 Having had the car for almost two months now, I can say that overall I'm very, very happy with it. Turning is crisp and the car stays flat even with sudden direction changes.  The trans in this car certainly isn't on par with any Honda or even modern VW I've ever driving. Shifting takes some effort and missing the 2-3 shift is fairly easy by hitting the 1-3 gate. However, the limited slip is fantastic for tightening up the car in a corner.  Turbo lag is present, but not horrible. The stability control sometimes intervenes without letting you know, making you think the lag is worse than it is.  Overall, an excellent car and if performance is more important to you, blows the GTI away. 