2006 Volkswagen GTI Consumer Reviews

2006 Volkswagen GTI

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2006 Volkswagen GTI

Kelley Blue Book Retail $8,450–$11,600  

Average Rating

4.7 out of 5
Review This Car
Comfort:4.5 out of 5
Performance:4.8 out of 5
Exterior Styling:4.5 out of 5
Interior Design:4.6 out of 5
Value for the Money:4.6 out of 5
Reliability:4.3 out of 5

18 out of 20 people would recommended this car to a friend

Consumer Reviews

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It was love at first sight...

by Max
from Ann Arbor, MI | January 25, 2013

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 4 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 4 out of 5
Interior Design: 5 out of 5
Value for the Money: 5 out of 5
Reliability: 5 out of 5

"I bought my 06 GTI in 2009 and to be honest, I couldn't have picked a better car. I bought it with 80k on it and now I'm up to 150k with zero issues. Expensive to maintain? Not at all, much like a domestic car you can take it to any of your local mechanics and they will work on it without hesitation. The most I have noticed is maybe a 10% increase in price but only when buying from an import shop. I push my car pretty hard and often run it through its paces, this car never lets up. Only upkeep I've had to do is the typical oil, tires, brake and annual stuff like a trans flush at 130k. I live in Michigan and it has surprised me time and again by tackling snowy country roads without hesitation. This car pushes most of its weight on the front axle, allowing extremely reasonable traction in any situation. I drive roughly 30k miles a year and this car is fantastic on gas mileage, I average roughly 33 mpg when I'm on a long trip. Don't be fooled by individuals who claim VW is overpriced, I have gotten far better value out of this car than any domestic competitor, no exceptions. If you want to compare it to a WRX or an Evo, take notice of the overall package. Evo may be faster but is really just a amazing drivetrain on a cheap platform. WRX is awesome but lacks the comfort of a daily commuter. If you want more power simply purchase a APR tune for $600 and you will up 35 hp/ 40 fpt! I absolutely love this car and will be purchasing a Golf R in a few months, VW has made a life long customer out of me."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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0 out of 0 found this review helpful

car

by yfolerka
from orlando fl | October 25, 2012

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 4 out of 5
Interior Design: 4 out of 5
Value for the Money: 5 out of 5
Reliability: 5 out of 5

"is very good car i love it ,if you looking for used the volfswagen gti is very good choise good bye ....."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Work


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0 out of 0 found this review helpful

No Complaints

by VDub4Life
from Chicago, IL | June 20, 2012

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 5 out of 5
Interior Design: 5 out of 5
Value for the Money: 5 out of 5
Reliability: 5 out of 5

"2006 GTI 2.0 turbo with leather and DSG transmission: 67K miles and counting. Favorite car I have owned and I've been driving for 18 years. It's fast, fun, fuel efficient, comfortable and handles amazing. And for all you manual shifting purists out there, don't knock the DSG until you try it. It shifts way faster and smoother than a manual and your leg won't fall off from sitting in bumper to bumper traffic all day like i do. No reliability concerns what so ever. Bottom line, keep up with the scheduled maintenance and this car will last you for many many years. What cost of service??? All newer model year vehicles have a high cost of service these days so what do you expect..."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Solid Car...but not for the budget conscious

by Fred
from Cincinnati | May 1, 2012

Rating from

(4)
Comfort: 4 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 4 out of 5
Interior Design: 4 out of 5
Value for the Money: 4 out of 5
Reliability: 2 out of 5

"I love the car, and I'd love it more if it were not always something - and somethings on a VW are expensive to fix. Let's say if you are budget conscious don't buy - but if you almost every repair beyond routine maintenance costing 6500+ so for it. The DSG is pricey to maintain every 40K - and the dealer charges like $$750 for that service. I also got lucky at about that the catalytic converter failed at 40K and covered by emissions warranty. No one was able to diagnose the tattle tale rattle at the dealership until it has driven me insane. Imagine paying for that like $1200 installed. I'm told the water pump replacement cost like $1100...get my point? The interior plastic parts at six years are becoming to have the paint flake off of them - even though vehicle is garaged. Fred"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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1 out of 1 found this review helpful

One of the most Fun-To-Drive cars I have owned.

