Review: 2019 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn 

Man i agree 100%.

Thanks Charles! We’ll make it happen! 😎

All his reviews r great

Bob The agree!

yeah I've heard that about the sunroofs on GTIs. I've also seen lots of comments about rattles related to the sunroof. I think the Rabbit Special Edition is about the best trim since it still gives you smart entry etc. If it had Satellite Radio it would be the "perfect" trim.

@@subvet3668 tht means VW didnt put it together good

But dis car is small

@@BobThe9534 It's not as small inside as it looks from outside. You can fit a lot in a golf.

@@CarStory but it makes it look ugly b/c of da size

Great choice. Love my '18 Autobahn in dark iron blue.

ArcadianGenesis that's the color we got.

Too expensive for too little.

How is that Cobb tune holding up? I just got a 2017 gti with 40k miles.

@@miracle46290 It's been great with no issues. I've put over 70k miles on my car now with the same tune. The only little complaint I would have is that the gear changes do have a speed threshold at light throttle applications. So it shifts at 30mph from 3rd to 4th no matter what and 40mph from 4th to 5th. So if you just happen to really be cruising at those exact speeds and it deviates 1mph, it will upshift or downshift which can be a bit annoying if you don't have a steady foot.

@@rockervdrive damn okay I really appreciate your reply. Is there anything else I should swap on the car that you recommended before stage 1 to keep reliability?

The average car enthusiast have neither the skill nor desire to push their cars, so the GTI/R ends up being a good match, even if they are less capable compared to their competitors. There's no other car in the same category with an inoffensive design, adequate performance and good quality comfort. But even though VW is currently in the sweet spot in terms of the least amount of performance you can get away with in return for interior comfort, the fact that competitors keep pushing the performance boundary of hot hatches (see CTR, V/i30N), means that they can't stick to the same formula.

My dealer just told me that so a used 2018 will have a better than a new 202p gti😳

Yes, but they also throw in 2 years of free maintenance to balance it all out

MaxSpeed GTI autobahn’s can be had for $6k less than MSRP. Golf R’s are almost never discounted.

@@derrickdean7224 I didn't say you can get a discounted golf r lol. The gti autobahn is $35k. The golf r starts at $40k.

A lot of cars r cheaper used than when they were new

@@MaxSpeedMike Sorry. You're still wrong. I shopped for a GTI or a Golf R last year in the Seattle area. Only 3 R's available among seven dealers and two of the three had "market adjustment" stickers that added $2K to $3K to the price. The only R that sold for MSRP was sold within 24 hours of delivery to a customer who came 800 miles to buy it. I purchased a fully loaded Autobahn GTI (DSG) for a few dollars over $32K making the price difference at least $10,000.

@@stephenhendricks103 how do you like it? Has it been reliable since you had it?how many miles have you done with it?

They don’t pull that hard stock. The performance potential is there though.

Because automatic

Ben Jake I drove one and it felt extremely powerful stock. The torque pushing you into the seat and it didn’t a rolling burnout for me

@@matts6551 the dsg is actually really fast. it’s a super quick transmission. much faster than manual. but you can’t beat the feel of a manual

Thanks! Yeah, I'd like to review a Mk6 but I haven't had a stock one offered to me yet within driving distance.

I had a 2012 GTI and of all my cars, it was my favorite! Interior quality was better than MK7.

Thanks! It does in many ways, but it's higher seating position and larger size make it feel less sporty. I'll elaborate more in my GLI review next week.

I'd vote for this.

How often do you open the sunroof? I have an '18 Autobahn, and the sunroof hasn't had any problems yet. But I don't open it very often.

Oh me too. My 2018 GTI Autobahn started with major sunroof squeaks about 6 months after purchase. Dealer tried all the usual fixes and nothing worked so they are now doing an elaborate complete sunroof replacement. In dealer for 2 weeks. I hope they can really fix it. It’s a lease so I’m not sure I’ll be keeping it 2 years from now. Otherwise a fantastic car. I have a DSG. Drive it in sport a lot of the time. Hate the stop/start feature though. I always turn it off every time i get in.

Ulvaeus If it’s the same issue I had all you need to do is get some Velcro, cut two small strips of the felt side about 1.5 inches long and place them (it’s a bit tricky to do, I used an unbent coat hangar) on the piece the sunroof rests on when it’s closed. That’s what is making the squeaking noise. You have to do this with the sunroof open though.

How do you find the Fender stereo? Do you think it's a worthy upgrade over the base system? I/m deciding between the SE and the Autobahn trims.

