Dead right, Farcy. That last post was as useful as the one suggesting I buy a truck. Go figure. I support free speech, but I appreciate smart speech even more.
Anyways, one of the great things about the Golf design is the space and comfort you get in such a small package. I have kids and I live in the city and have a very tight parking space, so big and even medium size SUVs were out of the question. I looked at the MB GLA, but that thing is so squashed on the inside. Golf gives you the ability to get small SUV/wagon space in a hatch. But I have 3 kids and also bike, so I do need the option to deal with more stuff from time to time, and a tow hitch is perfect for that. It's not the end of the world, I love the R, but I am really surprised VW has completely punted on the option. Perhaps due to low ground clearance?