2007 Volkswagen GTI in Charlotte

It's one thing to become infatuated with a car after a short fling, as we did when we declared Volkswagen's GTI the 2007 Automobile of the Year. It's something else to live with it for a full year - especially when we're continually spoiled by machinery costing two, three, or even ten times as much.

And so a year ago, we ordered our little Volkswagen to see if the candy white GTI would still taste delicious after a full year. The verdict? The sweet taste of some confections just never gets old.

Our $26,754 four-door GTI arrived with just four options: a sunroof and satellite radio package ($1370), a six-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission ($1075), eighteen-inch wheels with summer tires ($750), and a (useless and frustrating) $199 iPod adapter. Included in the VW's base price are power windows, mirrors, and door locks; stability control; front, side, and side curtain air bags; HID headlights; and a six-CD changer. The GTI may be a small car, but it certainly wants for no convenience or safety features.

Although everyone agreed that the standard plaid cloth seats were cool enough to forgo leather, the decision to order the dual-clutch transmission was more difficult. While most of the staff begged for three pedals and a stick, this test offered the perfect opportunity to finally settle the gearbox question: is the DSG so good that it's a worthy substitute for a manual transmission?

It took all of one day for that question to be answered. Senior editor Joe Lorio concluded that "the DSG may be the world's sportiest automatic, but it's not the ultimate manual." Over the next twelve months, everyone seemed to agree with Lorio. The DSG received endless praise for its ability to shift instantaneously and with no interruption of power, but no one thought of it as a substitute for a conventional manual.... Read full article