LG John

Just took my uncles new r32 for a drive and would have to say I found it a little dissapointing.

I didn't have firm expectations of the car but I was aware that the new Golf GTI had been praised for being sharp, nimble and having something of a hooligan nature to it (much like the original), so I expected some of that character in the r32. It really didn't deliver! It felt like a big cruiser with a punchy engine and surefooted handling but with little in the the way of feedback allowing finer adjustment and control. The brakes were big and powerful but felt dead and the steering was overly light and didn't weight up at all in the corners.

I found I quickly became bored trying to have fun in it and resorted to point-and-squirt, taking advantage of the torque of the engine. Not that I felt that was particularly special either! Considering it has two cylinders and 1.2 litres over my car I didn't find the S2000 flat feeling afterwards. No doubt some of the grunt of the engine was hidden by the DSG box, which, whilst in keeping with the cars 'cruiser' character just annoyed me as a petrolhead.

Then there is the look of the thing! Today was the first time I got up close to one and I'd have to say that it is nowhere near as mean looking as the outgoing model and is hard to tell apart from the other golfs save for the badge, exhaust and bigger alloys. The low squat stance of the outgoing model has been lost with the new one appearing overly tall and ungainly.

It was nice inside although I still maintain the new golf has been 'cheapened' delibrately to put a distance between it and the A3 that clearly didn't exist between the old golf and old A3. Nevertheless it was comfortable, relaxing and quiet to cruise along in, and the 3.2l engine delivered decent shove and a nice growl when you wanted to pass slower cars. A fine cruiser perhaps..........until you note the average fuel consumption (21mpg!) and suddenly it's hard to justify at any level.

I suspect if you want a sporting golf the turbo-charged GTI would probably be a better option and if you want a cruiser the forthcoming 170bhp diesel would probably make better sense offering 90% of the performance, more torque and much better mpg. If you really insisted on spending all that money then I'd probably have a 330d (chipped) before I'd have an r32.

Overall a nice car but IMHO difficult to justify its initial price and its running costs given some of the cheaper and more able machines on the market. I fear it'll be a car that will trade largely on its badge.

JTaylor

Good write-up Saxo Boy , I'm sure Harry Metcalfe will be in touch shortly

LG John

LOL, that was just a quick bash at the keyboard as and when thoughts came into my head. No deep thinking, no sound research and no spellchecking

Sub97

Great write up Saxo Boy. Better than 90% of the motoring press i read IMO

KiwiGTI

Pretty much what a lot of other reviewers have said, don't waste the money on the R32, get the GTI instead.

ScoobyDoo555

Yep - it's that big ole lump in the engine bay that turns it into a weighty disappointment.

GTI me thinks... or try the Audi A3 3.2V6.....

Dan

John57

I quite fancied an R32 after getting out accelerated by one .... whilst driving my then S2000.

Despite thrashing the S off a roundabout he just pulled away! I can only assume he was on the throttle before me coupled with the fact my S2K had only done about 6K miles and his R32 looked well err 'used'.

I didn't even realise he was there until I heard him at the side of me! The R32 was very impressive. It was an 'old' model one though. I haven't much time for the looks of the new one but thought it should be better than maybe it is.

I think I sold my S2K just as the engine beginning to free up at 10K .... oops, never mind.

^Qwerty^

Not driven the R32, but I've got the Audi. A lot comes down to your style of driving and what you want from a car.

I've done 11k miles in mine now, most of which have been on long motorway journeys (28-30mpg). Compared to the scooby I had, the Audi is leagues ahead for that task, and while compromised in terms of back road performace, still gives me enough to make it a better all round car for me.

I used to feel knackered when I'd done a 5-6 hour drive in the scooby, but the Audi just eats up the miles. Don't get terminal headache either which is always a bonus.

I'd agree that DSG takes it away from you, and whilst it's an absolute blessing when stuck on the M1 near Nottingham (pet hate of mine), I'm not sure I'd have another car with it. The only reason I got it was that when both me and the Mrs test drove a manual 3.2, we both found it very difficult to do smooth gear changes.

Truth be known, I'd rather of had the A8 Monster TDi Quattro I was picked up in at the railway station when I bought it

Does make me laugh when somebody posts something like "Which shall I buy: R32/A3 or WRX/STi?"? Chalk and cheese.

Nice write up though !!

TurboBoost

Having had a chance to drive a GTI and R32 back to back I have to say I preferred the R32 by some margin. I must be one of the few people who actually cares what a car sounds like these days.
As for a TDI I'd rather kill myself.

Found an interesting review here if you're considering this sort of car
http://www.justgofaster.com/Articles...atchbacks.aspx

LG John

Interesting. I wonder if it was modded? I've played with two old shape r32s on the road and beat them quite comfortably. I also raced one at crail and caught up from his inevitable launch and managed to pass and pull a lead on the other side.

john banks

The GTI does the German bouncy thing though which would leave you ar$ed by a Subabishi on a B-road though if that bothers you Can only imagine the R32 is worse.

The price of these things optioned up does make me very reluctant to let the M3 on 12000 miles go for peanuts - better to keep it rather than sell and buy a Golf for the wife.

LG John

(c) John Banks, 2006


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