[tanaysn]

Working from home during the lock-down with some extra time away from the steering wheel, I decided to give a go at writing. I have tried to summarize my one year spent with the GT right from the buying process. I am sure there might be other cars that I could have considered but this is based on the series of events that occurred and my experiences. I haven’t covered the complete technical details of the cars shortlisted but it is purely based on my in-car and driving experiences.
I have split the review into 3 sections;

1. Pre GT phase: Car buying experience
2. Post GT phase: Good & Bad bits about the car
3. Powerful GT phase: Living up-to-the GT moniker

1.Pre GT Phase: Car Buying Experience-
I had always been a petrol car guy happily driving around in my Hyundai i20 petrol for almost 7 years, exclusively using it for weekend getaways. Over the years, as the number on my odometer surged, burning a hole in my pocket, I started looking for fuel-efficient cars and the saga begins...!
The boy in me: I NEED A NEW CAR…!
The auto enthusiast in me: I NEED A FAST CAR…!
The family man in me: DO I NEED A CHEAPER FUEL EFFICIENT CAR?
The better half of me: WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE i20? (question ignored... easier said than done but let’s not talk about that here)
Going back and forth between a new car or a pre worshipped car, I decided to first put a cap on the price, so I don’t go overboard! After a lot of deliberation, I decided not to spend more than 10 lakhs.
With the price in mind, it was easier to make the “Wish List”: (which went on & on...)
To reiterate, I was very happy with the i20 petrol. We were waiting for the facelifted gen-2 model back in 2012 and the styling was understated. In my opinion, it was like a sedan without a boot.
Refinement, space, huge and comfy front seats, decent rear head and legroom extra soft suspension (a bit extra to my liking), and a smooth steering wheel (handy for tight U-turns in tight spaces) were few good bits I won't forget about the i20.

Anyways, coming back to the "wish list" which was a bit longer can be categorized as 'must-haves' and 'not so must-haves' as one cannot get everything in one package.

Must haves:
- A powerful Diesel or a turbo petrol mill: Trying to satisfy the auto enthusiast & the family man in me.
- SUV (preferably a 4WD) - SUV had to be on the list because of a sour experience in the past! I couldn’t make it to a lot of places because of my hatchback (I still love it though) as it wouldn’t just glide on those trails.
- A decent set of features: Apple CarPlay was a must among the list. Casting the map on the head unit screen is a blessing on interior roads during road trips.
- Cruise Control: Would love to have this feature as I always felt the need during my Bangalore-Mumbai trips in the i20.

The non “Must-haves”:
- A German Badge: I was aware of the build quality of the German cars, but it was not a must-have while looking out for cars
- Automatic Transmission: Automatic sure makes life easier in the city, but It’s always more fun to have the stick! So, this was optional for me

With these in mind, I started to scout for my precious,
After a few weeks, I could finally make the list of “eligible” cars –

Tata Tiago JTP:

A wildcard entry but it’s a pocket-friendly rocket AKA the pocket rocket. Besides, I could go the new car route with minimum hassles while buying the car. I went to a Tata dealership and took a test drive of the Tiago JTP. As soon as I entered the cabin it felt small compared to my i20...something like moving to a 1bhk from a 2bhk apartment. The sales executive started explaining about the features, but I wanted the keys and was keen on experiencing the drive. And wasn’t let down by the 1.2 turbo mill… There was a huge realizable power jump for me compared to my i20 (112 BHP, 150Nm >> 82 BHP, 112 Nm). It drove like a go-kart and quick lane changes putting it in tight spots was all piece of cake. The car enthusiast in me was on cloud nine. The sports mode was a fun factor while the eco mode felt too sluggish. It was a value for money proposition for the cost it was offered at and as a package, it felt okay. The family man in me started nitpicking and considering the in-car experience viz, switch gears, AC vents, pedal feel, build quality, NVH levels, and overall fit and finish and in the end, I wasn’t too convinced.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS:

