VW Golf GTI 7.5 ...Do you really need the R?

My 2019 7.5 VW golf GTI performance pack is here, so its time to take a closer look and decided whether anyone really needs the golf R?

[@matthewbirks3907]

Drove R and GTI PP. Bought the GTI. R is brilliant but only when you are driving like you stole it in the wet. In the real world, the GTI is just as quick on most roads and loads cheaper to buy and run looks better and It is the rational choice.

[@spangle999]

Picking my white 19plate 7.5 GTI PP next week, can’t wait, think I’ve watched every review on KZbin 😂😂

[@Whiponized]

same how is yours?

[@Whiponized]

you should make a yt vid for us lol

[@taffrob]

Had mine just under a year and I love it like you said it brings a smile to your face every time you drive it.

[@mkviis]

oh yeah, it’s so engaging.

[@zillatowntv]

I just bought mine about a month ago and I was driving on the highway when a few years old WRX STI and I started racing and I was surprised that my GTI kept up with it. He only pulled away slightly. I was surprised by how fast the GTI really is.

[@MarkCashion]

Love the video - great job! My 2019 mk7.5 GTi pp still makes me smile every time I walk toward it after nearly two years and I’m not going to trade it for an 8 GTi or an R. To me, they have made the 8 look and feel less special and don’t get me on the haptic controls… my top tip would be if you are looking at an 8, save some cash and pick up a 7.5. If you have a 7.5. Keep it!

[@r3games1985]

The haptic controls click just like buttons. People complain way too much about them.

[@timcallaghan4285]

Great review, genuine and knowledgeable. Cheers

[@edinburghgus8379]

Swapped my AWD Jag XE for a manual GTi PP about 9 months back. The manual box is so good and the auto hold and start-stop is so smooth it makes it much less tiring in traffic than you’d expect from a manual. The R is a great car but a bit dull looking inside and out compared to the GTi.

[@TenPester]

Strange I should land on this video because i'm selling my Jag XE AWD R-Sport and looking at these haha

[@williamdanter721]

Can see how much you enjoy driving your car👍 Just test drove one yesterday and getting one:)

[@metallica2rule]

William Danter its such a great car!

[@jubjub13483]

I brought one last year, my first performance car and been so impressed with it! Great for the daily commute and for fun at the weekend in the country roads, did long drive 190 miles and again was impressed when just on the motorway cursing so comfortable, don't think ill ever sell mine. Especially now the MK8 is the last golf and I don't like the MK8

[@engineergaming1972]

The golf GTI looks absolutely amazing, any gti from 2010 and forward looks almost as good as this in my opinion

[@ian5445]

Great vid.Convinced that is my next car.Do want the performance one but even the standard would be fine 😊

[@limitededition3278]

Great video congrats on new car.

[@danparry834]

If I needed the space I would probably get one of these, these are more special to me than the R with its silly quad exhaust. Nice video man.

[@speak_your_truth.]

Quad exhaust looks so good. R rear is sexy.

[@alvor2762]

I am on my 3rd MK7 GTI in 8-years. First one 2014 Performance with DSG. Great car apart from rear shock absorber noise that plagued owners all around the plant. VW could not fix the issue but a set of Bilstein B4's did the job after VW UK failed to sort it. 2nd GTI was a 7.5 with 6-speed DSG. Really poor car with too much cabin noise from somewhere. I spent so much money and time trying unsuccessfully to eliminate the noise. Very happy to be rid of that one. Now 3rd car is 7.5 GTI Performance with 7-speed DSG that is so much better than a 6-speed, especially in sport mode. Fitted with DCC that is definitely worth the money. Vastly improved headlights with auto function that has to be seen to be believed. Navigation system is also much improved. Its fitted with factory sunroof (not worth it in my view), a kind of leather upholstery that is much more comfortable. Plus this car is far quieter than either of its predecessors. Many other subtle changes I have noticed. If you like exhaust noise then this is the one. Even at start up it tells everyone this is a hot car. Overall a fantastic car with very good economy if driven sensibly, which I of course do being an oldie! If anyone is considering buying a GTI then only go for a 7.5 Performance with 7-speed DSG and if possible DCC for the extra comfort as you wont regret it, but you might just do if you buy the early 7.5 with a 6-speed.

[@dazza9859]

Lovely car.Love the silver and the wheels.

[@r2ktd2]

Hey Ryan! Loved all your vids .... when is your next vid coming out ? Can’t wait till seeing more from ya... 👍

[@metallica2rule]

Im planning on doing a catch up video. Sometime in June 👍🏼

[@Hobbes22]

I've had my GTI performance for 18 months, and just recently to took it to the lake district. I was still surprised at the low down torque this engine has, it was pulling up really tight hills from slow speed in 2nd gear, where i would have gone for 1st if it had been a manual.... Great engine!

