Was driving around to get some fresh air this morning, swung by the local Mazda/Subaru/VW dealer and happened to see a white 2010 GTI on the lot.

That car is beautiful. Cosmetically, VW fixed everything that they fucked up with the MkV. The front looks hunkered down and angry, and all the ***-ugly curves in the Mark V have been replaced with edges and straight lines. VW's designers did a kickass job on this car's exterior. They got rid of the curves that sucked and kept the ones that were cool. I really, REALLY like the way this car looks. It was sitting right next to a leftover 2009 GTI, and man! I used to think the MkV's were girly looking, but compared to the new ones, they've been downgraded from girly to outright faggoty.

This is the kind of car that I'd buy on impulse if I were in the market. Its looks are aggressive enough to match its performance. I can't wait to see one in Carbon Metallic up close and personal.

If I were buying right this moment, it would be a hard choice between the V-dub and a 2010 Speed3. The fact that the new GTI looks better and the new Speed3 looks worse would probably have swayed me to get the Volkswagen. Mazda wins on price, though. Against a 2009 MS3, I'd still take the Mazda.

 

I don't understand the hatchback thing. They are stunted station wagons. Or maybe mini SUV looking things. Either way, it's a soccer mom looking vehicle. Not manly at all.

 

Still looks like a 2 door minivan.

 

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the car, but the body style is "in" with some groups and I don't understand that.

When I was a teen, like everyone else, it was super cars - fantastic designs like the Lamborghini Countach (though it looks dated these days). Even if I couldn't afford a Ferrari, I would want something close - with either horse power or sports car design.

These hatchbacks are FWD, don't really have that much power, and look like car a woman would buy.

You also have to think about the future when you purchase a vehicle. It's not a one year commitment, you might own it and keep it for a decade or more. Some designs are timeless, others will get dated quickly. The RX-7 is a good example of a design that looks current even though it's far from it (ignoring the popup front headlights). I don't think the hatchback has enough staying power to look cool in a decade.

 

i think it looks hot, actually i always liked the Mk V also...once you drop it and add nice rims the car is basicly done. IIRC not much has changed power wise which sucks cause every other car out there is uping the ante...until you I/E/Chip the VW its pretty tame.

 

Its a compact "hot hatch" there are those of us who like the looks of a small compact tuner car. You can still have fun with the car plus have the function of a useable hatch. Plus the GTi has a lil bit of a tradition as being a fun to drive small hatch and VW has done a great job of rminding people thre origins of the car, they havent done anything id consider to be "Amazing" (even including the R32) but they havent done anything to screw up the basic function of the GTi...which is to be a fun to drive usable compact hatch.

You really cant expect too much out of a compact hatch as far as design...for the most part it will only look current during its actual life span, and once the next gen is out the outgoing model will probably look dated. Its hard to make a timeless design, even bmw, benz, audi, infiniti dont get it right all the time

 

personally i dont care for hatchbacks but for people who need the room its a great idea and i think they dont look half bad ...

 

the 2010 gti is 2 door and doesn't look like it has a ton of room..

 

I love the car, but I came from the euro scene originally so take that for what its worth. And FYI, wide wheels with stretched rubber originated in the euro scene because of the automobile laws that existed (or still exist) in Europe. I plan on having a GTI at some point in my life...

 

so true

 

+1.

 

I like its stance when it is directly behind you and your looking at its front end from your rear view mirrior. I'd still buy something else if I had the money lol.

 

Meh, not feelin it. 2010 version seems bland, I actually like the prior version better. Agree with what mysql101 said re: styling and staying power. U just have to be into lil hatches to like em i guess.

 

I love hot hatches. But then again I love sport wagons as well.

 

I like to put my dick in women. Some men like to put their dick in other men. Homosexuality is "in" with some groups and I don't understand that.

In other words, until we all become mass-produced drones, people are allowed to have varying tastes. I love supercars, hell I love RX8's (even had one for 2 years). I also love hatchbacks, but I don't care for full-sized station wagons because they're too long. I think SUV's are the ugliest pieces of **** ever to come out of a platypus' ******* and be put on 4 wheels. I love diesel, can't stand an automatic transmission, and refuse to ever buy a car built in North America again. I hope I've broadened myself a bit since "I love the look of the GTI" seemed to put me in too narrow of a personality niche.

Sad as it may be, hatchbacks have considerably better odds to still be here in 10 years than rotaries. And not sure about other folks, but my hatch has WAYYYY too much power, not a shortage.

 

A rotary engine isn't a car style. Apples to oranges.

The GTI we're discussing is turbocharged with 200 hp. Try again.

 

I love my hatchback. I can only have 1 car, so finding something fun to drive and practical enough to toss bikes, snowboards, track wheels, suitcases, and whatever else I needed in it was a tough. Plus I wanted something cheap to maintain. Hard to beat a hatch in some cases, IMO.

Mine doesn't look like a mini-van...does it? It swallows an amazing amount of stuff. I'm constantly suprising myself how much crap I can jam in the back.

 

That looks like a regular sedan/compact. Is the rear window is part of the trunk?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatchback

 

Aye, the whole back glass goes up with the rear lid. (Like the chevy vega in that wiki link) There's a removable parcel shelf seperating the trunk from the interior.Take that out, put the rear seats down, and it's like a pickup truck.

 

That ITR just brought me right back to 1997.

 

hehe. then that car is a hatchback the same way the rx8 is technically a 4 door sedan.

sorta? kinda? well, it helps insurance rates!

 

My icon might be a little to over dramatic but what you said was funny and very true actually.

 

i like it i came from the euro scene and its a really nice car it would make an ideal daily driver

 

Ive never been a fan of the 2 box design school. Id own a MS3 b/c its a Mazda and has good power potential, but if they made a MS3 sedan Id be in that first, same for wrx's. Some guys are hot hatch fans though, my younger brother has had hatches for dailys for a while now. He had a Focus SVT while he had his C5 Z06 and now he has a Mini CooperS for a daily and a BoxsterS for track fun. Hes single so its a good utility car hauling TVs or furnature in a pinch. The Focus had alot more rear legroom and luggage room than the mini.

 

I'd rather have 200 to the front wheels than 263 (drivetrain loss notwithstanding), honestly. Be a lot easier to handle. I know it's unlikely I'll ever get another N/A 4-banger again; moving the Mazda6 I had with a N/A 2.3 felt too much like work. Turboed 200HP is plenty for a car that size. Honestly, if I didn't mind voiding my warranty I'd probably get mine detuned a little, just to be able to broaden the powerband in each gear.

My Mazda6 was a hatch like that. Was pretty nifty because it had a TON of space and was very easy to access. Unfortunately it was pretty noisy too- I wonder if they addressed that in the refresh. They still sell that style in the real world, but North America is stuck with the Camry rip-off.