I was amazed by the combination of turbo petrol and manual transmission, hence landed at the Nexa dealership to test drive the RS. This one was for sure refined, much better than the JTP. This helped rule out the JTP from my list. The throttle response was good and well balanced with lesser jerks, a quieter cabin, and decent cabin space which I could relate to my i20. And yes, the RS was a tempting buy (after sacrificing the want for cruise control). and it did fit my budget after a bit of a stretch! I started to look for my i20 buyers and had the Baleno RS on the top of my list. With quite a few RSs in the resale market for tempting deals compared to the on-road price of a new RS, I was contemplating: a new car or used car!!

Renault Duster:

Driving the Duster was a halfhearted attempt as I was still bent on Baleno RS at this point, new or used was still a question though.
A colleague of mine wanted me to check out his car which the auto enthusiast in me couldn’t resist. With a higher set yardstick comparing with my Hyundai’s interior, I was disappointed with everything inside the Duster’s cabin. It felt too simple and unfinished to my liking. The diesel mill was strong and torquey (it was the 85PS mill but I was just comparing my i20’s petrol engine here) The Duster just added to my confusion because, in the end, the diesel mill was fuel-efficient as well as meaty. To add to it, the option of an AWD with the 110PS engine would tick the point from my wishlist as well. Now it was going to be either of the two: a Turbo Diesel or a Turbo Petrol.
Hence the idea of buying the RS was put on hold and the quest continued further and to my luck, I couldn't find any 110PS AWD Dusters in the used car market.

Skoda Yeti:

This was an after effect of the Duster’s short drive. This had to be a calculated risk and would have to be taken the “pre-worshipped way” Did try few used Yetis on sale in Bangalore and oh boy, I was awestruck by the build quality, the TDi motor, almost everything the car had. But there is never a happy ending to such stories. The cars that I liked were out of my budget and those that fit my budget were a bit over abused with over a lakh kms on the odo. Considering the maintenance cost of a premium German SUV I decided to stay out of it and thus the Yeti bubble was busted.
The other side of the story tough, I was then convinced. She had to be a German with a turbocharged mill!!!

Exploring the German cars in the resale market (within my budget) I was amazed to notice the depreciation over the on-road price. With a lot of research about VAG cars and their maintenance, I made up my mind to go the pre-worshipped way. At the end of the day money saved is money earned.
The final probable list was:
-Vento/Rapid TDI
-Polo TDI or GT TSI/TDI
-Laura TSI/TDI
With a lot of grapevine stories and possibilities of the DSG failures at the back of my mind especially with resale cars, I tried to stay away for the automatics. Believe me, I had to ignore quite a few tempting offers for the Vento and GT TSIs with a heavy heart.
Laura is an amazing car but in the resale market nothing came up that intrigued me. Probably the TSIs are tough to let go and the enthusiasts are holding onto them.
And then came up with a listing on a car resale website. This was something that could satisfy the boy, the enthusiast, and the family man in me….
A year-old GT TDI with 4 digits on the odo…!!

With no further ado, I rang up the seller. It was a dealer, an option I didn't want to consider as I believed buying a used car from an individual would help with a transparent deal (details of service intervals, minor issues, etc. It’s just a personal opinion) But I didn't want to let go the deal easily hence gave it a try. The dealer shared some pictures of the car via WhatsApp and was ready to trade in my i20 for the GT as well. This was an added advantage for me to bargain further on the listed car price. This was during the month of early July 2019.

Series of events during the complete buying process is as follows;

Step 1:
I went to check the car out in Yeshwantpur at the dealership. It was late in the day but still made it after a long drive on a working day and there she was in the basement parking lot. The car was almost new with 7500 odd kms on the odometer. I was excited and trying to control my desperation asked the executive for a test drive. It was a quick spin, but I was fine with it. Everything was neat and perfect. Few battle scars on the bumper but one cannot be knit-picking if you want to go the used car way and it should be okay to bear such imperfections at the cost of 25-30% depreciation over a new car price. All interior functionalities checked I was okay with the deal.

