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"2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI    First, the tried-and-true VW hot-hatch, the Golf GTI\u2014now in its 6th generation. It is more entertaining than ever, thanks to a firmly sprung but well-damped suspension and a gem of an engine: VW&amp;#039;s direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, which sends 200 bhp to the front wheels in silky smooth fashion. On boost, this 16-valve twincam powerplant pulls the GTI around with surprising alacrity; off boost, such as when cruising down the freeway, you get all the economy you&amp;#039;d expect of a reasonably small 4-cylinder. EPA highway fuel economy is in the low 30s.   Problem is, which GTI to get? The 3-door or the 5-door? Although you might not expect this, both have the same 101.5-in. wheelbase, and both are about 165 in. long. What&amp;#039;s more, both are built in Wolfsburg, Germany, and they&amp;#039;re available with either a 6-speed manual transmission (standard) or a 6-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox, an $1100 option. This transmission has both automatic and manual modes, the latter employing shift paddles that invoke super-quick upshifts and beautifully rev-matched downshifts.   To answer that question, we arranged two GTIs, a Candy White 3-door with DSG and just about every conceivable option (and a hefty price of $31,900), and a more modestly equipped Deep Black 5-door with a 6-speed manual that came in at $24,789.   Leaving the line at the track, the DSG GTI, as expected, is quicker, leveraging its launch control software and lightning-quick upshifts to hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds\u2014that&amp;#039;s 6/10ths swifter than VW claims and a half-second ahead of the 5-door manual GTI. The gap narrows in the quarter mile (14.6 sec. versus 14.9), but the fact of the matter remains: Both are fast enough to be lots of fun.   In the slalom, the 5-door GTI proved quicker, weaving through our cones at 67.1 mph and with a bit better balance than the 3-door car, at 66.2 mph. This may be related to its lighter weight (fewer options means it tips the scales 85 lb. lighter than the 3-door), and its 17-in. 225-width all-season Continentals felt like they had better limit behavior than the 3-door&amp;#039;s more aggressive 18-in. Pirellis. This was also borne out on the skidpad, where the 5-door lapped at 0.88g, slightly better than the 3-door&amp;#039;s 0.86g.   On the inside, both GTIs are handsomely styled and fitted with high-quality materials and a meaty-rimmed steering wheel. The optional leather-covered sport seats of the 3-door are quite comfortable, but we&amp;#039;ll give the nod to the seats in the 5-door, whose plaid pattern recalls the first GTIs of 1983...and hopefully not that old Members Only jacket your wife made you throw away just last year. Also on a positive side, there&amp;#039;s room for tall drivers in each GTI, and although the back seats of each are equally spacious, access to the bench is obviously aided by the extra doors.   So, 3-door or 5-door? Tradition says go with the 3-door, but it also tells us that GTIs have always been about affordable fun, for the enthusiast who might still be paying off some student loans. On the other hand, the 5-door is kind to any folks you might need to schlep around, and it doesn&amp;#039;t seem to detract from the sporting experience. And as for DSG, it really is the best of both worlds, a mistake-free automatic that can shift quicker than humanly possible, but lacks the driver engagement of the standard light-action 6-speed manual. Our verdict between these two models: We&amp;#039;ll take a 3-door manual with very few options to keep it near the $23,290 base price. And don&amp;#039;t forget the plaid seats!   2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI    Looking for a little more efficiency than in the GTI, and are willing to give up only a little bit of fun in exchange? Then check out the Golf TDI.   The Golf TDI has softer suspension damping giving it a supple ride. On performance, the TDI is a few ticks slower than the GTI in acceleration, and in our handling tests. More important, in its stay here at Road &amp;amp;amp; Track, the Golf TDI fitted with the standard 6-speed manual transmission averaged a laudable 38.9 mpg. That&amp;#039;s a big advantage over the GTI&amp;#039;s EPA rating of 24 City and 32 Highway mpg. And further, unlike the new larger diesels in the U.S., the 140-bhp TDI powerplant\u2014the same sohc 16-valve turbodiesel in our long-term Jetta\u2014doesn&amp;#039;t need urea injection to meet 50-state emissions requirements.   As with the GTI, we like the updated styling of this new 6th-generation Golf, and the interior remains a great example of the high level of quality and design that can be found in a car with a base price of $21,990. Problem is, our Golf TDI, fitted with a $1750 touch-screen navigation system (with 30-gig hard drive and 6.5-in. screen), a $1000 sunroof and other options, left the lot at $27,090, a price that doesn&amp;#039;t seem so cheap anymore and will grow by $1000 if you order the 6-speed DSG transmission.   Nevertheless, the new Golf TDI, with its independent rear suspension, efficient TDI powerplant, excellent practicality, abundant safety features (it has six standard airbags) and lively road manners, certainly makes an intriguing argument against a hybrid. But is good enough to overtake the GTI?   Conclusion   For pure sporting intentions, the GTI hot-hatch is the clear winner here, far more fun to toss around. Although with its torque advantage the TDI has a great initial pick-up off the line, the turbo 2.0-liter gas engine in the GTI produces better horsepower than the lower-revving diesel. Here&amp;#039;s what we&amp;#039;d like: the TDI powertrain in the sporty GTI chassis. Now that would make the decision much more difficult...     Make/ Model   2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI   2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI      List price     $23,290     $21,990       Price as tested     $31,900     $27,090       Curb weight     3370 lb     3120 lb       Engine, transmission     turbo 2.0-liter I-4, 6-sp DSG     2.0-liter turbodiesel inline-4, 6-sp manual       Horsepower, bhp @ rpm     200 @ 5100     140 @ 4000       Torque, lb-ft @ rpm     207 @ 1800     236 @ 1750       0-60 mph     6.1 sec     8.8 sec       0-100 mph     15.8 sec     24.5 sec       0-1320 ft (1/4 mile)     14.6 sec @ 96.9 mph     16.6 sec @ 83.9 mph       Top speed     130 mph*     125 mph*       Braking, 60-0 mph     143 ft     132 ft       Braking, 80-0 mph     247 ft     233 ft       Lateral accel (200-ft skidpad)     0.86g     0.84g       Speed thru 700-ft slalom     66.2 mph     64.4 mph       Our mileage, EPA city/highway     est 25, 24/32 mpg     38.9, 30/41mpg      * = Electronically Limited "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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