2003 Volkswagen Golf GTI Reviews, Pricing & Specs

This car was, at the time i first drove it, my dream car. The 6 Speed manual just felt so good, and really accented the 200HP VR6 motor nicely. I was amazed at truly how fast this thing was, and am still surprised at how well they do against cars that would seem to overpower them by a long shot. As far as front wheel drive cars go, the handling in this is about as true as it gets. Very little under steer through turns, and the ability to swing the back end out if your desire really make this thing a fun piece of machinery. To add to all those good things, its practical too! Plenty of interior space and a massive trunk are very convenient for long trips, and make this car an overall good bet.

Great Car. Never let me down. tons of power. Leather has held up great. Six Speed is great for having options in lower RPM. Always Amaze me how mcuh I can fit into this car. I wish it was a little lighter and it would take off like a demon.

This car is awesome... but there's always room for improvement. As far as performance goes, it's really nice. The car drives really well, it's super zippy (thanks to a small but effective turbo) and picks up really nicely. As far as the appearance, I think it's beautiful. However, it'd look better with a different grille. It also looks very smooth with the spoiler (as opposed to other models that come without them - they look somehow incomplete). And the quality! The GTI is built in a way that makes perfect sense. A lot of people discourage the purchase of German cars because repairs are complicated and/or expensive... I haven't had any problems with unaffordable repairs or things we're unable to fix without a mechanic's help. All in all, it's a smart buy and a fun drive.

Love the power, the look, the handling. Not enough room though if you want to take your friends out. I have never been disappointed when racing random people. On the highway the fuel economy is surprisingly good. I average about 28 MPG on the highway and about 24 MPG city. It has the best combination in terms of drivetrain: VR6 engine and 6-Speed Manual Transmission!! :-)

Great car - standard VW build quality (bloody good). Well equipped, but lacking performance wise. Suffered from torque steer. Would have been better with more grunt, but that would have made the torque steer worse. Great on long drives - very comfortable.

Loved the car to death. Had a lot of fun doing all the modifications myself. Gorgeous sound and look incredible but one day it will be a better one :/

this is my first VW and im pretty sure im hooked. ever since the first day i got this i have loved it. 5 speeds are way more fun than autos. i was looking into an srt-4 untill i drove one, sure they are way faster than my car, but they still have a neon interior. this is a huge reason for me buying this particular car, love the lights on the interior and the sport cloth seats. this is the first VW i have owned, but definatly wont be the last.

Best-looking hatchback on the market, in my opinion. Better design than Audi, Lexus or any other hatchback you can buy. Love the interior trim as well. I really wish VW would go back to this look for their brand new GTIs -- the new GTIs still look slightly Japanese. And nobody wants them -- witness VW's 0% APR financing offers for their new cars. That's why older models are more valuable, in my opinion.

one of the best in it's class you would ever experience while you are still feeling young. german solid built, european quality in every detail. hard rock chasis and small yet strong engine, perfect size for a single driver. a lot of extras and luxury in an affordable sport car. last long 300k miles. enjoy .

The performance is remarkable for the car that it is. It's small and lightweight so the hp/weight ratio is awesome. The build quality is alright. There are some things that i don't like about the body that I don't like but only for repair reasons. It still has a quaint sporty look to it. Exterior paint is in pristine condition. Few scratches but only if you're really looking for them. There is a "slight" dent in the rear fender but it's LITERALLY nothing. Interior is a two tone red/black cloth seats. Not a single tear. It's always kept up. Gas mileage is awesome. I ride anywhere I want and I don't use that much gas at all. It's incredible. Is this car fun to drive? Oh my gosh, yes. In fact last weekend me and Wild picked up some honeys one night in it but that's besides the point. So would I recommend this car to people? Yes! Absolutely :)

All around performance of this car is well above average. It has a bit of the "sleeper" quality about it. Many people on the road simply see a little vw hatchback and assume it doesn't have any performance. These people are usually very surprised when I open the throttle leave 'em behind.It is starting to show its age in some ways as more and more cars have higher horsepower, but I plan on installing a supercharger in a few years and this should take careoblem nicely.

Looks like your grandma´s car until you rev it up past 4.500rpm. Could use a stiffer suspension though.

My first well modded car, the GTI's 1.8l turbo engine is easily modified to make this a very quick car. The 20th Anniversary edition was a limited to only 50 of this car in the jazz blue finish and came with a lot of extra performance equipment including bigger brakes, 18" wheels, Recaro sport seats and improved suspension. I had added a race coil over suspension, lighter Neuspeed wheels and engine mods to bring this car to roughly 260 whp.

