VOLKSWAGEN

VOLKSWAGEN PLEADS THE FIFTH AMENDMENT The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf aims to distance itself from the family hatchback competition with higher quality, lower prices & an air conditioned specification. Andy Enright checks it out…

What is a Volkswagen Golf? Twenty years ago, that would have been a simple question to answer. The Golf was an inexpensive, no nonsense car that ran and ran. Nowadays however, Volkswagen have loftier aspirations for their staple family hatchback and the question is far trickier to tackle. In fifth generation guise, the car has been taken even further upmarket with an even higher quality look and feel but it also reprises a strand of Golf DNA that seemed to have been an evolutionary dead end – driving fun.

If this Golf has had a problem, it has been that some customers have equated quality of build and driving experience with a price outside their budget. Hence Volkswagen’s more recent attempts to set the record straight in this respect by reducing prices (which now start from £12,255) and increasing specifications (which now include climatic air conditioning as a standard feature). In the standard three and five-door hatch range, there’s a choice of two trim levels – S and Match. The Match level that many customers choose looks particularly tempting thanks to a leather steering wheel, cruse control, automatic headlamps and wipers, a trip computer, a multi-function steering wheel, an MP3-compatable CD stereo, 15" alloy wheels and a full complement of body-coloured exterior addenda. Need more practicality? Volkswagen offers the Golf Plus and the Golf Estate. Aside from the entry-level 80PS 1.4-litre engine, petrol buyers have the choice of a 1.4 (90PS) or a hi-tech turbocharged 122PS TSI engine. Diesel buyers can opt for the proven 75PS SDI engine or the slightly more modern 105PS 1.9-litre TDI powerplant. If you want something sportier, then the GT Sport series offers a choice between 140 or 170PS versions of the 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged/supercharged petrol engine or 140 or 170PS 2.0-litre TDI diesel units. Prices start at £18,120. The next step up is the GTI series, where as you’d expect, the pace hots up a little more. Here you get the superb 200PS 2.0T FSI engine at prices starting from £20,825. Of course, if the GTI models don’t do it for you, there’s always the option of the range-topping R32. Here you get a 248bhp 3.2-litre V6 with the 4MOTION transmission system. At the other end of the economy scale is the BlueMotion derivative which eeks maximum economy and minimal emissions from the 1.9-litre diesel engine.

"Most will know it’s a Golf they’re looking at without recourse to clocking the badge on its rump"

