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Why did my mk6 feel so front-heavy compared to my mk5?

somerset91

Ready to race!
One thing I noticed having owned FWD cars after my mk6 is how front-heavy the mk6 felt. It was on stock suspension and Eibach 23mm rear sway bar set to soft for around three months. When I went driving on my favorite canyon roads, the front tires felt like they were hanging on for dear life and I'd get all sorts of squeals from them. On the plus side, the mk6 felt extremely stable on the highway.


The Mazda 3 and now my mk5 GTI all feel a little lighter at highway speeds, less nose-heavy, and I've gotten only a little tire squeal from the Mazda 3, and only once in the GTI.



Maybe I'm driving a little slower?
 

1ashchuckton

Autocross Champion
Same make of tires on all of these? Could also be alignment settings. Adjust that rear sway-bar to stiff.
 

snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
^^^
Yeah, piggybacking what he said, do/did you have the same size wheels/tires on each car?

Heavy wheel/tires, like the Detroits, can do that.
 

somerset91

Ready to race!
mk5 on 17" Classix wrapped in Hankook ventus S1 noble 2 (all season touring tires. I believe they're the OEM for some VW cars)



mk6 on 18" Watkins Glen wrapped in BFG gForce all-seasons.


Alignment was pretty much in spec with OEM specs for both. The mk6 did ride noticeably softer, as in it was as soft as I'd want a stock GTI to be and the mk5 was as stiff as I'd want a stock GTI to be.


Also, snobrdrdan--no more VWs for you?
 

snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
mk5 on 17" Classix wrapped in Hankook ventus S1 noble 2 (all season touring tires. I believe they're the OEM for some VW cars)



mk6 on 18" Watkins Glen wrapped in BFG gForce all-seasons.


Alignment was pretty much in spec with OEM specs for both. The mk6 did ride noticeably softer, as in it was as soft as I'd want a stock GTI to be and the mk5 was as stiff as I'd want a stock GTI to be.


Also, snobrdrdan--no more VWs for you?

I'd say the wheels were the difference

The MK6 isn't bad, but I liked my MK5 a little more (although the interior updates to the MK6 were improved/needed)

After 14 new VW's since 2008, yeah, I've moved on for the time being
 
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