Check out my comment. I've seen new SEs for $20k, literally with 60 miles on them. Brand new at a dealer. For $20k. It's crazy how much value you get when you look for a good deal on a gti

I mention this in the video :)

@@MattMaranMotoring and that's what I get for not waiting until the end to comment. Ha.

About a year ago I paid $32,043 plus ttl for a fully loaded DSG Autobahn, a bit over $6000 less than MSRP.

That's how u know they make big profit off of cars

It's the flip-out screen on the camera over bumps. I hate it too but can't find a way to get rid of it.

Matt Maran Motoring oh I gotcha. I just find myself spacing out and listening to the creak haha. Other than that thanks for the work you do. Big fan of your work.

arainla new GTI for 24K? You mean the S model with no packages and a manual?

Probably needs to go in the door pockets. Or the trunk

Talk to me about that? Not hard to make them super fast. Seriously. I want to know what you can do to these.

@@reptileguy8458 APR tune take it from 228 hp to well over 300. You can have this done at the dealer and it includes a full powertrain warranty.

he started doing that at the very beginning of the channel lol

faxs

Edgar Moreno say it louder ‼️

I did shift it myself, did you miss that part?

Whoops ;|

Agreed. I like MotorWeek as well. There is a RU-vid channel though.

Alexander De La Cruz Accord sport all day, one amazing all in one package.

Gti will feel sharper and handle better. Just a smidge more power in the accord though similar. No limited slip diff in the accord. So if you care more about performance and lightness/nimbleness than gti for sure. Accord for more room and if you like Honda. Both are great all in one packages.

VW actually limits the torque in first and second so that the transmission stays intact.

Not quite that cheap but yeah we understand what you're trying to say

40k for 220 hp? LMAO 😂😂🤣🤣🤣

oONoChanc3Oo Says the Focus ST owner lmao. The ST can’t even break 300 horsepower on the best of tunes with the stock turbo.

@@Ben-bg2eg ST doesn't cost 40k? So.....

Interesting viewpoint. Bought my 'S' used for $18k and drove it for 61 months, then sold for $12,500. By my hillbilly math that equates to $90.16 per month. If that's not about the best value on four wheels, I'm not sure what is. Oh wait, I know- the air-cooled 911 Turbo that I doubled the mileage on, and owned for 11 years, having it only appreciate by 25% before selling it.

Idk anybody who buys brand new gti’s

Jaion Cebollero I didn’t know they depreciate that bad. It is really bad. And I’ve owned Mitsubishi’s. Never thought I’d see a car that depreciates worst than a Mitsubishi

That is why you lease the a gti.... you should never buy

Civic SI is going to be my next car once VW buys my GTI back from me. Wish I would have just bought the SI Initially. Great car!

The new POS Si isn't a competitor to this that's why

@@carsaregood911to the gti se and the rabbit the Honda civic si is a worthy much more reliable. Competitor aside from being almost a second slower and interior being about 1 or 2 levels down in plastics quality and no leather. And cheap headlights. It actually beat the gti on some major car reviews. And in some performance mpg and standard equipment numbers and it's a civic si. So it is supremely moddable. The little 1.5 is already doing 500hp with mods and many chassis parts with the type r can be shared

3 Pedals I looked at civics and ended up getting an elantra sport. I still want a gti but I don’t want a car that won’t last.

3 Pedals Si isn’t a hot hatch, that’s probably why

Unless you're one of the over 100 people with the stalling problem in these 2019 GTI's... www.reddit.com/r/GolfGTI/comments/b9cpb7/possible_2019_6mt_stall_issue_your_feedback/

Jabari what part are you from?

Midwest Mopars Milwaukee area.

Jabari nice I’m in between la crosse and the dells

I talk about that on the back road.

I did, didn't you see me switch it when I did my acceleration?

@@MattMaranMotoring I did not. But mine would hang around 3-4k when in sport. It would never drop below 3k and was always ready to pull to redline. It never down shifted early like you were saying. It did drive that way when in Normal though. It would always keep the rpm's low and you had to floor it and then it would drop a couple of gears after around 70% throttle input. It really seemed like you were in Normal in the video. Atleast the behavior of the car seemed that way.

North Alleghany, Pittsburgh suburbs.

