Used 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Stalling issue
See if the dealer can interrogate CPU and fix it this way: I had this issue, they scanned my car and saw it was partially still in transport mode. They put it back into transport mode and then removed it. I have not stalled since and it happened 8 times in 6 days of taking delivery which was ~300 miles and I am just shy of 1200 now. I opened a ticket with VW so it was documented.
Love my GTI
Purchased the SE trim with the Experience package in dark blue metallic and love it! The power is effortless. Not unlimited, effortless. What I mean is that no matter how much accelerator I give it, it doesn’t feel or sound like it’s straining. It just goes. Plenty of power to pass on the highway. Also, in sport mode, downshifting with the paddles to 2nd gear coming into a 90 degree turn and stomping the acceleration out of the turn is downright addictive. But it is also docile and smooth in everyday driving. Wonderful combination. I couldn’t justify spending almost $10K more for an R for basically AWD and 60 more horsepower (I got a very nice Labor Day discount.) Besides, when the very good 6 year/72,000 mile warranty runs out, I’ll get APR to re-chip it and have R level performance for about $1,000. Until then, I’m completely satisfied with my purchase. And don’t buy everything you hear about VW reliability. I traded in a 2010 Golf that had never been in the shop for anything besides regular scheduled maintenance. Not. One. Single. Time.
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- SE 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $17,985335 mi away
- Autobahn 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $25,998473 mi away
- SE 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $16,995331 mi away
Still has it!
After a 2009 WRX and a 2010 Evo MR, the GTI is the car I’ve been looking for all along. It doesnt have the raw speed and handling of the Evo or the thrill of pushing a WRX hard, but the GTI is about 80% of the fun but 100% more comfortable as a daily driver. The WRX was a pain during our bumper to bumper rushhour and the Evo wracked my back after about 3 hours in those Recaros and that highway drone 😬. The GTI feels well built, is quieter, and the DSG is super smooth. My Autobahn wasnt cheap but it’s been worth it! 2 year update: I’m still loving my GTI but squeaks and rattles are becoming apparent. Also the right passenger side has a squeak that no one can figure out. It’s still comfortable, quick, and on long trips I can get up to 38 mpg!
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Stall issues
Just picked one up Jun 27. Within a few days the car began stalling at low speed stops in neutral, and in gear with clutch depressed. After reading various online threads it is clear this is a systemic issue with all trims of the 2019 GTI. VW does not have a fix yet.
2019 GTI Autobahn DSG
I purchased my GTI in April 2019 from Kelley VW in Danvers, MA. Great sales experience! I traded a 2016 Golf SE. Since I purchased my GTI I have driven 3800 miles. During that time I have enjoyed the fit and finish and the thrill of taking the car on backroads and major highways. The white/silver paint is chameleon and looks great with the other car accents. All of the accessories that come with the Autobahn model work great including the drive modes (Sport,Comfort,Normal,Eco, Custom) . DSG manual is terrific and I use it more than the Drive or Sport selections. It has not all been a honeymoon. I have had two tires (Bridgestone) leak air and have to be reseated on the rim to stop the slow leaks. I read reviews where these tires were criticized. VW should switch to Michelins. And last week the direct fuel injector on Cylinder 2 failed after starting the car and had to be replaced. Not an encouraging sign for reliability. This was covered in full by my 6yr/72k warranty thank goodness. Since the repair the car is running great. The service advisor at Coastal VW suggested that I have the fuel injector cleaning service once a year to insure the direct injection system remains in good condition. He also recommended ONLY branded (Mobil, Shell, Sunoco, etc) premium fuel and to avoid other gasoline brands. He suggested to not fill the car with gas but rather only to a half a tank to enable more frequent fillings and fresher gas (since I drive low miles). I will follow up in the next few months and let you know how it's going. Despite some disappointments I am still loving my MK7.5!
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Comfortable car with performance
The car is very comfortable and performance to go with it for a car at this price range, but the build quality of the car is very shabby. Only 2800 miles on it but has went through VW services 3 times for engine stalling at idle issue, front driver side suspension squeaks, and sun roof rattle with the SE and above models(very common with this model)
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great hotwheels
I bought 2019 Golf GTI Rabbit. It is an awesome car. Drive is smooth. it could be a bit small for people who are tall (6'3"). i am just 5'5". very comfortable driver seat. If you like bigger screen size, or moonroof, or leather seating, go for SE or autobahn. I do not like leather seats, and so went for the Rabbit. My previous car has a moonroof, which I rarely used. So not having a moonroof was not a deal breaker. The car's shape is nice too.