One criticism levelled at the two previous generation Golf models was that although the cars offered a ride and refinement package that was hard to beat, they never really offered the sort of infectious handling that many rivals could boast. The fifth generation car adopts a pragmatic tactic in ‘benchmarking’ the suspension of the Ford Focus and first impressions are promising. The body is eighty per cent stiffer than its predecessor and the new electro-mechanical steering feel and composed body control are leagues ahead. The styling is evolutionary rather than revolutionary insofar as most will know it’s a Golf they’re looking at without recourse to clocking the badge on its rump. As company boss Bernd Pischetsrieder explained: "The only mistake the Golf can make is to stop being a Golf." There’s little doubt that the fourth generation Golf was – and is – a handsome piece of car design, but the fifth generation marks probably the biggest evolution in the Golf’s design language since the Mk 2 became the chubbier Mk 3. Everything is just that little bit curvier, sleeker and more elegant. It runs on the same platform as the latest Audi A3, Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Touran models and this means that the sophisticated suspension system has a huge scope for tuning from the most affordable city runabouts to hardcore sports versions. The interior keeps the Golf at the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon, although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the possible exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything out there as regards ambience. The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars plus blue instrument backlighting with red needles, a signature of the fourth generation model. The latest Golf also sets new standards by introducing 2Zone climate control and four-way lumbar support within the line-up. In addition, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), no fewer than six airbags as well as anti-lock brakes are fitted as standard throughout the range. Big car features such as automatic activation of headlamps and wipers are built into the car’s electronics. Many buyers will opt to go the turbo diesel route and these engines are well worth seeking out, especially after you’ve driven them back to back with the petrol Golf powerplants, the 2.0-litre 140PS TDI being especially impressive. This engine will punt the big-boned Golf through 60mph in 9 seconds and on to a top speed of 126mph, making it a brilliant long distance cruiser. The 105PS unit is no slouch though and will get to 60mph in 11 seconds and top out at 116mph. It’s also the bigger seller. Fuel economy of both engines is excellent, the 1.9-litre averaging 56.4mpg and the 2.0-litre faring almost as well at an impressive 52.2mpg. Get the 1.9-litre in BlueMotion form, though, and it can produce nearly 63mpg. The emissions figures of 135, 146 and 160g/km respectively for the 1.9, 2.0 140 and 2.0 170 engines are among the class best and the BlueMotion’s 119g/km betters many citycars. The 1.9-litre car is fitted as standard with a five-speed gearbox but the 2.0-litre TDI variants get six cogs as standard with the option of the revolutionary DSG twin-clutch sequential gearbox. Volkswagen have made great strides concerning the refinement of these TDI engines and the effects are palpable as soon as you turn the key. The TDI system was once derided as being far less effective than the new wave of ‘common rail’ diesel engines that have become popular and in terms of refinement, Volkswagen’s solution has lagged behind. No longer: the difference is now virtually negligible. With prices for the Golf starting at around £12,000, much-vaunted Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra models are finding that the target they thought they were aiming at has shifted. What is a Volkswagen Golf? That’s a question which seems to have foxed the opposition too.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf range PRICES: £12,255-£25,450 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 4E-18 CO2 EMISSIONS: 119-255g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.6] Max Speed 119mph / 0-60mph 10.8s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.9TDI BlueMotion] (urban) 48.7mpg / (extra urban) 74.3mpg / (combined) 62.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1485

SIXTH SENSE Volkswagen has addressed the points that needed addressing with its sixth generation Golf, improving a product that was pretty good to start with. Steve Walker reports

An upmarket interior, some advanced engine technology and a host of technological innovations make the sixth generation Volkswagen Golf a formidable presence in the family hatch sector. Retaining the best bits of the outgoing model, it moves the Golf game on yet again.

Most people who’ve driven it are of the opinion that the fifth generation version of the Volkswagen Golf is a very good car. Very good, however, is not quite good enough for Volkswagen and the marque is seeking to up its game another few notches with the sixth generation of its legendary hatchback. The Golf traditionally sells at a premium over its family hatchback rivals and the focus of this latest Golf is fixed on making the paying of that premium seem a no-brainer to buyers in this sector. It has been said that the fully-independent suspension system on the MKV Golf was the cause of its problems. The advanced system worked like a charm but the costs of developing and manufacturing it necessitated the cutting of corners in other areas, notably the cabin quality. The MkVI Golf retains the clever underpinnings of the MkV but increases levels of perceived quality to reassert its position at the plusher end of the family hatch class. Under the bonnet, customers have a choice of four petrol and two diesel engines. Petrol units are a 1.4-litre with 80 PS or a 1.6-litre with 102 PS, plus 1.4-litre TSI powerplants with 122 or 160 PS. The TSI units utilise a turbocharger and a supercharger to produce a smooth flow of power across a wide section of the rev-range. Want a diesel? There are a couple of 2.0-litre common rail diesels offering power outputs of 110 or 140 PS. A number of options are available on the Golf for the first time, including Volkswagen’s Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) which allows the driver to select from normal, comfort or sport modes to define the desired suspension, steering and accelerator response settings for any particular journey. ParkAssist, which takes over steering inputs to facilitate parallel parking manoeuvres, is also available as an option.

"With its high quality image restored, the Golf will take some beating…."

