Under the badges, the GTI has lived on a short list of platforms, and knowing which one your car is on explains a lot about its parts, its handling, and what shares with it. The big modern dividing line is PQ35 (Mk5/Mk6) versus MQB (Mk7/Mk8).
PQ34 — Mk4 GTI. The late-90s/early-2000s platform; front strut / rear suspension of its era, 5x100 wheels
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