2004 Volkswagen R32

Pros: Torquey V6, assured AWD chassis, serious sport seats, pretense-free packaging.

Cons: Marked engine vibration, used examples still selling for their original MSRP.

The Bottom Line: S4 flavor and Passat pricing make this one of my favorite vehicles on the road.

Review: My Experience Time was not particularly kind to Volkswagen’s fourth-generation Golf GTI. When it debuted in the spring of 2001, expectations were low in the sport-compact class, and the GTI’s 180-horsepower 1.8T engine and ...

Pros: Smooth power delivery, great gearbox, practical hatch, classy looks, strong brakes, decent all-wheel drive.

Cons: Rattle and buzz on the interior, poor stock stereo, junky Monroe dampers, expensive aftermarket.

The Bottom Line: A great, practical performance car, but it's obviously the result of "beefing up" the ho-hum Golf. It's a lot of fun, but don't expect it to be a track superstar.

Review: If you can't get all the way through this review, just take away one high-level opinion, which is the core of my analysis: the Volkswagen R32 is a terrific performance hatchback, but it is not a racecar and it is not an ideal platform for ...