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Hey everyone. I can’t seem to find this topic and not sure if it should be in the MKV or MKVI section. Feel free to close this thread Mr Moderator if you deem it a "contentious" topic as you did my last thread.
I took an R for a test drive today and would like to share some brief thoughts.
I had the car for about 1 hour and drove over all varying types of roads. Back streets, freeways windy up hill roads etc.
First thing - I found the internal finish cheap in comparison to the R32. The main dials especially. The big obvious numbers and clear glass does not have the same expensive look as the R32's smaller numbers and blue-ish glass finish. And that chequer plate metal look stuff is gone too. The MFD is obviously more advanced but not sure this is a big concern.
As for the drive well, this thing is fast. Especially in the mid to redline but turbo lag is a big issue for me. Absolute deal breaker. The R32 has this thing covered hands down. It quite simple, when you pull up to a corner and there’s a gap you want to know that you can take it. In the R32 I just squeeze down and blam I’m already up to the car in front. This thing, holy crap, you just have to hang on for dear life watching the cars closing in your rear view mirror and then wammo your suddenly doing twice the limit. But for me here the game is already over. The salesman tried to tell me the R is smoother to drive than the R32. Ha what a crock! I suppose he has to say that doesn’t he?
The car I drove had stock susp so I can’t comment on acc. But the ride was very bumpy. More so than my HPA KW SHS coilovers. I can only surmise that this is due in part to the weight of the R32 which brings me to the main reason I prefer the R32. The weight transfer thru corners. The R feels too light to me, too disconnected from the forces of gravity. It skips and bumps like a toy! I felt,like I was driving a giant remote controlled car. Don’t get me wrong, I totally get the R. VW have engineered this car well, it’s light, economical, powerful, quick, nimble and sounds great for a 4cyl. I can tell it’s very well balanced.
I like my R32 for all its misgivings. Its more “Real” for want of a better word. You can feel the weight transfer thru corners, that’s the whole point when you’re driving, you want to feel what’s happening. Not sure if anyone will agree here. Depends what you’re looking for in a car I guess. The R is basically an expensive well engineered WRX! Whoops there I said it.
In summary (and a very biased one I might add):
R: Like playing a computer game. Fast, agile, lacks feel. It’s too perfect! – Good for the track. Exhaust note sounds cheap (compared to R32).
R32: Organic - torquey - smooth – real driver’s car. Grand tourer that you can get at a reasonable price. Exhaust note is sublime.
I took an R for a test drive today and would like to share some brief thoughts.
I had the car for about 1 hour and drove over all varying types of roads. Back streets, freeways windy up hill roads etc.
First thing - I found the internal finish cheap in comparison to the R32. The main dials especially. The big obvious numbers and clear glass does not have the same expensive look as the R32's smaller numbers and blue-ish glass finish. And that chequer plate metal look stuff is gone too. The MFD is obviously more advanced but not sure this is a big concern.
As for the drive well, this thing is fast. Especially in the mid to redline but turbo lag is a big issue for me. Absolute deal breaker. The R32 has this thing covered hands down. It quite simple, when you pull up to a corner and there’s a gap you want to know that you can take it. In the R32 I just squeeze down and blam I’m already up to the car in front. This thing, holy crap, you just have to hang on for dear life watching the cars closing in your rear view mirror and then wammo your suddenly doing twice the limit. But for me here the game is already over. The salesman tried to tell me the R is smoother to drive than the R32. Ha what a crock! I suppose he has to say that doesn’t he?
The car I drove had stock susp so I can’t comment on acc. But the ride was very bumpy. More so than my HPA KW SHS coilovers. I can only surmise that this is due in part to the weight of the R32 which brings me to the main reason I prefer the R32. The weight transfer thru corners. The R feels too light to me, too disconnected from the forces of gravity. It skips and bumps like a toy! I felt,like I was driving a giant remote controlled car. Don’t get me wrong, I totally get the R. VW have engineered this car well, it’s light, economical, powerful, quick, nimble and sounds great for a 4cyl. I can tell it’s very well balanced.
I like my R32 for all its misgivings. Its more “Real” for want of a better word. You can feel the weight transfer thru corners, that’s the whole point when you’re driving, you want to feel what’s happening. Not sure if anyone will agree here. Depends what you’re looking for in a car I guess. The R is basically an expensive well engineered WRX! Whoops there I said it.
In summary (and a very biased one I might add):
R: Like playing a computer game. Fast, agile, lacks feel. It’s too perfect! – Good for the track. Exhaust note sounds cheap (compared to R32).
R32: Organic - torquey - smooth – real driver’s car. Grand tourer that you can get at a reasonable price. Exhaust note is sublime.
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