Overview & Reviews

The 237-hp R32 makes its debut for 2004 complete with a six-speed manual transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive. The GTI sports restyled 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels. There's also a new fuel cap warning light.

• Potent R32 model, fun to drive, reasonably priced, lots of standard equipment, premium cabin materials, utility of hatchback design, available six-speed manual.

User Reviews:

Showing 11 through 20 of 90.00

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  Great Value - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By pdxtomct - August 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car after owning two GTIs with the 1.8t engine. The VR6 gives the car a completely different feel...much more stable, but decidely heavier through turns. The GTI is a fantastic road car, fun to drive and very solid. Its part sports car and part work horse.

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  Worst Car Ive ever owned - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Sylvan - April 20 - 10:43 pm

  Im the second owner of this car and have had it a little over a year. It has no gaps in the service history, and has always been dealer-serviced. So far, the fuse box, both electric fans, and the transmission have failed (bearing). Total cost not covered under warranty? $4,000. My Ford Maverick was more reliable than this car! My Subaru has 130,000 miles on it and has never had a part fail!! Save yourself, and dont buy this or any other VW. For Gods sake its the 21st Century and they cant make a transmission last 65,000 miles!!!

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  Fun car - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By my1stVW - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Excellent car! Unfortunately, I hit an ugly pothole. The hole was so deep that my entire right wheel was destroyed. Took it back to the dealership, they had to order the rim from Germany. Its going to take 2 weeks to see the wheel since they dont have any stateside. Other than that, its fun little car and I drive it everyday to and from work.

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  My Little Pocket Rocket - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Jason - July 19 - 7:30 pm

  My GTI was already lowered and had larger wheels and other suspension components installed by the previous owner so the ride is bit stiff, but it corners and jumps up from a stop like a champ! Im totally sold on German engineering. I came from a Mustang background and while this car cant touch a Mustang in a straight line, when it comes to the full sense of drivability and fit and finish, the Mustang with all its plastic pieces and jittery noises cant compete with the GTI. I wont even mention my gas mileage improvement... that goes without saying. An all around great little car and an absolute pleasure to own.

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  2004 GTI 1.8T Automatic - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By SF-Aaron - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I have been quite happy so far with this vehicle. This car is way fun to drive, and has a nice roomy interior for a small car.

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  Overpowered ;^} Underbraked :-( - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By BanjoMike - December 12 - 11:40 am

  My last two cars before this were Porsches. I wanted something practical and fun. The GTI fit the bill. Out of the box the GTIs handling is sporty but not overly reasurring. The shocks seem a bit soft. But when pushed hard it really does very well. It is predicatble, powerful, controllable, tossable, and fun. The limiting factor in the performace is definately the brakes. Extended hard driving will lead to noticble brake fade. It will seat adults in the back seat comfortably; has lots of cargo space; has power everything (almost); and is FAST. The GTI proves to the US that a hatchback can be a luxury car! Finally the motor. It just loves to go. Its all about the tourque! Wow.

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  firsttimeVdub - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By firsttimevdub - November 21 - 11:00 pm

  This is my first VW. Bought it used with 41K on it, and its now got 123k and still going strong. This car is probably the most under-rated vehicle Ive ever owned. Its super quick off the line, and even makes a nice cruiser on the highway. I drive quite a bit for work and have always had sufficient power I need to get around the freeways of Southern California. Its been a great car with no major issues. I feed it synthetic oil and 91 octane gas and it in turn, gets me where I need to go every single day. Im sorry to have to sell it and get a 4 door, but if youre looking for a great car and dont need room for say, a child seat, Id definitely check it out.

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  Cheap Thrill - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Darshi Sen - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Although its not exactly cheap, the $19,000 + tax I payed for my brand new GTI 1.8T was definitely worth every penny. The engine, if not the smoothest in its price-range, is probably the most powerful all- around. The broad powerband (max torque at 2000-5000 RPMs) is perfect for everyday driving thrills. My buddy who has a BMW 325i thought there was something wrong with his cars engine after driving mine.

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  Great for the money! - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Ready to Roll - May 1 - 5:16 pm

  Ive invested in an upgrade chip for my Volkswagen GTI. It now has 215 horsepower. There has been a significant improvement in the acceleration. K&N air filter helped too. This car has been all that Ive expected. If you want a Porsche then thats what you should buy. This is a bang for the buck automobile! Knock on wood Ive had no mechanical problems. Im 62" and I think it could use more leg room though.

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  Great Car - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By jeepsterk6 - March 26 - 10:00 am

  Great Car! Lots of power, and the VR6 does not over-power the front wheels as the 1.8 tends to do. Reliable, have had one problem which was with the ignition coils. This was a general recall and replaced under warranty. Great car in the snow. This car is really designed for 2 people, even 3 adults have a hard time in this car. Overall an excellent choice for a quick, sporty, personal luxury vehicle.