pistonheads- Golf GTI vs Leon FR+

bigbadjay

Active Member
Jul 16, 2011
1,670
26
North Manchester
Soooo glad i didnt buy a golf!! Test drove equvalent engine golf to mine before testing the seat an i could not justify paying 1000s more for it. Imo, the only things vw has got on seat, dash material and quality, wheel design, re-selling price (probably due to its original high price!) Everything else goes to seat; price, mega high spec list, body shape+ design, colours available, rarity, sportiness and (owners clubs lol):handbags:

The bad things people say about the leon e.g. ride quality and poor visiblity i bet there is much worse out there. and its always going to bang if you hit a pothole no matter what your in!!!!

LONG LIVE LEON :1st:
 
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Manny

2016 Leon FR 2.0 TDI
Nov 27, 2010
234
0
I had a mk6 golf gti and it was a nice car but a leon with btcc kit is so sexy! :p

Maybe a Golf R would temp me over a leon.. not sure tho =)
 

jezyg

Active Member
Feb 21, 2003
2,329
28
With VAG com you can set the steering and brakes to feel the same as the GTi. The FL suspension feels pretty much the same as the GTi as well. For the 15.5k I paid for my FR TSi new last year was a bargin and a half compared to the GTi. Only let doen is the slightly plasticky cabin although better than pre fl interior and no rattles or squeaks.
 

Ashworth

Active Member
Feb 2, 2010
152
0
Nottinghamshire
I'm now on my second Leon FR Tdi, my current car being a FL model which will be 2 years old next month. I do find it smoother to drive than the pre FL model which had had first.

My 2 previous cars to these were Golf Tdi. I loved the Golfs but I couldn't the last 2 times I changed cars justify paying so much extra money when I can get a Leon FR. I'm not thinking of changing my current FR until this time next year but haven't thought too seriously about what to have next at this early stage.

I have thought about just having another FR+ Tdi and I had thought about going back to a Golf and having the GTD. I had also thought about the Golf GT with the 1.4 Tsi engine but perhaps I wouldn't like that after driving 2 litre Tdi's for the past 12 years!
Last time I changed I considered going for the FR Tsi but the dealer succeeded in putting me off by stressing the poor mpg figures in comparison to the Tdi. I still quite like the idea of the FR+ Tsi. How do people feel I would find it to drive in comparison to the Tdi? Incidently I don't do high mileage. Only about 10,000 miles a year and many of these are made up short journeys of under 10 miles. I also do 2 or 3 return journeys each year from Nottingham to visit relatives in Scotland.


Is the FR+ Tsi worth considering rather than another Tdi?
 

jezyg

Active Member
Feb 21, 2003
2,329
28
I'm now on my second Leon FR Tdi, my current car being a FL model which will be 2 years old next month. I do find it smoother to drive than the pre FL model which had had first.

My 2 previous cars to these were Golf Tdi. I loved the Golfs but I couldn't the last 2 times I changed cars justify paying so much extra money when I can get a Leon FR. I'm not thinking of changing my current FR until this time next year but haven't thought too seriously about what to have next at this early stage.

I have thought about just having another FR+ Tdi and I had thought about going back to a Golf and having the GTD. I had also thought about the Golf GT with the 1.4 Tsi engine but perhaps I wouldn't like that after driving 2 litre Tdi's for the past 12 years!
Last time I changed I considered going for the FR Tsi but the dealer succeeded in putting me off by stressing the poor mpg figures in comparison to the Tdi. I still quite like the idea of the FR+ Tsi. How do people feel I would find it to drive in comparison to the Tdi? Incidently I don't do high mileage. Only about 10,000 miles a year and many of these are made up short journeys of under 10 miles. I also do 2 or 3 return journeys each year from Nottingham to visit relatives in Scotland.


Is the FR+ Tsi worth considering rather than another Tdi?

I went from an FL FR TDi to FL FR Tsi. You are looking at being 10mpg worse off and slight higher RFL. But is a nicer drive no doubt. Front end is lighter and turn in slightly quicker, obvious smoothness, rev-ability associated with a petrol and the one surprising thing I find was better low down torque and less lag. Brakes are stronger is maybe a little too sensitive and sharp.

The FR TDi does hold it's value better, so a TSi is only a good buy if you get a really good discount or pick upan 11 month old one for about 14K, then is a good buy. Autoexpress did a test of the FR+ TSi against the Golf GT and Focus Zetec S just before Xmas and the FR won, thought the FR's suspension was slightly better than the Golf's????
 
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