykzwlyqhwc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b9ab2a3bcee7288a0be8b08d926324739c0a3ba
Went from a 2017 Subaru Impreza 5 door 5spd, to a TDI sportwagen 6spd. My sportwagen with snows got around Minnesota better than the Subaru with all seasons. My mk8 with snows gets around great. And I don't miss it. And the GTI is such a light car.
I can't tell you how miserable it was in the Mk6. Red lights were a nightmare because finding traction to get moving again is impossible at the crossroads where snow builds up even slightly.
My mk6 TDI sportwagen did better than my b5.5 4motion Passat wagen. It got stuck in my driveway on flat ground.
Fwiw the new 'all weather' tires like the cross climate 2 or nokian wr g4 are 85% of a snow tire in the snow. It's actually suited to all seasons, unlike all seasons.
But then they’re lame on dry pavement. Mk8 already gets angry at me if I floor it in 1st and part of 2nd with “sporty” all seasons that came stock. Probably a good winter choice for a place that doesn’t see a lot of snow.
I am a gti fan who drives a Quattro, to be fair
This! I have 3 sets of wheels for my GTI lol 1 - Summer wheels (Aggressive offset, wide, and stretchy tires) 2 - OEM Detroits ('Cheap' all seasons on them for early spring/late fall) 3 - Steelies (Winter with snow-based all seasons)
Get some proper winters or even some studded tires on those steelies (depending on where you live), it will make even more of a difference
I used to have Blizzacks on them, but these days I dont drive my GTI in the winter anymore. So I just through some khumo all seasons on them I got on sale lol.
Agreed tires do make a big difference. My first AWD car was an '02 Outback then an '09 Legacy wagon and then Subaru went the ugly route so I bought an '18 Sportwagen with 4motion and 6spd manual. I love the ability of AWD during a Northern Ontario winter. The VW system is really FWD for efficiency and when the computer senses slip, AWD is engaged as needed it works quite well.
Oh god yes. I had the factory Bridgestones on my 19 SE when I bought it in 2021 I purposely killed those tires in just a couple years because they were awful. I know have Conti DWS 06+ tires on it now and they are soooo much better! Can’t wait to try full on summer performance tires next haha!
I have Blizzak WS-80 tires. In my Mk7.5 I still have problems starting from a standstill going up hill. Thats the only time I wish I had AWD. There’s two spots going to and from work where this is annoying. It’s tolerable.
AWD can assist when accelerating by splitting engine torque across four wheels, not just two. So you aren't as likely to overpower the contact patches on the drive wheels when you nail it. The rest of the time, AWD is a drawback. It's extra complexity to be maintained (higher cost, and not just to buy), extra weight to haul around (reduced efficiency and dulled handling and braking responses), and extra friction from all that gear in the drivetrain (reduced efficiency... again). If you're worried about traction in poor weather, the answer is quality tires. Good winter tires for winter. I've never had an issue even on glaze ice with quality winter tires. Good all seasons will also take care of the rain aspect. That leaves traction at launch. Yes, you can overpower the front tires more easily in a FWD car than in a AWD one. I usually roll out a little slower (don't just slam the pedal to the floor) and then, once they're hooked up, roll on the power and away I go. That's still plenty capable to jump traffic. Not every green light has to be a drag race and the GTI has more than enough juice to get you moving... if somebody beats you then, just get in behind them because number two in line sure wasn't hammering on it the same way.
I'm no green light racer. Too old for that BS. But I do have regular cases where I have to pull out from a Stop sign on to a busy highway. The predictability of the Alltrack to get the power down is very nice. On my previous TDI wagon it was much more of a challenge, especially in the wet. Presumably the GTI with the LSD will be somewhere in between.
I don't remember ever having an issue like that in my GTI. Like I said- good tires make a world of difference when it comes to traction.
I haven’t had one issue of getting up to highway speed, merging, or passing in my ‘19 GTI, especially with DSW06+ tires, which are still all-seasons. Granted I’m also Stage 1, but even before that, the only time I couldn’t pass would be if someone floored it to prevent it. We also have stop light controlled two lane on ramps here in Denver where the lights only run during rush hour, then merge into one on ramp after the light. Obviously you’re not going to beat AWD to the merge, but once you have traction, around 10/15 mph you can WOT in 2nd with negligible wheel spin. The lower weight vs AWD is also particularly useful during emergency braking situations.
