For starters, let me thank you for writing this review.
I have been milling over the idea of trading up from a GTI to a GLI, for a number of reasons. The biggest reason is I'm about to make a cross-county trek; my fiance and I are moving to OR from NC. We already have one car that we both can drive; hers, an automatic Toyota Corolla. To be honest, I do need to do the 30K service on my car (currently at 26.5+ miles on a 17 GTI S) and that, coupled with oil change, and new rear tires would end up being a nightmare. Both cars will technically need the 30K service by the time we really start putting rubber to road, so its better to just take care of one, the automatic that we can both trade off driver seat time during the migration.
When I get to OR, I was/still am heavily considering getting the MK7 GLI. I like fact that the features I didn't get on my GTI (BiXenon's, Diff, Brakes, DCC) are all included on the 35th trim. I also get a sedan, which gives me more room for when I have to do the hauling, and gives the passengers more legroom all throughout (this is assuming my initial plan falls through).
One question though, if I were to get the car, I'm gonna be a complete and total seat snob. Do we know for sure if the GTI S seats will fit the GLI? because if so I'm all in. That actually would be one of the reasons I would get the car over a 2018 GTI, I can source the MK7 seats from a salvaged or wrecked car and put them into my GTI for instant sport seat upgrade. My train of thought is, I can get away with just having the plaid heated seats with better bolstering in an S or 35th because I'll be living in a fairly even-kilter climate all year round, so I wont miss forking over the extra cash for leather cooled seats.
Also I'm writing this reply in Feb/March 2020. How have you been getting on with the GLI thus far? No regrets? Still in love with the car and its performance?
Thanks!
Travis