Review: 2018 Volkswagen GTI - Improving an Icon

I review the refreshed 2018 Volkswagen GTI in Autobahn trim with the DSG 6-speed automatic. What do you think of the changes for 2018? Huge thanks to Volkswagen for providing the car!
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Track: Clarx - H.A.Y [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds.

[grayman]

I bought a 2018 GTI s for 22k. I'm getting 37 miles to the gallon on the highway so far it's a great car.

[MrMusculo]

Golf Gti is the car of my dreams, but I live in a "fifth" country. Here politicians are the biggest thieves. the taxes are high, I saved money for 5 years to be able to buy a golf tournament in 2016. A golf in brazil costs the equivalent of two mustangs in the usa. Our currency is not worth anything, but I am in the fight. hug .

[romananthony]

These cars are really good and they get better. Still loving my Mk6 Gti and 147k miles strong.

[scottmandeville]

I owned a 2006 VW GTI with APR 2+ on it. I also had a trailer hitch installed as I would take this care and haul my racing motorcycle to track day event. At about 190K the fuel pump went out and was replaced. It ran well and then another fuel pump went. I had that car for 190k w/ no problems before the pump. I m sure this car would have lasted longer w/o the trailer pull. I also went 150 mph at one point and it still had more left and felt as steady as a resting brick. It was fun to drive and had a great sound system. This car is the best car I have ever owned. I traded it in on a 2018 VW GTI w/ an APR 1 mod on it. It is a sheer joy to watch. This is my 8th VW and only one of them was a dog. 2001 Jetta 1.8- the coolant "migrated" into the electrical system and cooked the system down. VW gave me about $2k for this 4 YO CAR. This last car totally made up for the rag, however.

[brutack]

I own this car (2018 SE DSG) and..it..is..amazing!
It is precise, quick and a blast to drive at high speeds and back roads.
The limited slip diff. Really pulls you in and right out of anything.
Aftermarket is massive for the GTI's.
If you really wanna turn it up, $700 for a stage 1 tune and that turns it into a ROCKET! I mean insanely fast!

If you are on the fence like I was, go and test drive one. You wont be able to wipe the smile on your face.

[dhdoctors]

I went manual autobahn. It's a significant 300 lbs lighter than R, sweet analog gauges, and an awesome sunroof!

[PeRRXX]

I love the DSG in this car so much. I actually like it more then the regular manual.

[GeekTherapyRadio]

Yep. GTI with SE trim is the sweet spot, especially if you're not a sucker who actually pays sticker. Make them an offer, they want to move inventory.

[drm]

I definitely prefer the analog gauge cluster to the digital (with the digital speedometer in the center, perfect). But I agree the SE is ideal. So much so, i just bought one. I love it!

[runicknight]

Even though it won’t beat most mustangs and cars like that, it’s an amazing daily driver, handles great, and when you need it to, it can take off

[uhALC]

As a person who watches too many car reviews, your channel is in my opinion one of the best. Videos are always informative and in depth but still to the point. Never dragged on longer than they have to be. Appreciate the good content and keep up the good work Matt!

[benefactor]

My 2017 GTI Sport down shifts pretty almost instantly at speed every time, the only time the downshifts lag is when coming to a stop. It is an "automatic" but the term "automated manual" is more accurate because it is a dual clutch transmission. Solid review as always!! Glad you like the GTI, I love my 2017 Sport!

[seaneno]

At 9:10 when he floors it - his reaction! Amazing. That's it, I"m sold :)

[Tcflohr]

I paid around $17k for my 2016 GTI sport 6 speed with 15k miles on it. Killer car. Above 30k, it gets harder to justify.

[williamrc]

a DSG and ECU tune make this car incredible to drive. dont know why they dont go ahead and make it like that from the factory

[jonhaze]

My daily for the last year has been a 2018 RS3 in velvet purple (1 of 1). Got tired of putting so many miles on it so I decided to get a 2018 GTI as the new daily, I pick it up in 3 days!

[rreichar]

Nice review! I was shopping Golf Rs last year. Dealers here in the US will significantly discount GTIs. I ended up buying a 2017 SE manual for $25, 300 early in the model year. Dealers in my area (3 in and around Austin, TX) would not discount Golf Rs at all. For me to have bought a 2017 Golf R would have been about 15K more than my SE. Autobahn trims were at or under 30K depending on the transmission. Still at least a 10K difference for the R. I think that 99 percent of the time you wouldn’t know the difference between a GTI and a Golf R. In 2017 the Fender stereo came with the SE. I would probably have to go with Autobahn this year just for that. I miss having auto climate control in my SE but really other than that I have no regrets. Fun cars to drive that are easy to live with. Also a great warranty on them now.

[pistolpete]

I own that exact car but a 2016 and love it. Getting 27mpg in mixed driving. I got a great deal on it buying at end of model year as new ones were were about to arrive at the dealership. I think what will help a bit with road noise and handling is better set of tires.

[Scotty_in_Ohio]

Matt - don't self deprecate - you said six of the best auto youtubers "...and myself...." You're work is in that tier of those other people.... Always look forward to your reviews even if the car/truck/suv isn't interesting to me. Keep up the great work!

[Nelbone]

A great buy in the certified pre owned market. I have a non facelift Autobahn with dsg, dynamic suspension, usb/apple car play, performance pack, and everything else but the parking sensors. It was 36k new and I paid 25k for mine with 5, 000 miles and it comes with an extended warranty. It’s a great daily driver package especially after some minor modifications. Has a pretty decent interior, good cargo space, good power (after a tune), great sound system, and it can still get 35mpg on long road trips.