I drove a GTi and Audi TT and ended up buying the TT. The AWD made the difference for me, as well as the paddle shifter. Incredibly capable car, especially when the road gets wet or icy.
Go with the R.

I picked up a very lightly used Golf R this summer and I love it. Very capable, comfortable and fast, as well as being practical as a daily driver. I actually looked at the Audi S3, which was a great ride, but the manual ( and discount ) pulled me to the R.
I hear the GTI crowd and agree they can be had for less cash, but to compare feature to feature, you need to get the GTI trimmed to Autobahn ( or at least SE) and then the money difference gets a bit smaller. I wanted all the safety feature and if I went Audi, I was looking at top shelf Prestige models and that ain't cheap.
The car and interior have held up well to a lot of driving, and the VW dealer has been good to work with for the one issue I did have.
I had a bonus too. After I made the deal, the sales guy informed that "Oh yeah, you get 4 more wheels with winter tires too" I guess the original owner bought and mounted those, and included them in when he traded the car after 4 months of ownership. Sweet !
You will not be disappointed if you get the R

quote:

Originally posted by kxc223:
I thought about the Audi but even the A3 only comes with their automatic transmission. Plus;at least here in Canada, they are quite a bit more than the Golf R.
I have a short commute and rarely have to drive in heavy traffic so I'm pretty adamant about getting a manual transmission. My last two vehicles have been automatics and I find a manual to be much more fun and engaging.

I'm with you on wanting a stick. The A4 and A5 come with a stick here and are in the $40k price range.

I just don't think pigeon-holing yourself into an AWD vehicle is going to get you the best vehicle.

If you want to spend $40k, have you considered getting a $30k fun car and a $10k winter beater?

Had a TDI and loved the way it handled, with the right tires it was pretty good in Chicago winters. Loved the seats and it held up with minimal issues over the 7 years we had it.

I believe you can get the nifty front dif on the GTI....I would totally get the GTI, in fact I am planning upcoming my mid life crisis and may add a GTI to the plan.

A stick would be ideal but even the DSG was not too bad...years ahead of the CVG on my wifes Subbie FXT.

For $40k you can get into a 3 series....

I have a GTI (my third.) They've been great cars. But for that platform, I wouldn't pay more for the R, I'd stick with the GTI. For R money, I'd be looking upmarket at six cylinder RWD sports coupes.

If you can afford it - go for it. Definitely drive a GTI or two while deciding. I would love to have gotten an R, but they were $40K and the dealer wasn't budging from that - while a loaded 2016 Autobahn could be had for just over $10K less. A gti with the performance package is hard to beat for the money.

How are these FWD GTIs in snow? I've never owned a FWD anything, so I have no basis for comparison. Are the snow tires necessary? We usually only get a couple inches at a time, so I've been served pretty well by good all seasons on past vehicles.

I would say buy what you can afford. From reviews I have read they said the Golf R is the top trim GTI but an entry level Audi on specs level.

If it was me, I’d factor in insurance and monthly payments. Future potential mods, if any.

I don’t know. It’s a toss up. My affordability would sway my decision but I would be happy with either.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
How are these FWD GTIs in snow? I've never owned a FWD anything, so I have no basis for comparison. Are the snow tires necessary? We usually only get a couple inches at a time, so I've been served pretty well by good all seasons on past vehicles.

I grew up in northern NJ and lived in Pittsburgh for years driving nothing but GTI’s with all season tires. I’ve gotten stuck in the snow exactly zero times. It snows in Germany

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
How are these FWD GTIs in snow? I've never owned a FWD anything, so I have no basis for comparison. Are the snow tires necessary? We usually only get a couple inches at a time, so I've been served pretty well by good all seasons on past vehicles.

We put 17" dedicated wheel and snow tire (Michelin X-ice) combination for the GTI we have.

