Topic: Comparison Test: 2016 Subaru WRX STI vs 2016 Volkswagen Golf R

[Autos_Editor]

Fanboy wars.
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[JohnnyMac]

Ummmm, okay.  Guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Obviously an article written to elicite a strong reaction.

I won't address this as it's clearly a writter who prefers the "boy racer" lifestyle over everything else in life.  For those people the STi is the way to go.

[evil_twin]

Ummmm, okay.  Guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Obviously an article written to elicite a strong reaction.

I won't address this as it's clearly a writter who prefers the "boy racer" lifestyle over everything else in life.  For those people the STi is the way to go.

Hahahahaha.  Perfect sour grapes reaction for what's becoming the crybaby Golf R crowd on this forum. 

Clearly Jacob missed the memo that this car competes with C450 and shouldn't be shamed into competition with a lowly Subaru. 

Get over yourselves Golf R owners.   

[Ex-airbalancer]

I truly think the Lexus that RR is looking at are a better deal 

[tpl]

I would definitely get the Golf. But I think I'd want to go down a wheel size to 18" for summer...don't like the look of those 19".  I presume that 17" or even 16" will still fit over the brakes for winter.
The STI may well be more 'fun' in the countryside But I am a city and paved road guy and that wing...nooooo.

If only VW could squeeze a longitudinal engine into the Golf R so it could have proper Quattro  (then the Q3 could do away with the Haldex system as well)

[Blueprint]

I don't need a portable ironing board on the back of my car.

Golf R.

[tazcubed]

So, when is the Levorg STi and Gold Sportwagen R coming? That'll take care of the space problem (I just can't let this one slide)...

[JohnnyMac]

Ummmm, okay.  Guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Obviously an article written to elicite a strong reaction.

I won't address this as it's clearly a writter who prefers the "boy racer" lifestyle over everything else in life.  For those people the STi is the way to go.

Hahahahaha.  Perfect sour grapes reaction for what's becoming the crybaby Golf R crowd on this forum. 

Clearly Jacob missed the memo that this car competes with C450 and shouldn't be shamed into competition with a lowly Subaru. 

Get over yourselves Golf R owners.   

LOL, not sure it's sour grapes but whatever.  No cry baby here.  Golf R isn't for everyone and I don't expect it to win every comparo.  Clearly this article is skewed a bit.

Of course the natural competitor to the R is a STi, it's why I drove both.  I just find the R a bit more grown up and easier to live with day to day.  Plus I don't want or need the attention a car like the STi gets.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Picture two people. One's a womanizing alcoholic with a gambling problem, the other is an accountant. That's what we have here.

[evil_twin]

Ummmm, okay.  Guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Obviously an article written to elicite a strong reaction.

I won't address this as it's clearly a writter who prefers the "boy racer" lifestyle over everything else in life.  For those people the STi is the way to go.

Hahahahaha.  Perfect sour grapes reaction for what's becoming the crybaby Golf R crowd on this forum. 

Clearly Jacob missed the memo that this car competes with C450 and shouldn't be shamed into competition with a lowly Subaru. 

Get over yourselves Golf R owners.   

LOL, not sure it's sour grapes but whatever.  No cry baby here.  Golf R isn't for everyone and I don't expect it to win every comparo.  Clearly this article is skewed a bit.

Of course the natural competitor to the R is a STi, it's why I drove both.  I just find the R a bit more grown up and easier to live with day to day.  Plus I don't want or need the attention a car like the STi gets.

I'm just giving you a hard time.   For what it's worth, I'd choose the Golf R too.   BUT I can certainly understand that someone seeking a more visceral driving experience would lean to the STi.

Honestly I just wish the R looked more aggressive.   Not STi-level wings and scoops necessarily, but better wheels and a bit of an aero package wouldn't hurt to differentiate it.   

[Gurgie]

I think it's all about the demographic as well... if I was in my mid to late 20's, I'd want the STI, it has the cool tech, the "look at me" styling, etc.  But in my mid 40's, I like the understated look of the Golf R, I appreciate the subtlety, the smoother ride, etc. 

On paper, I understand that this can be sort of an apples to apples comparison (though it would have been closer to apples to apples if the VW was a manual equipped car), but I don't see it... the cars attract 2 distinctively different buyers in my opinion.  It's not like a Mustang vs. Camaro, or Civic vs. Corolla.  I don't think the STI really has a true competitor now that the EVO is gone.  The VW's closest competitor would be the Focus ST, though it's lacking the AWD.

Anyways, my 2 cents!  Both are great cars, for different folks 

[JacobBlack]

Picture two people. One's a womanizing alcoholic with a gambling problem, the other is an accountant. That's what we have here.

