2012 Volkswagen GTI consumer reviews

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!

... 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 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 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

This car has the fit, finish and quality materials of a fine German Luxury Car like Audi or BMW. When you consider the performance , handling, and fuel efficiency, you end up with excellent bang for the buck! It's a fun daily driver you'll take out just for the pleasure of driving. In conclusion; it's a well designed German thrill ride ready for action!

This car has been a treat to drive so far. Inside the interior is professionally done you can't tell the difference between an Audi and VW. No over done massive knobs to control things or touch screen and vents that make you feel like your playing a video game. Autoban package was worth every penny. Outside design is great thanks to very cool looking LED lights, so worth the wait of buy this model year. I'm very impressed with this car. Driving is great, perfect balance for the everyday commuter car and ability to terror lose on some back road. Yes like what most stats say not as fast as this or suspension is touch soft. But hey a few hundred buck more you can chip the car and add stiffer ride. Hands down you won't beat this car in over all.