Riding on the same underpinnings as the MkV Golf, you won’t be expecting the MkVI model’s road-going performance to be anything other than highly polished. It uses a combination of MacPherson struts at the front wheels and four-link suspension at the rear promising to replicate the supple ride and adroit handling of its predecessor. The electro/mechanical steering system is also carried over, enabling an 11m turning circle. Power is fed to the wheels through a standard six-speed manual gearbox, but the fast-shifting seven-speed DSG twin clutch gearbox is also available. Volkswagen was never about to break with tradition where the Golf’s styling was concerned. A clear design lineage can be traced back to the original Golf circa 1974 and breaking that in favour of some bold new styling direction would have been completely out of character for the German marque. Conservative but classy has long been the Golf staple and the MkVI model diligently tows that line with the wide grille first seen on the Scirocco coupe which merges with the headlamps to form a single band across the nose. At the back, the huge tail light clusters are similar in shape to the headlamps and curve round into the rear wings to visually widen the car. It’s the interior, though, where the most obvious alterations have been made. Quality soft-touch plastics are everywhere and virtually every available button or dial gets its own chrome border. The instruments that used to illuminate in blue are now bright white but the overall shape of the dash is similar to that in the MkV Golf. There’s a big step forward in terms of refinement however, thanks to a completely new design of door and window seals, a new damping film that supports the windscreen and a new engine mounting system. This Golf is available in three trim levels – S, SE and GT – and all boast a high level of standard specification. The S has, among a number of features, ABS and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), seven airbags including a driver’s knee airbag, remote central locking, Climatic air conditioning, a CD/radio, plus body-coloured bumpers, door handles and electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors. Moving to SE trim adds an uprated stereo with eight speakers and an MDI (multi-device interface) for connection to external multimedia sources such as an iPod, then there are 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control and a coming/leaving home lighting function, as well as rain and dusk sensors. At the top of the range, GT buyers will benefit from sports suspension (lowered by around 15 mm), sports seats with Alcantara trim, front fog lights and a multifunction steering wheel, plus 17-inch alloys. The Golf’s key rivals include the likes of Ford’s Focus, Peugeot’s 308 and Honda’s Civic, cars that have relentlessly hunted down the MkV Golf over recent years. These models have narrowed the advantage that the Volkswagen held with improved quality and plusher interiors of their own but the MkVI Golf is aiming to jump ahead once more. Volkswagen’s common-rail diesel engines will be an attractive option for those looking to reduce their car ownership costs. The 2.0-litre 110bhp unit can return a very creditable 62.7mpg with emissions 128g/km making it an attractive choice for company car users. A hybrid model is also rumoured to be in the offing but we’ll have considerably longer to wait for that one. The sixth generation Volkswagen Golf isn’t the giant leap forward that some of the other iterations have been but then, it didn’t really need to be. The car is a thorough and far-reaching facelift of the previous generation model, retaining the highly adept chassis but making significant improvements in virtually every other area. The revised interior is the most noteworthy of these as it addresses the one area where the previous model came in for sustained criticism. With its high quality image restored, the Golf will take some beating.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf range PRICES: £13,150-£20,980 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 4E-12 [exc. GT] CO2 EMISSIONS: 128-166g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.6 102PS] Max Speed 117mph / 0-60mph 11.3s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [TDI 110] (urban) 44.1mpg / (extra urban) 70.6mpg / (combined) 57.6mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Seven airbags, ABS, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4199/1786/1479

THE DEFINITIVE ARTICLE Here’s A Car That Needs Little In The Way Of Introduction – Volkswagen’s 5th Generation Golf GTI. By Andy Enright…

Although the Mk IV version of the Golf didn’t do the GTI brand a great deal of credit, it’s fair to say that Volkswagen haven’t repeated their error with the Mk V. Gone are the prospects of GTIs with less power than some humble shopping hatches. Charged with nursing the equity of the GTI badge back to rude health, Volkswagen’s Golf GTI 2.0T-FSI has proved to be a storming success.

