Quote:
Originally Posted by Declan
Anyone ever driven any of the competitors like the A3? Are they nimble sporty cars? Actually I've read lots of good reviews of the GTI so I know that car is good but I'm not much of a hatchback fan.
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I've driven both the GTI and the A3 (in 2.0 FSI, 2.0T FSI, and 3.2). The A3 is not very sharp in the handling department. They've intentionally kept that car soft to appeal to an upscale luxury buyer. Even with the 3.2-liter and quattro, it's still not an all-out performance machine.
The GTI is much closer to a BMW in the handling department. Very nimble and sharp, feels very dialed in. Acceleration is good, mostly because of the torque characteristics of the 2.0T. Traction is its biggest enemy though.
Here is a
link to our driving experience two years ago in the 120i, A3 2.0 FSI (non-turbo, 150hp) and GTI. I'll be in Geneva again in acouple weeks, and have a 130i (pre-facelift) lined up to drive.
