Reuters had access to a message published on Volkswagen's intranet site in which brand chief Thomas Schaefer admitted partial and early retirements are planned.
I mean, sitting in a few of them recently, he’s right. That “German fit and finish” in their current lineup isn’t class leading anymore, all while VW still charges a premium for it.
I was cross-shopping a GTI with a Civic Si and a Mazda 3 Sport Turbo, and the GTI, each in their top trims, and the final prices came out to $38,000 for the Si, $40,000 for the Mazda 3 Turbo, and $45,000 for the GTI (prices in Canadian). The GTI had the cheapest feeling interior of the three, all while likely having the highest cost of ownership and weakest long term reliability of the three. I went into it thinking the GTI would be the front runner, and honestly it left me feeling pretty disappointed.
This goes through their entire lineup. Each vehicle in each segment costs a couple grand more than the competing Mazda, Honda, and Toyota, but it just doesn’t feel like you’re getting more car for that extra money. The Tiguan doesn’t feel noticeably better than a RAV4, CRV or CX 5. The Atlas didn’t feel like a step up from a Highlander or Pilot. VW still costs you a little bit extra for the “German premium tax”, and I just don’t see what that tax gets you, asside from generally weaker long term reliability and resale value.
I had a 2014 Passat and when Compared to a 2014 Accord or Camry it was a much, much nicer place to be, with a much smoother engine. But then i saw the 2021 Passat, 20 Accord, and 20 Camry, and was not at all impressed by the Passat.
VW has done a ton of cost cutting in their interiors of late. The MK8 GTI is a noticeably less nice place to be in when compared to the MK7, crappy touch controls aside. Their whole lineup is a step back from what they used to be.
yeah towards the end of the mk7 run, VW was already going hard on cost cutting. then the mk8 came out and it was even more so. a 2015 mk7 vs a new mk8, the quality feels worse on the new mk8.
Thing is the new EA888 is quite reliable. For the amount of power and fuel economy that it makes it’s great. All three of those cars are reliable enough that I wouldn’t worry about the minute differences of which one is slightly more reliable.
I had a 2013 VW CC and the EA888 wasn’t all that good for me. I had to spend $1400 one time to fix leaks everywhere, $700 on a new radiator bc the car would leak coolant like crazy, was leaking again after only a 2 years since the leak fixes, burnt oil, and my gas mileage was crap even though I had replaced all the ignition components, often ran fuel system cleaners, ran premium gas, and drove fairly slow/moderately. Plus the car had enough shit break that could only fixed at the dealer that I went japanese and traded it in
Yes and timing chain. I’d rather have the 2.0 gen 3 or later over anything modern Toyota is putting out simply because it has all of the tech refined (reliable) after generations of modernization AND it puts down serious power.
I’ve been driving an EA888 powered car in some form or another since 2017 (mk7 Golf, now a B9 A4) and the only issue I’ve had is the Golf having a turbo going out from a bad production batch, replaced under warranty.
Sitting in the new golf, it sucks. The clutch is too heavy and the shifter feels like absolute shit. The infotainment is awful and the seats were very uncomfortable. Every other sports car I sat in was better.
Volkswagen interiors somehow feel like the worst of the bunch.
Same internally as well. Internal competition between something like a Macan and Q5. Very very very similar vehicles, performance and spec wise, Macan is significantly more expensive and needs to be optioned out.
I know there’s the excuse of “Porsche is expensive to subsidize the ability to customize” and that makes sense but only so far.
VW doesn’t even get to charge a premium for being german anymore. Most north american VWs are built in mexico or tennessee and you can tell. The 2 best NA VWs - Golf R and Arteon - are built in Germany.
That being said, it’s easily the most refined/best looking and feeling of the 3 you mentioned, and the stick is better than anything south of a Porsche. The current civic really reminds me of the old e46 in many ways. It’s just a great little car. Meanwhile the gold is disqualified IMMEDIATELY thanks to the interior “button” choices and infotainment.
That being said- god is it slow. I came from a long line of BMWs, the last two were 335is… This thing is just so fucking slow.
