Put simply, the Volkswagen GLI injects the popular Jetta with a healthy dose of performance. It zeroes in on the enthusiast buyer with a turbocharged engine, tweaked suspension, xenon lighting and numerous visual goodies that combine in an aptly-nicknamed ‘GTI Sedan’.
Faster and cheaper cars exist-- though VW’s upscale approach in this marketplace should make the GLI a hit with a more discerning shopper. Here's the mental checklist to see if you're one of them.
Do you like a solid, well bolted together feel? Do small details mean big things to you? Do you hate interior paneling that feels like reconstituted Yoplait containers? Do you mind paying a premium for any of the above?
If you answered yes, you may want to move in for a test drive-- as the GLI’s cabin is arguably one of its biggest strengths.
A great luxury-sport cabin
Smooth, soft plastics and fabric line almost every surface inside, and most controls benefit from subtle sculpting for enhanced tactile interaction. Every switch and lever clicks solidly, and the cabin is infused with a heavy, tight and well-made feel.
The stereo is satisfyingly powerful, the flat-bottomed leather steering wheel feels just perfect, and VW's famous icy-blue dash illumination comes out after dark, too. There’s plenty of rear legroom, good visibility and decent storage facilities as well.
Even the trunk is done just right. There’s a small side-mounted compartment to keep smaller items from rolling around, as well as a proper pull handle. The lid even opens fully-- right from the remote. These are some of the small but appreciable details the GLI is full of.
A few more features, please!
Complaints include seats that recline via an awkward rotary knob, as well as a busy-looking instrument cluster.
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| The Volkswagen GLI injects the popular Jetta with a healthy dose of performance. |
Faster and cheaper cars exist-- though VW’s upscale approach in this marketplace should make the GLI a hit with a more discerning shopper. Here's the mental checklist to see if you're one of them.
Do you like a solid, well bolted together feel? Do small details mean big things to you? Do you hate interior paneling that feels like reconstituted Yoplait containers? Do you mind paying a premium for any of the above?
If you answered yes, you may want to move in for a test drive-- as the GLI’s cabin is arguably one of its biggest strengths.
A great luxury-sport cabin
Smooth, soft plastics and fabric line almost every surface inside, and most controls benefit from subtle sculpting for enhanced tactile interaction. Every switch and lever clicks solidly, and the cabin is infused with a heavy, tight and well-made feel.
The stereo is satisfyingly powerful, the flat-bottomed leather steering wheel feels just perfect, and VW's famous icy-blue dash illumination comes out after dark, too. There’s plenty of rear legroom, good visibility and decent storage facilities as well.
Even the trunk is done just right. There’s a small side-mounted compartment to keep smaller items from rolling around, as well as a proper pull handle. The lid even opens fully-- right from the remote. These are some of the small but appreciable details the GLI is full of.
A few more features, please!
Complaints include seats that recline via an awkward rotary knob, as well as a busy-looking instrument cluster.
 |
| The stereo is satisfyingly powerful, the flat-bottomed leather steering wheel feels just perfect. |