[@metallica2rule]

James Allen its a fantastic engine, especially with the DSG

[@markmalusic4374]

Love the video, same as the Tiguan videos, the Golf is great car especially the GTI 😊 Brilliant

[@dangarraway7686]

Got exact same car but with pan roof and ive maped it with a remus silencer delete. Been looking at the new mk8 but not yet sold on the looks 🤔. Love mine tho would buy another without hesitation 👌

[@metallica2rule]

Dan Garraway its got to be the best modern golf yet, it completely walks over its competitors.

[@JohnnyBitcoin]

Got mine and it made the worst part about my day, the commute, my favorite!

[@anthonyjones5981]

I have the same one since Jan, coming from a Jaguar XE, this is most definitely a better built and fun to drive car

[@edinburghgus8379]

Anthony Jones Great minds (or not!) think alike. Swapped my XE for a GTi too.

[@Rob_who]

One of the best cars ever made period its heritage goes without saying its got style looks and they have pace but when you start modding them a bit they can be turned into an absolute animal and they are way more fun to drive than the R because thay are so much lighter than the R and you can come out of with pace and have fun with wheel spin if you want truly one of a kind car that in my opinion has reached legend status because of it's history starting in the 70,s

[@stevehastings6802]

Had ours 2 years now.. Love it despite the fact its had a new dsg at 18k, a new infotainment system and a new filler cap actuator. Def reccomend changing the tyres.. 😁

[@metallica2rule]

Steve Hastings I hate the P Zero’s! Always use michelins, these Italian things are so hard!

[@seifyboy2832]

How much was the new dsg?

[@DarrenJMHughes]

I’ve just got GTI pp in Issac blue and I love it. As you say, VW know how to build fun all round cars.

[@metallica2rule]

Nice colour choice!

[@John-nb5rr]

@@metallica2rulegood colour choice! I really miss mine and had same paint colour- had to sell it when I became a dad (damn nursery was so expensive!) Now my lads at school thinking of getting another one. Hope you’ve had lots of fun with yours, sure you have!

[@LegerAndCo]

i love my 2020 7.5 gti. over here in north america after 2019 the "performance pack" comes as standard with the golf R brakes, LSD, & 7 speed if you went dsg. just did a apr carbon airbox, turbo inlet upgrade, resonator delete and a TCR muffler. have the unitronic stage 1 ecu and tcu upgrade and the cars wonderfull. love my plaid seats aswell.

[@RB12377]

Cold air is a waste of money simple stage 1 is all you need

[@faridmiah77]

The GTI has almost 50 years of history, I'd never choose the R over the GTI even though it's slightly more powerful. Your car looks pukka mate, enjoy it! 👌🏽

[@tatumraul9845]

sorry to be so offtopic but does any of you know of a tool to log back into an instagram account?? I somehow forgot my account password. I would appreciate any tips you can offer me

[@bishopzion2510]

@Tatum Raul instablaster ;)

[@tatumraul9845]

@Bishop Zion thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@tatumraul9845]

@Bishop Zion it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thank you so much you saved my account !

[@bishopzion2510]

@Tatum Raul No problem :D

[@tumihalfiger]

How can it be so clean?! Looks straight out of the showroom

[@MrCheeseman1982]

Same colour as mine mate, you have different wheels I have the 18 inch standard gti ones! Awesome car I love mine 👍

[@metallica2rule]

Tim Rice whatever the wheels .... its brilliant 🤘🏼😁

[@MrCheeseman1982]

@@metallica2rule Yeah it certainly is mate. I went for the Alcantara seats which I like. Good review by the way, keep them coming! 👍

[@metallica2rule]

Tim Rice thanks Tim

[@MrObiwan1]

That is gorgeous ❤

[@bruts82]

Ah man to say this is a decision I’ve been trying to make for the last year is an understatement, gettin rid of my wife’s arteon but can’t decide between r or gti

[@metallica2rule]

bruts82 After being fortunate owning the S3 and the GTI .. the GTI wins. Just such a great package and much more fun!

[@davefletcher339]

bruts82 had both and sorry but the gti just can’t live with the R . If you get the gti you will keep looking at the R when your driving passed one thinking I should have

[@steveo8533]

I like both but I must admit the GTI has nicer touches inside and out and a larger boot if that matters.

[@shaunhendricks8675]

My dream car 😩❤️

[@HOTPLATEGAMING]

I wished the North American MK7.5 GTI had the digital cluster. 😭😭

[@certificate98]

Love mine!

[@shaunhendricks8675]

Love this car 😣😍

[@r3games1985]

It's still a great car. I got the mk8 and I don't like how they took off the GTI logo on the brakes. VW did add the logo to the seats though.