In MK IV guise, the car that was once the standard bearer for the hot hatch generation had become overpriced, overweight and overlooked. Yes, the 1.8T versions did offer a bit of fun behind the wheel but most customers couldn’t stretch to that sort of money when identically powered Skodas and SEATs were available for far less. The GTI badge was in danger of becoming a busted flush. The Mk V Golf has changed all that. The sole powerplant on offer is no asthmatic wheezer. The engine powering the GTI is a turbocharged version of VW’s 2.0-litre FSI petrol engine, fettled to produce a hefty 200PS – around 198bhp in old money. Drive is directed to the front wheels in classic GTI style, and there’s a six-speed manual as standard or the excellent DSG twin-clutch transmission available as an option. Owners can expect to accomplish the sprint to 60mph in around 6.5 seconds in a DSG-equipped car and look forward to a top speed that knocks on the door of 150mph. A combined fuel economy figure of around 36mpg means that the Golf won’t cost a fortune to run either. It’s not noticeably cheap to buy, however, although Volkswagen trust that a healthy demand will plump up residual values, thus keeping that crucial ‘pence per mile’ figure over a typical three-year ownership period manageable. The base price for the three-door variant starts at £20,815, with the five-door tacking another £500 on top of that. Volkswagen created a rather tantalising website that shows what colours and options you can choose for your GTI and when I’d finished specifying my rather natty example, the bill at the end came to over £25,000. That’s some serious money but at least the GTI can now back that up with a class-leading chassis and an engine that really delivers the performance goods. A full-length honeycomb grille, 17-inch alloy wheels, a roof spoiler and GTI badging differentiate this car from its humbler brethren. The black grille surround also looks less like an oversized Honda badge than the metallic finishes worn by other Golfs.

"Once more, Wolfsburg makes the definitive GTI…."

On the example I specified on Volkswagen’s website, though I’d probably go back and reconsider the pearlescent paint and leather seats, I’d have to keep the DSG gearbox. The revolutionary Dynamic Shift Gearbox was first seen in the Audi TT 3.2 V6 coupe and is based around a sequential manual transmission but utilises an ingenious twin clutch system to ensure creamy smoothness. Engage first gear and the gearbox will pre-engage second gear in advance, the second clutch engaging as soon as you flick up to slot instantly into second gear. This means a seamless flow of power. The electronics predict what gear you’re about to engage, depending on whether you’re accelerating or braking and the result is astonishing, making every other gearbox look distinctly clunky. The other option is to slip it into ‘D’ and drive it like a normal automatic. Even in this mode it’s butter smooth and makes other attempts at sequential manual systems such as Ferrari’s F1 and BMW’s SMG appear distinctly clunky and yester-tech. The GTI’s engine is a real work of art too. Fuel Stratified Injection is a system that promises the twin benefits of more power and better economy. A high-pressure fuel line mounted on the side of the cylinder head, often dubbed ‘common rail’, injects fuel straight into the combustion chamber. The shape of the pistons and the clever working of a set of valves make the air ‘tumble’, thus creating more efficient combustion. So far so good, but don’t a number of other manufacturers have the same set up? No. Where FSI engines really impress is their behaviour under part throttle loads. Whereas before, part throttle meant just that, partially strangulating the output by closing a butterfly valve, the FSI system can be run with the throttles in a more efficient open position. How? In effect by creating a rich fuel mix directly next to the spark plug and a leaner mix in other parts of the combustion chamber. This is not only more efficient in terms of how much fuel enters the chamber in the first place but it also means that less energy is wasted as heat to the cylinder block. In effect, a blanket of air shields the ignited fuel from the walls of the cylinder. When the throttle is pressed wide open, the engine reverts top a more conventional ‘homogenous’ method of filling the combustion chamber with fuel and air. The ‘tumble’ effect and the synchronisation of air and fuel along with the careful metering of the high-pressure injection system all combine to offer more power and a cleaner engine. When you’re dawdling, you get great economy and when you want to drop the hammer you’ve got more power. Whereas many ‘direct injection’ engines have been noticeably noisier than conventional petrol powerplants, the FSI unit offers both a pleasantly refined hum and instantaneous throttle responses. One criticism levelled at the two previous generation Golfs was that although the cars offered a ride and refinement package that was hard to beat, they never really offered the sort of infectious handling that many rivals could boast. The fifth generation car adopts a pragmatic tactic in ‘benchmarking’ the suspension of the Ford Focus - and it works a treat. The body is eighty per cent stiffer than its predecessor and the electro-mechanical steering feel and composed body control are leagues ahead. As a result, Volkswagen have been able to build a hot hatch version that enthusiasts will again want to drive. Once more, Wolfsburg makes the definitive GTI.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf GTI 2.0T-FSI PRICES: £20,815 - £21,315 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 17 CO2 EMISSIONS: 194g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 146mph / 0-60mph 7.2s FUEL CONSUMPTION: 35mpg (overall) STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4204/2000/1470mm

