Another in a series of my reviews that appeared in the online version of African Americans On Wheels, a now defunct automotive magazine that was included as an insert in the Sunday newspapers of major cities.
For everything Volkswagen gets wrong, they deserve credit for keeping the 2-box hatchback GTI relevant in the U.S. nearly 40 years after its introduction for 1983. Even though the Mark 8 Golf will not be sold in the States, we’ll still get the GTI and the R. I find it interesting that Ford couldn’t make a business case for the Focus even with the ST and RS versions, but VW can sell the GTI by itself and still make enough of a profit to make it viable. That’s the very definition of “brand equity”.
If not for the numerous horror stories of I’ve heard and read about long-term quality and VW service departments, I would have seriously considered a Golf or GTI instead of my Sonic. Actually, I would have preferred a Polo, but we don’t get those here.
The following review was published on June 30, 1999.
The original GTI was like a puppy: small, light, quick, darting here and there with little composure. Most importantly, it was fun to play with. The new for 1999 GTI is the adult: still has the moves, but it’s bigger, heavier, and far more composed. Like any well-trained purebred, it also fetches a pretty penny on the open market.
Don’t worry, it’s still a lot of fun to play with. You can easily trace it’s roots back to the two-box Rabbit. The biggest visual change from last year is rounder projector-beam style head lights, different tail lights which are mounted lower, bumper-mounted rear license plate, and more glass area. Even though hatchbacks are a fast-fading body style in the sedan-and-SUV-dominated U.S. market, VW doggedly offers the Golf in a full-range of three- and five-door models, from the base GL to this week’s test subject, which is now known simply as “GTI”.
Forget the base GLS with its tepid four-cylinder engine. For serious fun, the now nearly 3,000-pound GTI needs the 174-horsepower, 2.8-liter VR6 (which differs from a V6 in that the angle of the “V” is so narrow it only requires one head for all six cylinders and can fit under the hood of small cars such as the GTI) that comes standard in the GLX. Combined with the mandatory five-speed manual, the GTI rockets to 60 in under seven seconds, and the engine has a growl that’s more satisfying than its four-cylinder BMW 318ti and Acura Integra GS-R competition. High-speed turns elicit a surprising amount of protest from the tires, but don’t be fooled. The GTI still can run with the wolves.
Unlike its bare-bones ancestor, the GLX comes loaded with high-brow accessories like leather interior, one-touch power windows, climate control, trip computer, and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel. Furthermore, all-five passengers have individual head rests. But all of these toys will cost you: $22,675 to be exact. With no options. Notice that the competition now is “Acura” and “BMW,” rather than “Ford” and “Dodge”?
Are Americans ready to consider Volkswagen in this league? I hope so, because losing the GTI would be like putting your favorite dog to sleep.
For more information contact 1-800-444-8987
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: 2-Door Hatchback
Engine: 174-horsepower, 2.8 liter VR6
Transmission: 5-speed Manual
EPA Mileage: 20 city/28 highway
Tested Price: $22,675
I actually leased one of the first if not the first GTI GLX available in the US back in January 1999. The lease of my 1995 GTI VR6 was coming up and I wanted to replace it with the upcoming GTI. The local VW dealers where I live (Long Island NY) thought maybe it would be out in April or June or whenever (no one could commit or even bother to care). Yet VW’s website was already promoting it and if I remember correctly with pricing. One local dealer, one that we had just leased a new 99 mk4 Jetta mind you, stated that ‘you cannot trust the website’ and this guy didn’t even know that there was going to be a new GTI offered in the US.
I ended up searching the internet and found a dealer in Rhode Island that apparently did a bunch of online sales (this was a very brand new world for this in 1999) and I called them up. The dealer had a Satin Silver/Beige leather one coming in later in the week and it was their first and wanted to know if I wanted it. Not my first choice in colors however apparently the initial ones that would be trickling in would either be the silver or Futura Yellow (metallic Gulden’s mustard).
