Frisky Dingo

No interest in the game, but I gotta side with CP on this one. If it's making people get off their couches and out to explore their neighborhoods and interact with other people in a positive manner, good for them. People DO need to exercise caution when playing, though. Videos are already starting to pop up in the internet of people getting themselves into trouble/injured while playing. My wife had an ER patient who fell off a wall playing.

Ill be reporter Who discussed this? When did this discussion happen? And... I wanna have this discussion again. I noticed that people are afraid of change...but change needs to happen in order to advance. If the rumors are true, the C8 will be mid-engined. Many cry foul at this trying to discredit the spy shots... Many say that this rumor has been going on forever and that no way this time is any different. Many say that that a Corvette front engine, rear wheel drive with a V8 and nothing more. Many point to the Porsche 911 and tell us that because Porsche has never messed with the 911's formula that Corvette should stay the same too... OK... Porsche has changed the 911's formula. From stop being a VW Beetle chassis to ending air cooled engines. From adding turbos and AWD. The Corvette has made only 1 change. From Chevy's Stove Bolt 6 to being a V8. The Corvette even has looked the same since the hatch version of the C3...yes...like the 911. But...The Corvette needs to expand... Why? Because 1 model has to do everything. And it cant. Its a formidable machine. But a Jack Of All Trades approach does not make it the best. It has to be a track star, it has to be a muscle car, it has to be an exotic supercar. The 911 has a zillion different configurations specializing in each and every category. And when the 911 simply cant be the best in 1 area, Porsche makes a brand new supercar that trounces everything. And in order to do that, Porsche expanded its models SUCCESFULLY both engineering wise and marketing wise and sells us SUVs to continue to make all kinds of wonderful sports cars. Corvette needs to be the best. Its awfully close now... but... When a car has a limited reach, it could only go so far. Budget and engineering limits.... The C7 Z06... It had or it may still have heat issues. The C7 Z06 has to be like the C6 ZR1 (muscle car) the C6 Z06 (track star) and also be an exotic supercar based on the C7 R race car. Porsche 911 has many versions to be all that and more...and Porsche has the budget to do so. Corvette C7 Z06 because of heat soak issues, is compromised. And...it being front engine RWD, it has reached its peak. OK, better than any other front engine RWD car ever built. Problem is that other engineering solutions exist and the Corvette is being limited just because we like to have things the way they once were... 24 hours of Lemans. We could cry foul at the Ford GT and the sandbagging and rules hampering the Vettes.... The Ford GT did get a 1-2 finish...from a mid-engine turbo V6 design.... Sure Vettes DOMINATE this series....but not this time around... The Vette in 2016 has an image like never before. States Side it was always a God. Outside this perimeter though, not so much. In 2016, the Vette WORLDWIDE is revered. Thanx to Corvette Racing and the 24 hours of Lemans. Its time to tap into that. Take advantage of that money. And maybe spawn many different types of Vettes in the process to specialize to DESTROY the competition once and for all... Listen, dont look now, but even the Camaro is nudging on the Vettes performance feet. You think that is a good thing for the Vette going forward when little brother Camaro is about to over take you? And maybe that is why the mid-engine Vette thing is real this time around.. And if that is true.. This opens up a whole new ball game for the Vette. The rumors of how many types of Vettes that could be sold along side a mid-engined one is all over the internet. There is no need for me to go into all that. (OK....Im awaiting for the -1 vote for this post) Such a good post here. So much truth to this. Exclude the exterior design, and the 911 has changed plenty. Not too much, but enough. Enough to still be the most darling sports car on the market, and enjoy immense sales success. The Corvette brand, name, family, whatever you want to call it, needs to expand. Idk how that's even up for debate at this point.

E85 was just poorly implemented by the manufacturers. There is nothing inherently wrong with it. There just isn't a huge advantage in putting 110 octane fuel in a low compression 220 HP V6 pushrod. Put the same fuel in a 220 HP 1.6t with the boost turned way up and see some real fuel savings. This. The problem with ethanol is that cars aren't tuned to run it with it's true optimization in mind.

I can't wait for us to get our first 1LE. Might change my stance on the car.

Well, no $h!.

The SHO sucks as a performance sedan. Always had since this gen came out. As a hi-po family cruiser, it's alright. 2016 is not the last MY for the SS Sedan. Ford is making more performance models than GM is ATM, but GM's offerings typically usurp their rivals, imo. Both performance vehicle and otherwise.

If they make this, and it's legit, I may just have to buy one.

This would be super cool.

