Author Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Golf GTI DSG 5-door (Read 7521 times)

Autos_Editor · « **on:** May 30, 2012, 04:04:40 am »

The GTI is "an icon at the top of its game," says Editor Jonathan Yarkony.

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tpl · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2012, 05:54:08 am »

Re you sure about the tires size 205-55/18 ? That doesn't fit with the MKV tire progression of

195-65/15, 205-55/16 225-45/17 and 225-40/18. I think it unlikely that the gearing would have been changed.

theonlydt · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2012, 06:52:51 am »

The standard wheel/tyre combo for the GTI are 225/45 R17, the larger option are 225/40 R18

JohnM · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2012, 06:53:23 am »

So Jonathan, did you like the car or not?

Also, what does it turn at 100km/hr?

John M.

Ace · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2012, 07:12:09 am »

Great car, excellent article and guess what, It's a freaking hatch back !!

Mike · « **Reply #5 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:05:55 am »

Quote from: tpl on May 30, 2012, 05:54:08 am

Re you sure about the tires size 205-55/18 ? That doesn't fit with the MKV tire progression of

195-65/15, 205-55/16 225-45/17 and 225-40/18. I think it unlikely that the gearing would have been changed.

Just checked with Jonathan halfway around the word (he is on vacation in Israel). It is a typo.

Mike · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:06:14 am »

Quote from: JohnM on May 30, 2012, 06:53:23 am

So Jonathan, did you like the car or not?

Also, what does it turn at 100km/hr?

John M.

It has a VW 2.0T motor in it, of course he liked it

tpl · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:22:15 am »

Should be about 2800 at 100 km/h.

@ACE Of course it is a hatchback. ALL smallish cars should be hatchbacks ( or 2 seat convertibles)

nlm · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:36:41 am »

So I guess the Serron pattern are those gawdawful rims in the photos?

Nice to see the GTI continue being the successful drivers hatch that it is.

Weels · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2012, 09:06:15 am »

Still love this car.
Have to admit that reading this review did bring up a bit of remorse that I didn't buy this instead of the S60 last year....

dougjp · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2012, 10:08:55 am »

It was on my short list, but the colour choices weren't enough for me.

Quick basic question(s) to anyone who knows the way the DSG paddle shifters work (as in my 2006 Jetta there aren't any and the manual shift option involves the floor shifter gate being moved over). The answers might be helpful to others who haven't driven it and are died in the wool manual tranny drivers. The Jetta DSG doesn't impress me but maybe its better now, and also with the paddles.

OK, so the article says hitting a paddle shifter puts it into manual mode, does it also shift the gear requested at the very same time, or does the paddle have to be hit a second time to actually make the first downshift? And, having now downshifted going into a corner and ending up in manual mode by doing so, how does it get back to auto shifting mode? In other words, having used the paddle to find the right gear, I would think most of the time on the street you want it back into auto shifting mode when exiting the corner and not be a 'slave' to making each upshift. Does it "go there" automatically, or if not, how do you get back into auto shifting mode?

tpl · « **Reply #11 on:** May 30, 2012, 10:28:25 am »

If you hit a paddle when in D or S it will change gear instantly as long as you are below the rev limiter. After 20 seconds if you don't hit either paddle it will go back into automatic and do its thing as before.

I do as you describe going into some corners around here. A steep downhill then a 270 degree right up a steep hill ( sounds a bit un-Canadian doesn't it). The car would normally be in 6th as I come down the hill at 60-70 km/h. I brake and left paddle down into 2nd getting 2nd just as I start to turn. I usually then hit the paddle to go up into 3rd about half way up the hill at 6000 rpm and then leave the paddles and the car will go up into 4th just at the top of the steep bit and on into 5th and 6th as the road levels.

With a manual I would go 4,3,2 and up into 3rd at about the same point. I probably would not be in 6th as I approached this corner.

Spheric · « **Reply #12 on:** May 30, 2012, 10:56:33 am »

Great review and great car. Still think I'd stick with the manual transmission though.

Will be looking to change my Golf in 2014 and will probably put a Mk 7 GTI on my shortlist.

dougjp · « **Reply #13 on:** May 30, 2012, 11:57:56 am »

Quote from: tpl on May 30, 2012, 10:28:25 am

If you hit a paddle when in D or S it will change gear instantly as long as you are below the rev limiter. After 20 seconds if you don't hit either paddle it will go back into automatic and do its thing as before.

I do as you describe going into some corners around here. A steep downhill then a 270 degree right up a steep hill ( sounds a bit un-Canadian doesn't it). The car would normally be in 6th as I come down the hill at 60-70 km/h. I brake and left paddle down into 2nd getting 2nd just as I start to turn. I usually then hit the paddle to go up into 3rd about half way up the hill at 6000 rpm and then leave the paddles and the car will go up into 4th just at the top of the steep bit and on into 5th and 6th as the road levels.

With a manual I would go 4,3,2 and up into 3rd at about the same point. I probably would not be in 6th as I approached this corner.

Thanks tpl. That's just about perfect although 20 seconds seems too long, especially for 'late brakers" grabbing downshifts.