[@MrNohab]

Yeah I live in Canada north. I have an R 7.5. Long winter, cold. The R perform brutal and extremely reliable no matter watt the conditions. Also a big face BMW killer! Just love it! Stage 2 and DSG remapped.

[@metallica2rule]

The R makes sense in Canada, especially because of the weather you guys have.

[@Calaghi]

Thanks for the awesome video! Do you have any advice for choosing the DSG vs the manual?

[@metallica2rule]

Brokx thanks 👍🏼 its simple these days.... DSG is king. If you drive allot in town or drive allot its stress free and can still be fun to throw up and down the gears with the paddles. I would only recommend the manual of you love to do track days😀

[@steveo8533]

Try both, I can’t get away with automatics.

[@bigjak7358]

Best wheels

[@grahamchappell8852]

Hi - Have you turned the sound actuator down (if so to what level),left it as it is from new or switched it off? Was drive mode in sport, normal etc - Cheers

[@metallica2rule]

Graham Chappell sound actuator is at the stock factory level, drive mode in sport and gearbox too

[@philjones4141]

Any issues with the 19” wheels. I was advised to go for the 18” Parker wheels as less prone to pot hole damage. 19” look good though!

[@metallica2rule]

Phil Jones none what so ever. The ride is no different, I think all those comments about 18” vs 19” are a placebo... the DCC is a nice feature to have. But was expensive on this model

[@HugoBoss-mi6fv]

Big Wheels look nice but will be slower everything else being equal. a 19 in alloy is a lot heavier then a 17 in alloy even accounting for the extra rubber and unsprung weight has a big effect of 0-100 and lap times. There is a reason no race cars use low profile tires even on the smoothest tracks.

[@jkyle0816]

@@HugoBoss-mi6fv You forget that bigger wheels improve cornering and grip. Yes it might be slower in a straight line due to the wheels being heavier but the GTI was not built for that.

[@kevinclark1002]

Hi Ryan, been toying with getting gti performance or a class 250, probably in July as thats when our PCP ends with our GTD which by the way is a great car. Ouf of curiosity what's approx mpg if driven not like a lunatic?

[@metallica2rule]

On longer runs its easy to get around 35-37mpg. Around town its achieving 28-30mpg and lunatic mode its easy to get 20mpg or less. Anywhere from 230-350miles of range dependent on driving. Our weekly range seems to be 290miles per tank (Vpower) its never going to be as good as a GTD....but christ its much more fun.

[@kevinclark1002]

@@metallica2rule cheers for that bud, the wife will be driving it mainly on motorway so mpg is not too bad.👍

[@metallica2rule]

Kevin Clark No problem, happy to help!

[@cosmicheretic8129]

I don't need the R in the PNW winters that's for sure. My stage 2 330 wheel HP PP GTI MK 7.5 with rear sway bar and PS4S tires is a mountain road weapon! MK 7.5 will go down as the best GTI ever. The MK 8 was a miss IMO.

[@jackdarby6080]

Nice video and car! Would be better in landscape though

[@danbob2707]

Top video lad. Dreaming of going from a Mk7 1.6 diesel to a 7.5 GTI PP. Surely that’ll be a big and noticeable step up all around. Especially in terms of performance?

[@metallica2rule]

Danny it will blow your mind 👍🏼

[@mattiadellavedova8390]

Very beautiful car! This Golf is probably the best GTI that VW ever made! What do you think of the new Tiguan RLine?

[@metallica2rule]

Mattia Della Vedova I think it quite possibly is the best GTI! The new Tiguan Is really nice, the improvements are subtle, but keep it looking smart! Cant wait to see an R in the dealerships

[@mattiadellavedova8390]

@@metallica2rule Thanks for the reply, also the R has an Akrapovic sound system! It will be quite interesting! Keep up the good work and greetings from Italy!🇮🇹👍

[@metallica2rule]

Mattia Della Vedova The Akrapovic exhaust in the R is insane... no doubt will be an extra cost option 😵 Thank you and ciao🇮🇹🇬🇧

[@steveo8533]

MK7 R or MK7.5 GTI ? Both similar money on the second hand market.

[@metallica2rule]

Steve O Facelift 7.5 GTI. The technology is better on the 7.5, the older R’s have been hammered to death.

[@christiancastro8635]

Yes

[@NiceGuyAidey]

I have Owned Both R and Gti ... and i had more fun in the Gti for sure loved it, also had a Clubsport but that had to go....

[@danbob2707]

I’m coming from a 1.6 diesel Mk7. Surely a 7.5 PP is a big step up??

[@NiceGuyAidey]

@@danbob2707 Let us know how you feel after a few weeks Mate.. love my PP gti

[@seifyboy2832]

Which one would you own again if you had the option?