Hey Frisky, Like the review and details. I was curious about your so called shudder so did some research and it seems this is an issue that has gone on for years. Depending on the assembly, it might or might not show up but when it does, most forums seem to agree it has one of 3 options. Replace the mechtronic, replace the valve body or replace the entire transmission. There is a TB on this for the GTI's and you should talk to your dealership. You can review all recalls here: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues I would since it is a 2016 and they have a TB on this take it back to the dealer to get it addressed. Interesting. This is the first I've heard of this. I wonder if this is a recent development. (1-2 months). I'll have to look into this.

welllllll they also changed the naming scheme in doing that where all even numbers were coupes, right? So it opened up a slot for a 1 series Yes, but they are going to build a 4 door 2 for the US and other markets. It's just going to be called a GranCoupe.

The 1 Series has always been RWD. The 2 replaced the 1 simply so this could happen- a FWD 1 in other markets.

Sorry have to disagree, BMW nailed it as a perfect copy of a cheap ass Chevy or Toyota. Hard plastics, uninspiring driving and over priced for what you got including the over priced service costs. You get more auto buying a Camaro or Mustang than a BMW 1 series. A copy of a Toyota or Chevy?? Lol. I'm just gonna stop there. No point debating someone who is so ignorant and biased.

Nothing's perfect, and I certainly don't believe that means there's no merit in these comparos. I don't put too much stock in finishing orders- especially if they're close- or in some of the super subjective thoughts, but at the same time, if every outlet out there is proclaiming a car to be the best or worst in it's segment, there's prolly something to that.

I'll get some pics together.

The 1 Series was not a joke. It was a great driving car. Just a little heavy for it's size.

I'd be awesome if GM would do a proper off-road geared truck. If wouldn't even have to be near the Raptor's level, just something where they actually tried to boost off-road performance.

Never would have taken you as a hands-on kinda guy. Gotta admit, I'm impressed. It's always nice to be able to do work yourself and save a buck and peace of mind that the job was done right. Gotta say though, kinda surprise wheel bearings were shot so early.

Ford has been called out for this numerous times over the last few years. Opting out of comparos for who knows what reason. Idk if they're just stubborn, or afraid to lose a shoot out or what. I really hate that kind of behavior, though. It's what turns me off so much about the Ferrari brand. I have a friend who had an FF, and his stories about Ferrari's attitude and treatment towards him are just despicable. Meh, one more reason to like GM and Porsche.

I feel rather ambivalent about this one. Good thing it's going to China.