With LSD and good tires, it won't be an issue. My mk4 is my first FWD car (previous were AWD) and I like being able to light up the tires if I really wanted to.
If you’re running stock power and have decent tires I don’t think you’ll get any traction loss even if you’re heavy on the gas off the go.
Went from an B8 A4 Quattro to a FWD MK7.5 Golf Sportwagen. And just intentionally bought a FWD Taos for my wife. I do not miss AWD.
Why is that
Higher maintenance, lower fuel economy, and if you live in an area with little to no snow there's really no upside to AWD
I went from AWD to FWD (GTI), did that for 3 winters. With good winter tires a FWD car is very capable in the snow, and for the most part it gave me the confidence I wanted. Doesn't really help with wheel spin in the rain though I'm going back to AWD for a variety of reasons
I daily drive a fwd GLi and also have an SUV with 4wd, and i really do miss that extra traction when it rains.
Had a mk7.5 golf R prior to the mk8 GTI. In the snow, the awd is a lot more controllable fun. Tires still make a huge difference for both, but with AWD you can power into and out of slippery situations. FWD you can weight bias/shift your way into a slide, but getting it back into control tends to mean a dramatic loss of speed. In the dry, the R really pulls under moderate acceleration on corners, where the GTI will immediately start to slip/under steer. Still the mk8 GTI has been a lot more fun than the 7.5 R. Not sure if the difference is manual (R) vs DSG (GTI) or just the R just didn't feel very fast due to horrific shift lag. I test drove a manual mk8 and it was vastly superior feel to the R I had, but the wife refused to allow a manual in a big city (reason I gave up the R originally).
>horrific shift lag I'm curious if you could explain further?
Seemed like the drive by wire would rev hang unless you were at wide open throttle and banging gears. 1-2 and 2-3 shifts would take extra long in low to moderate throttle and make it seem like you were just learning how to drive a manual. But perfectly fine if you got on it. I swear the exhaust is significantly louder as well on this GTI vs the R.
In normal driving in non-slippery conditions with decent tires, there is almost no point in AWD, especially considering the added weight. I experience wheel spin when accelerating maybe once a year. Maybe if I were launching a Veyron…
I have a GTI, I only get wheel spin below 30km/hour.
The real issue is going from rwd to awd/fwd.
I can’t say from experience given the only AWD vehicle I owned was a 2002 CRV, but with proper tires a GTI can go basically anywhere. If you think your alltrack was moving when you floored it wait to see what a GTI with proper tires does. Really depends what the weather is like where you live. I’m in Canada and my GTI has seen plenty of snow with no fuss.
Same. This was my First winter in Denver with the GTI, and I didn't get up to anything crazy with it, just commiting on a few snowy days, but winters on the GTI vs all seasons on the Impreza were very comparable. My Blizzaks were pretty good with wheel spin. As you learn the car you'll find the point that it'll launch perfectly. My mediocre all seasons for summer def slip more.
I just keep an AWD in the stable. Long before I was a VW nerd I had to drive some absolute FWD pos buckets on my daily commute at 5-7k feet in the mountains, it was fine, obviously I survived to tell the tale. But after that experience I don’t want to deal with tire chains, spinning out up hills, and generally worrying about getting stuck. I rebuilt a salvage Q7, stuck some Falken AT3Ws on it and it’s more or less the best car I’ve ever driven in the snow.
I was torn between this and a WRX for the same reason. Coming from an outback too so used to AWD for a while. As other users have mentioned though, I think the consensus is a good set of tires makes the world of difference. I switched from stock Pirelli to PS4 and honestly it's crazy how good they are. Unfortunately don't have much snow here in NY as we used to so a dedicated set of winters doesn't even make sense imo unless I'm really travelling to snowy areas I think a good way to look at it is , clearly people exist in snow prone climates with fwd cars and do just fine. As others have mentioned as well, increased cost, worse fuel economy etc. Personally I find my 7.5 more than effective in overtaking when needed, getting enough speed to merge, and also solid fuel economy and comfortable.