[@NiceGuyAidey]

@@seifyboy2832 Gti for sure, just looks better imo and doesnt feel as if its on rails .... But im not keen at all on the new MK8 styling mate

[@ericsloan9012]

In what way is the GTI more fun? I am contemplating both, and cannot see how less power and less traction is more fun... am i missing something here?

[@chiel-]

Lighter, cheaper. More fun to drive. Of less drivetrain power loss

[@cosmicheretic8129]

@@chiel- Especially when tuned properly!

[@jonnyfez]

Interestingly I just watched your Tiguan video as I’m looking for a new (used) car and it’s between a Tiguan R line or a Golf GTI. Different I know but would you say one was better overall than the other? I’ve had a DSG MK7 R so I know what they are like but never had an SUV. Must say when I’ve been looking I’ve been trying to get the standard wheels on a GTI because the bigger ones (although the look good) are said to affect ride...unless, as you say, you get DCC which is quire rare. Anyway, both good videos, cheers.

[@metallica2rule]

If you already owned the R, the Tiguan will feel like a breathe of fresh air for a while. The GTI is fantastic, but going straight into one from an R may intially leave you feeling underwhelmed. Not the the GTI is in anyway less superiorz

[@jonnyfez]

@@metallica2rule My Golf R was a Mk 7 and I think the 7.5 styling, heated seats, nav, virtual cockpit will be enough to make it feel different (never had any of those on the R). Have never owned a GTI. One thing I'm thinking though is that the fuel economy on the PP GTI might not be that much better than a Golf R. I was averaging about 30mpg on that with combined driving. What are you averaging on the PP GTI? Shame they seem to have done away with the DSG farts on the GTI. Liked those on the R.

[@metallica2rule]

@@jonnyfez the GTI is far better on fuel than the R, compared to my S3 its really easy to get to 40mpg+ when nursing it! My average is 36+. The facelift is so much a better everyday car, those new features really improved the car.. making it the best golf ever in my opinion.

[@jonnyfez]

@@metallica2rule that's very useful to know for a real world economy. Thanks. What did you average in your S3? Assume it was the 296bhp S3..so I'm guessing similar to the Mk7 R and about 30mpg? . I'm not a massive fan of my current A3 sportback. Can't get a nice seating/driving position. Feels more cramped than the golf. The Audi virtual cockpit is very good though and I've got B&O which is nice. But the MMI is looking very dated now. Mines a 69 plate.

[@metallica2rule]

@@jonnyfez mine was a 2017 so a 8V Facelift with 310ps.Never got anything better than 35mpg.. even when nursing it! Day to day was more like 28ish But it was a manual... only a few hundred facelift 3dr manuals were built, before they stopped production of them

[@sweeney125]

Hi Ryan - do you still have this car? It's the perfect spec IMHO. Wondered how you're getting on with it after 3 years.

[@metallica2rule]

Sadly I do not😢 I now have two kids so it promptly became a bit too small for my family. I have had a Volvo XC60 and now we are onto an VW ID.4 I miss my golf everyday!!

[@sweeney125]

@@metallica2rule I'm moving in the opposite direction, from larger cars to the Golf. Spending hours on AutoTrader looking for one in Tungsten ;)

[@garymcgee2246]

I have this car, same colour, wheels, although 3 door, after 8 gti's this is by far the best.......not getting the mk 8!!

[@metallica2rule]

Gary McGee I personally like the mk8 gti. But Im sure I will be going for another SUV after my golf.

[@metallica2rule]

David Relyea mk7 and 7.5 are basically the same car. Its only cosmetic upgrades and a engine map to take it to 245hp from 235hp.

[@JacesOwnWorld]

R isn’t needed. Just get winter tires for your GTI for winter. You’re set and saving yourself a ton of money.

[@mark-se6ef]

had the R and GTI, yes the GTI is much better looking and more fun, not much in it.

[@ericsloan9012]

In what way is the GTI more fun? I am contemplating both, and cannot see how less power and less traction is more fun... am i missing something here?

[@mark-se6ef]

@@ericsloan9012 you can drift in the gti but not the r,

[@chiel-]

@@ericsloan9012 R feels heavy, gti is lighter more feeling while steering etc etc

[@danparry834]

@@chiel- exactly - lighter car = more fun. 4WD isn’t necessary in this country. It’s not like we live in the Antarctic!

[@craigh4435]

Nope. The 2018 GTI is one of the best looking Golfs ever. Got the best mix of analogue and digital as well. The Golf R just isnt good looking enough and as a used buy they have been battered by people that cant afford them.

[@simeonselmon8318]

I bet it drinks fuel

[@4GuitarTrance]

Man... I wish you Brits would put your steering wheel on the "proper" side of the car, and thereby drive on the "proper" side of the road! I feel somewhat out-of-sorts when watching UK vids! :-P