2005 Volkswagen GTI 1.8 Turbo

2005 Volkswagen GTI (photo: The Car Family)

Basically, this is Golf with a more sporty-tuned independent suspension. As such, it is a compromise between the host vehicle's soft ride and the stiff struts that have been added. What that means is that it is a compromise that the potential owners must find satisfactory or it can wear thin after a while over unkept roads. When you have four adults onboard you can pretty much feel the suspension bottoming out on most any notable rut. The brakes are quite good for the 3000-pound weight of this Volkswagen, and I never tired of the torque that made it easy to shift from first to third to fifth without having to bother with the rest of the gears.

If you are at a stop you should be aware that there is a trick to a smooth take-off and that is to make sure you are not above 1500 rpm and not below 1000. Above that mark and the turbo provides too much power and below that it lugs. The clutch suffers from a slightly elastic feeling that didn't clearly communicate where the engagement point was which adds to the cautionary note above. I also did not like the seating position that only had a limited number of rake adjustments and none of them fit me. I would welcome power seats. The warranty is four years, 50,000 miles which is quite reassuring, and roadside assistance.

College going male's view: This is more of a luxury-hatch than a hot hatchback and the sad part about it is that it was designed for my demographic group and I can't find anything I can't find somewhere else for less money. Consumer Reports and others have noted its worse than

2005 Volkswagen GTI (photo: The Car Family)

average repair record which makes it even of less interest. The stereo has above average reception, but is only middling in tone with the small graphic dials unremarkably ineffective for creating that deep pitch enjoyed by many of my friends. I really liked the looks of the rims and it does attract a fair amount of attention. So where do I stand? Well, I would wait for the new model for three reasons. First, I think the engine needs a little more size so it can relax more while cruising. Secondly, the interior is too bland and although there is adequate space to squirrel away odds and ends in the center console, two-tiered glove compartment, and door pockets, it is too difficult for me to multi-task such as plug in a radar detector, hold my cup of caffeine, and store the garage door opener while trying to find reverse. Thirdly, I can get more room, the same engine, more attention, and multi-task in the similarly turbo engined Beatle for the nearly the same money and better resale according to NADA. Of course, I give up cornering ability, but I can live with that trade-off.

Family conference: There is so much competition for the sports compact niche that Volkswagen created with the GTl that it is difficult to recommend it without having spent time in such cars as the Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Tiburon, MINI, Eclipse, Sentra, Impreza, Dodge Neon SRT, Ford Focus SVT, and the Acura RSX. Anyway you look at it, deciding which car to buy in this group is going to be an enjoyable treat. Meanwhile we hope that Volkswagen puts more Fahrvergnugen into new model. For a list of all vehicle manufacture websites go to http://www.reacheverychild.com/business/index.html

*** Specifications and prices contained in this article are based on US products ***