So this has been a long time coming, especially since I never really did a review thread after buying it initially. Well, without further delay, here we are. I'm just going to cut straight to the chase here and come out the gate with a lofty declaration- this is one of the greatest cars on the road today. Now, I'll tell you why in the next few paragraphs. There's countless reviews out there that no doubt sing this car's praises, but they're not as in-depth as what I will provide here. First the car itself. I bought a 2016 4DR GTI SE w/ DSG trans and Performance Pkg. The PP adds Golf R brakes, an E-LSD, and (supposedly) a 10hp power bump. I didn't care so much about that last bit, but $1,500 for upgraded brakes and limited slip is a no-brainer. So let's start with the exterior. I find the car very visually attractive. It has a sharp design with nice creases and edges that lend it a modern and purposeful look. Sporty, but understated. Proportions are spot on. Upgraded brakes look the business. Exhaust tips are very nicely finished and perfectly spaced in their-pseudo rear diffuser. Driving lights are LED. The lower strip of paint has the texturized coating beneath the paint to help protect against chips and what not. A thoughtful touch. The interior is very straight forward and simplistic in design. And I'm fine with that. I love a beautiful interior like that of an Aston or S Class, but more than that, I love a functional interior. And the GTI's is very much that. Materials are high grade, fit and finish is exemplary, and controls are easy to use and find. It's a great example of making an interior seem expensive, even when it's not. Compare it's interior to that of a Focus, 3, or Impreza, and you'd think the cars aren't even in the same league. The Fender audio system that comes standard on SE and above is just ridiculous. I'm not a major car audio guy, but it's worth the price jump over the S by itself. Highs are super crisp and sharp, and the subwoofer delivers good, clear levels of bass with very minimal distortion. I've been in some cars w/ upgraded B&O, Levinson, Harmon, etc setups that were thousands of dollar options that sound no better than what's in my car. Some I'd argue aren't even as good. Android Auto is a great feature that I have come to love. It negates the issue of my car not having built-in GPS. And it makes Pandora listening much better by being able to control it through the in-dash touch screen. So, how about the drive? Let's start with power. It feels quick for it's power level. It's no monster by any means, but with 258 ft-lbs paired with the quick shifting DSG, it makes fairly light work of surrounding cars. First and second gear are proper quick. It's really a point-and-shoot car. It has power everywhere in the rev range, with very minimal lag, and fat midrange, and still zesty top-end. The power band combined with the superb visibility, small size, and agile nature make it a total scalpel in city driving. It just murders traffic. I can quickly get up to speed and make gaps and passes that would be impossible even in cars with much greater power. It really makes urban driving fun, which is a very hard thing to do. The DSG wasn't my first choice honestly, but I've come to appreciate it in day-to-day use. The programming of the trans in the auto modes make you want to use the paddles, which I find adds an extra little layer of interaction with the car. WOT upshifts are blazing quick and smooth, and accompanied by what I like to call a nice little turbo fart. Try thought I might, I can't escape the pull of ripping off 1-2 and 2-3 shifts just to hear those flatulent exhaust barks. It's fun, even if it is a bit immature. One feature I love is that I can upshift through the gears on my own, but when slowing to a stop, let the car downshift itself, even while in 'Manual' mode. Also, I can up- and downshift and the cruise will keep it's set speed. It sounds minor, but it's little details like that make you happy as a driver. If I had to do all over, would I have bought a manual? Idk, that's a tough one. Might come down to color and options. Like it did the first time, lol. Right, so handling. In a word, it's superb. It's balanced. It's natural. It's tactile. It's communicative. It's the second-best handling FWD car I've ever been in. The FoST I believe has a little sharper turn-in and a tendency to rotate that's loads of fun, but it has other drawbacks. And second-best is still damned good. And this is the highest compliment I can pay it- it's the least FWD-feeling FWD car I've ever driven. There is NO torque steer. And there is no power-on understeer to speak of. Just turn into the apex, mat the throttle, and the E-LSD sorts it out. It just diverts more power the outside tire, and you're tugged into your desired line. Now, if just overcook an entry, it'll obviously understeer, physics can't be overcome. But damn if this thing doesn't try. The chassis of this car is just so competent and athletic. It soaks up bumps, heaves, pavement transitions, and grooves with aplomb. Body motions are kept well under control with no needless pogoing or sway. Body roll is very well checked for an upright hatchback, the overall feel is that of being planted. The car just inspires the confidence to push the car harder and harder. I sometimes find myself on a really good back road just getting after it and then stopping myself and saying, "Whoa. Did this car really just do that?" It will happily devour all manners of curvy and twisty roads quickly and with little effort. Also, the brakes are great. I've yet to make them fade, and they deliver strong performance with sublime pedal feel. Well worth the upgrade of the Perf Pkg. The steering is very good. I've already mentioned the lack of torque steer, and you get pretty good feel coming through the helm, as well. Turn-in is quick, though not blisteringly so. It's also precise, and easily allows you to place the car where you want. You can adjust the steering weight through the 'Drive Modes', but in 'Sport', it's too heavy and feels unnatural. It's just right in 'Normal'. If there were a setting in between, that was a tap sharper of center, it'd really be perfect. The steering wheel itself is easily one of my favorites I've ever used. Other than an overall diameter that's a touch too large, it's about perfect. The rim is nicely finished in stitched leather and feels high quality. The flat-bottom and grip of it is spot-on. The spokes are sized and spaced properly, aesthetically pretty, and incorporate the controls seemlessly. VW could teach a LOT of other makers a lesson here. So, with all of these things I love about the car are there any things I dislike? Of course. No car is perfect, after all. For starters, the standard headlights suck. They're not the most visually appealing, and their halogen output just isn't up to snuff. Alas, there were few cars available with the upgraded HID's of the Lighting Pkg when I bought mine. I plan to fit OEM HID's in the future to rectify this. The wheels I'm not a fing fan of. They seem of high quality, and the design fits that of the car, but it's the only wheel option, so everyone has them, and they are a major plain to clean. They're also always covered in brake dust. This car makes more brake dust than just any car I've ever seen. 2 days after a wash, I can already see a coating on the front wheels. Idk if it's on account of the pad material or what, but it's something else I will be looking to rectify when it's time for replacement. Back inside, there are other issues. For one, those seats that look and feel fabulous upon first sitting them quickly become uncomfortable after about an hour of driving due to poor lumbar support and adjustability. The Autobahn has full power seats with greater control, maybe I should have sprung for that. The rain sensing wipers I can't seem to figure out. Sometimes they work exactly as I'd expect, sometimes they just seem haptic. The large sunroof panel rises up and slides over the top of the roof behind it and looks pretty goofy from outside of the car. It's a minor complaint, but still. Lastly, I hate that I cannot lock the car with it running. My BMW had Comfort Access which would let you do that. VW's keyless entry and push-start system doesn't allow it. I loved being able to lock the car running with the A/C on full blast while I ran into a store real quick. Alas, VW says nein. I also detect more creaking and moaning than I'd like from the sunroof area when traversing a particularly rough road, or say, railroad crossings. My last 2 complaints have to do with drivability and they are quite significant, imo. The first is that the tuning of the DSG in it's automatic settings is just awful. In 'Drive' it's lethargic, and dimwhitted. It upshifts as soon as possible, and is reluctant to kick down when calling for acceleration. It's simply maddening in urban traffic. Out away from stop-and-go it's acceptable. Barely. In 'Sport' mode, which is still auto, it goes to the complete opposite end of the spectrum. It's harsh, and far too aggressive, holding onto gears long past the point it should upshift. Driving in manual mode addresses this complain mostly, although on occasion, even it can be a little harsh on downshifts. And sometimes it will seem to get confused if it decides it needs to downshift at the same time you pull the paddle to do so yourself. But those are minor quibbles. The big one is the shuddering I get when coming to stop. Without almost perfect consistency, every time I break to stop, there is a noticeable vibration/shuddering around 1,000 rpm just before being stationary. It originates from the drivetrain, and it feels JUST like a manual car that is about to stall out. I've driven other cars that have it, and some that don't. I've read on forums where others have it, some in seemingly varying amounts. Worst of all, there seems to be no concrete fix for it, with VW, or at least dealers, saying it's normal. Some have had repeated dealers say it's nothing to worry about, some say they have had their transmission replaced. Hard to nail down an answer. It's not a deal breaker, and the car is so, so good in so many other areas that I can live with it. BUT, had I known about it, I would have spent extra time searching for a car that's not affected by this, or bought a manual car. I plan on doing some minor mods in the near future, and among them is a DSG tune. It will sharpen up the shifting and behavior of the DSG trans, and I'm hoping may even address the shuddering I experience. If not, I guess I will continue to tolerate it. It doesn't seem to be worsening, so I expect it to more or less stay the same. So I guess the million dollar question is would I buy the car over again? Yes. My only major complaint is limited to specific examples, and can be avoided with due diligence. If my car didn't have that issue and had I been able to get a car w/ Lighting Pkg, it would be a resounding yes, and I'd go so far as say the car was about as perfect as possible. At least for me. Everyone's tastes are different, and what I like, you may not like. But I'm pretty well-educated in today's market, and I feel I have a firm grasp on how people in general feel about and relate to cars. I will say that I fully believe the GTI is hands down the best choice in it's segment, and even really punches above it's weight class. I could have bought a Camaro SS or Mustang GT, but one of those cars wasn't as enjoyable to drive, and the other had too many compromises for me to justify it. It has an absolutely untouchable combination of practicality, refinement, driving dynamics, and value. It's cool and collected and equally happy whether you're cruising through town, or attacking your favorite b-road. It's a true do-it-all superstar that perfectly embodies the spirit of the hot hatch and lives up to it's legacy.

