2012 Volkswagen GTI

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2012 Volkswagen GTI

Starting MSRP $23,995–$30,595

Average Rating

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

16 out of 17 people would recommended this car to a friend

Consumer Reviews

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Right for me

by cantstopgrinning
from Ontario, Canada | February 2, 2013

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: 4 out of 5
Reliability: 4 out of 5

"did a lot of research and bought a 2012 loaded GTI manual. very happy with handling, performance, and gas mileage. love this car more than any other I've owned. i do not expect it to be as reliable as honda or toyota, but it's a blast to drive, yet economical and practical. If I only knew earlier that it was possible to drive a car like this and not break the bank, I would have bought one long ago."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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Simply amazing.

by MANEVMK
from New Jersey | January 14, 2013

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 is my first german owned car so u cannot call me biast previous i had toyota,mitsubishi,nissan, and mazda but this one just blows them outa the water from interior to exterior.. One of the most comfortable seats ive sat in with my cloth seat warmers i dont wanna get up from driving it!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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My 5th VW

by VW lover
from chicago IL | December 22, 2012

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 4 out of 5
Performance: 4 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

"I just bought a 2012 VW GTI. I traded in my 2007 GTI that I loved more than any other VW I have owned. I enjoy driving the car. It is fair on gas, comfortable and sporty. I haul a large dog with me everyday and needed the hatch for tons of equipment I haul around for work. It suits all my needs in a car and it is a blast to drive. I can't find any flaws other than it takes premium gas!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Work


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What a pleasure ...

by j64669
from Columbus, OH | November 25, 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

"... the GTI is to drive. Engine smooth and powerful, manual transmission just right, suspension a dream. Really, I couldn't ask for more. One complaint: I drive a lot more, because it's such fun. I've only had the GTI six weeks, so much more to find out. But so far, I couldn't be happier."

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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AWESOME

by GTI
from Charlotte, NC | August 22, 2012

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 4 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

"I got a brand new 2012 GTI 6 speed transmission and love it, the interior is luxurious for a car under $30,000. the performance is alright however the ride is smooth, the exterior design is nice i love the rims, very comfortable for a 2door hatchback and the reliability well I only had it for about a week and so far no problems."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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A lemon

by ozone
from Kansas City, Mo. | August 18, 2012

Rating from

(3)
Comfort: 4 out of 5
Performance: 4 out of 5
Exterior Styling: 2 out of 5
Interior Design: 3 out of 5
Value for the Money: 4 out of 5
Reliability: 1 out of 5

"I leased a 2012 VW GTI Autobahn with a 6-speed manual transmission. It was a great car for about 5 months then things began to go wrong. When I first got the car the rear window washer kept spitting fluid on the window. The Sirius-XM radio sounded terrible. 5 months later I was parked on a hill and I couldn't get it into reverse. I finally suceeded. VW couldn't find anything wrong. They also couldn't fix the rear window washer. Later the glovebox wouldn't close. I was lucky to be able to trade it off for a 2012 Civic SI. I needed a reliable car."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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1 out of 5 found this review helpful

Best car in it's class by far.

by VWx2
from Greenville, SC | May 30, 2012

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 4 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

"When I was shopping, I wanted to get a performance car that could comfortably fit the family (wife & 2 kids), hold the luggage, and get great gas mileage. The GTI 4-door is it! Among it's competitors its not the most powerful, but it is the best all around car. Styling inside and out is Audi quality. Love the unique GTI red trimming. The ride is smooth and comfy. The DSG transmission in the auto makes the car's 0-60 rival it's older brother, the Golf R. I've put 6,500 miles on mine and not had any problems. Still love it. VERY fun to drive. Very practical to own."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Only flaw is Nav/Stereo

by jrg
from San Jose, CA | May 14, 2012

Rating from

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

"My only critique of the 2012 GTI is that the Nav does not integrate with the phone. The iPhone/Bluetooth interaction is create, it automatically syncs so you can voice dial items in your phones address book. But you can not navigate to an address in the phones address book. Also the ipod (media) feature does not allow control of the iphone over BT (i.e. pause, play, FF, etc). I'm not sure yet if it does so if hard wired as the cable will not fit in my iPhone with an Apple Bumper on the phone (the corners of the plastic on the plug are too square) and I have not filed them down yet so I don't tend to use the hardwire. Overall I love the car. The manual could be a little more specific (e.g. it does not tell you anything about how the shifts are programmed for the DSG just that there is Sport mode and Drive mode but does not tell your for example once you override the program, how long it will stay in manual before taking over again. You quickly figure it out, but it would be nice to spell it out) One item I didn't think would be that big of a deal is keyless entry, but I really like this, its soooo convenient to not have to fish our your keys. Note that I have not owned it long enough to judge reliability but the ratings did not have a N/A option."

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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0 out of 0 found this review helpful

excellent value

by mygti
from 06516 | April 10, 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

"great value, excellent safety rating in a seriously fun to drive car. the base model has all the bells and whistles, heated seats, blue tooth, luxury finishes"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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0 out of 0 found this review helpful

super hot hatch - 12 GTI, 1500 miles so far

by wylie
from xenia, Ohio | April 2, 2012

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 4 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

"really nice car, more than I expected, even the interior is way above compact car standards. The electronics and vehicle computer offer lots of driver info. Car is quick and quiet, manual 6 speed is very smooth and easy shifting. Seating position is higher than some like the Civic Si, and getting full clutch throw requires a bit closer seat than some might like. Mileage is 33+ on trips, about mid-high 20's around town, depending on how much you enjoy the turbo power."

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

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*Invoice prices are made available by Cars.com and are not dealer advertising. All prices are subject to regional variations. Prices last updated 9/23/10. Click here for more information.

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