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2015 Volkswagen GTI: Driving into spring with just one regret [w/video]

If you only notice one thing in the video above, it should be this: that GTI is filthy. Yes, the grossness of winter took its toll on our long-term 2015 Volkswagen GTI, covering the Carbon Steel hatch in a mess of salt-and-slush-streaked grime. The GTI was a champ during the cold months With 225/40R18 Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires offering sure-footed grip, the hatch became a dear companion to editors slogging through unsavory weather. Front-wheel-drive cars are already pretty solid for wintertime driving, and with the added traction of these tires, the GTI plowed forward without any drama. Our biggest gripe about snowy driving involved the car's Driver Assistance Package – a $695 option that, knowing what we know now, we wouldn't have ordered. First, this option positions the front camera right in the middle of the lower grille, which looks pretty terrible. But more importantly, the system can't tell the difference between slush/snow and an actual obstacle, so it constantly feels the need to warn us that we might hit something when the camera is covered in grime. Clearing the camera off isn't a problem, but the practice grew more annoying as the season continued. The Driver Assistance Package gets you front and rear parking sensors that, honestly, we find to be a bit too sensitive. It's activated in any low-speed situation, so the car freaks out whenever you take it through a car wash, and beeps if you walk up to the rear (to, say, open the hatch) while the engine is running. And because the GTI S model doesn't get you a rear-view camera, there's no real added benefit to the noise-makers. Yes, they help while parking in tight places, but if you struggle to park a vehicle the size of a Golf with its already excellent sight lines, you've got larger problems to overcome. We have other issues with the system, too – like how the forward sensors will blink in the instrument panel to tell you you're too close to the vehicle in front of you on the road, even with a four-car-length separation between vehicles. In all, these issues just don't seem to outweigh the benefits of the safety system. To us, it's not $695 well spent. But enough complaining. Really, the Driver Assistance Package has been the only issue we've had with the GTI since its arrival in January. Now that winter has finally melted away, we've enjoyed nice, warm temperatures here in Detroit – just last week, we were took the winter tires off.

Volkswagen and Porsche recall Touareg and Cayenne

The Basics: Volkswagen and Porsche will recall about 800,000 units worldwide of the 2011-2016 Touareg and Cayenne, according to Reuters. Of these, there are 88,300 Cayennes and 46,700 Touaregs in the US. The Problem: A securing clip on the brake pedal hinge could be missing. This can cause the pedal pivot pin to move, and "the pedal could lose guidance," according to Volkswagen's statement. Over time, the problem might cause the pedal hinge to fracture, which could make it impossible to activate the brakes. Injuries/Deaths: Porsche's statement says, "this is a purely precautionary measure, as there have been no reports of accidents or injuries as a result of this concern." Volkswagen's statement reports, "no incidents have occurred in the US to date. However, single events have been reported overseas." The Fix: Dealers will inspect the clip and reinstall it if necessary. If you own one: Porsche says it discovered the problem during internal inspections. Related Video: PORSCHE EXAMINES CAYENNE MODELS AS A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE Inspection of pedal hinge clip Atlanta, Georgia. Voluntary safety recall: Porsche is conducting an examination of 409,477 Cayenne models worldwide from model years 2011 to 2016 for a precautionary inspection, of which 88,300 are in the United States and 10,370 are in Canada. The reason for this is a clip may have become dislodged from the pedal bracket. We are implementing a voluntary recall to inspect all Cayenne vehicles built during that period to ensure the clip is present and to re-install it if necessary. The problem was identified during internal inspections and remedied in production. This is a purely precautionary measure, as there have been no reports of accidents or injuries as a result of this concern. ### Volkswagen Statement Volkswagen has notified NHTSA of an upcoming voluntary safety recall affecting approximately 46,700 Volkswagen Touareg vehicles from the 2011-2016 model years. In rare cases, a securing clip at the brake pedal hinge may be missing. If the clip is missing, the pedal pivot pin could start to move and the pedal could lose guidance. If this remains undiscovered, the pedal hinge could fracture after continued operation, allowing the pedal to dislodge. A customer may not be able to properly actuate the brakes with a dislodged brake pedal. A non-functional brake or reduced braking power could result in a crash. No incidents have occurred in the U.S. to date.

Silverado HD, Touareg V10 TDI face off in diesel tug-of-war

A couple weeks ago, we watched a Chevrolet Silverado get dominated by a Dodge Ram Heavy Duty in a fullsize pickup tug-of-war, but in that truck's defense, Chevy's Vortec gas engine was no match for the torquey Cummins turbo diesel. For our next round of vehicular tug-of-war, a Duramax-powered Silverado HD takes on Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI.
Now, on paper, putting the Duramax V8's 365 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque up against the V10's 310 hp and 553 lb-ft looks like an easy win for the Bowtie, but unfortunately, this battle has a similar result as the Dodge versus Chevy video, with the Silverado smoking its tires trying to move forward as it gets pulled backwards. Put another way: YouTube 2, Chevy Silverado 0.
It just goes to show, though, that big tires, bolt-on fender flares and goofy smoke stacks don't improve your towing abilities. Besides, what did the Silverado driver expect when the Touareg V10 TDI has towed a Boeing 747 in the past?