2014 vs 2015 GSW

[FiveLugNut]

I owned a 2011 JSW and a 2014 JSW. I never liked the rear of the car so when the 2015 GSW came out I loved it. Better rear and stuff.

The first thing I noticed was that the cornering wasn't as nice due to the Rear Independent Suspension on the 2014. Its too bad they had to get rid of it because it makes a difference. Even at 25 MPH and turning you can feel the difference.

Anyone else feel the same thing when going from a JSW to GSW ?

 

[SpecialTest]

I think the rear beam is the most over played complaint against the new TDI GSW's. Personally, most people will never notice a difference, and a fair amount that say they do could most likely be chalked up to the placebo effect. MKIV's were praised for their snappy handling and comfortable ride, yet they did it with a rear beam.

That being said, the stock tires will start giving out way before you can reach the limits of the rear beam.

 

[FiveLugNut]

I think the rear beam is the most over played complaint against the new TDI GSW's. Personally, most people will never notice a difference, and a fair amount that say they do could most likely be chalked up to the placebo effect. MKIV's were praised for their snappy handling and comfortable ride, yet they did it with a rear beam.

That being said, the stock tires will start giving out way before you can reach the limits of the rear beam.

I noticed the difference when going 25 MPH. Its a quality difference, feels less quality than my 2014 JSW. fyi

 

[Matt927]

Quality as in ride quality? Build quality?

 

[Chewyeti]

Quality is subjective....

Show us lap times or some sort of objective data to make your point.

I have a 15GSW, and I rail it through corners on stickier tires. Torsion beam is not holding me back.

 

[SpecialTest]

I noticed the difference when going 25 MPH. Its a quality difference, feels less quality than my 2014 JSW. fyi

In what way did it feel of lesser quality?

 

[J.R.]

In what way did it feel of lesser quality?

In the 'placebo' way I'm guessing

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

When they first came out I drove a MKVII Golf TDI and my MKVI Golf TDI back-to-back over the same route. The difference between IRS and the beam rear axle was only noticeable to me on very hard cornering, where the IRS tends to steer a bit. The other differences I could account for because of different wheel sizes and tires.

Regarding quality, that's a totally subjective measure. I've never been impressed by the NVH of the MKVI Platform, or its resistance to rattles. I think the MKIV is better.

 

[FiveLugNut]

In what way did it feel of lesser quality?

It felt Independent........

 

[eav]

Handling in 2015 Sportwagen

I've a 2015 Sportwagen and its handling is the main thing I find lacking. Its not bad and in normal driving its fine, but near the limits its just not consistent with how it reacts when you are not pushing it quite so hard.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Not consistent how? It's designed to understeer (push) heavily at the cornering limit. Engineers believe this is a safety feature.

 

[skramer]

I've a 2015 Sportwagen and its handling is the main thing I find lacking. Its not bad and in normal driving its fine, but near the limits its just not consistent with how it reacts when you are not pushing it quite so hard.

Its the tires...Change to better rubber and it's a night/day difference

 

[Matt927]

With regards to tires/ride quality, that is my one gripe with the Mk7 Golf I have. 18" Durban wheels and Bridgestone Potenza tires are the culprit. The RE97AS tires are rated poorly in their category and the wheels, at least in my experience, are soft and bend easily. I run dedicated snows on all my VWs but some of the roads I drive on to work are in a bad state.

A coworker has Pirelli Cinturatos and is very happy with the ride on his Mk7. I am planning to purchase a 17" wheel and the Pirells tires this summer when the wheel I want is back in stock at Tire Rack.

 

[skramer]

With regards to tires/ride quality, that is my one gripe with the Mk7 Golf I have. 18" Durban wheels and Bridgestone Potenza tires are the culprit. The RE97AS tires are rated poorly in their category and the wheels, at least in my experience, are soft and bend easily. I run dedicated snows on all my VWs but some of the roads I drive on to work are in a bad state.

A coworker has Pirelli Cinturatos and is very happy with the ride on his Mk7. I am planning to purchase a 17" wheel and the Pirells tires this summer when the wheel I want is back in stock at Tire Rack.

The p7's we have are just as bad...If you are getting new tires, I would get the P7+ which is not the OEM option, and has great results. I run BS re760 and enjoy them, I do not need an all-season tire, when I took a winter trip up to NC I put the factory back on just encase we ran into some snow (re760's are summer), the change is easily felt. The issue I have with P7's is they have poor wet traction, and want to wander when hitting standing water, and on dry the turn-in just feels off

 

[truman]

The p7's we have are just as bad...If you are getting new tires, I would get the P7+ which is not the OEM option, and has great results. I run BS re760 and enjoy them, I do not need an all-season tire, when I took a winter trip up to NC I put the factory back on just encase we ran into some snow (re760's are summer), the change is easily felt. The issue I have with P7's is they have poor wet traction, and want to wander when hitting standing water, and on dry the turn-in just feels off

I didn't realize there were different P7s. I checked mine and they are P7 Plus. They have performed very well as a 3 season tire over the past 2yrs. I think I will get at least 2+ yrs more out of them.

 

[Chewyeti]

Its the tires...Change to better rubber and it's a night/day difference

This!!!
- when I ditched the low rolling resistance 16" ecopia's and went to 18" Toyo's (on A3 BBS wheels) it handles pretty well (for a street car).

 

[Matt927]

The p7's we have are just as bad...If you are getting new tires, I would get the P7+ which is not the OEM option, and has great results. I run BS re760 and enjoy them, I do not need an all-season tire, when I took a winter trip up to NC I put the factory back on just encase we ran into some snow (re760's are summer), the change is easily felt. The issue I have with P7's is they have poor wet traction, and want to wander when hitting standing water, and on dry the turn-in just feels off

Yes, I am not getting the OEM Pirellis.

 

[curovo]

There's definitely a difference from my 2009. Both will take my favorite cloverleaf onramp at about the same max speed, but the GSW feels noticeably less stable and transitions to understeer much more abruptly. I swapped the JSW's 17" Primacys for the GSW's 16" Continentals and it helped quite a bit but I still prefer the JSW's handling.