Nobody else makes anything comparably refined, light, agile, quick, efficient, and loaded up for $28K.
The closest hottie might be a Mini Cooper S, a Subie WRX (mechanically unrefined) or MazdaSpeed3 (silly looking face).

Where in the hell are the Focus SVT, and the Cruze SS? Every passing day without them is lost sales potential, guys.

When GM or Ford decide to create something compact, fast, tidy, and tasty, I will consider them again.

@ leftwingagenda – Keep in mind with the GTI that even though it may cost a few thou more, you are getting a far nicer car. I have some experience with the MS3 and though it is quite fast, that is really all it has going for it IMO. If you are concerned about reliability I wouldn’t be. My car has been very reliable and I drive the sh!t out of it. 65,000 miles in 42 months. Granted 18,500 milers per year isn’t the worst, it is a lot. Also, let us not forget that VW now has the 3 years FREE scheduled maintenance program. Add that to your cost of the Mazda. With mine, I have spent probably (off the top of my head) $2k in 3 years on maintenance. Also, things like a moonroof and DSG add to the deal. Neither of which can be had on the Speed3.
Perceived reliability and actual reliability are different. I understand that VW has a poor rep for that but for me it has been worth it. I have had small issues here and there but nothing that has left me stranded or embarassed. It also all depends on what you are coming from. For me, the Speed 3 would be a step backward or AT LEAST a lateral move when comparing to my GTI, which is what I did after the Speed 3 came out. My car, the GTI, has some sort of “X Factor” that I cannot explain. It just feels good to drive my car. The chassis is amazing. It rides like an Audi or BMW. It has a firmness or planted feeling to it in all but the worst situations (50mph on-ramp on Michigan potholes).

@ needforspeed – I will give you that it is an under performs the leaders of the class, WRX and Speed3. It performs AVERAGE with its rivals. You have cars like the Civic Si, Cooper S, and Sentra SE-R Spec-V, in which the GTI takes. The others, WRX, Speed3, and Cobalt SS, and Lancer Raliart are faster, in a straightline at least. That, of the 8 cars, makes it EXACTLY average. Keep in mind though that it performs better than all of these cars in real world situations. If you are to Autocross your car or take it to the drag strip then others are certainly better. I can say that having 207 lb/ft of torque (100%) available from 1800 rpm to 5200 rpm is incredible. The Civic needs to be kept above 5000 rpm all the time to be a half second slower through the 1320ft. That isn’t practical. Same is true with the WRX and SS. The Speed3 has a pretty good power curve.

For any naysayers, just take a look at this. Yes, the Speed3 won but read the reasoning for the GTI placing 2nd and the Speed3 1st. Speed3 is a better performance car but the GTI is better all around. It also made the 10 best list in this same issue. No other car in this test did that.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/09q1/cobalt_ss_v_wrx_and_5_more_sport_compacts-comparison_tests

the CR reliability ratings for the mazda are better…

no offense, but arguing the gti is the best due to build quality is disregarding the factual history of the model…it’s not a crap box, but it’s had issues…

I love it! The hot hatch fad is still going on!
Oh Yeah! Keep em’ coming…

NMOFVW

sa USA has never produced a car as good as the GTI, and nither has any1 else

civic is a terrible car
MazdaSpeed3 is good, but not 2 da GTI lvk
Cobalt is albost as bad as da civic & da wrx is almost as good as da GTI

The GTI-R is pretty slick, it refines the GTI just enough to set it apart. We lose the v6 and who cares, the turbo 4 with 4-motion will be a rocket. For this car you’re looking at 32k+

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, they should have sent the Scirocco our way, that I would have easily dorpped the cash for. Golf, no way.

>>This is a MKV.5 and NOT a MKVI. There are too few changes to warrant a new model.<<

Take that one up with VW….they call it the sixth!

It’s weird that my last two cars have both been replaced and reviewed with a day of each other (GTI and Legacy)…

@ nikkop – I agree with much of your comparisons but I do have to disagree with your choice of WRX or Si over this car. The GTI is the BEST mix of everything. The jack of all trades. The WRX has AWD and the Si has cost but the GTI blends everything perfectly. If you want/need AWD, buy the WRX. If you want the best performer, buy the Speed3. If you want the most reliable and lest expensive, buy the Si. If you MUST (with a gun to your head) buy American, buy the Cobalt SS. If you have the jack and want the jack of all trades, this GTI stands alone.

