The VW Golf has been a classic ever since it was introduced. A car with a place in history. Much like the VW Beetle, the Ford Mustang, the first AUDI Quattro or the Chrysler minivan. Over the years VW never dropped the GTI car. The engines changed, the car’s appearance was more or less different from the base model. But the GTI was always there for different generations to enjoy a fast, uncompromising, cute, little car built to German specs at a Japanese price.

Fast forward to 2002 and here we are. There are more computers, better sounding stereos, smoother transmissions, more powerful engines but the GTI remains is essence the same. A fast going, fast feeling, fast looking, well built car with cute looks that will please the boy racer as well as the gall racer in you…

Here are my views on this car…

PROS:

This car looks good. Especially in the 2 door GTI format with the larger wheels. It looks fast, curious, energetic, young at heart and it expresses a lot of what it was meant to be. Its styling is an expression of what the car is for. Young or young at heart people who like a fast, nimble, reasonably practical car and that don’t want to spend more than twenty grand.

This car is spacious. OK, OK, I know that you Hummer lovers are going to say this car is small. And you Suburban lovers that it lacks inside cargo space. But try parking a hummer or a Suburban in old town Alexandria, Virginia or in an upper Manhattan parking garage and you will sweat tears. Not with this baby. In fact that’s exactly why I say this car is spacious. It is small on the outside and yet it easily carries 4 adults and possibly a 5th. As well as a very reasonable amount of cargo. Good packaging is what this is all about. And the Golf has it.

This car is a nice driver’s car. The transmission is silky smooth. I drove a manual with the VR6 engine. The butter like shifts were nothing like the truck-like feel of my 99 Camaro shifter (you can see my review on that one). The engine revs up effortlessly, and it does not seem to want to stop. You can get this car going at 100mph+ with very little effort. And what a pleasurable sound the engine makes.

This car is well built. The fit and finish is perfect, nothing short of a Passat. And The materials used are of top quality. The leather looks great, the plastics feel great. Gosh, I only wish Chrysler would use the same suppliers for their interiors…

AWESOME WARRANTY. VW has upped the ante with a 4 year “big car” warranty for this one. A full 4 year manufacturer warranty in the Golf class is quite a big jump. It will force other manufacturers to stand behind their products like VW does and we the consumer will save thousands of dollars in that 4th year… Great job VW for pushing the envelope!

All in all this is a nice car especially for the money. It is fast if not furious and it has a luxury car feel for very little money. It also looks cool and hip while offering plenty of cargo space (with the back seat folded) or people space.


CONS:

This car has too much body roll. For a racer wannabe the GTI has too much body roll in my opinion. It bounces right back though… Don’t get me wrong, it is not the Lincoln Town Car body roll type I am talking about here. But the suspension is a little too soft for my taste. On the other hand many people who drive this car live in cities, with lots of potholes, so the soft suspension may be welcome.

The back seat is a little cramped. I know I said the car is spacious. But if you have a tall driver like myself the back seat is a little too cramped. A couple more inches would make a big difference so hopefully the next generation will be just a tad longer.

Some complaints on the reliability of the electrical system have been know to occur. However with the new 4 year warranty it will not cost you a dime to fix any issues that may appear so you cant go wrong.


CONCLUSION:

A fast, sexy car that is easy to park and has ample space. A fantastic warranty for this class. A German luxury car feel for under 20 grand and a suspension that is too soft. My verdict… A great value for the money. Almost too good to pass.


Thanks for reading!

Amount Paid (US$): 19900
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: VR6 manual