Step 2:
The trade-in offer for my i20. I was offered a very low price and wasn’t happy to let her go so cheap. I quoted my number and asked the executive to get back only with a better offer. (This was tough to keep such a good deal hanging for few grand but my ego wasn’t cheap either) Also, with used cars, one cannot be sure about seeing the car the next day as it’s a dynamic market. It was a huge gamble I had taken. It was a sleepless night with lots of calculations.

Step 3:
Discussions with wife, seeking the final approval, and working out the finances. This went well and smooth, I am sure she could see my desperation and agreed right away ��
The next day, I reached the office and to my surprise, I get a call from the executive asking for my decision. I was firm on the buyback price of my i20. He worked out a deal with his manager and was ready to reduce further the difference in the selling price of the GT which I was okay with. This came out of nowhere for me and the final tally was up to my expectations. I wanted to check the car once more in daylight before I paid any amount.

Step 4:
Took half a day off at the office and went to the dealership. Did a detailed inspection of the exterior in bright daylight. Took a long drive, high speed, braking, steering alignment, everything seemed to be perfect. I then hooked on my OBD to check for any cleared/pending codes. Everything was flawless. Only then was I 100% convinced she was the one. Paid a token amount to block the car. Phewww… this was the end of my quest!!!
Couldn’t believe that it was finally over.

Step5:
The D-day!! With a couple of days to arrange for the finances finally the day had come. Got my i20 washed and was at the dealership. Did a final inspection of the GT and went ahead with the final transfer. With a couple of hours spent with paperwork at the dealership, I was out in the GT.
It was like leaving the 82 bhps & 112 Nms behind and coming out with 110bhps & 250Nms.
Huge transition and it was worth all the wait!!
Final adieu to my i20,



And, presenting to you my precious!!!

[Researcher]

Congratulations on your purchase and wishing you a wonderful ownership ahead. A one year old, very low run car at 25-30% off is a great bargain. Not only will you have the factory warranty, but you can also opt for extended ones. Being a VW diesel, you will have plethora of established options in the aftermarket as well. Do keep us posted on your journey.

Originally Posted by tanaysn

The boy in me: I NEED A NEW CAR…!
The auto enthusiast in me:I NEED A FAST CAR…!
The family man in me: DO I NEED A CHEAPER FUEL EFFCIENT CAR ..?
The better half of me: WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE i20???

Your entire selection to buying story is eerily similar to mine! When I was in the used market three years back for a low slung sedan (Civic) or a brute SUV (Safari), I still question myself at times how I ended up with a crossover-sedan (SX4) which was nowhere near my radar.
Months before the lockdown put a brake to my plans, I was thinking of a replacement and yet again the shortlist contains all types of vehicles!

[sharan1988]

Originally Posted by tanaysn

Few DIYs planed are;
1. Stock air filter replacement with K&N or BMC ( open to suggestions here)
2. Upgrade air intake guide/channel to the euro spec (not sure about how to source it though in the current situation)

Very crisp review of your precious Let me tell you from my experience, I don't find any difference after upgrading from stock to BMC air filter on my vento tsi but you may be benefited from an euro air channel guide which can be got from Volkswagen itself. When you find time go through my thread as similar modifications can be done to your car too.