Well, let's just say this- I'd buy the Camaro with my own money, no question. But the Mustang looks better, and I could understand how people would buy it for that reason alone.

I'd love to see what the Sonic could do the Malibu's 1.5T and 8AT.

All 3 of what?

So only 12k???? No, 16K now. MSRP is 22K.

After spending a good bit more time with the SS, I thought I'd make an update. The manual transmission, as it does in so many GM cars, really does wonders here. The 6MT endows the Camaro with the fun-to-drive factor and user-connection a car of such nature deserves. The Performance Exhaust paired with it elevates it even further. It should just be standard, imo. The standard exhaust is far too quiet and dull. I've yet to drive a car with MRC, but the standard suspension tuning leaves me thinking it's unnecessary. I still love the power delivery of this car, and the new interior is a massive improvement. I do have some complaints in this area, though. I still don't like the steering wheel. The rim is nice, and it's a good diameter, but the face of it- size and design- is awful. Could be much, much better. Also, although the dash line has been brought down a bit, the hump of the instrument cluster presents quite a viewing obstruction. It's a pretty major fault that I take issue with. Lastly, the rear seats are really small. You'd be hard pressed to use them on a regular basis even with small children back there. This is another big flaw I feel limits the car's appeal. Overall, I like the car, but I must admit, I'm not in love with. It does offer great performance, and it adds to it nice levels of refinement and amenities. But I still stand by my assessment that this car lost something in the transformation to this new car. It lacks some of the character of the previous car, imo. It looks as good, but I'm not sure better. The rear seats are not as usable. I think where the car excels is as fun, frequently-but-not-too-frequently used toy that has a fairly wide base of positions it can play. A fun cruiser for a night on the town. A passable companion for daily use if you don't need passenger-carrying ability. A nice weekend car to take down your favorite back road. I'd personally have to have a convertible car with a stick. Trying to use this car with the single-minded purpose of outright performance paints it with a few notable demerits in my eyes. This car will not satisfy your desire for a pure driver's car if that's where your heart lies. For me personally, I'd go with a previous gen ZL1 or C6 of some variant. That said, if you're an open-minded enthusiast who wants something fun that can be regularly driven without breaking the bank, do yourself a favor and before buying that A5 or 435i, go down to your local Chevy dealer. You might drive off in a Camaro, instead.