GTI-LITES PACKAGE Volkswagen has combined the Golf GT and Sport models into the unimaginatively-titled GT Sport range. Andy Enright is impressed by the cars, if not the marketing effort

It’s almost impossible to dislike the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Fast, composed, beautifully built and signally lacking the shouty, uncouth image that befalls so many hot hatches, it’s an informed choice. The trouble is, the GTI is not a signally option. Get a little excitable when confronted with the car configurator on Volkswagen’s website and it’s easy to blow over £23,000 on a GTI. Until recently, Volkswagen had a couple of other trim levels to appeal to those who weren’t quite ready for full GTI commitment. First up were the Sport models, which were really only sporty in a cosmetic sense, and then came the GT versions which had a little more about them. Realising that this perhaps confused customers, these trim levels have now been merged.

Cue the almost improbably logical Volkswagen Golf GT Sport range. If the name may lack a little magic, you can’t fault the engineering. Volkswagen has chosen some of the most impressive engines at its disposal to power these models. Volkswagen claims there are two petrol and two diesel engines available in GT Sport trim, although it would be more accurate to say that there’s one petrol and one diesel in two different states of tune. Both units can be ordered developing 140 or 170bhp. The petrol engine is the fiendishly clever 1.4-litre Twincharge unit that features both a supercharger and a turbocharger. The supercharger operates at a maximum of 1.8 bar pressure, boosting the low end torque response where turbo cars can often feel lethargic. Once the supercharger has done its bit, the turbo kicks in for high-end power. The old cliché that this is a small capacity engine that drinks like one but drives like a bigger unit is, in this instance, bang on the money. The diesel is the 2.0-litre TDI unit and the more powerful version of this is some engine, with a maximum torque output of 350Nm. The Audi A4 3.2 quattro, the BMW 330i, the Ford Focus ST, the Mercedes SL350, the Porsche Cayman S, and the Subaru Impreza WRX all fail to top this torque figure. With this sort of muscle on tap, you can rest assured that this Golf isn’t going to get sand kicked in its face.

"The Volkswagen Golf GT Sport takes a couple of unsung trim levels and merges them into something worth having"

