Si vs GTI vs N

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As an owner of both I can attest that the GTI is better in nearly every aspect...

First it looks better (hatch)
It’s faster, handles better, brakes better, and overall just feels better. That being said...

It’s also almost 10k more than the Si, so for that reason I would go with an Si and throw in 5k mods and you can beat most stock GTIs probably. (Unless APR tuned, then you need to have a turbo upgrade.)

Again I owned both I still miss my GTI every time I see one in the wild. This is probably because I love love love hatches and my Si is a Sedan.

Now the ONLY way I can say an Si is better than a GTI would be for long term use, fuel economy, and also reliability. The fit and finish might be close as well. However, my GTI never rattled as much I have 2 consistent rattles from plastic pieces in my Si.

Overall if you do a dollar to dollar analysis I have to go with the Si. But anyone who says that an Si is better hasn’t driven an MK7 GTI especially with Performance Package and the DSG.

Cheers

(When driving my GTI on 87 octane it still felt faster than the Si, and with APR stage 1 and 93 octane the car pulled like a Banshee...

Now I have no empirical evidence other than my butt dyno lol)
I have driven an MK7 GTI(albeit for about 20 mins or so). It was a manual, and honestly, truthfully was not blown away. This isnt Si fanboyism either, as I have also driven a Veloster N, and think it kills my Si as far as fun factor goes and most performance metrics/feel, so yes I give credit where credit is due. The GTI to me while faster according to performance numbers didnt feel that much so by the seat of my pants feeling, it wasnt as engaging as my Si, and nothing really stood out to me. I left and shrugged my shoulders.
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yyalb

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I have driven an MK7 GTI(albeit for about 20 mins or so). It was a manual, and honestly, truthfully was not blown away. This isnt Si fanboyism either, as I have also driven a Veloster N, and think it kills my Si as far as fun factor goes and most performance metrics/feel, so yes I give credit where credit is due. The GTI to me while faster according to performance numbers didnt feel that much so by the seat of my pants feeling, it wasnt as engaging as my Si, and nothing really stood out to me. I left and shrugged my shoulders.
I second this. The Veloster N feels much more special than the SI from chassis to engine. The MK7 with DSG and LSD I drove is really disappointing. The steering feels good initially, but the car is very understeery and turn in feels much less responsive than our SI. The SI has a sort of analog handling feel that really attract me. The GTI has better engine, driving comfort and styling, but SI has much better handling.
 

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I don’t like the GTI manual, that was your mistake. That’s one thing the Si has better a decent gear box.

Handling is subjective next time you drive the GTI put it in sport mode. If you did the dealer probably had 87 octane in it. 93 octane makes a huge difference.
 
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Just watched the full episode on Amazon Prime and here is pretty much the sum up of it...Their were two presenters and each had their own rating on which car was the best in each category and which car was the winner overall..

Interior:

GTI (1st): More premium, more quirky with the plaid seats, and much more cozy.

Si (3rd): They loved the agressive yet comfortable seats, loved the return of the volume knob

N (2nd): They loved how simple and easy everything is laid out, especially the on the fly N mode customization


Performance/Speed:

GTI (tie): They thought power was very good, but it didnt blow them away.

Si (tie): Didnt feel slower than the GTI, they attributed this to it being almost 400lbs lighter.

N(1st): This was the faster car than the other two to them. They felt the power advantage right away and loved the engine response.

Handling:

GTI (3rd): They were let down by the soft handling and "cheap" rear end feel. Felt it was too dialed in for comfort and lacked engagement. They also didnt like the steering feel and overall they wanted more and just weren't getting it.

Si (2nd): They thought in "normal" mode it was a little wallowy in tight turns but once in Sport mode they liked its tightness, steering feel, and eagerness to handle corners. They felt it was the best of both worlds..tighter and stiffer than the GTI but less compromising than the N.

N (1st): One of the best handling front wheel drive cars they have driven. They were shocked on how good a front drive chassis could be and called it a Fiesta ST on steroids.

Conclusion/results:

GTI (3rd): Came in last place by both presenters. They thought it was too soft, not as engaging, lacked the "special sauce" and just didnt inspire as much fun.

Si (2nd, 1st): Came in 2nd by one presenter and 1st by the other presenter. The presenter that placed it 2nd thought it was a great all arounder but the Veloster N was just such a dynamically engaging driving machine for not that much more money so he couldnt justify the Si as the winner. The presenter that chose the Si as the winner picked the Si because it could balance fun and practicality better than the other two.

N (1st, 2nd): Came in 1st by one presenter and 2nd by the other. 1st because of its near perfect front drive chassis and fun powerful engine..2nd because the Si was the better all arounder that could do it all.
 
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Were they driving the GTI in sport mode???
Was it a base or did it have the Performance Package??? Also the stock tires aren’t very good, but same for the Si

Never can trust the reviews.

Now I have a sedan and not a coupe that might affect some of the handling components to this.