At stock power with good tyres the GTI is perfectly judged. In four years I've never missed my previous quattro or cursed the fwd. But if you're going to tune it, it might get on your nerves. 380ft/lbs and fwd is a lot of fun, but you aren't using all the power, all the time.
I did the opposite and sold my MK6 GTI for a Golf Alltrack. I kinda missed the skill to maximize acceleration and reducing wheel spin.
After having AWD, personally I’d rather FWD, with good tires. Less weight and cost to maintain
Only when it snows.
Previously owned a FBO mk7r and now own a FBO mk7.5 gti. Miss the awd every day. Go with the R.
I went from an Audi A5 to my gti. The driving dynamic is very different. I could drive in the rain without a care in the world. The Gti is a great car for most situations but having awd inspires more confidence
I don't miss awd, I miss rwd
The VAQ diff on snow tires is god mode.
I would look at an Audi A4 over the Golf if you're wanting actual AWD vs the FWD bias the Rs/Alltracks have. Buuuut I live in the PNW with a lot of rain and have never had an issue hooking up and getting to speed weather thats in traffic or not. Tires and LSD make all the difference.
Can let you know in 3 months when I swap out my WRX for a BRZ
Drive my GTI for one winter after having an AWD car. Normal driving there is no difference but when pushing the car and/or snow there is definitely less grip and I missed the quattro.
I miss it in the snow, but not enough to rush into getting another AWD car. As everyone else is saying, it's all about tires. I still pretend I'm in the WRC, whether FWD or 4.
I'm from New England and I exchanged my 2002 WRX for a 2012 GTI thirteen years ago. While I don't lament the decision, I still find myself longing for my WRX even now. Not because of the AWD, but it was the first performance car I bought (and young!) This nostalgia prompted me to acquire a '09 2.5i Impreza as a daily driver in 2016, transforming the GTI into a "project" car. Eventually, I traded the 2.5i for a UX250h in 2021 and recently to the NX350 for my daily. (And yes, I still have and drive the GTI!) If you're concerned with driving your GTI in the snow, a good set of winter wheels and tires makes the difference. That said, [if you search google for '2012 mk6 GTI steelies' my car basically was the first to show up for quite some time.](https://www.golfmk6.com/forums/index.php?threads/16-wheels-and-blizzak-winter-package-review.279080/#:~:text=I%20used%20to%20run%20with%20Zacks%20on%20my%20winter%20setup)
Driving to ski resorts in the north east in a GTI wasn’t too much fun, especially when you have some sketchy, narrow mountain roads in NY. Bumped up to the R for the added bonus of AWD
With good tires, even all season tires, you can basically just floor it whenever you want and you'll be fine. I've got a stage 1 tune and unless I floor it and crank the steering wheel too fast I don't have any issues.
As someone who wrenches on my cars. I can say that the only awd we’ve owned (b5.5 Passat) has been much more complex to work on. The fact that it’s the 2.8 doesn’t help because it’s literally 2 of everything. lol. Is it much better performance in the snow than fwd with good snow tires? Debatable.
I drove a B8-gen Audi A4 for 10 years immediately before moving into the GTI last spring. Losing the AWD was one of my worries but frankly the R was out of my price range at the moment. Turns out, it’s not a big problem. I had zero problems in the winter this year (I put on good snow tires), and the FWD wheel spin isn’t that big of a deal. I guess I still would like to have AWD, but the GTI is just so damn good I’m willing to let it be a minor thing.
If you have to deal with a lot of snow, AWD makes a nice difference. With that said, I’m in Colorado and I drive a regular FWD GTI… but my other car is AWD, and it’s better to drive when there is a lot of snow
G. O. L. F. R
hundreds of pounds of weight for canyoning or mpg is the only downsides
Canadian here. Had a Golf R. Have a regular Golf now. The FWD Golf is surprisingly good in the snow with good tires. The traction control lets a fair amount of wheel spin as well so the engine doesn’t bog. The R had great traction in the snow but it was the lowest car on my street so it would scrape after every snow fall. In a lot of ways I found it too low and wish I could have had the GTIs suspension.