[tanaysn]

2.Post GT phase: Good & Bad bits about the car


With a few trips around here is my initial impression of the GT.
Likes:

1. The TDi mill and its mental power delivery (I know the 1.6 is insane but my yardstick is still the 1.2 i20 petrol)
2. The solid build quality
3. Interior fit and finish
4. Audio quality
5. Well weighted steering feel and feedback from the road is perfectly engineered in my opinion (the i20 felt disconnected from the road)
6. Crisp brake bite and adequate stopping power for the beast
7. Torquey motor which translates to lesser downshifts is a blessing in traffic

Dislikes:

1. The motor feels loud and is, in fact, louder till it heats up (but I am guessing all diesel mill should be the same... something I need to get used to)
2. Turbo lag in the low end (again something to get used to for a NA engine guy)
3. Mild vibrations at the clutch (is that the diesel engine thing...?)
4. Rear seat space (not that it matters to us, a family of two but anyone taller than 5 feet 10 inches in the rear seat ends up kicking my backrest often)
5. Higher maintenance cost for a VAG car

Some more love it and hate it features from the GT;

1.Steering Wheel:
The steering wheel depicts the pure German class. A no-nonsense design with precise ergonomics. Even the control switches on the steering wheel have a luxury feel in every press and the satisfying click sound.



2. Multi-information display:
The MID has a lot of useful information and can be toggled through easily via the steering mounted controls. The dials have a perfect illumination and the display doesn't get too bright in the night.




3. Apple carplay:
Mirroring the phone via Apple car play is a different level of convenience.
Especially when you are trying to navigate in ghats and want to predict your corner approach speed, the projected map comes handy.
Siri also reads your messages out loud for you via Apple-car play. As a caution, beware if you have a friend swearing at you all the time in texts/Whatsapp as she reads everything for you LOUD and CLEAR!!.


The quality of fit and finish is of a different league. Yes its the same dashboard for over 10 years, but why do you need something new if it serves the purpose in my opinion. Also, VW has made small changes over the years to keep it alive and fresh, and with the addition of the mirror-link feature, it is complete.

VW has tried to slip in the classy Passat ish dial clock in a "digital" way on the head unit. Smart (cost-saving) touch!!



4. Switch Gears:
One-touch auto up-down window switches is a thoughtful feature handy when you come across a dusty section or quick shower while on the move.


The headlamp and wiper switches were a bit getting used to for me initially but now they feel "correctly placed"


The cruise control switch is thoughtfully placed in the indicator switch. Again a display of "smart German engineering"



5.Rearview mirror:
The auto-dimming rearview mirror is a practical feature to have which also houses the auto wiper sensors hidden in the housing;



6. Hidden Features:
A party trick I discovered recently to switch the climate control's temperature unit to Fahrenheit by long-pressing the "Auto" and "AC" buttons. Not that it matters, but something to show off when any of your "USA return" friend is riding with you.



As a safety measure, if the car doors get jammed in any unfortunate case, you can escape out of the car by opening the tailgate door by inserting the car key in groove from inside. Not sure if any other manufacturers have thought about it.



7. Body Work:
Sharp and precise lines on the bodywork look neat and depict a typical German design language.



The spoiler is subtle and classy also adds the GT factor which looks pronounced with the contrast white body color.


The side view mirror is sufficiently large to spot two-wheelers in city traffic and at black coated outer cover complements the white body paint well.



There is no sunroof but this car is meant to be driven hard, and all VWs are driver-centric. I am sure it adds to the current "must-haves" feature list in the premium hatch category but VW did not want to compromise on the handling.
A stiffer roof increases the torsional rigidity of the car resulting in a lower body roll and thus more driving pleasure.


Another such "must-have" feature in the premium hatchback group missed in the Polos and GTs would be keyless entry and a push-button start.
VW did not want to waste money on such fancy features.
Also, in my opinion, the correct position of the key fob is in the ignition keyhole and not your pocket


8. Rim Design:
I love the simple rim design.
I do plan to get them coated in the future like the newer GTs with a gunmetal grey shade.



9. Under the Hood:
The engine bay is well packaged


I love how the engine cover adds to the aesthetics as well as damps the vibrations down drastically.




10: The stick:
The gear lever travel is adequate and the shifts are precise. Comparing the throws with my i20's gearbox, it feels like a gearbox with a short shifter and yes, no rubbery feeling when you notch it in a gear.



