 I have been a VW driver for over 25 years.  86 Scirocco, Jetta's and Passats.  I thought my 06 2.0 Passat was the best VW ever, but this Golf is giving it some competition.  Eye candy on the outside and inside.  The interior looks and feels as luxurious as an Audi, BMW or MBZ.  Great design too with easy to use technology and awesome sound system.  Love the simplicity VW provides. The 1.8T is peppy and provides plenty of power for this car.  It's not a GTI, but it is quick.  The handling feels a little stiff, but not too much and very secure.  Overall it's fun to look at and drive.   I had considered an Audi A3 & A4 but the Golf won and my wallet was all the more happy! Update on this review after 1 year.  The car is still all the above, but I am having trouble with the transmission "shuddering".  It's mostly when the engine is cold and first put into gear.  The dealer says that they don't know anything about this.  I am going to leave the car with the dealer so they can experience it and/or at least I get it documented as a problem.  I am also worried about a camshaft recall.  a portion of the cam shaft can sheer off causing loss of break pressure.  VW claims they can fix this with a software update.  I don't understand how a mechanical item can be fixed with software.  It just does not sound right.I still love the car, but am losing faith in VW especially after the Diesel problem, etc.