| Over the last few years, a host of
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| | in the GTI owner's manual.) The second
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| carmakers have introduced hot-rodded
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| | row LATCH child-seat anchors were easy to
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| performance variants of their mainstream
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| | access – in fact I found them easier to
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| models. Honda has the Civic Si, Mazda the
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| | find and reach in the GTI than they in
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| Mazdaspeed3, while Mitsubishi and Subaru
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| | the much larger VW Touareg SUV.
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| have the Lancer Evolution and Impreza WRX
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| | Speaking of the second row, seating is
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| STI, respectively. Volkswagen has done
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| | comfortable for two adults, although a
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| the same with the VW Golf/Rabbit since
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| | bit cramped for taller passengers. All
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| the early 1980s with the GTI. Now VW has
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| | three of our children could sit in the
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| introduced a 4-door variant, which is
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| | back seat comfortably, with one in a car
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| quite possibly the best GTI yet. The 2007
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| | seat, one in a booster and one sandwiched
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| VW GTI 4-door has a base price of $23,230
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| | in the middle. The extra set of doors was
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| ($27,465 as tested) and EPA fuel-economy
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| | a godsend here – if you plan on
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| estimates of 25 mpg city/31 mpg highway
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| | carrying passengers regularly, or if you
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| (automatic).
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| | have children, the 4-door is the GTI to
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| First Glance: Good things come in small
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| | have.
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| package
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| | On the Road: Born to run
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| A few years ago I was the proud owner of
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| | Once you start driving the GTI, you’d
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| a Subaru Impreza WRX (read review). I
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| | better make sure that all of those
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| enjoyed every drive in that car, thanks
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| | passengers have their seat belts properly
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| to its grippy all-wheel-drive system,
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| | fastened. Thanks to a powerful
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| brisk performance and grin-inducing
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| | turbocharged 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine,
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| handling. Sadly, a WRX isn’t much help
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| | the GTI responds quickly when you stomp
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| when it comes to carrying lumber, piles
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| | on the gas pedal with hardly a hint of
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| of sod or a heaping garage full of
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| | turbo lag (the delay between flooring the
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| worldly possessions for a new home, so
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| | pedal and getting full power, a problem
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| the blue Subie was swapped for a Ford
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| | on many turbocharged cars).
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| F150 pickup. As useful as the F150 is, it
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| | The engine also features direct fuel
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| definitely didn’t make for a driving
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| | injection, which squirts the fuel
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| experience I looked forward to.
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| | directly into the cylinders rather than
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| I recently test-drive the 2007 VW GTI
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| | just above them into the intake manifold.
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| 4-door which happily reminded me of all
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| | I’ll spare you the gory technical
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| the good qualities of the WRX: sporty
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| | details, but the design helps improve
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| handling, a turbocharged 4-cylinder
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| | performance and fuel economy by allowing
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| engine and a sticker price in the mid
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| | the fuel to be burned more efficiently.
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| $20s. It may lack the Subaru’s
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| | My tester came equipped with the Direct
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| all-wheel-drive, but the GTI tops my
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| | Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission, which
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| beloved WRX in a number of areas.
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| | is a marvel. It can be left in automatic
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| VW introduced the 2-door GTI last year
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| | mode just like a traditional automatic
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| (read reveiw), but I personally think the
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| | transmission, and it smoothly selects the
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| new-for-2007 4-door variant looks just as
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| | gears for you. I preferred the manual
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| good, if not better, plus it's infinitely
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| | mode, where you can quickly upshift and
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| more practical. The GTI’s wheels (link
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| | downshift by using the gear shift lever
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| goes to photo) are pushed out to the
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| | or paddles on the steering wheel. Gear
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| corners of the vehicle, which helps give
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| | changes were smooth and fast, without a
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| this hot hatchback a well-planted road
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| | hint of delay or shudder when shifted. VW
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| presence. I’m fond of understatement
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| | explains that the DSG transmission shifts
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| when it comes to vehicle design, so the
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| | faster than humanly possible with a
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| GTI’s conspicuous lack of wings, ducts,
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| | manual, and I believe them. (Read more:
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| decals and spoilers (except this little
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| | DSG - what it is, how it works)
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| one at the back of the roof) was fine by
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| | The powerful engine and fast-shifting
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| me. Only true VW fans will likely be able
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| | transmission helped give the GTI
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| to spot the differences between the
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| | impressive acceleration, and the handling
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| standard Rabbit and the GTI: a red grille
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| | was very responsive. The car responds
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| stripe, GTI badging, larger wheels and
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| | quickly to steering wheel movement, and
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| tires and some other modest exterior
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| | the suspension is tight and responsive,
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| styling cues.
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| | if a bit soft during more aggressive
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| Upon entering the GTI’s cabin the first
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| | cornering.
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| thing I noticed was the tartan seat
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| | I really liked the new GTI. If you’re
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| cloth. VW dubs it "premium cloth
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| | in the market for a small, sporty car,
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| anthracite", but it looked to me like it
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| | the GTI should be at the top of your test
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| was cut from some spare kilts.
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| | drive list. It may not match the
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| Regardless, the material was put to good
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| | Mazdaspeed3 and the Subaru WRX in
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| use, covering seats that are firm and
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| | outright performance – and it's more
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| supportive, boasting a good array of
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| | expensive than the Honda Civic Si – but
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| height adjustment controls.
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| | it does just about everything exceedingly
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| VW claims that the odd pair of handgrips
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| | well.
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| positioned above the shifter are to be
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| | In my opinion the 4-door body style, only
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| grabbed during hard cornering, but I
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| | $500 more than the base 2-door GTI, makes
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| found them too far forward to grasp
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| | this a far more usable vehicle. While
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| without some degree of contortion –
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| | you’re at it, I’d recommend the
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| maybe these work better if you’re less
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| | impressive DSG transmission, a $1075
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| than 6' tall. The dash is constructed
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| | option. Even if you’re an avowed
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| with high-quality materials with
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| | devotee of manual transmissions, you
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| commendable fit and finish.
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| | should give a DSG-equipped GTI a spin
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| The GTI is loaded with standard safety
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| | before deciding otherwise – it’s that
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| features, including 4-wheel antilock disc
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| | good.
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| brakes, front airbags, front seat-mounted
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| | The subdued, tasteful exterior and the
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| torso airbags, two-row side-curtain
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| | superlative gas mileage are nice extras.
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| airbags and electronic stability control.
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| | Best of all, the GTI always made me smile
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| Rear-seat torso 'bags are a $350 option.
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| | when I slid behind the steering wheel,
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| (If you order them, make sure you use a
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| | which may just be the most important
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| compatible child seat; you'll find a list
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| | feature of all.
|