I switched from a 2015 civic si to a 2019 GTI S and love every moment. Few vids posted of my build to give you an idea

Except it's not a hatchback

@@ArcadianGenesis ok... then go get a slightly used audi a5 HATCHBACK and its still better in every single way. My point is, this car is not worth $37k. I wouldnt even pay $30k for this shit

You all are forgetting the fact this comes with almost no miles new and has 6year 72,000 mile warranty, while the used Audi s3 would have miles on miles and almost no warranty and way more expensive to fix when all goes wrong....

Mel Low this has a way better interior than an Audi and is half the price

@@StrongerThanEver84 I agree that at $37k, just go buy a Golf R, however you gotta go apples-to-apples pal. No comparing a new Autobahn to a USED A5. I wasn't even in the market for an Autobahn (delighted with my S, thankyouverymuch) but my dealer had a CPO ultra-low mileage fully loaded Autobahn for less than the cost of a new S model! Plus it was a VWOA car, so they replace everything to brand-new spec. (tires, brakes, etc.). At

I'll be posting a GLI review next week and compare it to the GTI, but the GLI I had was a manual.

@@MattMaranMotoring Cool. Looking forward to it!

Yes. VW has not come up with a fix. Was about to buy a used 2019 with only 1000 miles. Decided to see if there were any problems with this car, because why would anyone trade in a car after only a month or two. There could be legitimate reasons but I checked and found multiple claims of stalling issues. VW has not come up with a fix and are buying back cars. I think they should stop selling new ones also until they can correct the problem. Buyer beware.

You have to understand this is the new 7-speed and his review of it is spot-on... trust me I own a 2019 DSG and he's absolutely right

I disagree op, I have a DSG mk7 GTI and it upshifts all the time. I bought a manual WRX and was daily driving it cause nothing feels like a proper manual trans.

all trims get that

Steve oh. 😂. I figured all 19’s get it. But I was just pointing out in the RabbIt Edition lol

Yep, changed the channel name 2 years ago.

I liked tithe 2 door too I think only Honda makes a fun fwd two door know in America now that the beetle and golf 2 doors died

The Veloster is kinda coupey if you look at the drivers side lol

Beyond the Pail Who cares dude? People buy a hot-hatch for practicality. Why would someone buy the version that is less practical? Personally, I think the 4-door looks better which is why I bought one.

Some people like sedans.....I don’t.

Beyond the Pail LOL! A 5-door hatch is still a hatch dude. Btw, I hope you know that the dimensions between the 3-door and 5-door hatch are exactly the same.

A Roll race is not a race lol 😂 literally just a highway pull

@@daphenom45 why is it called a roll race if it's not a race🤔

It's not about speed only, the GTI isn't that exciting despite it being quick. I also have a modified one but it's a bit boring tbh.

@@daphenom45 Sounds like you've been taken to gapplebees by a GTI. Still bitter I see.

@@deanmarr785 please brother I owned a mk6 before mk7, they're awesome little dailys that do embarrass on the highway, but are not that exciting to drive or fast. It's literally just a DD, the only thing I'm bitter about is the pseudo car guys jeopardizing others safety on the highway, but never go to the tracks to actually race. Same guys who got the dsg because it's "0.2" secs quicker to 60 and "muh traffic"

It’s usually 34k at the dealer, not to mention some people want to see all the options they could get such as DCC

This is Autobahn trim..u can get a base GTI for a little over 25k.

@@layne4376 you sound dumb. I can be going 15 mph and floor it and still get wheel spin. that's actually one of the biggest complaints of the GTI's that come with the Pirelli all seasons. I can't wait to get new tires.

Outdoor Layne you sound dumb again. the Autobahn is the fully loaded version, meaning it DOES have the performance pack. you need help bro

Outdoor Layne my car is just fine, no need to be jealous. I think the real fact of the matter is that you’ve never driven one. watch matt’s 2018 gti autobahn w/the DSG review and you will see that he gets wheel spin when flooring it, which he does not get on this 2019. look at vw vortex forums, and you will see that wheel hop is a common complaint among the mk7’s. I think we both know who the dumb one is here

Oh yea totally for a used one. And much quicker.

Roman Ballesteros i meant even compared to new. A golf r is like 41k. 42k with the dsg..... Thats too close to a price of a golf r for me to even want a fully loaded gti.

And it's getting one next year. The WRX is *more* overdue for a new generation.

I disagree it’s perfect

The 2020 looks awful

You can find bunch of lightly used current gen GTIs under 20k. Shows you how good they retain their remarkable value.

david anthony got used I picked one up for 15k CPO fully loaded.