The GTI is a better all around car period. I don’t know how they had such a hard time with it’s handling it’s one of the best handling cars out there for under 40k. I’m fact I think the GTI out handles the Golf R because it weighs less and is more toss-able and fun to drive. (I owned both)

The interiors are very similar with a lot of cheap plastic and other such stuff. I think the VW has an easier interface to use and actually has knobs and adjustments for climate. I do like the Si digital gauge cluster better.

The only real negative is my GTI had a 31k sticker and the Si is under 24k. That’s is why the Si is actually better. Sheer economics.

A slightly slower, almost as good handling, breaking nearly as sharp bargain.

Now if it only came in a hatch.

So yes the 7k difference and legendary Honda Reliability are what makes it better in real life.
 


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Were they driving the GTI in sport mode???
Was it a base or did it have the Performance Package??? Also the stock tires aren’t very good, but same for the Si

Never can trust the reviews.

.
It was a 2019 Rabbit Edition GTI with a Manual Vs a 2019 Civic Si Sedan Vs a 2019 Hyundai Veloster N Performance Pack.
 

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Ah that’s explains a lot, the VW Manual is complete garbage. I owned all DSGs which were great. I test drove a few GTI manuals and they all felt really really bad. About 3 models and years of MK8s.

The Si while I’m not a fan of the clutch feel has a much smoother and easier shifter to engage and drive spirited. The VW I was lost trying to find gears a lot. I would be caught in between a lot.

Obviously the DSG was flawless lol
 
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Just watched the full episode on Amazon Prime and here is pretty much the sum up of it
Thanks for the report back! I decided on buying my Si long before I was able to watch this episode and I have to say I definitely made the right choice in terms of GTI vs Si. I did not drive an N because it was out of price range for the performance pack version.

I don't understand why people prefer the handling of the GTI over the Si, the Si is so much tighter, leans less, and doesn't force oversteer anytime you turn the steering wheel.

I know it's all personal preference, but for me personally, I preferred the driver feel from the Si and the much more justifiable price compared to the GTI. Overall, glad I chose the Si. I've gone for a ride on an autox course in an N, but definitely will need to drive one at some point
 

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Just watched the full episode on Amazon Prime and here is pretty much the sum up of it...Their were two presenters and each had their own rating on which car was the best in each category and which car was the winner overall..

Interior:

GTI (1st): More premium, more quirky with the plaid seats, and much more cozy.

Si (3rd): They loved the agressive yet comfortable seats, loved the return of the volume knob

N (2nd): They loved how simple and easy everything is laid out, especially the on the fly N mode customization


Performance/Speed:

GTI (tie): They thought power was very good, but it didnt blow them away.

Si (tie): Didnt feel slower than the GTI, they attributed this to it being almost 400lbs lighter.

N(1st): This was the faster car than the other two to them. They felt the power advantage right away and loved the engine response.

Handling:

GTI (3rd): They were let down by the soft handling and "cheap" rear end feel. Felt it was too dialed in for comfort and lacked engagement. They also didnt like the steering feel and overall they wanted more and just weren't getting it.

Si (2nd): They thought in "normal" mode it was a little wallowy in tight turns but once in Sport mode they liked its tightness, steering feel, and eagerness to handle corners. They felt it was the best of both worlds..tighter and stiffer than the GTI but less compromising than the N.

N (1st): One of the best handling front wheel drive cars they have driven. They were shocked on how good a front drive chassis could be and called it a Fiesta ST on steroids.

Conclusion/results:

GTI (3rd): Came in last place by both presenters. They thought it was too soft, not as engaging, lacked the "special sauce" and just didnt inspire as much fun.

Si (2nd, 1st): Came in 2nd by one presenter and 1st by the other presenter. The presenter that placed it 2nd thought it was a great all arounder but the Veloster N was just such a dynamically engaging driving machine for not that much more money so he couldnt justify the Si as the winner. The presenter that chose the Si as the winner picked the Si because it could balance fun and practicality better than the other two.

N (1st, 2nd): Came in 1st by one presenter and 2nd by the other. 1st because of its near perfect front drive chassis and fun powerful engine..2nd because the Si was the better all arounder that could do it all.
Thank you
Must be a very interesting episode to watch!

Do they perform track testing during the show?
 
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Were they driving the GTI in sport mode???
Was it a base or did it have the Performance Package??? Also the stock tires aren’t very good, but same for the Si
All the 2019 GTIs have the LSD and performance package upgrade (+10 hp?).

It's never been the most fun hot hatch, it's fast, refined, great interior and a hatch. If it was also great fun to drive, that'd be unfair.

It's a shame the Veloster N is so odd looking - I have a hard time buying Korean cars too. Haven't had good experiences with Korean products (phone, TV, BD player - everything was unreliable).
 


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All the 2019 GTIs have the LSD and performance package upgrade (+10 hp?).

It's never been the most fun hot hatch, it's fast, refined, great interior and a hatch. If it was also great fun to drive, that'd be unfair.

It's a shame the Veloster N is so odd looking - I have a hard time buying Korean cars too. Haven't had good experiences with Korean products (phone, TV, BD player - everything was unreliable).

