What's wrong with the Mk7?

[J400uk]

Thing is most of the extras included on the MK7 SE are a bit gimmicky and won't really get used by a lot of people, and for that reason the A3 SE appears better value especially in 1.2 TSI 105 and 1.4 TSI ACT form.

[mactrack]

Thing is most of the extras included on the MK7 SE are a bit gimmicky and won't really get used by a lot of people.

Such as?

[J400uk]

Such as?

ACC, Auto Lights/ Wipers etc. Nice to have but non-essential

Audi gets the core things right IMO and it does actually have one feature missing from the Golf - Sat Nav prep. All you need to enable is just an SD card containing the Maps. On the Golf it would be a complicated retro-fit nightmare to add that on at a later date.

[mactrack]

ACC, Auto Lights/ Wipers etc. Nice to have but non-essential

Audi gets the core things right IMO and it does actually have one feature missing from the Golf - Sat Nav prep. All you need to enable is just an SD card containing the Maps. On the Golf it would be a complicated retro-fit nightmare to add that on at a later date.

People on here appear to be very impressed with ACC and on other marques it's a very expensive option over normal cruise control. In fact it's the one thing I'm genuinely looking forward to having as it should be extremely useful in theory. I can't remember the last car I had without auto lights and wipers so no doubt I would miss them if they were not there.

The flexibility of a Sat Nav retrofit will be a potential benefit to second owners of 8V A3s though.

[vc-10]

ACC, Auto Lights/ Wipers etc. Nice to have but non-essential

Audi gets the core things right IMO and it does actually have one feature missing from the Golf - Sat Nav prep. All you need to enable is just an SD card containing the Maps. On the Golf it would be a complicated retro-fit nightmare to add that on at a later date.

What about the Golf S then? It doesn't have those 'nice things' either and is cheaper than the SE. If you don't want auto wipers etc, then maybe you don't want alloys, rear electric windows, multi-function steering wheel etc, and the S gives you exactly that. Or, going further than that, what about the Skoda Octavia or the Seat Leon?

Spec-for-spec, the Golf is cheaper than the A3, and the Skoda and Seat are cheaper still. If you don't want the extras that the mid-range Golf has over the bottom-spec A3, but want something that isn't a basic-spec Golf, then get a basic A3. I'm also not convinced that changing out a Golf's head unit for a sat-nav version is going to be any more complicated in the 7 that it was on the 5 or 6- I'd expect that it's just a matter of removing the trim, undoing some screws, and popping in a new unit, it's just that the shape of the hole in the trim has changed from the old rounded-trapezium shape. The Composition Media and Discover Navigation units look to be the equivalents of the RCD510 and RNS510 from the old Golf. The shape of the two looks the same, and I seriously doubt that VW would make 2 trim designs that are so close to each other, but not quite the same. It just wouldn't make sense.

[Hotspur]

Just back from a 250 mile round trip and I'm getting to like my Mk 7 2.0TDI SE and the ACC in particular which I think is fab. The niggles that I have come from driving a Mk 6 for 4 years and finding things have changed (now there's a surprise). I'll get used to the instrument lights being dimmed via the multi media touch display, the lack of two position door 'stay' and finding the right seat position. But, it's quieter, smoother, more economical (probably), the DAB sound system is pretty good even though it won't play my USB mp3 player and the CD slot is in the glove compartment.

I looked at the Audi A3 sportback and found it would have cost £2k+ to spec it how I wanted (Golf SE spec) and it would have cost £3k+ more after discount. A no brainer financially for me.

[HHGTTG]

Just back from a 250 mile round trip and I'm getting to like my Mk 7 2.0TDI SE and the ACC in particular which I think is fab. The niggles that I have come from driving a Mk 6 for 4 years and finding things have changed (now there's a surprise). I'll get used to the instrument lights being dimmed via the multi media touch display, the lack of two position door 'stay' and finding the right seat position. But, it's quieter, smoother, more economical (probably), the DAB sound system is pretty good even though it won't play my USB mp3 player and the CD slot is in the glove compartment.

I looked at the Audi A3 sportback and found it would have cost £2k+ to spec it how I wanted (Golf SE spec) and it would have cost £3k+ more after discount. A no brainer financially for me.

Why won't it play your mp3 player? Is there not a provision or adapter lead available from the dealer for plugging this in via the storage just ahead of the gear lever? I have all my music on a USB memory stick in my MK6 and had assumed that the MK7 would be able to incorporate this.Before I bought my MK6 I purchased an mp3 player but then realised I didn't need to keep this is the car, getting baked and frozen but instead left the USB memory stick permanently plugged in.

[J400uk]

What about the Golf S then? It doesn't have those 'nice things' either and is cheaper than the SE. If you don't want auto wipers etc, then maybe you don't want alloys, rear electric windows, multi-function steering wheel etc, and the S gives you exactly that.

True but for a lot of people features like alloys and a leather mfsw are essential. The Golf S misses these but A3 SE gets as standard.

Spec-for-spec, the Golf is cheaper than the A3, and the Skoda and Seat are cheaper still.

That might be true but the issue is VW limit the range too much, they should have adopted the Audi approach and offered all engines in all trims which would have meant better value could be achieved.

I'm also not convinced that changing out a Golf's head unit for a sat-nav version is going to be any more complicated in the 7 that it was on the 5 or 6- I'd expect that it's just a matter of removing the trim, undoing some screws, and popping in a new unit, it's just that the shape of the hole in the trim has changed from the old rounded-trapezium shape. The Composition Media and Discover Navigation units look to be the equivalents of the RCD510 and RNS510 from the old Golf. The shape of the two looks the same, and I seriously doubt that VW would make 2 trim designs that are so close to each other, but not quite the same. It just wouldn't make sense.

The unit is split into two components, the touchscreen/ controls on the dash and the computer in the glovebox. The cost of swapping a non-nav unit for a nav unit is expensive - http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/t/505675.aspx

Advantage of the A3 is you literally just need to buy the SD memory card with the maps and get a dealer to activate, the total cost of that won't be any more than £500 and can be done after taking delivery.

I'm not saying the Golf is a bad car, its probably the best all round hatch on the road, I just take issue with the restrictions VW place on the range and I think the pricing is too close to Audi now. This seems to be a view shared by many as I'm aware of a few people swapping Golf MK6s for new A3s and WhatCar gave the A3 COTY over the Golf.

[dickt]

The A 3 is SO ugly from the driver's seat. Acres of cheap plastic, two HUGE air vents, and a sat nav from the VW UP! stuck on top.
The Golf is not a huge amount better, but when I spend hours driving, the look of the A3 would send me mad.

[mactrack]

WhatCar gave the A3 COTY over the Golf.

Whereas the MK7 Golf won European car of the year.