Hey! Not true!





.... because there are no online sports gambling sites in Canada.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Can you GET the R with a stick?  Or is it DSG only?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Picture two people. One's a womanizing alcoholic with a gambling problem, the other is an accountant. That's what we have here.

Hey! Not true!





.... because there are no online sports gambling sites in Canada.

Hahaha! I was thinking of the cars not the journalists, but come to think of it.... 

[JohnnyMac]

Ummmm, okay.  Guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Obviously an article written to elicite a strong reaction.

I won't address this as it's clearly a writter who prefers the "boy racer" lifestyle over everything else in life.  For those people the STi is the way to go.

Hahahahaha.  Perfect sour grapes reaction for what's becoming the crybaby Golf R crowd on this forum. 

Clearly Jacob missed the memo that this car competes with C450 and shouldn't be shamed into competition with a lowly Subaru. 

Get over yourselves Golf R owners.   

LOL, not sure it's sour grapes but whatever.  No cry baby here.  Golf R isn't for everyone and I don't expect it to win every comparo.  Clearly this article is skewed a bit.

Of course the natural competitor to the R is a STi, it's why I drove both.  I just find the R a bit more grown up and easier to live with day to day.  Plus I don't want or need the attention a car like the STi gets.

I'm just giving you a hard time.   For what it's worth, I'd choose the Golf R too.   BUT I can certainly understand that someone seeking a more visceral driving experience would lean to the STi.

Honestly I just wish the R looked more aggressive.   Not STi-level wings and scoops necessarily, but better wheels and a bit of an aero package wouldn't hurt to differentiate it.

Fair enough.  For sure the STi is the more visceral driving experience.  Some people want that every day, vast majority of people do not.

The looks for the R is definitely understated and it's one of the reasons I love it so much.  Hell even the GTI is more aggressive looking.  I like a sleeper appearance.  The wheels are a common complaint and one of the first things people change when they buy their R.  I like them personally.

TPL - some 17's will fit but no 16's can fit over the brakes.  I wish it came with 18's too just to save a bit of weight and cost on rubber.

[JohnnyMac]

Can you GET the R with a stick?  Or is it DSG only?

Both.  The Manual was a late availability.

In the USA you mean.  Here in Canada the manual and DSG were available right from the get go.

[JacobBlack]

I just read the article again.  Question to the tester: Are you sure the STI rolls more than the Golf?  The STI felt like the flattest cornering car I had ever driven.  The Golf feels like it rolls a bit more, although that may be due to the steering effort.

Nope, that must be the alchoholism Sir Osis mentioned kicking in! 
I don't think I meant body roll, but rather movement around underneath me.
It's more stable, less skittish than the STI (a TOTALLY different thing to body roll) - I have no idea what I was doing when I wrote that sentence. Fixed now.

Thank you for the catch!

[evil_twin]

I think it's all about the demographic as well... if I was in my mid to late 20's, I'd want the STI, it has the cool tech, the "look at me" styling, etc.  But in my mid 40's, I like the understated look of the Golf R, I appreciate the subtlety, the smoother ride, etc. 

The looks for the R is definitely understated and it's one of the reasons I love it so much.  Hell even the GTI is more aggressive looking.  I like a sleeper appearance.  The wheels are a common complaint and one of the first things people change when they buy their R.  I like them personally.

I do get the Q-ship angle, but c'mon.  I'm not asking for a boy racer, but something with SOME sex appeal.   There are plenty of 40, 50, 60, 70 year olds driving AMG, M, Porsche, S and RS cars that don't look like boy racers and yet differentiate themselves from the average 328, A4, A6, E350, etc... 

It's not about maturity.

[SKYMTL]

I have no horse in this race but I would take the Golf hands down. 

I'm all about mixing convenience with a fun-to-drive factor and the Golf has both.  Subaru killed the convenience factor when they nuked the STI hatchback which I believe was one of the  few mistakes they've made over the last few years. 

The Golf feels like a better-integrated approach as well with all the go-fast bits well hidden rather than tacked on boy-racer style.

[JohnnyMac]

Agree with the notion that you probably buy based on your age/how you daily drive your car (IE are you showing up in a suit for meetings).

I too would choose the Golf R but I agree with Evil Twin in that I wish it were just a tad more aggressive. I don't want boy racer but I do want people to know I have something special.

Why?  I like that not everyone is in the know about my vehicle.  Those that do know are car guys and we can have a good conversation.  If I drove a Mustang GT I'd attract all kinds of people I could care less talking to.