My thoughts after 4000km in a month
Okay where do I start other than I fucking love it?
Well I fucking love it.
It’s a 2026 “base model” with sunroof and Akrapovic exhaust. I picked up this beauty a month ago after saying goodbye to my 2023 WRX, which was the first fun car I’ve had. The car that’s seen my lowest, including being dumped in the front seats, and many drives while crying looking for a tree to hug.
There were a few times where I got so (not really) close to owning a Golf R. Once in grade 12, once in 2021, and 2023 for a MK8. And here we are.
You know what’s weird? I know I’m still young but I think I’m getting old. I no longer look at this car like I did when I was in grade 12 drooling over a Mk7.5. I guess now I know lust vs love.
Sorry it’s been a long day, so here’s a short, poorly written comparison to my ex, the WRX that got away. No hate because I really loved the WRX. It was just time for me to move on.
Pros:
- Power duh. It is just much faster than the WRX. Although its power delivery is not as linear as the WRX, it is just day and night. And this is a car that keeps pushing me to push it, although I try to behave.
It is one car that I have to be careful with how much I’m pushing. No. I gotta behave.
- Comfort. It’s a lot more comfortable than my WRX. It just feels even more grown up. It is much more refined, despite the stock 19 inch rims that I plan on downsizing. It certainly doesn’t handle rough roads as well as the WRX at high speed. But I’m a lot more comfortable driving this for hours going nowhere just for fun.
I would say though, the stock rims give me constant anxiety. Every time I hit a manhole or pothole, I cringe a little. Can’t wait to put on winter tires and go 18 inch next summer.
Anyways. I know this has been a downgrade compared to MK7. But the interior is a great upgrade from the WRX. Sure it’s smaller but I do appreciate the quality and features like ventilated seats and ambient lighting. And three zones climate control? In a Golf? That’s wild.
Audio on the other hand? Meh. The sub does go deep but it’s not hitting the spot. Looking forward to upgrade.
Lastly, backseat space is tight. Well no backseat whispering for me I guess.
- Handling. Oh boy do I LOVE throwing this into the roundabouts even in comfort mode. Surprisingly this feels a lot more planted than the WRX. It certainly doesn’t feel as mechanical, but it somehow feels more playful yet predictable. The rear diff really makes a difference.
However, TBC with its performance in winter. The WRX never let me down once, although I wasn’t a big fan of the Michelin X Ice Snow it was wearing. I shall go back to Viking this time.
Fuel economy. This is far better than the WRX. My average fuel economy on the highway doing 80mph is 30-32mpg vs 24-26mpg. Not bad eh. Even when I’m having fun, I’m still getting better fuel economy. Gonna give the German a thumbs up with the efficiency.
Daily driving. I gotta say I definitely enjoy this more. With my custom mode I have everything set to race, other than drivetrain in comfort. I know it’s numb. But it is good enough for me. I reckon as soon as I downsize to 18 inch I would enjoy it even more. I’d say one thing though. The turning radius sucks.
Appearance. As much as I got used to the WRX’s black plastic around the car, boy this just looks much better. What else to say? At least I don’t look like driving a faster crosstrek.
Anyway. Sorry I’m falling asleep. Will continue more in the comment section.