Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

Your comment is not the first I've seen to express reservations about the DCT, Peter. I'm a huge fan of DCT ("automated manual") transmissions and put about 70K miles on my 2013 GTI and currently another 10K on my 2018 Autobahn/DSG. (DSG=DCT) with nary a "fumble," much less a real issue. And about 30K of the miles on my MK6 GTI were with an APR Stage I tune. The DSG eliminated the need to upgrade/replace the clutch in the GTI. All in all, I think it's the consensus that VW's dual clutch transmissions are the gold standard. As far as carbon buildup in GDI engines is concerned, the evidence suggests it's an overblown issue, even for VW engines and almost non-existent for the Korean brands. It is the case that the 2.0L turbo VW engine thought to suffer from the problem has been modified in Europe to a dual injection design but that appears to be a response to tighter emission standards in Europe than in the US rather than widespread "carbon buildup" issues.
2
Again, the i30N Hyundai is not available in North America. I suspect the same will be the case for a two door model.
2
Right on. However, I think you may have made the same error I did in comparing the "GT Sport" to the GTI. The performance hatchback version of the Elantra is the "N Line" not the Sport. Personally, I think the "N Line" designation is unduly confusing since it isn't the i30N which isn't available in North America.
2
Undoubtedly a good car. I'm a fan of the Korean brands. I own a KIA Sorento. Unfortunately, though trying to compare the Elantra GT to the Golf family can be confusing. Edit: Sorry. Some errors in my original post as a result of comparing the Elantra GT "Sport" rather than the "N-line" to the GTI. I've removed that post and am correcting it.
2
@DS..69 If I want a cramped interior, I'll take a Miata.
1
@RaitisRides You're far from alone but apparently Hyundai believes there's a bigger gap in the US market for the VelosterN than for the i30N and they're reluctant to cannibalize sales of one model with the other.
1
I"ve owned two KIA Sorentos, currently including a 2018 model and two GTI's, including another 2018 model. The KIA's have been remarkably reliable. Great warranties but if the warranties had been for 30 minutes/10 miles I wouldn't have spent a dime more on service, maintenance, or repairs. Perhaps surprisingly, I can say exactly the same about my GTI's. Altogether I've put over 200K miles (and counting) on these 4 vehicles and have never had a reliability issue with any of them. The bottom line is that vehicles from almost all manufacturers are remarkable reliable compared to twenty (or more) years ago. There are still differences in brands but those differences have been shrinking significantly over the last few decades. Some brands (e.g. Toyota/Lexus) still rank at the top of the ladder mainly, I think, because they build their vehicles to absorb neglect and abuse that Americans are more likely to inflict on their cars than drivers in Asia and Europe who make a significantly greater initial investment in their vehicles and are more careful about maintenance and service.
1
That's debatable. VW offers a six year/72K mile bumper to bumper warranty covering a wide range of features including the drive train and it's transferable to a second owner. The Hyundai offers a non-transferable 5 year/50K mile bumper-to-bumper and a 10 yr/100K power train warranty. Power train warranties are seldom redeemed compared to the issues that arise in other components in a vehicle. So the VW warranty is arguably a better one.
1
@brooklynknightss So I've been told by several internet trolls. But having owned several VW's for well over the warranty periods, I'm not concerned. I simply take care of my cars as if I were a European. And that's why Europeans have a difficult time understanding VW's reputation for reliability/durability issues in the US. In Europe consumers pay far more for comparable vehicles and consequently are far more careful about service and maintenance than Yanks who are more likely to ignore and abuse their investments. BTW, I've also owned two KIA Sorentos. And if the warranties on those had been 30 minutes/10 miles I would have spent no more on repairs than I actually spent. Both great cars. But in my experience no better than the experience I've had with the VW's.
1
@brooklynknightss Going by what "you see on the road" is a classic example of observation bias.
1