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First VW - Very Fun to Drive
2019 GTI Autobahn DSG purchased in December, 2019. I test drove a few cars but the GTI engine was smoother than the rest, that's what sold me. Pros: It's like driving a go-cart, handling and acceleration are great. The DSG is fantastic, it gives you a manual feel meaning the engine lugs and revs more like it is mated to a manual than an automatic. There is a noticeable difference between the VW dual clutch and competitors automatics with torque converters. So far no defects at 3500 miles. The Fender audio system sounds great and the head unit is easy to use. The turning radius and visibility are excellent, the car is easy to park. The headlights are very bright, I've had a few people flash me thinking I had my brights on. I usually keep it in Drive but Sport mode is more fun. Get the DSC, comfort mode is nice for long trips. In Drive and Comfort mode I averaged 37.5mpg on a recent trip (highway, no hills, cruise control much of the time). Otherwise I get about 27mpg around town. Overall, the car is just really fun to drive, I like it more as time goes by. Cons: I'm not a big guy - I do find the seat bolsters a little too aggressive, especially on the back. Road salt from a snow storm caked up on the sensors and my park assist went crazy, a car wash rectified that. I sometimes get a minor vibration, I think it's the tires, may need rebalancing - not a fan of Bridgestone, I think Michelin's would fix that problem, but I can live with it. I would recommend the GTI to somebody looking for a car that is fun and practical to drive. If more practicality is needed definitely look at the GLI, the seats are more comfortable and there is much more trunk space and rear seat leg space. Paid $31,600 - I'm on the east coast.
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GTI That I mostly Love!
I have owned my GTI Autobahn for just over a year replacing a Golf TSI that I owned for 3 years with no issues. I am impressed with the quality build on my top of the line GTI. The white silver metallic paint is a chameleon with color variations depending on the sunlight. My car only has 6K miles but the experience so far has been "mostly good" In November 2019 at around 3500 miles my engine malfunctioned and the engine ran rough. I took it to my local dealer and the diagnosis was a faulty injector. The replacement was all covered under my 5 year B2B warranty but it left me uncertain about the reliability of the car. I am glad to say that no other issues have surfaced since that incident. Overall the car is comfortable and fun to drive especially when utilizing the sport mode with the auto-manual transmission. Plenty of power when you need it. My only criticism are the tires. The stock tires that come with the vehicle are less than desirable and don't hold the road like they should. I hope VW changes from Bridgestone to Michelins in the future. I have owned a number of Audi's and BMW's in the past with mixed reviews but the GTI offers a great driving experience and are significantly less to service and maintain.
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Great Car
Beware car sales people, of course! If you have a corporate discount, first get their price, then show your other incentives to subtract from there. But the car itself is awesome and I think a great value when compared to say an Audi S3 which will cost you quite a bit more and except for the quattro drive which is awesome I think this car is a far better value. The 6 year warranty alone is worth a lot and the fuel economy is really quite good
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Fun and sporty car, stalling concerns
The GTI is one of the most fun cars in the segment saturated with sporty compact and hatchback models. Excellent engine and both transmission options are fantastic. The one concerning element though is a growing problem with the 2019 GTI models stalling. 150+ NHTSA complaints filed to date and lots of forum discussion around the problem. As of July still no fix and VW has started to buy back some affected models. If the problem is fixed the car will become a fantastic offering, but with it looming overhead there are long term ownership concerns.
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GTI
New GTI... I had a few issues with stalling when coming to a stop several times before but fixed per VW direction so far... hope it continues to stay fixed! Love GTI’s
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Fantastic car
I will be driving this car for the next ten years. It has incredible power for a small car, is extremely agile and makes driving a blast! I cannot express the degree to which I am satified with this vehicle.
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Now I’m an owner of a new 2019 GTI SE Experience
Everything I expected, and more. Highway MPG 31.3 right from the start. Miles and miles of nothing but smiles. 72 mo./72K mile warranty is why I bought a 2019 vs. a 2020. Killer handling and acceleration. Not a single quibble! 02-11-21 Update. Recent road trip MPG - 38 on 4 lane highway at 65 mph. 44 MPG on two lane country highways at 55 MPH. Update 08-11-21: This car continues to amaze me. Zero problems with the car. Overall miles driven is now 12,300 with average mileage since new of 31.6. Turned Soundaktor to lowest setting so I can hear the natural exhaust note.
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The manual gti stalling issue is a safety red flag
https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2019/VOLKSWAGEN/GTI Read here before wasting you money on a manual gti no solution apparently and Vw is not yet acknowledging any of the complains . The car will stall at idle at random after the engine is warmed after mostly city driving
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WOW!!!!