The added traction and handling in the snow makes it absolutely worth it. But so does the extra bit of sidewall on the tires. I fear how nasty Michigan-Winter-Pothole roads would be on the stock 18" wheels.

the Mark VI we have will push snow and embarrass most 4wd or awd vehicles on "run of the mill-I buy what's cheapest - all seasons" most people in MI favor.

Good to know. Thanks for the info. Our winter isn't anything compared to Jersey or Michigan. I may have to look for a VW dealer around here. I was looking at a WRX or a TRD Tacoma just based on what is available to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Surefire:
GTI is a favourite of many of the mags, where the Golf R is not.
Plus, the GTI can be a 2 door. Me likey

Unfortunately that's not true anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
Good to know. Thanks for the info. Our winter isn't anything compared to Jersey or Michigan. I may have to look for a VW dealer around here. I was looking at a WRX or a TRD Tacoma just based on what is available to me.

Just get a set of VW monster mats or weathertech mats.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:

quote:

Originally posted by Surefire:
GTI is a favourite of many of the mags, where the Golf R is not.
Plus, the GTI can be a 2 door. Me likey

Unfortunately that's not true anymore.

Yes the 2 door GTI died in 2017. Not enough demand. Glad I leased mine in 2016. Because I have 2 cas I’m way under my lease miles (like 8k miles under)...maybe I should buy it when the lease ends next September.

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:

quote:

Originally posted by Surefire:
GTI is a favourite of many of the mags, where the Golf R is not.
Plus, the GTI can be a 2 door. Me likey

Unfortunately that's not true anymore.

Yes the 2 door GTI died in 2017. Not enough demand. Glad I leased mine in 2016. Because I have 2 cas I’m way under my lease miles (like 8k miles under)...maybe I should buy it when the lease ends next September.

I would. I think they look great. If I was going to buy a 4 door I would buy a car with a trunk.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:

quote:

Originally posted by Surefire:
GTI is a favourite of many of the mags, where the Golf R is not.
Plus, the GTI can be a 2 door. Me likey

Unfortunately that's not true anymore.

Yes the 2 door GTI died in 2017. Not enough demand. Glad I leased mine in 2016. Because I have 2 cas I’m way under my lease miles (like 8k miles under)...maybe I should buy it when the lease ends next September.

I would. I think they look great. If I was going to buy a 4 door I would buy a car with a trunk.

My previous MK6 was a 4 door and I thought it was a good looking car. One added bonus is that the 4door doors are lighter and shorter. Sometimes the long heavy doors of the 2 door can be a problem in crowded windy parking lots. I will say one thing that VW does right is paint. My BMW’s paint isn’t a sturdy. My parents Japanese cars have paint so thin you falling leaves have scratched it. I had had some decent dings and road debris hit my GTI’s and the paint has held up remarkably well. I have read on VW forums that people have measured the paint and it tends to be twice the thickness of American and Japanese cars.

4 doors and mudflaps are super cool! (not an R)

My nephew has an r and I have multiple sti's not a chance I would buy the vw. I've done nothing but routine maintenance across two cars and he has been a shop regular. Fwiw. In any case these cars need tires for the environment you drive. I recently tested a focus rs as a replacement for my older sti and while it's nice spec wise it's not so good in real life.

Thanks for all the feedback. I will definitely try a GTI before I buy and I will look at the A4 (manual) although they are more expensive and probably rarer due to the unfounded lack of love for the manual transmissions these days.
Even the Golf R seems to be rare and I'm not sure if the dealers don't stock them or if they sell out quickly.
Thanks again to everyone who contributed.

The Golf R is an Audi with a VW badge. Interior and sound system are stellar and to me all Audi.

The R is outstanding and has a bulletproof motor. You can add a JB4 for a little more power and NOT affect your warranty. It’s a little numb in steering compared to the Focus RS but a better daily driver. I drove one extensively before purchasing maybe RS. The R would be an ultimate DD, AWD, quick, and best in class interior and stereo system. AWD is worth the premium to me. You’ll love it.