180HP is ok for a fun drive, but not enough to push you into the seat. It's awesome to hear that sound of turbo, yet - going from first to second gear seems to take forever . No major repairs needed so far () , just replaced ABS sensor , that's about it. 6-year old car proves that it's worth to buy limited edition cars. They are just that much better :)

No problems in the 3 months I've had the car so far. Had to put a set of snow tires on with the wether we've been having, but handles great in the snow now and even better on dry pavement with the summer tires on! 210+ hp with the upgraded chip - more than enough for a car this size.

Rock Solid Motor its not a poxy gti but they never had this one on the list its the V6 4Motion 2.8 24v 205bhp tonnes of torque and 4wd. Fully loaded climate leather the lot! Fast enough 2 beat 99% off the lights and rock solid build quality best car ever owned and driven!!

I owned and drove the beautiful 03 20th anniversary edition GTI for 5 years. Performance: right at 3000 RPM, the turbo kicks in and the driver can feel a gush of power coming from the drive chain. With the 6 speed standard, has excellent acceleration. The braking was in perfect balance harmony with the car. Drivers with excellent footwork and braking technique will enjoy driving this car on a day to day basis. Interior: the GTi 20th Anniversary is... if not has one of the most beautiful interior... the most beautiful interior of all cars. From leather steering wheel, leather shift boots, leather E-brake cover, red trim on the seat belt, aluminum interior, racing style paddles, VW pays attention to some of the finest detail to the car's interior. Gas mileage: the 1.8T gives an out put of 180 HP. It gives a decent mileage for a car with this kind of power and weight. A full tank of 55 liter can go about 500+ KM. The GTI uses Premium gas. Build Quality: The Mk4 VW is under criticism from many car lovers and drivers alike. Its quality and reliability has been under question. Many of their products have serious drive chain problems. Many of my friends drive MK4 VW and they all have the same criticism of it, the transmission. The VW has a history of great reliable cars. Unfortunately for the MK4, their drive chain is absolutely unreliable. Worst of all, the vw warranty doesn't cover the clutch and fly wheel. The transmission has a tendency to miss its gear. Buying the GTI is really a matter of luck. The Mexican made VW could be a lemon or a great car. Drivers who consider the VW should always consider a possibility of an expensive repair bill.

i loved the power of the 1.8t with just a few mods. the handling was the best i've ever owend. most luxerious vehicle i've owned aswell. it did get great gas milage for a car that i beat on everyday.

This car saved my life many times!!!! Its look is amazing, especially tuned!!! It is a really strong car for a 2.3 liter engine and i can claim many wins against other cars that underestimated my car!!!!!

Overall this car is a nice peppy ride, it's quick but I would'nt say it's fast. It's a great young person car as it get's good gas mileage and has plenty of space with the hatchback and fold down seats to pack a fair amount of stuff. The handling is good for a FWD econo car with a little more pep then your average hatchback in America. Problems do begin at the higher miles due to wear and tear, expect additional problems with the automatic versions.

I love this car. Its quick handles amazing and is soooo fun to drive. This car will out drive alot of cars on the road. In a straight line its got balls and it just stick right on the line in corners.

i love this lil rabbit it hAndles so good with its lower and stiffen suspension. its got a 1.8t engine in it with a custom intake that i came up with. it also is a six s speed. it say 20th Anniversary edition on the dashboard and number is 3914

Heated seats, sunroof, 60/40 split rear seats, city gas mileage is great! I've put just under 40,000km on in the first year and have had the inner CV Joints replaced, new tires, the left outer CV Joint replaced and the Struts (makes you wonder what and where I drive to eh?) It's been pretty good to me so far...

bought this car for a cheeper smaller car for the city. Loved the engine and looks. I had a few problems that drove me crazy as i had to take it in for service often but over all a fun car

this car is very confort to drive short or long distance. the GTI is very fast on need to get awaanger very safe on the road excellent for every day use or for fun days execellent for a single person

This is a great car. good on gas. very quick and handles well. its not a race car so if your in your lil honda civic with a loud fart can on it, try not to taunt me in with reving your exhaust. i am not going to race you, i just know that my ride is clean and i dont dog out my rides.

With studded snow tyres it sticks to the road like glue! It does have low clearence but still does great in the snow. With the 6 speed turbo, it powers up the mountain passes at 90mph easy. For a relativly small car, (in america) it has a ton of room, so stuff and people. I can get my bike in the back and skis too.

Pretty decent car, wish it was a little bigger in the back seat area and it does get annoying small problems once and awile

the vr6 i a torque'y motor at low rpms that develops revs quickly. the 6 is a little heavy in corners but ancors it for great liftoff over-stear, when maried to the six speed with bfg gforce's it sings to you at 4 grand in 3rd gear