True. The golf is a top heavy rolling brick....and the gti (in 1.8t or 2.8vr6) isn't exactly rapid or tightly grounded..
BUT...have you ever driven the R?
It's in an entirely other league than any of the other mkiv's.
displacement is bumped up, sitting on much stiffer springs than the base gti, yadda yadda you know...
i suggest you inform yourself before you go grouping this gen R into such dismal categorization.
I mean....I couldn't care if the thing was slower than a dacia sandero (haha..), I'd still love it for producing the best exhaust sound short of the superexotics...