2019 Jetta GLI vs 2019 Civic Si

LegendaryElite

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Reviews for new 2019 Jetta GLI have surfaced in the past few days.
So far it has been universally praised for its nice performance and surprisingly well-mannered handling.
Just to name some reviews: Redline reviews / Throttle House / Forrest's Auto Reviews

Compared to our Si, the GLI is a notch more expensive, starting from ~$25995, but has more features like panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, and blind spot monitoring.
GLI has more power (228 HP vs 208 HP, 258 lb-ft vs 192 lb-ft), both has manual option, and both are front wheel drive.

IMO GLI slides into a perfect spot in the value performance lineup: more powerful than Si and Elantra sport, cheaper than Type R or Veloster N, and easily daily-drivable.
Have been in a new Jetta and the interior is very spacious with a lot of features integrated, definitely a nice place to spend time in.
What do you guys think about this car? With the new 6 year bumper-to-bumper warranty from VW, will this be on your short list for your next car?
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87elco

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Does it have the torsion bar rear?
 
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LegendaryElite

LegendaryElite

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grumpyguy6

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it would be on my short list, but I don’t vape. ;)

Seriously though, thanks for the info, it actually does sound quite intriguing. However, if I were to go over to the VW side, I’d probably get a GTI just because it’s such a legend and I’d like to see what all the fuss is about.
 
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Dis4Damion

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Watched Redline's review of the car last night. I'm almost kicking myself for not waiting to see it. Great looking vehicle!

Oh well ;)
 
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herox

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Reviews for new 2019 Jetta GLI have surfaced in the past few days.
So far it has been universally praised for its nice performance and surprisingly well-mannered handling.
Just to name some reviews: Redline reviews / Throttle House / Forrest's Auto Reviews

Compared to our Si, the GLI is a notch more expensive, starting from ~$25995, but has more features like panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, and blind spot monitoring.
GLI has more power (228 HP vs 208 HP, 258 lb-ft vs 192 lb-ft), both has manual option, and both are front wheel drive.

IMO GLI slides into a perfect spot in the value performance lineup: more powerful than Si and Elantra sport, cheaper than Type R or Veloster N, and easily daily-drivable.
Have been in a new Jetta and the interior is very spacious with a lot of features integrated, definitely a nice place to spend time in.
What do you guys think about this car? With the new 6 year bumper-to-bumper warranty from VW, will this be on your short list for your next car?
If I had not already purchased my car already I would have considered it, but not for MSRP. FYI, the US spec GLI doesn't come with panoramic sunroof or vented seats as standard features. With those minor details out of the way, I do think it's more "premium" than the SI and I agree that it slides in perfectly with what's on the market.
 

ablueSI

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I personally do not like the design of the new Jettas, although VW has a pattern of making them look better with go-fast bits. I also feel the interior has a bit too much hard plastic, disguised by making it a visually interesting design. The interior definitely looks good, it just doesn't feel great.

Good to see it get the multi-link and GTI parts. I would have to drive one for a real verdict. I've heard the new Jetta also feels cheap, so is the GLI that much more refined? I will need to drive one to find out.

I'm more of a GTI guy, I will say.
 

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I watched the Redline review for it last night as well. It sounds like a damn good car, with the reviewer calling out that it felt substantially faster and pulled hard to 6900 (?) RPM (I assume the redline). He did it at the Tail of the Dragon and did wring it out a bit... though the roads looked wet.

Folks would definitely be doing themselves a disservice by not cross-shopping it... even if they ultimately don't choose it. I certainly would. The fact that it has an available memory power seat with ventilation would be a big deal to me, honestly. I really like memory seats. The wife and I share vehicles and since she's 5'0'' and I'm 5'9''... swapping in the Civic involves a whole lot of car pumpin'.
 

87elco

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If I wanted something high maintenance I'd get a wrx..especially for that much money
 


ablueSI

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New VW styling isn't too my liking, so this one is off my list. I've also heard the new Jetta feels cheap in most trims, not sure if the GLI can fix that entirely.

If only Mazda would fit a multi-link to the new 3, add the 2.5 turbo but with updated tuning for more top-end power....darn you Mazda.
 

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it would be on my short list, but I don’t vape. ;)

Seriously though, thanks for the info, it actually does sound quite intriguing. However, if I were to go over to the VW side, I’d probably get a GTI just because it’s such a legend and I’d like to see what all the fuss is about.
I've driven the new GTI (dsg not manual), it's super quick that extra ~70 lb/ft of torque is insane. The interior is also super nice too. Great all around car I just think the Si looks a bit better and is a Honda instead of VW.
 

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If I were in the market for a car like this, I would honestly choose this car over all of it's competition, including the Si. No hate on the Si or anything to be clear, but features like VW's ventilated seats, virtual cockpit, panoramic sunroof, all make the car a pretty great place to be. Combine that with the substantially more powerful powertrain and it's a no brainer to me. If we're comparing a regular Jetta to the Civic though, things change. The 1.4 engine is pretty weak in the Jetta and i'd take my 2.0 L or the 1.5T anyday over it.
 

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If I were in the market for a car like this, I would honestly choose this car over all of it's competition, including the Si. No hate on the Si or anything to be clear, but features like VW's ventilated seats, virtual cockpit, panoramic sunroof, all make the car a pretty great place to be. Combine that with the substantially more powerful powertrain and it's a no brainer to me. If we're comparing a regular Jetta to the Civic though, things change. The 1.4 engine is pretty weak in the Jetta and i'd take my 2.0 L or the 1.5T anyday over it.
You said it. I looked at Truecar for a GLI Autobahn manual. MSRP is $30000. Market average is right at $27.5... so it sounds like there's quite a bit of room to work. For just the GLI S it's market average is $24.5, about what the Sis MSRP is... admittedly more than most of our OTD prices are, but still with that strong 2.0 that I bet APR does or will offer a reflash to match CTR power levels for peanuts.

It kind of no surprise honestly... the Civics a great car but has been out a few years and the other makers are putting out some solid competition. Honda would be a hard sell for me at this point. I would probably be working hard on a deal on that Autobahn. I put a lot into a good seat and if it feels great and has memory presents and heating plus vent... that alone would be worth some extra coin to me.

A lot of us wanted a K20C1 or C4... something in a Si... or wanted an R lite. I think VW has a pretty enticing daily that can get you that power with a reflash alone for slightly more than Si money... or something damn well equipped for 1/2 way in-between Si and CTR money. There's been some noise about Veloseters Ns settling between the Si and CTRs price point... but this looks like a *lot* more car for the money. I've never gotten the love those gave gotten.

I don't get down when there's good competition and wonder what if I'd waited a year or two to get that instead of what I have. It means things on the car landscape are just moving along as they should. I do know, though... if Honda sits around and repackages our same powertrain in the gen 11 Si... they're probably going to get a repeat of gen 9. We're making the most if it... and it is very efficient... but it doesn't wow me in it's stock form at all.

I also haven't owned a VW yet and feel like my car-enthusiast experience is incomplete without having done so... even if it ultimately isn't that great and my first is my last.
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