I wonder if that can be reprogrammed for less time.

tpl · « **Reply #14 on:** May 30, 2012, 12:05:20 pm »

Why too long? In that 20 seconds you can
a) make about 20 gearchanges in either direction... the DSG is fast.
b) HOLD the upshift paddle for 2 seconds and it will go back into automatic mode immediately.

Either one of those should do it for you. In fact the ONLY "wrong" things about the DSG are:
1) when you use the lever in manual mode, it is backwards, forward for up and back for down
2) the paddles are mounted on the wheel not the column and are too small.

dougjp · « **Reply #15 on:** May 30, 2012, 12:09:42 pm »

Quote from: tpl on May 30, 2012, 12:05:20 pm

Why too long? In that 20 seconds you can
a) make about 20 gearchanges in either direction... the DSG is fast.
b) HOLD the upshift paddle for 2 seconds and it will go back into automatic mode immediately.

Either one of those should do it for you. In fact the ONLY "wrong" things about the DSG are:
1) when you use the lever in manual mode, it is backwards, forward for up and back for down
2) the paddles are mounted on the wheel not the column and are too small.

Ah, I didn't know about (b), that would do fine. And (a) doesn't help (unless I'm not understanding it right) because I assume as long as you make paddle shifts, its 20 seconds after the last shift, up or down, before it goes back into auto mode. I'm already accelerating and stuck at max revs then, and if I upshift via the paddle, I have to wait another 20 seconds!

tpl · « **Reply #16 on:** May 30, 2012, 12:44:51 pm »

Quote from: dougjp on May 30, 2012, 12:09:42 pm

Ah, I didn't know about (b), that would do fine. And (a) doesn't help (unless I'm not understanding it right) because I assume as long as you make paddle shifts, its 20 seconds after the last shift, up or down, before it goes back into auto mode. I'm already accelerating and stuck at max revs then, and if I upshift via the paddle, I have to wait another 20 seconds!

I am missing something. You are at max revs and upshift via the paddle....ok. Why do you care about how long it would take going back to auto? You can keep on shifting via the paddles as long as you wish, as fast as you wish. I assure you the GTI will NOT attain max RPM in 5th and 6th as it is limited to 210 km/h which is reached within the rev limit of those gears.

dougjp · « **Reply #17 on:** May 30, 2012, 01:00:59 pm »

Quote from: tpl on May 30, 2012, 12:44:51 pm

Quote from: dougjp on May 30, 2012, 12:09:42 pm

Ah, I didn't know about (b), that would do fine. And (a) doesn't help (unless I'm not understanding it right) because I assume as long as you make paddle shifts, its 20 seconds after the last shift, up or down, before it goes back into auto mode. I'm already accelerating and stuck at max revs then, and if I upshift via the paddle, I have to wait another 20 seconds!
I am missing something. You are at max revs and upshift via the paddle....ok. Why do you care about how long it would take going back to auto? You can keep on shifting via the paddles as long as you wish, as fast as you wish. I assure you the GTI will NOT attain max RPM in 5th and 6th as it is limited to 210 km/h which is reached within the rev limit of those gears.

Sorry, its probably my inadequate explanation.

Simply put, in normal day to day driving, I likely would only use the paddles for downshifting for a corner and nothing else. What I'm looking for is, I want it to go back to auto mode, automatically without further steps required, as quickly as possible. In fact I'd prefer that to be no more than 5 seconds in manual mode, and only took individual commands when I shift via a paddle, changing automatically if I do nothing.

The main things that I don't like with the Jetta are being in the wrong gear in a corner prior to accelerating, and a downshift happening while in the corner exit after starting to accelerate. And sports mode as a way to be in a proper gear in a corner holds an unsuitably high rev range in normal driving, as I seem to recall you mentioned as a negative in one of your posts some time ago?
The 2006 DSG was such a letdown I convinced my wife she should have the car to replace her old Toyota, then went and bought a series of manual transmission cars!

jpd · « **Reply #18 on:** May 30, 2012, 01:34:55 pm »

I have also a hard time to understand your point! One using the VW DSG tranny would be faster than anyone using the VW manual tranny!

2latecrew · « **Reply #19 on:** May 30, 2012, 01:57:54 pm »

Makes me miss my MKV GTI DSG. Probably best "all around" car I've ever owned. Does pretty well everything well from hauling the kids or a large cargo with the seat down to blitzing backroads, highway cruising and getting pretty darn good mileage at the same time. It was actually easier on Gas than my 6 speed 140hp Sentra.

the MK6 fixes almost all the issues I had with the MKV like the interior, road noise and squeaks and rattles. Only thing they didn't really address is the darn gearing. all that torque and a self shifting DSG means no need to rev 2800 at 100 kph. They could easily drop 300-500 rpm in 6th get better mileage be quieter and no one would say BOO about performance.

DSG will not hold redline it will upshift.

Oh and anyone who buys one please don't waste $ on the Vw 18s. 17s are actually proven to accelerate faster, corner just as well and be cheaper. If you must have 18s buy some lighweight aftermarket ones instead of those 28 lb plus anchors VW sells.