by SIgfod
from Arlington, VA | January 24, 2011

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 5 out of 5
Interior Design: 5 out of 5
Value for the Money: 5 out of 5
Reliability: 5 out of 5

"This car was one of the most fun-to-drive cars I have ever driven. Reasonably quick, handles extremely well and is very comfortable as a daily driver. The rear seats fold flat to expand interior room. Very good car for the young professional."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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2 out of 2 found this review helpful

You better get a warranty!

by Brit_in_USA
from Vail | January 21, 2011

Rating from

(3)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 4 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 4 out of 5
Interior Design: 4 out of 5
Value for the Money: 3 out of 5
Reliability: 1 out of 5

"When the service tech at a dealership tells me not to buy a used German car without a warranty, it's a good indication of what they see, day in, day out. Awesome t drive, great gas mileage, quiet and surprisingly roomy for a 2 door. Lucky enough mine had a CPO warranty through VW. Within 8 months and 8k miles my warranty totals so far are nearing $5k. Air bags, seat air bags, wheel bearings, radio, window motors, electrical issues and trim failures all contribute to a sub par product. Two V'dubs in two years and similar issues. I love VW but unfortunately my time has ran out for you...."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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3 out of 6 found this review helpful

Love this car!

by Montana
from Suawnee, GA | July 1, 2010

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Handling: 5 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 5 out of 5
Interior Design: 5 out of 5
Features: 5 out of 5
Value for the Money: 5 out of 5
Reliability: 5 out of 5

"For 25K, there isn't a better balanced fun car. It's very quick, handles great, and is built solid. I love the fact that my two door fits 5 people pretty comfortably and the hatchback design fits a lot. The DSG transmission is amazing too!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Best of the best

by madprof44
from Chicago | September 15, 2009

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Handling: 5 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 5 out of 5
Interior Design: 5 out of 5
Features: 5 out of 5
Value for the Money: 5 out of 5
Reliability: 5 out of 5

"I've owned German cars since the 70's, Audis, Porsches (way back in the 70's), a short unhappy flirtation with MB, VW's aplenty. The Gti Mk 5 (I snagged one of the first in 2006) isn't the most luxurious, fastest, most capacious, or lightest on its feet. I'd have to hand out separate prizes in each category. But it pulls together everything I want in a car better than any I've ever owned. It is the first car I've owned with an AT and haven't regretted the decision ever. In sport mode it is really an electrically assisted manual, especially with the paddle shifters: you'll shift faster and more precisely than any performance driving instructor. With its different modes the car has several personalities on tap: nice in-town runabout with plenty of cargo space and enough spice to make it a lot of fun (wife loves it that way); thrifty very safe highway cruiser (30mpg at 80, with snow tires and all assists on beats 90's-era Audi AWD's hands down); great expressway commuter with assists on and AT set to auto-sport - at any speed a slight tap will have you pressed against the seat; and a grin-producing beast in the twisties in manual-shift/ ESC off mode (it's not completely off but lets you slide to the edge and saves your butt when you go beyond it). No matter how you're driving it you've got gobs of torque just waiting to be called on, no delay, no calculating how long reaching full power will take. In short, the wife having specified a comfortable ride and lots of cargo space, I thought this would be a nice compromise. What I didn't expect was that this would be the best car either of us has ever driven - and on cars, we've never agreed on anything, hard to get used to."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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5 out of 5 found this review helpful

a car with personality

by seabass
from myrtle beach, sc | April 21, 2009

Rating from

(3)
Comfort: 4 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Handling: 5 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 5 out of 5
Interior Design: 4 out of 5
Features: 4 out of 5
Value for the Money: 4 out of 5
Reliability: 1 out of 5

"i bought this car with 18000 miles and now has 28000. It drives great and looks fantastic but the reliability has room for improvement. Lots of rattles and random noises. It's been back to the dealer twice and it's going back again this week for a air bag fault. If u like to drive get a GTI, but get friendly with a good mechanic."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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3 out of 4 found this review helpful

Great Car!

by Pat
from | February 28, 2009

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 4 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Handling: 5 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 5 out of 5
Interior Design: 5 out of 5
Features: 5 out of 5
Value for the Money: 5 out of 5
Reliability: 5 out of 5

"These are great little cars that have an excellent power train, are fun to drive and are reliable! Highly recommended!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

Primary use for this car: N/A


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2 out of 3 found this review helpful

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