Brake pads EBC or OEM Volkswagen
I'm waiting for EBC brakes to come out with yellowstuff pads for the CX70/90; then I will get those!
A friend had a Cadillac ATS-V and putting EBC pads on it was a whole different thing, even on the Brembo 6 pot calipers.
The OE Brembo pads are "okay" and the EBC Blue Stuff will give you better bite though they're still dusty. I went with 2-piece rotors and Endless MX72+ pads.
When I traded our ‘17 Gsw with 191k mi. it still had original brakes all around. We try to be easy on the brakes, coast down to 40 or so if possible before using brakes at stop signs.
My suggestions : Oil cooler, change break pads with ceramics (EBC redstuff), gallery gasket, replace half the exhaust line (the genuine rear silencer is a crime and heavy), rear tyres 285/35R19. Those things will make the car better, more reliable, safer (this car is 1.6t dry, you could be surprised with default brake attack) and widespread among Z lovers.
Now I’m a much happier camper with my EBC Yellowstuff’s.
When I traded in my 2018 Jetta at just under 90k miles it still had the original front pads and rotors, but the rear brakes needed to be done at 60k miles, and then within my last year of ownership one of the rear calipers seized and needed to be replaced.
My only issue is squeaky brakes on reverse. The dealership told me to do some hard braking when they get squeaky, and that actually helps.
EBC is known as the Exploding Brake Company and they still live up to that name...
I think their break pads are not lasting long. On my 1.5 DSG Kushaq I’m also not getting the break bite which I used to get and they make screeching sounds when are applied, considering the car has only done 17k km till now.
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Which brake pads to choose — EBC or OEM Volkswagen?
If choosing brake pads across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare brake pads across these categories:
- PR Score.
- Overall ranking.
- Vote balance.
- Average rating.
- Number of reviews.
- Feature ratings.
- Car owners’ choice.
Which brake pads are better — OEM Volkswagen or EBC?
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads EBC were overall better than OEM Volkswagen.
- EBC received a PR Score of 77 out of 100, and OEM Volkswagen scored 63 points.
- EBC ranked 2 in the overall ranking, and OEM Volkswagen ranked 25.
- The average rating is higher for EBC (3.8) than for OEM Volkswagen (3.5).
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Brake pads EBC have better feature ratings than OEM Volkswagen:
- Noise - owners believe, that this property for EBC is better than OEM Volkswagen.
- Braking - drivers claim, that this property for EBC is outperforms OEM Volkswagen.
- Dust - reviews suggest, that this property for EBC is preferred to OEM Volkswagen.
Which brake pads are more popular — EBC or OEM Volkswagen?
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads EBC were overall more popular than OEM Volkswagen.
By vote balance, brake pads EBC surpassed OEM Volkswagen:
- For EBC, the ratio of positive (1665) to negative (471) votes is 1194 votes.
- For OEM Volkswagen, the ratio of positive (309) to negative (180) votes is 129 votes.
By number of reviews, brake pads EBC surpassed OEM Volkswagen:
- For brake pads EBC there are 687 reviews: 504 positive, 78 neutral, 105 negative.
- For brake pads OEM Volkswagen there are 154 reviews: 85 positive, 27 neutral, 42 negative.
Which brake pads do car owners prefer — EBC or OEM Volkswagen?
In March 2026, according to PartReview, brake pads EBC led more car-specific ratings than OEM Volkswagen:
EBC are chosen by owners of cars such as: Alfa Romeo Giulia, Subaru BRZ, Volkswagen Gol, Audi A3, Audi S3, Audi S5, Audi SQ5, Audi TT RS, BMW Z4, Subaru Legacy, Toyota MR2, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Tiguan, and others.
OEM Volkswagen are chosen by owners of cars such as: Volkswagen Corrado, Volkswagen Phaeton, and others.
Other comparisons of brake pads
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of brake pads EBC with: POWER STOP, Akebono, Hawk Performance, Brembo, Ferodo, Bosch, STOPTECH, Carbotech, Mintex, Raybestos.
Also available: comparisons of brake pads OEM Volkswagen with: POWER STOP, Akebono, Hawk Performance, Brembo, Ferodo, Bosch, STOPTECH, Carbotech, Mintex, Raybestos.
You can also see who is better among other brake pads manufacturers: EBC or POWER STOP, EBC or Akebono, EBC or Hawk Performance, Brembo or EBC, Akebono or POWER STOP.