Veloster N vs GTI thoughts.
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Test drove a used VN and a GTI today.
The gti was very nice except the bucket was too narrow on my back. Fun sporty, super easy to drive the stick on. I can totally see why it's the gold standard of hot hatches. It is astonishingly quiet at a standstill at a red-light, even in sport mode. I legitimately thought it had shut off. Super easy to rev match. Blah blah it's everything everyone says it is.
The VN is a riot. It whispers naughty things like Rev and pop the exhaust in the tunnel. I came out of the test drive with a major grin. This particular example (19k) had a major rattle in the dash, and the drivers seat belt was super grimy. You could tell it had been romped on. Owned by a young mechanic or a laborer for sure. The vw dealer wanted 28k for it, which is absurd. I'll take a new one for 30k with the 10y warranty thx.Speaking of new VNs, apperently they are difficult to obtain. We went to the Hyundai dealership next door, and the guy didn't seem that knowledgeable, I guess thats to be expected. He couldnt tell me anything I didn't already know or that wasn't in a brochure.
Apperently dealerships don't even get allocations. They get assigned a (random???) VN and they trade them around to get the cars to the people that want them. You can't order one at the spec you want from the factory. It's litteraly easier to buy a supercar than a VN. Who knows if this will play a factor when I go to try to get a '21 in the spring. I'll take a stickshift in performance blue thanks. -
Korea > Germany
Everyone knows this
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Back in September there was a Veloster N sitting at a dealer near me that they were totally fine with me test driving. Probably in short supply at the moment due to the changeover to the '21 model year but if you're not in a rush they'll come back around.
I personally don't like the Veloster body shape at all. Shit rear visibility, cramped front and back, and the N has no sunroof or heated seats.
I bought my '20 Civic Si sedan instead, but there are very few new ones left since the Si is taking the '21 model year off while Honda retools its factories for the new '22 Civic. You may not like the seats though as they're very bolster-y, probably more than the GTI.
Used Si's are almost as much as new because they hold their value well but that would probably be the best route. Compared to the '17-'19 Si, the '20 Si has slightly revised fascias, LED headlights, a shorter final drive ratio (4.4 vs 4.1), Honda Sensing, more red interior trim, and revised seat padding that's a little more comfy.
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@shoop said in Veloster N vs GTI thoughts.:
major grin
Love it! If they had the i30 N here, I definitely would've considered it earlier this year. I wonder if you widen your search to more suburban/rural areas if you'd find a dealer that's just looking to get rid of their allocation at a fair price.
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@texturedsoyprotein the si is down 70hp on the VN, and was below my budget so I passed on it. I'm an exclusive mirror driver, so with the '21 blind spot sensors, the rear viz doesn't bother me.
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@shoop The Si is underrated by about 15 hp, they put about 190 to the wheels which is ~215-220 hp crank. Still down vs the Veloster N but in driving them on consecutive days the N isn't that much quicker. I had a full bolt-ons + tune 335xi before the Si, it would roast either the Si or the N.
Compared to the N, the Si has better steering and shifter, better interior, better damping, a much more tolerable ride, more features I want (namely sunroof, heated seats & active cruise), holds its value better, and as a comfy roomy sedan is much more usable day to day.
Different strokes for different folks, but the upcoming Elantra N holds my interest much more than the Veloster N. Hyundai's even going to offer a damn sunroof on the Elantra N, but only with the DCT. The shifter in the Veloster N is mediocre enough for me to feel like the DCT could be a better choice.
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To be totally honest, I wish I could put the Veloster N drivetrain and exhaust note into the GTI chassis. I think VW makes a more comfortable everyday car, but there's no arguing how much fun the Veloster is.
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@shoop Dang that sucks. I've always had a soft spot for the Veloster and the N is one of those that I'd look at if I were ever to replace my C30. Despite liking them, I've never actually test driven one. I tried, once, at a non-Hyundai dealer before the turbo had come out. I told the salesman that I was cross-shopping the WRX and C30 and he told me not to bother with the Veloster. Dunno if he was just being an ass or trying to save us both time.
Sounds like if you were wanting one, this might be a case for Tom Whatshisname the car buyer. -
@shoop There's a reason why the standard every other one is compared to is.... the standard.
Also note that the GTI is currently in a generational change. MK8s are out in Europe but the US won't get them until 2022 models arriving around this time next year. Probably not a good time to buy either of them - The MK7 has the bugs worked out but will be overshadowed by the shiny new one, the MK8 will have first year problems.
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@nermal I like the looks of the mk7 over the asseating Neanderthal styling of the mk8