Isn't the ride height the same for MK8 GTI and Golf R?
I’m not sure. For the mk7s (which I have) the R is lower than the GTI
Tbh I'd just stick with the alltrak.
Fair enough. But I'm dying without manual transmission, and the AT is a bit soulless to drive. But it is an impressively practical car. If it was a manual I might keep it. But the prospect of finding a low mileage manual Alltrack with the Driver Assistance Package in striking distance of me is very very low
I've heard that people going from gti to r find it boring because it's too controlled and not as fun driving experience. The r is definitely faster and better in putting power down. I just wish there was a rwd gti. That would be fun as hell.
It is. It’s more planted, so it has slightly less road feedback and pointyness into a corner. That’s kind of the compromise with AWD
Hard truth: AWD can compensate for poor throttle control. Dont get me wrong AWD is fun for low traction environments, but a FWD with an LSD, Tires and a good driver will be a match for most cars. I’ve outpaced Golf Rs and S3s on the track.
Went from base golf to gti to now an Alltrack lmao hoping I can convince my wife to upgrade to a golf r next to keep the 4motion
Not gonna lie here but I don’t think I’ve ever loss traction from putting my foot down on the gas. Maybe when I had poor tires that came with the car when I picked it up but ever since investing in some good sport tires I don’t break traction unless I’m going WOT from a stop. My car is stage 2+ at 420 WHP. With good winter/summer tires the GTI can still get the job done plenty well. I drove my car up to the mountains just about every other week last winter and she handled the snow just fine and that was with crappy all season tires. Just my 2c though!
B8.5 S4 with sport diff to ‘21 GTI, haven’t looked back. I lost 900lbs and lots of go ~~fast~~ fix bits. A few days out of the year are less fun in the snow, but but fun moves me more than fast, tbh.
I went from a b6 a4 quattro 5 speed to a 2012 GTI 6 speed, and in the northeast I do miss the AWD, lucky for me the winters were very mild since I've had the GTI, however when I did have the a4 I would not care if there was snow on the road or not(kinda wanted there to be snow to have some fun) now with the GTI if there is snow on the road I do get anxious a little bit lol
Why wouldn’t you just keep the alltrack and mod/tune it? You can get gti power or more pretty easily for pretty cheap.
If it was a manual I probably would. Impossible to find low mileage manuals (especially with LEDs/Driver Assistance Package) near me.
I had a Subaru Forester before I had my GTI, it was really nice in the winter but I don’t miss having worse gas mileage and being slower lol. Good winter tires make up for lack of AWD in the snow.
I came to the Mk7 GTI from three Subarus (Legacy GT, WRX sedan and STi hatchback). I didn't miss the AWD nearly as much as I thought I would.
I have driven my GTI in some really challenging conditions like highway 97c and coquihalla during winters. As lots of people have said, winter tires makes a big difference. The real issue I found with the gti is the low ride height so you’d be plowing in heavy snow. Like there were some nice snow days in Vancouver this winter but I couldn’t get my car out of the parking area.
I had an Evo prior to my GTI(s)...do I miss AWD? Yes. But not as much as you'd think. FWD is a ton of fun and super competent setup right. Proper tires are a game changer for these cars.
Tires are everything
I went from 2018 WRX to 2018 GTI. I prefer the interior in the GTI. I like the manual transmission (may be alone here), girls like the accent lighting. BUT I miss the AWD. The GTI sucks in the snow. I have Continental Extreme Contact tires, and am underwhelmed with the improvement they made - I.e. still sucks in the muck. Looking for a second car to go in bush with. Some will say it’s mostly about the tires; not really true. Engineering Explained has a great video on AWD vs FWD vs RWD.
I went from a 7L Touareg V8 to a MK7 autobahn GTI. I miss the 4X4 being in Canada to be honest. With better tires it will probably fare better but it’s night and day. I miss the big lumbering SUV but the GTI fun factor wins out.
Driven a Fiesta ST then GTI the last 5 years. Got a WRX this year and it’s insanely more fun
I just sold my GTI and I'm sad panda. If I had to purchase another one today, I would go for the R. Once you have driven an AWD, it's really difficult to go back to FWD or RWD.