Paid $25,295 for my brand new White Silver 2019 GTI SE 6M w/leather. MSRP on it was $34, 035, but who pays MSRP?

@@loubonnett How do you find the base stereo? The real upgrade to the Autobahn to me comes with the Fender sound system, since you can no longer buy that as a stand alone option.

The Stinger is an impressive vehicle but it's a VERY different car. The Stinger is a credible interpretation of a European GT; the GTI reflects a particular heritage that's not an interpretation of anything else.

Stephen Hendricks don’t get me wrong I love the GTI, was kind of thinking out loud as I’m in the market for something fun for a daily. It would be the GTI all day long if it was offered with AWD, and had a 10 year warranty. 😉

@@lama6736 In addition to the Stinger, the Golf R with its AWD is an awesome vehicle but in addition to its price advantage of roughly $10,000 in real world prices (comparing the top trim Autobahn to the Golf R), the GTI has some other advantages. The most obvious is the fact that the Golf R's AWD adds the equivalent of the weight of an NFL defensive back sitting in the back seat. And that's a minor burden compared to a Stinger with a curb weight of up to two tons. (V6 and AWD) That's about 900 lbs more than a GTI! It's like loading the GTI with 3 NFL offensive lineman. And keep in mind that curb weight doesn't include fuel, passengers, or gear/luggage. :) As far as the advantages of AWD are concerned, both the "R's" and the Stinger's are "reactive" systems. They don't engage the additional wheels (rear wheels in the case of the R and front wheels for the Stinger.) unless wheel slip is detected. It doesn't take much to engage the extra wheels (Hard acceleration under less than ideal pavement will do it and so will wet pavement.) But under typical cruising or daily driving the AWD of either car is just extra weight, nothing else. And as for the value of AWD in challenging winter conditions, I've had a lot of experience driving in places like Michigan and upstate New York in snowbound winters. Frankly a FWD small , light vehicle with the weight of the engine over the drive wheels and a good set of winter tires will perform as well as an AWD vehicle about 95% of the time. I'm a KIA fan. I own a Sorento crossover. It's my second one and I find it a great vehicle. And KIA"s excellent 10 year/100,000 mile power train warranty coupled with its five year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty is reassuring. But I have to say that if KIA offered a two week/10 mile warranty I would have spent no more on either of my KIA's than I did in reality. In other words $0. And I've also owned two GTI's in the last eight years. One with a 3 year/36K B2B warranty and my current GTI with a 6 yr/72K warranty. But again, I could have owned either vehicle with no warranty, whatsoever, and not spent a dime more than they cost me for warranty issues. Again, zero dollars. Warranties are mainly marketing tools for manufacturers. Like any insurance policy they wouldn't be offered unless they were seldom redeemed. And longer warranties are primarily meant to express a brand's confidence in their product and counter a reputation, usually earned some years before, that a particular brand had reliability problems. Toyota stands at the top of rankings in reliability as they have for many years but Toyota's actual incidence of problems compared to other manufacturers has shrunk to a very small advantage. The average purchaser of a new car keeps it for fewer than 7 years. And in that time, the vast majority of vehicles will remain trouble free, regardless of the manufacturer. Want a vehicle that you can keep for 10 years and 100K miles and be relatively certain nothing will go wrong? Buy the model with the fewest electronic components and features, the least capable infotainment system, and the least efficient engine with the oldest design. A Toyota 4Runner is a great example. Tens of thousands of ISIS terrorists can't be wrong. 4Runners and Toyota trucks can stand up to neglect and abuse perhaps better than any other vehicle on the road.

Ur 1st

A veloster N? Give me a break. Thats like saying a 370z is better than a 911.

This is the top of the line and there’s plenty of dealer rebates and discounts to get that price down. I was looking at one that was $32k msrp and after the discounts and rebates I was looking at $26k out the door after taxes.

I bought this exact same car with the 6spd. manual, and only paid $31k and change. VW is offering pretty steep discounts.

dear kaput

Yep!

Kish Sharma idol

That might well be. My experience with my 2018 Autobahn with the 6 speed DSG is identical to yours.

VW's r not reliable so maybe the one he reviewed has a problem

tune it and than u will see goes from 220hp to 316

@@fantomg100 And lose my warranty? No thx

@@ramzitabbara2639 you will not loose ur warranty find vw dealer that is APR certified have them do the work and u still have ur warranty u get full bumper to bumper warranty

No veloster n matt??

The GTI is overrated, I test drove one as well and left feeling blah. Nothing blew me away