CarAdvice - Golf GT TSI v GT TDI

[GTom]

I’ve always despised automatics, and the DSG is the first ‘auto’ I’ve owned, but after 5 months of ownership, I definitely have no regrets. I bought the DSG so I could share the car with the missus if need be, and I had serious reservations to start with, but teamed with the superb 125 kw TDI engine it is absolutely brilliant. Also, the option of changing gears manually via the F1 style paddle shift was a huge selling point for me (wouldn’t have considered the DSG without it).

The consensus from the motoring journos is that the big torque hole and lack of boost at low revs, makes the manual a bit of a chore to drive around town, especially in the suburban hills. The GT Sport TDI engine does its best work over a relatively narrow rev range, and that means lots of very frequent gear changes in the manual. The beauty of the DSG is that all that cog swapping happens very quickly and smoothly and you don’t end up with a sore left foot.

Some have complained about the DSG’s tendency to swap cogs too early, but I think it is spot on (although, I’m biased because I’ve become obsessed with fuel economy since getting this car!). Anyway, if you’re not happy with the automatic gear changes, change them yourself – that’s what the paddles are for. And yes, I still use the paddles very regularly (well every time I feel like pretending that I’m Kimi Raikkonen anyway).

Having said all that, the manual GT TDI owners on here seem very happy with their cars too, and Mischa will tell you that the DSG is boring, but he would say that - judging by his fuel economy, he’s a bloody young hoon!

Does the GT come with paddles??

[Lima]

Yes it does.

I agree that the paddles are necessary as well. I've driven a Jetta 2.0 TFSI with DSG, no paddles, and it wasn't anywhere near as much fun as the GT.

[shogun2]

OK - two test drives coming up

[Greg Roles]

And for the little, little extra, I'd line up a GTI on the same day.

It is indeed awesome, but was just "too go-cart" for my fat ol butt.

Nice to compare to the "legend".

[BarneyBoy]

Good idea:
Drive a TDI, a TSI, and a GTI.

[Lima]

But what about the fruit?

[BarneyBoy]

But what about the fruit?

LOL

Yeah, I know - but folks seem to have left the TSI off the shopping list and want to compare the TDI with the GTI all the time! Personally I'd make the decision of power plant 1st, and then squabble over the various models: ie TDI or TDI GT Sport / TSI GT or GTI.

But everyone's different... and besides, I like bananas AND pineapples...

[Mischa]

the tsi is a shweet engine. absolutely beautiful. so is the gti but doesnt rev high enough imo (its ok i have my flame retardant fire suit on)

hang on i just realised i have a tdi that revs to 4.5 hehe.

[MariusGT]

I did just as suggested: test drove the 2 GT sport models back to back with a gti..

my last golf (1999 1.6) was well loved but massively underpowered. Driving to visit family 6hrs south of Sydney I wasn't ever confident overtaking slowpokes unless I had kms of room!! I had bought it because my previous car (1997 club spec evo WRX) attracted too much attention and I had grown out of that "style" of car and wanted a cruiser.

So I wanted my comfy golf with a bit of grunt. The glitch is our 2 car family will drop to 1 in a year or so... And my wife has come from a 121 and is not a car nut at all.

Gti- fantastic car, but the punch of power post-lag was going to be too much for the missus. No disrespect- she would just HATE it.

Next the gt tdi (which I drove with her) and same thing with the massive torque surge!!! Wheel spin in second gear on a clear dry surface.... Wowzer!!

The gt tsi was the best all rounder. I got what I wanted, and my wife enjoys driving it (with the wet weather option switched ON!! Which reduced torque in 1st and second).

Mmm. That's my take anyway.

[Greg Roles]

Yeah I agree, of the three, the TSI is the best chicks car.

[BarneyBoy]

Yeah I agree, of the three, the TSI is the best chicks car.

Yeah OK Cog, I'll bite...

Last time I had a chick in a diesel, she said "What's wrong with your car? - it sounds like something's broken..."
"Nah, love - that's just the power take-off playin' up..."

Anyhoo, good going Marius to drive all 3 back to back.
No matter what you chose, at least all 3 got a fair evaluation for what you needed.

So did you get the 2 pedal manual or the 3 pedal manual?

BTW, the "W" button is for Wives/Women

[MariusGT]

Like I said- I had the glitch of needing the car to be drivable for my
missus. Read "smooth power delivery"- of which the gti and tdi (as great as they both are) are not as linea as the tsi.

I've since read many a comment about the tsi saying it feels alot like a much larger naturally aspirated engine. ie: perfect for my requirements.

*I got DSG. Like I said- the car was for someone other than me also.. And my wife has no interest in learning to drive a manual.

After driving all 3 at a dealer I kept my eyes out for a low kms 2nd hand one.. Got a 2008 grey gt sport tsi dsg with only 3800kms on the clock... And talked the owner down to 31k

So even if I did prefer one of the others I still would have gone for my tsi just because it was so well priced!!

[POLARBEAR666]

1; a GT TSI will mow a GT TDI around corners as there is at least 40kg less over the front wheels to slow turn in.
2;the brakes on the GT TSI will be better as the car is lighter.
3;fewer gearchanges when driving the car hard. 1 less to 100 and ability to say in a gear and just ride up and down the revs as you fang.
4;THE SOUND!!! My TSI makes more supercharger whine and blow off valve sounds than anything I have come across. I can make the blow off valve go for 30 or 40 seconds straight on the freeway if a 200sx or XR6Turbo decides to have a "PSSSSHHHHH OFF".
5;400nm of torque will just make a TDI wheelspin. The motor mag illustrates the problem where the super high hp tuned v8's were just 8 shades of slow compared to the jap and german cars. Having HUGE torque does nothing if its converted into smoke and spin.
6: the ability to say "When a girl is in my car there are 3 blowers"

[Greg Roles]

Fish on!