Volkswagen MK6 GTI Exhaust Upgrade Guide
When people go window shopping for MK6 GTI bolt-on mods for performance, exhausts are often in the back of people’s minds. This is completely understandable, given you won’t see many performance benefits strictly from a catback exhaust. You might see slight weight reduction and a slight increase in airflow. Other than that, exhausts are really making your vehicle sound meaner and more aggressive.
In this guide, we will strictly be talking about catback exhausts, not turbo back exhausts. The turbo back exhausts are really where you’ll start to see some performance gains. We have a post specifically dedicated to MK6 GTI downpipes here. However, we fell in love with the sound of GTI’s and I love exploring the many aftermarket exhausts on the market. In this guide, we’ll be providing four options that are our favorite when it comes to sound, price, and look.
2.5″ vs 3″ MK6 GTI Exhausts
When it comes to MK6 GTI aftermarket exhausts, this is a heavily debated topic. Some people say that 3″ pipes provide too much air mass for the GTI’s engine to move. With that said, if you are wanting to get an exhaust for performance purposes and are looking to go Stage 2 or higher, we would advise a 2.5″ exhaust. With that said we have featured both 2.5″ and 3″ exhausts below, but just wanted to provide this information when it comes to choosing your desired exhaust.
We’ll be covering these brands more in-depth:
- Borla Catback Exhaust System S-Type
- MagnaFlow Catback Sport Exhaust System
- aFe MACH Force-Xp Catback Exhaust System
- AWE Tuning Performance Catback Exhaust System
1. Borla Catback Exhaust System S-Type
Borla is a very common aftermarket exhaust manufacturer that has been around for more than 40 years. As you can hear in the video above, Borla is known for their deep, aggressive-sounding exhaust systems. Something that makes them stand out is their million-mile warranty if you register the product through them. You heard that right, million.
Almost the cheapest option coming in at $692, this system features 2.5″ diameter piping to dual 2″ diameter to 4″ tips. It is made with T-304 stainless steel, which provides a good look and weight reduction. The system is an easy bolt-on install and shouldn’t take longer than 90 minutes. This exhaust fits 2010 – 2014 Volkswagen GTIs.
Price: $692.00 + Shipping
Performance Gains: Weight reduction and increased airflow
DIY Difficulty: Intermediate
Buy Here: Borla Catback Exhaust System S-Type for the MK6 GTI
2. MagnaFlow Catback Sport Exhaust System
MagnaFlow is another well-known aftermarket manufacturer that has been in the industry for 30 years. Usually, all of the systems provided by MagnaFlow will have a deeper, aggressive tone and the video above will reiterate this.
Coming in at the highest-priced, this exhaust features 3″ piping connected to 4″ tips and provides easy bolt-on installation. Although it is the most expensive, this is actually our choice for sound and quality. This exhaust fits 2010 – 2014 Volkswagen GTIs.
Price: $880.00 + Shipping
Performance Gains: Weight reduction and increased airflow
DIY Difficulty: Intermediate
Buy Here: MagnaFlow Catback Sport Exhaust System for the MK6 GTI
3. aFe MACH Force-Xp Catback Exhaust System
aFe may not be the first aftermarket manufacturer that comes to mind, but we think they are a very underrated company that provides exceptional products. The system for the MK6 GTI is aggressive and includes some crackling, which may be people’s style!
Coming in second when it comes to price, this aFe system features 2.5″ piping with 3.5″ tips. Something nice with this system is that it includes a 2.5″ high flow resonator, which keeps the dreaded exhaust drone to a minimum. This exhaust fits 2010 – 2014 MK6 GTI’s.
Price: $854.18 + Shipping
Performance Gains (Crank): ~10hp and 9lb-ft (Dyno Results)
DIY Difficulty: Intermediate
Buy Here: aFe MACH Force-Xp Catback Exhaust System for the MK6 GTI
4. AWE Tuning Performance Catback Exhaust System
AWE Tuning is a popular name when it comes to aftermarket parts for mainly German, American, or Japanese vehicles. We like them because of the amount of research they perform on their products before released to the market and they actually post this research for consumers to see before purchasing.
As the cheapest option coming in at $638, this system provides the best value in power, sound, look, and weight. This system features 2.5″ piping with 4″ customizable (chrome silver or diamond black) tips. AWE guarantees perfect fitment with this exhaust, so it should be an easy bolt-on installation. This exhaust fits 2010 – 2014 MK6 GTI’s.
Price: $638.00 + Shipping
Performance Gains (Crank): ~20hp & 14lb-ft
DIY Difficulty: Intermediate
Buy Here: AWE Tuning Performance Catback Exhaust System for the MK6 GTI
MK6 GTI Exhaust Conclusion
As stated above, if you are purchasing an aftermarket exhaust strictly for performance gains, you may want to spend your money on a tune because you will get more bang for your buck. However, if you want your MK6 GTI to sound meaner and turn heads, then GO FOR IT! We provided 4 of our top favorites, but that doesn’t mean those are the only options on the market.
With that said, there are cheaper options if you are just trying to make your vehicle louder. You can run a resonator delete or a muffler delete, but with these, you will gain very little to no performance gains, and no difference in the look. Also, these will provide very little weight reduction. So mainly people do this to get a more aggressive sound with spending less money.
To read more on what mods we suggest for your MK6 GTI, go to “The 5 Best Mods for the Volkswagen MK6 GTI“.
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