But hey! Besides that and the INFERNAL rev hang that nearly all manual specced cars have these days, it’s great.
If you’re used to 5 seconds to 60 (or faster), you may very well be regretting your purchase
I don’t think you even need to have gotten used to cars as fast as that. Depending on the outlet, the 0-60 can be closer to 8 seconds than 7 seconds. That’s average car slow, that’s Mazda 3/ Corolla slow. I know the Si has always been about the sports experience more than raw speed, but that’s just crazy especially since it’s been the same since like 2009.
I agree. I test drove the car and I was all giddy playing with the stick for the first time in a long time.
Nearly one year in, I regret it. It’s a great car but it just doesn’t have enough power. It looks absolutely amazing in my opinion easily one of the best looking sedans on sale by any manufacturer, including premium, the interior design is also top-notch in my opinion, including premium (for handsome styling not for materials), and everything the enthusiasts say about the driving experience is pretty much on point.
But the engine note and engine power do the opposite of “rustle your jimmies” once that new car smell wears off and you’re left to hear the engine and feel the speed…
Again, I read the reviews I did the research and I longed for the car for almost a year. I thought the speed just wouldn’t matter but it does.
Random sidebar here, but this exact car with a BMW B58 shoved under the hood powering some type of rear wheel drive tranny would be an absolute dream. Perhaps instead of getting the Cayman I want to get for my next car I will just spend an asinine amount of money shoving a straight six into this thing instead…
We recently test drove a RAV4 with a high end trim, the Tiguan of similar kit, and the CX5. We bought the CX5. My buddy looked at a 4 door golf or the new Kia sport sedan (the 5 I think it’s called?) He bought the Kia. VW just doesn’t have the shine anymore
I mean, sitting in a few of them recently, he’s right. That “German fit and finish” in their current lineup isn’t class leading anymore, all while VW still charges a premium for it.
I was cross-shopping a GTI with a Civic Si and a Mazda 3 Sport Turbo, and the GTI, each in their top trims, and the final prices came out to $38,000 for the Si, $40,000 for the Mazda 3 Turbo, and $45,000 for the GTI (prices in Canadian). The GTI had the cheapest feeling interior of the three, all while likely having the highest cost of ownership and weakest long term reliability of the three. I went into it thinking the GTI would be the front runner, and honestly it left me feeling pretty disappointed.
This goes through their entire lineup. Each vehicle in each segment costs a couple grand more than the competing Mazda, Honda, and Toyota, but it just doesn’t feel like you’re getting more car for that extra money. The Tiguan doesn’t feel noticeably better than a RAV4, CRV or CX 5. The Atlas didn’t feel like a step up from a Highlander or Pilot. VW still costs you a little bit extra for the “German premium tax”, and I just don’t see what that tax gets you, asside from generally weaker long term reliability and resale value.
I had a 2014 Passat and when Compared to a 2014 Accord or Camry it was a much, much nicer place to be, with a much smoother engine. But then i saw the 2021 Passat, 20 Accord, and 20 Camry, and was not at all impressed by the Passat.
VW has done a ton of cost cutting in their interiors of late. The MK8 GTI is a noticeably less nice place to be in when compared to the MK7, crappy touch controls aside. Their whole lineup is a step back from what they used to be.
This is so true.
The gap between the mainstream Japanese and at this point even the Korean makes and VW is just too small now.
yeah towards the end of the mk7 run, VW was already going hard on cost cutting. then the mk8 came out and it was even more so. a 2015 mk7 vs a new mk8, the quality feels worse on the new mk8.
Yep it all went downhill after they killed the analog gauges.
Thing is the new EA888 is quite reliable. For the amount of power and fuel economy that it makes it’s great. All three of those cars are reliable enough that I wouldn’t worry about the minute differences of which one is slightly more reliable.
