Deciding between MK7 GTI, WRX, Audi A3

[KPR10]

I am looking to buy a second car to complement the FRS. I love my FRS so that is staying, but my wife and I are looking to replace our 2005 Acura RSX with a more practical 4 door alternative.

We are currently comparing the following 2015/16 cars:
MK7 GTI - 5 door autobahn edition with DSG
WRX - Sport package and CVT
Audi A3 - 2.0 quattro with DSG

Since we live in Canada and our winters have been brutal these last couple of years, getting a car with AWD is a huge plus for us. If the GTI came with AWD it would probably be my choice, but I'm hesitant to go with another FWD car. I test drove the GTI based on the glowing reviews but I wasn't blown away. When I test drove the FRS the first time I knew I had to have it. The GTI was good, but it wasn't the same got to have it feeling.

All the WRXs near me are sold out, so I haven't been able to drive it. I have a request in with a couple dealers because I am definitely interested in it. My only concern with the WRX is the questionable build quality. I love my FRS but I hate the cheap paint, soft metal and rattles. Having a second car with all of the same issues does give me pause. However, the WRX has the best practicality of the 3. On paper the GTI had the biggest trunk, but in practice I think the WRX's is much deeper and more usuable as I usually don't stack vertically. Also, the WRX had the biggest back seat, not a major issue for me, but a nice bonus.

The Audi A3 with quattro gives me better material quality (not reliability), has AWD and good performance. I am scheduled to test drive one this weekend so I will see how that goes. My concerns with it is the smaller trunk and backseat compared to the other 2. However, the space is good enough for now as my wife and I are still a number of years away from having kids.

Essentially I am looking for some thoughts on these 3 cars as I am having a tough time deciding. We are looking for a fun to drive car with 4 doors and decent usability.

Prices in Canada are about the same, approximately $40K +/- all in.

The GTI may be a slightly cheaper than the other two, but not enough to make it a deciding factor.

[jflogerzi]

LMK what you end up with. With the wife and talking about starting our family, my days with the FRS might be numbered. I am looking at these 3 cars

2015 WRX
MK7 GTI S with PP upgrade
Full loaded Mazda 3 hatchback 2.5L 6SP

[Cope52]

Yeah I wasn't blown away by the GTI either. And the A3 is based on the same platform. Hmm. The WRX felt cheap to me with a hideous dash.. Can you swing a Golf R?

[KPR10]

I actually ended up paying a bit more than I wanted and got the Audi A3 2.0 quattro with the Sport Line package.

The Sport Line package added a tuned and lowered suspension that gave the car a noticable handling improvement. The car doesn't drive as sporty as the WRX but it is still pretty responsive and has a better overall ride quality.

I got a new 2015 and since the are waiting for the 2016s to arrive, I was able to snag a great deal (comparable to a 2016 WRX with sport package).

I test drove a STI and it was incredibly sharp and responsive, but the build quality was disappointing. On the test drive model I notice chipped paint on the trunk lip and by the mud flaps. I wish I had a chance in a WRX, but the STI build quality kind of turned me off.

I also test drove the GTI again and had issues with traction every time I accelerated hard. The difference between the FWD versus AWD in the other two options was significant.

Unfortunately no Golf Rs near me, as that could have been a solid contender, but it would have cost a decent amount more than my A3.

I get my A3 on Thursday so I will post pics when I do.

[jflogerzi]

Congrats

[Turbo95eg6]

Originally Posted by jflogerzi

LMK what you end up with. With the wife and talking about starting our family, my days with the FRS might be numbered. I am looking at these 3 cars

2015 WRX
MK7 GTI S with PP upgrade
Full loaded Mazda 3 hatchback 2.5L 6SP

Let's not kid ourselves. Time for a minivan.

[jflogerzi]

Originally Posted by Turbo95eg6

Let's not kid ourselves. Time for a minivan.

The plan is only 2 kids which means no mini van!