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2006 Volkswagen GTI
Reviewed by
Carey Russ
on 03/22/2006
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The 2006 Volkswagen GTI, with its 200-horsepower engine and DSG or manual six-speed transmissions, justifies Volkswagen's "Drivers wanted" tagline. Cabin appointments are good, though with some notable exceptions.

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  • Reviewed by:
    Carey Russ
  • Edited by:
    Wayne Cunningham
  • Reviewed on: 03/22/2006
The Volkswagen GTI has been a performance icon since its debut on American shores in 1983, when it offered a high degree of fun and performance nearly matching those of much more expensive German sports sedans for a very reasonable price. The original American-market hot hatchback persevered through three increasingly upscale generations but perhaps lost some of its cheeky attitude along the way.

The 2006 Volkswagen GTI gets a major attitude adjustment with the introduction of the fifth generation of Volkswagen's pocket rocket. With Volkswagen's high-tech 200-horsepower 2.0T FSI engine under the hood, driving the front wheels through a choice of six-speed manual or DSG automatic-shift manual transmissions, performance is a given. Tech options, including satellite radio and Volkswagen's navigation system, can give it an upscale ambience. And it compares very well with any current sport compacts and even some more expensive German and Japanese sports-luxury sedans in a manner that would make its ancestor proud.

Upside: Volkwagen's 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged and intercooled FSI direct gasoline-injection twin-cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine works well in the larger Passat and Jetta sedans, with admirable performance and economy. It turns the lighter 2006 Volkswagen GTI into, well, a pocket rocket. Both manual and automatic transmissions are six-speed units--all the better to further improve both performance and economy. And the automatic isn't the regular power- and response-sapping torque-converter variety; it's VW Group's competition-derived DSG twin-clutch automatic-shifting manual gearbox. It can be shifted by the console-mounted lever or paddles mounted on the steering column.

For the first time, the GTI's rear twist-beam axle has been banished in favor of a new independent multilink rear suspension. As ever, MacPherson struts are found in the front. Springs, shocks, and sway bars are matched well for a firm but comfortable sports-sedan ride and wonderfully nimble handling. The car comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels with 225/45 WR performance tires, and 18-inchers are available.

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