Brake pads Zimmermann or STOPTECH

Pads, lines, fluid are a lot less and make a huge difference. No need to go BBK or retrofit unless like others brought up. Track it, Auto-X it, or push it on some backroads often. If you have the Performance Pack, the PP brakes are even better. I did an OEM+ refresh on my IS38 MK7. Stoptech slotted, Stoptech SS lines, Stoptech STR600 fluid, EBC Red pads. Still non PP factory rotor size, but brake fade comes on much further out for me now. Gives me a healthy window to enjoy pushing the car before fade kicks in. Tires matter and help more for braking difference. So if that's what you're chasing. Get a really good set of summer compounds on the car.

That's probably the kit I'd go with for my GLI. Again, as a daily driver... it meets the needs. The semi-metallic pads work good in many different temp ranges. However, semi-metallic pads also produce more brake dust, so you'll get more debris on your rotors faster. One of the other downsides is that they're more aggressive on the braking rotor because they're metallic, so you'll need to check your rotors more often for thinning.

I put Stop Techs on my previous Mazda and they were far superior in performance and longevity.

Stoptech + EBC reds is a pretty good option for street.

I bought the Zimmerman kit with ceramic pads from FCPEuro for $530 front and rear and did the work myself.

I'm extremely impressed with their Sport pads, when compared to their closest Hawk competitor, HPS. I ran Hawks for quite a while and they were ridiculously loud. The Sports give me similar bite, maybe a tad more, but no squeal whatsoever. These were on a Focus RS that I used for DD/autocross.

Centric Premium Rotors front and rear: left as is Stoptech Street Pads: left as is

Just did all 4 of my rotors and pads(rear pads were gone no warning and destroyed a rotor)

Went centric premium rotors all around, they’re nice and painted black on the outer surfaces

Stoptech sport pads all around, quite abit of bite I’ve been able to drive them in pretty cold temps and rain now with no issue

GTI Brakes with StopTec Slotted Rotors and Brake pads

Even though they have the word street in the name, they are very prone to judder and deposit build up and are not good under gentle street usage.