11. Rear Seat:
The rear seat space in practically absent but VW has managed to extract a bit more by scooping out the front seat backrests. And for practical purposes, it is a 4 seater



12. Sunglass Holder:
I do miss a practical sunglass holder but with a small anti-slip mat, I get to flaunt my RayBan's post sundown.



13. The badges:
With some smart GT badges, it always reminds you that is not a "Polo" but a "GT"



The metallic pedals complement the GT quotient further.


Also, I prefer the absence of unwanted stickers, unlike the GT TSi. Retains a cleaner look in my opinion.



The After-Sales Service Experience:

Within a week of driving the GT around, I decided to get the car serviced through the dealer had assured me they had taken care of the annual maintenance. I wasn’t sure about it as and with the maintenance due warning flashing on the MID, I took her to the VW ASC.
I took the car to Whitefield Auto VW being the nearest to my location. Learning from my VW car owner friends, I was told to book a slot for the annual maintenance for the GT which I did a day in advance.
Arriving before the time at the workshop I was waiting for the formalities to be taken care of, the enthusiast in me was wandering in the workshop parking lot. To my surprise, amidst a lot of Polos and GTs mine was the only GT TDi a sense of exclusiveness made me happy, or probably it was just that day :P in the workshop… nevertheless, I was happy.
I am then greeted by a support staff offering me a cup of hot coffee. I wasn’t expecting that at all based on my Hyundai experience where nobody ever offered a glass of water in the past 3-4 visits.
The service advisor walks in and takes me through the routine checks and informs about the annual maintenance list which I agreed upon and opted for the 3M deep cleaning package.
With very less nonproductive time spent at the workshop, I walk out with the valuables from the car and another surprise!! I get an SMS from VW Apple auto about the service advisor’s name and expected delivery time and cost. Of course, the cost was high compared to my i20 annual maintenance but with such treatment at the workshop, I wasn’t minding it.
The car was ready before the promised time and I was happy with the service. Not sure if it is just me or all of us feel once the car is serviced everything just feels smooth (more of a physiological thing I reckon) :P

Took her for a spin the same evening down the old madras road and oh boy!!!! Every pedal to the metal contact brings a wide smile on my face and it doesn’t get monotonous for me.

So much so that even the wife likes the kickback the turbo gives and we end up fighting to be at the steering wheel on road trips.

[tanaysn]

3. Powerful GT Phase:Post Remap:

Having spent 6-7 months with the GT and done quite a few road trips to Mumbai, Chennai, Mysore, and Kerala the odo readings have surged exponentially. I was eventually getting used to the power on tap and the enthusiast was craving for more. It had to be a remap!!

Some random clicks from the road,









Going through some blogs about how a remap changes any turbo mil’s mid-life crises, I was intrigued to dig deeper. Having weighed the pros and cons I wasn’t sure about it but decided to take the plunge.
During one of my trips to Kochi, a friend of mine put me in touch with Rajiv from Wolf. Being automotive engineering, I had my doubts/questions about the complete process. Rajiv was kind enough to entertain my questions and we had a lot of discussions or I would say learning sessions to educate myself on the remap process. I was kind of convinced with the process and decided to go ahead with a remap.


Having the remap done earlier this year the car has transformed! It has become quieter at city slow speeds (reduced clatter) and mental in the mid and high end Sadly, I had it done right before the lockdown was announced owning to the Covid-19 pandemic.

What has changed;
She is just eager to spin the front wheels in first and second at WOT its just mental power post the remap and to add to its craziness, there are instances the GT torque steers.
The downshifts are further reduced for quick overtakes which makes life easy during relaxed driving on highways.

Rajiv from Wolf has tailored the map to my liking where the low end hasn’t tampered at all as there are days when I just like to cruise with some light music. Also, I did not want the car to feel jerky in bumper to bumper traffic hence have a tamed low end. The mid and high end has transformed. In simple words, she has a split personality for the throttle responses.

