Each reply you will see on here will most likely be different advice and preferences from the Vask community. In the end it's YOU that will be driving the car (daily or mostly i take it) and need to physically go test all variants to find your personal fit. At least you have some past vw experience. But here's my 2 cents worth.
1. For a good exhaust note, nice low torque pull and a solid feel, the R32's the most likely choice.
2. For more upper RPM range pull, technology and advancements, and a comfortable drivers feel, the GTI might be better.
I have been informed (corrected) in past for ever mentioning such a silly notion, but i stick to it nevertheless, make sure the car you buy has a good service and maintenance history, it might shed some light on how much the previous owner cherished their car (not always, but certainly most of the time)
Unfortunately in most cases people go through a couple of different models ownership before finding their match.
Enjoy.