Test Drive review: GTI SE DSG. This car is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. I had a 2007 GTI stick. Very good and fun to drive and excellent MPG. This 2019 is leaps and bounds improvement in every measurable category. Driver safety tech is great help to older drivers like me. I will purchase one as soon as I can.
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So much fun
Get the SE experience pkg so you can change the ride between sport and comfort. Comfort makes a big difference on bumpy roads and long trips. Love the handling and cargo with the back seats down is awesome. I put two adult bikes back there with the front wheels removed and placed in the back as well. Plus luggage and sheets and stuff for a week at the beach. Gots 36.5 mpg on the highway for the 140 mile trip.
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WAY MORE EXPENSIVE THAT OUR 2016
We love the GTI. Jeremy Clarkson of the Grand Tour purchased one as his daily driver. Since he could have any car he wants for free, this is a huge thumbs-up. We are totally disappointed with the VW March lease program for a GTI S w/DSG which is 38 payments of $419 plus tax and fees for a 39 month lease. Assume it would be about $450 if tax and fees are included in the payments. Our 2016 GTI S w/DSG was 35 payments for a 36 month lease of $299 including all tax and fees. This means the lease for a 2019 GTI S w/DSG versus a similar 2016 is approx $6,635 more by lease-end. Much as we love GTIs (and we have had a few of them), it's just not worth it anymore or affordable. Hopefully VW will realize this and offer a better lease program by month-end.
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Perfect - Nope. But there’s a lot to like!
To start let me say this is my first Golf GTI. I bought my 2019 Golf GTI SE (new) in Feb of 2020 with 100 miles on it and only have about 800 miles on it now (thanks Covid). The Bad - I really don’t think there’s anything bad about this car. The So So - The seats, while supportive, could use a better lumbar and cooled seats would be nice. At this price range more support than the manual lumber really should come standard. I have the DSG (due to my wife) and the up-rev when downshifting is a little too much. Stick tires could be much better and they are only ok in terms of handling. The engine shutting off unless you turn that feature off each time you get behind the wheeel can be annoying. Seats move easily enough but at this price point they should be power with memory. The heating and cooling system could be quite a bit better in my opinion. The way the vents direct air and the fans blow just doesn’t do a great job of cooling during hot summer days or pushing enough heat out and colder winter days. I also say the fan is way too loud compared to other vehicles I’ve owned (2003 Acura TL-S, 2013 Ford F-150 Platinum, 1986 Mustang GT). The gas mileage could be better but who cares when you have this much fun with a car. How does a car at this price point not cime with an electronica auto dimming review mirror? This one actually really gets my goat - cheap review mirror. The Good/Great - The car handles really well for a car that isn’t a 2-seater. Sans the all-season tires, the car corners very well, I don’t think there’s any over-steer but there might be slight under-steer, it holds a line quite well with little effort. The DCC system works very well. There is a noticeable difference between sport mode in the other modes. Sport Motors very stiff And handling is better. But if you’re a slightly older guy like me you don’t want to drive around in sport mode across city streets in a big city in the USA (back killer). While there isn’t a ton of legroom there is ample headroom so you can get four people into this car for short trips. There are a lot of great little features like: The back up camera being hidden so it never gets dirty, the cruise control being able to be bumped up or down in 1 mph increments digitally, The all up Auto down and all windows and not just the front , and many others. The car packs a really good punch when you get on it. Although I have the DSG I typically run the car in manual And it’s a lot of fun. I have not done a launch control yet but you can certainly get a lot of pull driving it hard off the line. This car is so much fun to drive I look for excuses to go out and drive somewhere. I haven’t taken it on any trips longer than an hour and a half but I hope to soon. The fender audio system is Baller and there’s a great stereo for this little car. Love the Apple CarPlay and how responsive it is with my iPhone. When I started looking for a different car I was looking at many competitors to the Golf GTI. Hyundai makes some great cars for less money with more options Elantra GT sport (now N-line, Veloster), Mazda, and BMW. but after driving them all I kept being pulled back to the GTI. Now I get it! I get what all the hype is about and why so many live driving the GTI. It’s a fun car to drive, has great performance, handles very well, and even sounds sweet in Sport mode. Plus my wife is German so this car makes her quite happy. Would definitely buy this car again!