No plans of throwing or removing any parts of the engine bay yet hence have restricted me to a Stage1 remap for now. Probably spending some more time and clocking kms would change my mind in the future.
I don’t want to quote on the power and torque gains claimed after the remap but inside the car and on the speedometer, the realizable power is a lot more over the stock.

Sadly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all my road trip plans after the remap have gone for a toss, and only have had a chance to stretch my right leg on the old madras highway for some short drives.

Few DIYs planed are;
1. Stock air filter replacement with K&N or BMC ( open to suggestions here)
2. Upgrade air intake guide/channel to the euro spec (not sure about how to source it though in the current situation)

I haven’t thought about getting the brakes or tires upgraded yet but spending some more time with the current map might influence the decision as they say, with great power demands greater stopping power…!!!

Post remap road tripping experience to follow…. (postponed indefinitely… )

The hashtag family moments from some parking lots;


The "Ramesh-Suresh" moment,

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

Your car is going to the homepage today

[arun_m5]

Congrats on the car, I use a a tuned 1.5 GT TDI whenever I visit Kerala, it's got a BMC filter and Stage 2 tune, yes it's insanely eager to get off the line and in gear acceleration can put some bigger cars to shame. However, this is not an engine that can last long with a tune in my opinion, the engine mounts were completely shot within 50k kms, right now at 70k kms, it's no longer got the old pull, very sluggish and dumps quite a lot of thick black soot when accelerating, not to mention the gearbox is quite spongy at this stage, 2nd gear is sometimes hard to engage too, this is despite all services being done on time at the dealer. Though a tune is a lot of fun, it does affect the long term reliability and personally I doubt it can make it past 100k kms without major expensive repairs.

In terms of upgrades, I'd definitely recommend you get the Vento Highline LED headlights (same as the Polo GTi), those have a very good beam pattern and really bright high beams, it can make late night road trips a real breeze. The brakes are fine unless you really push it over 150 km/h. (the car really isn't too confidence inspiring at
those speeds with the stock ride height); they've really jacked it up with stilts for our roads. Either way, you'd be better off getting a good set of tyres and better brake pads. One way to know if the brakes are good enough is to observe the ABS system on hard braking, if it comes on, it means that maximum tyre friction is lower than max brake friction, upgrade and you'll find it can brake much harder without the ABS coming on and provide sure footed stopping.

[torquecraver]

Congratulations on the new ride.

How is the ride and handling of the GT TDI coming from an i20 which isn't the best in terms of both

[tanaysn]

Originally Posted by arun_m5

In terms of upgrades, I'd definitely recommend you get the Vento Highline LED headlights (same as the Polo GTi), those have a very good beam pattern and really bright high beams, it can make late night road trips a real breeze. The brakes are fine unless you really push it over 150 km/h. (the car really isn't too confidence inspiring at
those speeds with the stock ride height); they've really jacked it up with stilts for our roads. Either way, you'd be better off getting a good set of tyres and better brake pads. One way to know if the brakes are good enough is to observe the ABS system on hard braking, if it comes on, it means that maximum tyre friction is lower than max brake friction, upgrade and you'll find it can brake much harder without the ABS coming on and provide sure footed stopping.

Thanks for the heads up, yes the Vento lamps look good but was curious about the light penetrations during foggy climate. (white light over yellow ish light)
As of now, I am okay with the brakes and tires but surely going for an upgrade in near future.

Originally Posted by torquecraver

Congratulations on the new ride.

How is the ride and handling of the GT TDI coming from an i20 which isn't the best in terms of both

Haha, a hell lot of difference. Handling was non-existant on the i20 with a disconnected road and steering wheel feel and a body roll like a boat.

But, I miss the quick u-turns in tight spots with the feather-light i20 steering.

[chiefpk]

The VW Polo remains one of those evergreen cars that your are never bored of, the design elements(especially the interior) still remains one of the best in the segments even after 10 years. The build quality is also excellent. Commendable job by VW.