I have had a 2009 Hyundai Genesis 3.8 Coupe Track, and a 2015 MK7. Although the interior on the Hyundai was not premium, it was overall a really good car. I put 60k miles on that car with tune and full bolt ons, never had an issue. It needed minimum maintenance and even maintenance through the dealership was on the cheap side. My MK7, the car I traded for my Si was always needing maintenance (under warranty), but it spent over 2 months of my 3 year lease in the shop. I was always afraid of doing any bolt ons or tunes to the GTI, VW loves to deny claims on engine work even when they are know issues. The interior, is nice but VW infotainment system is complete shit. I have not driven the N, but I would consider it, Kia and Hyundai have great cars, they aren’t the same cars of 15 years ago. The craftsmanship although not even up to Honda’s specs, it has superior reliability over the GTI. I find the Si to be a better balanced and neutral car; I won’t even consider another VW until they improve their reliability and stand behind their cars.
 

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I have had a 2009 Hyundai Genesis 3.8 Coupe Track, and a 2015 MK7. Although the interior on the Hyundai was not premium, it was overall a really good car. I put 60k miles on that car with tune and full bolt ons, never had an issue. It needed minimum maintenance and even maintenance through the dealership was on the cheap side. My MK7, the car I traded for my Si was always needing maintenance (under warranty), but it spent over 2 months of my 3 year lease in the shop. I was always afraid of doing any bolt ons or tunes to the GTI, VW loves to deny claims on engine work even when they are know issues. The interior, is nice but VW infotainment system is complete shit. I have not driven the N, but I would consider it, Kia and Hyundai have great cars, they aren’t the same cars of 15 years ago. The craftsmanship although not even up to Honda’s specs, it has superior reliability over the GTI. I find the Si to be a better balanced and neutral car; I won’t even consider another VW until they improve their reliability and stand behind their cars.
I'm sure a new Hyundai in 2019 is going to be pretty reliable, it's more a principle thing. If they made a car I really wanted I'd overcome it. :) The Veloster N isn't targeting what I need now - the comfort and much better mpg of the GTI suits my current needs better than the superior handling and fun of the N.
 

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GTI is great little car. I'd never want to own a VW though.
 

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All these people not even knowing the sad truth.
To get the better side of the car in a honda you have to go to their top trim model ex Type R or top trim Si
You get in any golf, either gti, R or reg golf tsi . you at least get a decent engine and interior. i mean even the reg golf has a 1,8t motor and even in just S trim you a get a decent interior specially the 2016 and up model with vinyl- leather and clubsport plaid seats.
Reg golf or jettas are meant as a competitor to the EXT with their 17-to 20k price range. but the punch above their price and can offer what and Si does! I dont know where these reliability issues come from, reminds what the us market did to audi in the late 80s early 90s , a few cars had electrical issues and now it has become a moto.. "ohh yea audi yea they got electrical problems and they catch fire" even to this
day. american domestic market does this from time to time to lower the appeal to buyers so they could sell more of their own. they did it to bmw, toyota and vw
What golfs offer is modding potential meaning they gave it a great engine(gen3) and a great dsg trans
Where honda shines is price range and new buyers appeal , it appeals to the younger consumers as its not subtle like the golf and jettas it has edges and cuts and shapes to catch the eye. But that is also subjective.. to each his own i prefer subtle and surprise them later
 

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I have had a 2009 Hyundai Genesis 3.8 Coupe Track, and a 2015 MK7. Although the interior on the Hyundai was not premium, it was overall a really good car. I put 60k miles on that car with tune and full bolt ons, never had an issue. It needed minimum maintenance and even maintenance through the dealership was on the cheap side. My MK7, the car I traded for my Si was always needing maintenance (under warranty), but it spent over 2 months of my 3 year lease in the shop. I was always afraid of doing any bolt ons or tunes to the GTI, VW loves to deny claims on engine work even when they are know issues. The interior, is nice but VW infotainment system is complete shit. I have not driven the N, but I would consider it, Kia and Hyundai have great cars, they aren’t the same cars of 15 years ago. The craftsmanship although not even up to Honda’s specs, it has superior reliability over the GTI. I find the Si to be a better balanced and neutral car; I won’t even consider another VW until they improve their reliability and stand behind their cars.
Finally someone on CivicX without a Korean car bias. I was a diehard Honda fanatic but way back in 2002, with reduced finances, I bought my first Korean car. A 2002 Elantra GT Hatch. The car was so good, so reliable and so much fun (I modded the shit out of it) that I started ElantraClub.com which has been around nearly 20 years. My Kia Forte SX was a surprisingly good car as well and the 2.4L engine was plenty potent. Fast forward to the Veloster N. Hyundai now has the ex-BMW M division head running their new performance division for God's sake. And as far as looks, it's subjective but I love the funkiness of the door setup. Hyundai's are actually reliable cars these days. The only weakness I see is the average interior material quality but the ergonomics and infotainment setup is excellent. Warranty is solid too. I once remember a comment from the president of VW Germany when he was asked "what foreign car company scares you the most these days?" and his answer was "Hyundai" not Honda.
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