Overview & Reviews

The 2012 Volkswagen GTI gets new LED daytime running lights and minor feature-availability revisions, but otherwise carries on unchanged.

• Good fuel economy.
• Supple ride
• Hatchback versatility
• Interior sophistication

• Lack of interior storage.
• Competitors are quicker and handle better

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 20.00

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  1-yr Review - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By shdwblumkvi - December 27 - 2:04 am

  I bought my 2012 6MT shadow blue GTI 1 year ago today. Here is my 1 Year Review. After 365 days of owning a brand new GTI, my first VW, I can say it has been great. But along with the good, Ive had to accept some problems. My fuel injector failed at 20k miles and left me on the side of the road. This is a common weakness of the GTI. If you want reliable and dependable, buy a Honda. If you want German and high performance, expect to have some issues with this car. Some people have zero problems. You may get lucky. But plan on not being so lucky. I love driving this car, but dont know if I will keep it once the warranty is over. Expect to have problems, but it is a wonderful car.

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  Drivers car - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By foggnm - July 7 - 2:30 am

  Because I drive so little (4000 miles/yr), I wanted something sporty, stylish, and most of all fun! So after trying several other cars the past 2 years, I found exactly what I wanted in a GTI. It has the perfect balance of sport, economy, and adult-styling. It is quick, but not gas-wasting fast. It is nicely outfitted on the inside, has a wonderful exhaust/turbo sound, and looks sharp from the outside. This car is a bit pricey new, but I found mine one year used with 6000 miles for an awesome price. Got the model with navigation which also has the attractive and functional bi-xenon/LED lights. Im sure there are longer lasting, more reliable cars, but lifes too short not to enjoy your car.

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  A ride above the rest! - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By cjcanada - May 2 - 7:40 pm

  This is my first VW and its been great! I bought my fully loaded 2012 gti in July 2012 and now have almost 12K on it (7400 Miles) and have had no issues. I have even taken it on a road trip from Alberta Canada to California and back (5600 km) and no issues whatsoever. This is a great car and fun to drive. I have no rattles or issues with this car so far. Love this car! Very few dislikes. I would recommend this car as a daily fun commuter car. I have the DSG and love it! Sport mode revs too high though. The car is a little light on the front end. Spin the tires often.

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  2 weeks and already down for repair - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By kkastner - March 22 - 3:22 am

  Love the Euro-feel of the car, hate the owner experience...only two weeks in and already proving to be what I feared it would be. Flywheel was defective and the car has 600 miles on it. Sitting outside at the dealer in the rain with the transmission out. Waiting for VW parts. Not encouraging, especially given that Ive already been down a negative road with VW/Audi in the past. If this one lemons out, it will be the 3rd out of 4 cars that VW is going to buy back. 1995 Golf (my first ever new car) - bought back by VW with engine and wheel bearing issues (1,200 miles) 2000 Audi A4 - great, never had a problem 2004 Audi Allroad - bought back by VW/Audi with electrical issues 2012 GTI - TBD

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  Does everything well - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By michel12 - June 18 - 9:48 pm

  I recently purchased a 2012 GTI with a DSG transmission and I think I like it. This is a car that does everything well: comfortable, fun to drive, excellent build quality, practical. My only criticism is with the DSG transmission. While the car is really fun to drive on Tiptronic, the Drive (D) mode is sluggish because the transmission shifts gears at very low speeds which makes it unresponsive especially on steep climbs, where it constantly hunts for the best gear. For those who dont mind driving a car with a manual transmission, I would advise to stay away from the DSG.

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  So Far, Love this Car - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By caseydog3 - January 11 - 8:45 pm

  After buying a new 2012 VW passat in July 2012, I decided to trade it in for a new 2012 GTI. While the passat was a nice BIG family sedan, I wanted to drive something fun and sporty. Also, I was having alot of trouble seeing at night with the Passat. Anyway, I got the new GTI over the weekend. It is so entirely different than the passat. I can understand why people say they look forward to driving it everyday. I feel the same way. The visibility, comfort and feel of the car is so great. Its smaller, but still has plenty of room. I find that Im playing the stereo less now because I like listening to the sound of the engine and the turbo.

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  So far so good - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By deeperseoul - June 13 - 11:56 pm

  My first VW ever and digging it!. Ive always had interest in GTI and there was 0% apr opportunity back in July. One test drive pretty much sold me the car. My attachment of this car is almost equal to the time when i got my first car back in 1988(Nissan Maxima). Although, brand new car picked up from the dealer was already defective with faulty head light ballester, it has not given me any other issues so far. I see why people rave about this car...driving this car is very gratifying. It may not be the most powerful or reliable car but for me, this car has more personality than competitors.

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  The 50-mile review - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By nkanafan - September 20 - 5:43 pm

  This is a 50 mile "first impressions" for my GTI autobahn, DSG, 4dr. The plethora of positive reviews online are right: excellent build quality, amazing driving dynamics, quiet smooth ride for size, excellent brakes, and great looking with a squat, low stance. The DSG takes getting used to and does feel hesitant at first but "squirts" you around town. As with previous GTIs, torque is abundant. I put two boosters and a nine year old in the back no problem! They are skinny though. Issues. There are a few minor ergonomic foibles. With the correct driving position for me, the steering wheel obstructs the top of speedo. Some controls are too low and parts of them cannot be visualized.