Coming to the review. Absolutely great. Smooth, and efficient writing. well connected story.

[docswarna26]

Its sad that they have stopped selling the diesel mill. 250 nm torque out of the box is amazing. By the way, how much did it cost for the car upfront?

[Torque250]

Originally Posted by tanaysn

2.Post GT phase: Good & Bad bits about the car


Dislikes:[list=1][*]The motor feels loud and is, in fact, louder till it heats up (but I am guessing all diesel mill should be the same... something I need to get used to)[*]Turbo lag in the low end (again something to get used to for a NA engine guy)[*]Mild vibrations at the clutch (is that the diesel engine thing...?)

Welcome to GT TDI club. Congrats on your purchase.

Regarding vibrations, yes, I am experiencing vibrations, from clutch, accelerator and even steering wheel at higher revvs. Its normal with Volkswagen diesels.

Another disadvantage with the GT TDI is the immaturity of a child, with which you would bury your accelerator, when you see a car approaching from behind and ‘try-to-catch-me-if-you-can’ attitude when you were overtaking a car from 2/3/4/5 segments higher.

I can see your wolfish grin.

[tanaysn]

Originally Posted by Torque250

Welcome to GT TDI club. Congrats on your purchase.

Regarding vibrations, yes, I am experiencing vibrations, from clutch, accelerator and even steering wheel at higher revvs. Its normal with Volkswagen diesels.

Another disadvantage with the GT TDI is the immaturity of a child, with which you would bury your accelerator, when you see a car approaching from behind and ‘try-to-catch-me-if-you-can’ attitude when you were overtaking a car from 2/3/4/5 segments higher.

I can see your wolfish grin.

Yes, absolutely!!! Especially when some tries to flash and honk even when you are trying to give way, it kind off instigates you to floor it!

Regarding the vibrations, I think we can live with it for the power delivery and handling, like a trade off.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by Torque250

Another disadvantage with the GT TDI is the immaturity of a child, with which you would bury your accelerator, when you see a car approaching from behind and ‘try-to-catch-me-if-you-can’ attitude when you were overtaking a car from 2/3/4/5 segments higher.

I can see your wolfish grin.

These kind of hatchbacks make owners of segment higher cars wonder if they have put their hard earned money at the right place

It would be fun to know how the GT TDI fares against another such hatch - Figo S TDCI. In one of the video by a BHPian - Karan made Figo owners grin a tad more wider than the ones of Polo. However, GT TDI would really make the Figo S TDCI to work harder.

Originally Posted by tanaysn

Yes, absolutely!!! Especially when some tries to flash and honk even when you are trying to give way, it kind off instigates you to floor it!

Congratulations on your purchase. Good choice and wish you many happy memories with the GT.

Another such hatch is smiling on all three of us

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by tanaysn

Powerful GT Phase:Post Remap:

Congrats on your pick tanaysn and welcome to the GT club.

Having owned two GT TDIs in the last 6 years, I know pretty much everything there is about this wonderful German machine. I am the first one to admit that this is not the most modern, desirable or even the most kitted hatch in the market, but nothing else comes close as far as entertaining the driver factor goes. Icing on the cake is the plethora of after market options, which at times seems like is limited by your money/imagination.

I have been pondering a remap on my 1.5 GT TDI and would love to feel the difference. Considering you are from Bangalore, we can catch up sometime for a good discussion on this, photos and just for the GT badge.

Wish you a very happy, long and fuss free motoring.

Originally Posted by VWAllstar

However, GT TDI would really make the Figo S TDCI to work harder.

Harder it does buddy!!

GT TDI may be quick by hatchback standards, but Figo S still seems to have its number as tested by Autocar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUsfpiwpY28

Probably it all comes down to weight, but there is no denying the fact that the 1.5 TDCI from Ford is a stonker of an engine.