Next thing I know I am negotiating over the phone with a dealer a few states away and a few days later I was traveling up to trade in the old GTI for the new one. Not only was the process MUCH easier than I would have ever expected, but when I get there, because it was the first mark 4 GTI that they had, they had it on the showroom floor. The dealer hoped I would not have minded and actually one of the coolest things was having the car rolled off the floor for me to take delivery on it.
The car itself was wonderful…I was shocked at the HUGE step up in the interior quality. The leather is still maybe the best leather I have had in a car…Peich’s then desire to move upmarket was quite evident. But yes, the car was much more of a GT rather than GTI….very subdued looks and not the pocket rocket that a GTI used to be. But the VR6 pulled and the increase in torque from the previous version was evident.
Even though it was an early production model, I never had an issue with it. And in general I have avoided most VW horror stories that have been reported with the various VW’s I have had over the years.
A college friend of mine later (about 04) had a 2001 GTI VR6 that I drove a couple of times. It was quick, and it handled well, but it came across to me as a small luxury car rather than a sporty hot hatch. It felt solid, satisfying, and heavy. It was very smooth and quiet, had an excellent stereo, black leather, and was painted gold. It was a nice car, make no mistake, but couldn’t be further from the 16v Mk II GTI that was the first GTI I ever drove. The VR6 was sold down the line in about 2011 when it started getting weird with the problems.
Ah, the much-beloved and much-maligned Mk IV GTI. Both everything right and wrong with VW in the early 2000s.
I had a 2002 Jetta GLI that I COALed about a while back. It was a very reliable car for me, but it had the VR6, and not the trouble-prone 1.8T.
Another problem area is the window regulators, which can fail and cause the side glass to fall into the door. Never had that happen to me either.
I would totally be a VW fanboi if they didn’t have the build quality, long-term reliability issues and dealer attitude that would make 70s era MOPAR seem like Lexus by comparison.
We still have a 1999 Jetta 1.6 (German model), a 2000 Jetta GLX VR6 (Mexican model) and a 2004 Jetta 1.8T (US model) as daily drivers in the family and we won’t sell one of these. Few issues, nothing you can’t fix by yourself. Even changed the timing chains on the VR6 at 250.000 on the clock ourselves do-it-yourself. Great cars if looked after and serviced regularly (I do this since 1980).
Our MkIV platform 1.8T Beetle GLX is still serving our daughter well, a few months shy of 20 years in the family. Yes, it’s had a few more niggling issues than the Japanese cars we’ve owned, but OTOH none of those remained in our hands for two decades. Either we’re lucky or poor VW durability is a stereotype from earlier water-cooled generations. And the original leather has held up better than any 20 year old Japanese car I can think of.
The Mark IV generation was, in my opinion, the best looking GTI and set the template for what the GTI is today – a luxurious grand touring vehicle. At the moment, I am taking a break from the drama of Volkswagen ownership, nonetheless, it’s not hard to imagine being lured back into a VW showroom by a new GTI.
I had a European equivalent – a Mark IV Golf VR6, which was basically an Audi TT with a Golf body – 204 hp, six-speed, and 4WD. I was very fond of it and named it Jeeves because it would do everything needed with no fuss whatsoever – it was dark blue and I had it debadged so nobody knew what model it was.
I never had any problems, but only had it for two years as it was a company car and I was laid off…
Don’t have the GTi nor the VR6, but sold my ’86 GTi to buy my current ’00 Golf going on 20 years ago (the day after Thanksgiving 2000 actually). It’s my only car.
It hasn’t been without foibles, it has stranded me once (when the ignition cylinder went and I didn’t have tools to open the steering column) and almost a 2nd time (when the shift cables went south; I pulled over and put it into 2nd gear via the selector shaft on the transaxle and nursed it home. The other “big” thing that went bad was the power steering rack…so I’m into it for substantial $$ now (put more into repairs than it is worth). Plus, it did have the notorious weak power window regulators replaced when the front side window fell into the door, and 2 of my 4 power lock actuators don’t.
But…it is an interesting car to own, and probably will be my last standard transmission car…no one else in my family can drive my car. Plus I’ve had some ailments like sore legs and elbow which makes having standard transmission literally a pain at times. But I’m a longtime VW owner, kind of used to it by now.