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From Camaro to GTI
I had to unfortunately trade in my '18 Camaro 1SS 1LE after I relocated, because my new driveway was too steep and was literally ripping off the splitter, bumper, and scraping the under-body. I had always wanted a VW Golf, so I decided to get one. I'm very impressed by its power, chassis, steering and comfort. The seats are supportive and keep you in place, I also enjoy the flexibility of the 4 doors. I do plan on tuning it for more power, but I am not longing for it. I like the gas pedal's kick-down feature. I love this thing in traffic, parking, and highway cruising. It does have some creaks and rattles and the dealer had to replace a latch for one of the rear seats because it was rattling like crazy. I don't remember my Camaro having so many rattles and I had it for 2 solid years. One issue are the tires, they are not good for spirited driving, I would recommend Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. Another thing is the adaptive cruise, it's good for the highway but if it's not in Sport I feel like it takes too long to catch up to the car in front, leaving time for everyone to cut in. Adaptive cruise also is not full stop which I don't get because it has auto-hill hold assist. Overall, it's a good all around car, it's comfortable, quick (but loses power at the top end), and I like how the GTI community is very supportive. Top three likes:adaptive suspension, DSG gearbox, and handling. Top three dislikes:Power at top end, interior rattles, and adaptive cruise not full stop. I only mentioned my previous vehicle, to provide some perspective. If you're coming from an SS or GT, yes the power will be down significantly, the only thing I really can't do in the GTI is pass cars extremely quickly, but I oddly don't miss that. The GTI has so much character and doesn't feel like I'm driving a corolla. Purchased in Feb '20 and has about 5300 miles. With all that said, I am looking for the the next Golf R :)
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fun and practical and sporty!
This is my 2nd Golf 7.5 and so far I've been really happy with it. My current car is a GTI S model, my previous was a loaded R. I do miss the push button start and nicer lighting of the R, but I don't miss the leather or added weight of the awd. This car handles well, has adequate power (with room for tons more), and loads of space, it's the perfect all rounder just as all the youtube vids say lol
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Rabbit GTI Canada
Highlights: -Has plenty of power in Sport shift mode from a stop or going up hills -Paddle shifters can be fun to play with at different speeds -Dynamic Chassis Control (adaptive suspension) with Sport, Normal, and Comfort modes -Handling, steering: great feel and cornering -Adaptive Cruise Control is easily customizable and smooth -Cornflower Blue and 18" Pretoria Wheels colour get a lot of compliments The only issues thus far have been with the stock tires not having much grip and electrical stuff: crash sensors blaring when covered with ice and Spotify glitching with Android Auto here and there, but I do like the look of Google Maps (Satellite view) with live traffic on the big screen. City fuel efficiency is not great: around 12L/100km. But on the freeway it's less than 7L/100. The gas cap recommends regular fuel, which surprised me. Looking forward to taking a roadtrip when the snow melts.
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My favorite car
I love Volkswagen GTI. It's not only relatively affordable but also fun to drive. I'd recommend this car to anyone.
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Volkswagen Golf GTI
Great for city driving--small nimble yet has a big bark Fun car -not Family size
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(2019) Mk7.5 VW GTI S
Car drives very well. Very sporty, responsive and quick. Interior feels plush for a base model. Decent room (even in the back) for a compact hatch.
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2019 GTI Autobahn
The car does everything well - acceleration, handling, steering and brakes, etc. Autobahn is well appointed with adaptive cruise, high end sound system, leather and other features. Hatchback is very roomy foe a smaller car.
Awesome Daily Driver and Hot Hatch!
There is a reason the GTI is rated highly rated every year. Fun, Fast and Safe. Drives like a dream and manual transmission is great.
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great little car
I had owned many sporty cars with manuals . GTI was on my list thanks to many reviews in past about this being a great overall car. I did purchase my 2019 SE model manual with lemon title due to stalling issues. My had 18k miles. I had never had that issue and after research it seemed like the issues was mostly due to some error in the software. I have driven o'lot and have 70 k miles now currently. And behold its been trouble free .Still on original brakes and they still grab really good. Great mileage ( average 34MPG ). I only did recommended maintenance and change the oil regularly between 5-6 k miles for Amsoil VW 508 . I keep the car stock . Did purchase the OBD11 so can alter and reset and view any faults. Faults will occur but its related to many electronic warning that are silly at time ( dirty sensor , when voltage will change , etc). Nice thing about OBD11 is that you can alter safety screen when moving or eliminate seat belt noise. Car is great and has great pick up when needed. Just drove recently 2010 GTI and can tell how engineering improved over time. SE model comes with manual AC controls instead auto climate control. Car at this price should have the better option. Also little confusing seat setting control could be better thought out. I think that paint could be better. Have numerous small chips in front. Had to get alignment once due to potholes. Car still handle great but noticed uneven wear on tires. I have separate set with 17 inch rims and snow tires. Not having any issues on slippery roads. Still enjoy driving this car and with recent prices of newer cars i will stick with this one for a while. Not to mentioned not interested in buttonless and screen controlled newer generation GTI.
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High quality, sporty
very fun car to drive, can carry a lot of stuff (much better than sedans)
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Quick and fun!
Great ride, very quick and good build quality
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