As an owner of a MKV GTI, i can certainly attest to the awesomeness of this car. It is unlike anything else. With the exception of the Cobalt SS (I hate the Cobalt), I have driven all of the competitors in this class, including the Cooper S. They don’t compare with the overall drive. The fact that I can take a last gen Mustang GT off the line and get the gas mileage of a Honda Civic is amazing. Also, I can roll down the windows and hear the sound of the blow off valve, the “blap” of the exhaust during an accelerating upshift, or the rev of a rev matched DSG downshift, then hop on the highway, windows up, air/heat on, 10 speakers of music playing, and cruse at 85 mph like any other Autobahn tuned German ride.
I have yet to find anything close to this all around package in just about any car PERIOD. Nothing in this class is as refined, NO QUESTION. What it lacks in flat out performance it makes up in this. Plus, with DSG, ANYONE can drive it fast simply by keeping it in sport mode and letting the tranny perform 10 millisecond shifts.
GREAT CAR. The HUFEISEN wheels (Hufs) shown here, are what I have on my car and can say they are certainly prone to curb rash.
Also, my car has been VERY reliable so I don’t care what JD and his buddy Power have to say about it.

I went to Honda with my girlfriend because she wanted to buy a new Honda Si and myself own a Mazdaspeed3, and the sales man was comparing those two cars, he was trying to tell me that the Civic is a much better choice then the Speed3, his reasoning was “Well since it doesn’t have a turbo, it’s one less thing that will break down” my response, I started my car and revved the engine, and told him, you get what you pay for and enjoyed the rest of the visit.

I drove a Gen VI this weekend too and found it to be honest, very very close to my own 07 GTI. The optional seats are the same – minus a tad different shaped headrest. Otherwise, I find it hard to spend $8000 to get a new one over my own – which has eqipment not even offered anymore (dual-zone climate control).

Still the best hatch on the market no matter what!

this piece left me feeling it was long on words and short on substance…i’ve seen video comparisons between the mk V and VI with a balanced view of the pluses and minuses (yes, there are minuses) of the VI…this article leaves you thinking everything is roses and improvements and unicorns…i’ll try to find the youtube link at some point, but in that comparison (several months old, btw…we’re getting the mk VI so damn late…) they said the mk V was actually a bit more fun in some respects…

Civic Si -10 hp to GTI

MazdaSpeed3 +56 hp and similar torque advantage over GTI

Coalball SS +53 hp and similar torque advatage over GTI

Impreza WRX +58 hp and similar torque advatage over GTI

correction: as far as power is concerned, the WRX is better matched with the GTI-R than the GTI, with a $5000 to $10,000 price advantage to the WRX, and they BOTH have AWD, pricewise, the standard GTI matches more in line with the WRX but losing with 58 less horsepower and no all wheel drive

the Civic Si: 197 hp screamer of a 11:1 DOHC VTEC inlne-4 NATURALLY ASPIRATED motor
(GTI benefits from a nicer interior, and low end/mid range power and torque torque advantage), but the Si is very fun, very nice and starts significantly cheaper i think…..

the MazdaSpeed 3 very similar approach, direct injection turbo inline-4 but with very significant power and torque advantage, , (GTI has much better styling, arguable better interior, and assembly quality

The chevrolet (iww) COBALT SS (similar approach, direct injection turbo inline-4 but with very significant power and torque advantage) BUT unequivocally loses to the GTI in status, styling , elegance, interior quality , not to mention the NVH (lack thereof in GTI), comfort, ride quality, and materials, assembly, and perceived quality advantages of the GTI
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING CHEAPER, WITH GREAT POWER, DECENT HANDLING, MPG, AND DON’T CARE MUCH ABOUT ANY OTHER ASPECTS OF VALUE THEN GO FOR THE CHEVY, HAVE AT IT !

Lastly, but not least,

Subaru (Impreza) WRX (similar assembly and materials quality, if lacking slightly in comparison to GTI) GTI has at LEAST slightly more elegant interior and exterior styling, paddle shift DSG option, and at least a few extra optional creature comforts… with all this being said, in the opinion of myself, as well as many others, the WRX wins definitively in these aspects: GREAT 2.5 liter BOXER Turbo 4-cyl standard, with almost a 60hp advantage, that traditional and unmatchable boxer rumble, and boxer handling/balance due to a very slightly lower center of gravity, not to mention STANDARD ALL WHEEL DRIVE, this thing is not a fwd pocket rocket but an AWD rally monster in sheep’s clothing!

NMOFGM can you mention a product from the crappy GM that can stand next to the GTI and hold the minimal comparation in fit and finish, engine quality and technology??? Just to mention few among many others.

GM. AN American Revolution

Be American. Buy American. buy GM.

may the best car win