I had a 2013 VW CC and the EA888 wasn’t all that good for me. I had to spend $1400 one time to fix leaks everywhere, $700 on a new radiator bc the car would leak coolant like crazy, was leaking again after only a 2 years since the leak fixes, burnt oil, and my gas mileage was crap even though I had replaced all the ignition components, often ran fuel system cleaners, ran premium gas, and drove fairly slow/moderately. Plus the car had enough shit break that could only fixed at the dealer that I went japanese and traded it in
that was an older generation of the ea888, different from the mk7 and mk8
Makes sense lol I expected worse to be honest, I heard so many bad things about VW that I was fully counting on needing a few water pumps
Did they fix the oil consumption issues?
Yes and timing chain. I’d rather have the 2.0 gen 3 or later over anything modern Toyota is putting out simply because it has all of the tech refined (reliable) after generations of modernization AND it puts down serious power.
I’ve been driving an EA888 powered car in some form or another since 2017 (mk7 Golf, now a B9 A4) and the only issue I’ve had is the Golf having a turbo going out from a bad production batch, replaced under warranty.
Seems fixed for the Gen 3 EA888
I thought they had water pump issues.
Is that still going on? I remember it being an issue over a decade ago
yes
Lmao damn
Sitting in the new golf, it sucks. The clutch is too heavy and the shifter feels like absolute shit. The infotainment is awful and the seats were very uncomfortable. Every other sports car I sat in was better.
Volkswagen interiors somehow feel like the worst of the bunch.
Same thing I did. Went with the turbo for the AWD and comfort. I do miss the 6spd, but not that much
Same internally as well. Internal competition between something like a Macan and Q5. Very very very similar vehicles, performance and spec wise, Macan is significantly more expensive and needs to be optioned out.
I know there’s the excuse of “Porsche is expensive to subsidize the ability to customize” and that makes sense but only so far.
This is similarly why I went with an Integra A-Spec. Less power than a Golf, but it feels so much nicer inside.
VW doesn’t even get to charge a premium for being german anymore. Most north american VWs are built in mexico or tennessee and you can tell. The 2 best NA VWs - Golf R and Arteon - are built in Germany.
The materials used are just cheaper than previous generations, assembled in Mexico or Germany has zero impact on that.
mk8 gti built in germany
The SI only has one trim you silly goose.
That being said, it’s easily the most refined/best looking and feeling of the 3 you mentioned, and the stick is better than anything south of a Porsche. The current civic really reminds me of the old e46 in many ways. It’s just a great little car. Meanwhile the gold is disqualified IMMEDIATELY thanks to the interior “button” choices and infotainment.
That being said- god is it slow. I came from a long line of BMWs, the last two were 335is… This thing is just so fucking slow.
But hey! Besides that and the INFERNAL rev hang that nearly all manual specced cars have these days, it’s great.
I don’t think you even need to have gotten used to cars as fast as that. Depending on the outlet, the 0-60 can be closer to 8 seconds than 7 seconds. That’s average car slow, that’s Mazda 3/ Corolla slow. I know the Si has always been about the sports experience more than raw speed, but that’s just crazy especially since it’s been the same since like 2009.
I agree. I test drove the car and I was all giddy playing with the stick for the first time in a long time.
Nearly one year in, I regret it. It’s a great car but it just doesn’t have enough power. It looks absolutely amazing in my opinion easily one of the best looking sedans on sale by any manufacturer, including premium, the interior design is also top-notch in my opinion, including premium (for handsome styling not for materials), and everything the enthusiasts say about the driving experience is pretty much on point.
But the engine note and engine power do the opposite of “rustle your jimmies” once that new car smell wears off and you’re left to hear the engine and feel the speed…
Again, I read the reviews I did the research and I longed for the car for almost a year. I thought the speed just wouldn’t matter but it does.
Random sidebar here, but this exact car with a BMW B58 shoved under the hood powering some type of rear wheel drive tranny would be an absolute dream. Perhaps instead of getting the Cayman I want to get for my next car I will just spend an asinine amount of money shoving a straight six into this thing instead…
Rude :(
We recently test drove a RAV4 with a high end trim, the Tiguan of similar kit, and the CX5. We bought the CX5. My buddy looked at a 4 door golf or the new Kia sport sedan (the 5 I think it’s called?) He bought the Kia. VW just doesn’t have the shine anymore