GTi vs GR? Is the comparison even fair?
Who can forget 2020, but now the year is 2021 and two new titans of the hot hatch age have been released to us at almost exactly the same time. A coincidence? Well, judging from the hoo-ha this has caused, probably not. But is the comparison even fair? I spend a morning with both and draw my own conclusions.
When we did the poll on our Instagram, the numbers were almost split 50/50. But the question, I think, is often too vague. Are we talking real life? Fantasy? Daily Driver or weekend warrior?
The GR has already become an instant classic, and one would be ill-advised to buy the more civilized entry-level version, which also happens to be much easier to live with. No, you want the full fat Rallye version, with its rear differential and sports suspension. The GR is also more mechanical compared to the electronically assisted GTi. Don’t get me wrong, the GTi has an uncanny way of scrabbling for grip, especially on high-speed sweeps.
Both cars have incredibly good fuel consumption when driven sedately, but when pushed on, the GR has otherwordly cornering ability. The GTi has too, but unlike the GR, it can also be a long-distance high-speed cruiser
The GTi is a much more grown-up package, with its sophisticated and modern interior. Over the years the Polo GTi has taken its place and the Golf has become a car that slots perfectly below Audis hot hatch range. For all-out speed grab yourself a Golf R (Which arrives later this year) but as an all-round car to live with (I hauled bumpers around for my project car) the GTi is hard to beat. It’s as at home at the matric ball drop-off area as the drag strip.
One of these has a fantastic manual gearbox, and the other doesn’t even come with a gear lever. The GR provides the ultimate driver involvement and has a power to weight ratio that is unmatched. Something GTi’s of old were known for. But, GTi is an evolution. Think back to every single version of the Golf and due to market demands, many changes have taken place over the years. The golf has grown up, along with its owners.
I think the comparisons drawn between these two cars are fun but pointless. For my money, I’d get the GTi (for) every day of the week. But in a fantasy world, where I have a 5 car garage and a weekends-only hot hatch, it has to be the dynamically superior Yaris GR.
Who would have thought we’d all have a Yaris as our dream car. Seems like the topsy turvy time brought on by 2020 isn’t quite done with us yet!
Pics by the incredibly talented Simon Luckhoff
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