Some vehicles age remarkably quickly where others stave off the ravages of time with remarkably good grace. The Golf Mk V is certainly one of the latter. Since its introduction, Volkswagen has nipped and tweaked at it to keep it looking fresh and the GT Sport’s most distinctive features are the revised headlamp units. These feature black backgrounds which separate the lenses into four clearly demarcated units, giving the GT Sport a beadier stare than standard Golf models. Otherwise, things are much as you’d expect from a Golf. Both three and five-door bodystyles are available and there’s plenty of room to stretch out. The interior keeps the Golf at the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon, although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the possible exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything out there as regards ambience. The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars and blue instrument backlighting with red needles. The Golf GT Sport is reminiscent of the GTI and R32 variants but differs in several key ways. The darkened grille section is intersected by a set of horizontal fins to forge a visual link with the performance models in the range but the GT Sport badge inset into the grille will only give the game away to those in the know. Framing the revised front end are those black finished headlamp units which sit above a set of fog lights mounted in the front air dam. In profile, the new GT Sport is distinguished by subtle tints to the rear windows and a set of 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels fitted with 225/45 R17 tyres. At the rear, there are twin chromed exhausts on the 170bhp versions. The cabin also comes in for some GT Sport treatment. A leather-trimmed three-spoke steering wheel, gearknob and handbrake are fitted, along with front sports seats, automatic light sensing headlights and rain sensing windscreen wipers. This is in addition to Climatic air-conditioning, a CD stereo system with eight speakers and electric windows. Six airbags, ABS and Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) are also fitted. Prices start at £17,610 for the entry-level three-door 140bhp 1.4-litre car and top out at £21,540 for a 2.0-litre TDI 170 five-door with the DSG sequential twin-clutch gearbox. One thing that all mainstream Golf models have in common is a vice-like grip on residual values that is quite remarkable for what is essentially a volume production car. The key to this is the equity of the Volkswagen badge and all four GT Sport models do well in terms of residuals as they marry cheap running costs and brilliant build quality. Running costs are certainly on the manageable side, the GT Sport 170 TDI featuring a fuel economy figure of 46.3mpg while a 160g/km emissions figure will mean this car will figure on the wanted lists of many business users. Even the petrol-engined cars do well at the pumps thanks to that revolutionary Twincharge architecture. Most cars with the 170bhp 1.4-litre’s level of performance would struggle to nudge over 30mpg but this Golf returns a combined fuel economy figure of 38.2mpg. Benefits are also realised in terms of emissions. Whereas a 2.0T Golf GTI emits 194g/km of carbon dioxide and is only marginally quicker, the 1.4 TSI 170 chugs out just 175g/km, making it a far more attractive choice for company car user choosers or anyone with a slightly green tinged environmental conscience. The Volkswagen Golf GT Sport takes a couple of unsung trim levels and merges them into something worth having. The whole is certainly better than the sum of the parts. But what parts they are. All four of the engines, 140 and 170bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesels and 140 and 170bhp 1.4-litre Twincharge petrols, barely put a foot wrong. What’s even more remarkable is that only a few years ago, the 170bhp models would have been in the upper echelon of performance hatches. Now they’re a couple of steps removed from the premier tier. That’s not to say that they’re second rate. There has long existed a demand for cars such as this. Models that are suave and well built yet, at the same time, manage to be fun to drive without breaking the bank. The Golf GT Sport is a very clever car and one has to assume its owners are quite the smart cookies too.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf GT Sport range PRICE: £17,610 - £20,200 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 13-16 CO2 EMISSIONS: 145-174g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.4 TSI 170bhp] Max Speed 136mph / 0-60mph 7.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4 TSI 170bhp] (urban) 28.8mpg / (extra urban) 46.3mpg / (combined) 38.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1580

MORE THAN A MATCH By massaging the Volkswagen Golf’s value proposition, the Match trim level has ensured that rivals have an even tougher task on their hands. Steve Walker…

If a man with his trousers tucked into his socks wearing an appalling day-glow sweater offers you a golf match, the chances are he’s a golfer and you should respectfully decline. Unless, of course, you quite fancy a six-hour stint of rain-sodden misery. If a man dressed in a smart collar and tie offers you a Golf Match while you happen to be standing in the vicinity of a Volkswagen car showroom, the chances are he’s trying to sell you a car and you may want to hear what he has to say.

Whereas golf is a game that even those who spend the best part of their waking lives struggling to master it love to hate, the Golf is a car of far less ambiguous appeal. What’s not to like? We’re talking about a family hatch that bristles with Teutonic efficiency and a certain classless quality through which its desirability has spanned social boundaries. The Match derivatives that we examine here look to extend that appeal yet further. Slotting into the middle to lower end of the Golf line-up with accessible prices and a bundle of equipment, it’s like the peoples’ trim level for the peoples’ car. Rather like the Golf itself, the Match trim level gets the basics right. Research has shown that while buyers in this £15,000 to £16,000 price bracket will take or leave many of the fripperies that manufacturers fit to their vehicles these days, they do want alloy wheels, air-conditioning and a decent stereo. The Match obliges. All Golfs get air-con so we can tick that off from the outset but in addition to the standard S specification, the Match models chuck in 15" Canberra ten-spoke alloy wheels and an eight speaker CD stereo with MPS compatibility.

"You can sense from just sitting inside the Golf that it’s going to stand the test of time"

Volkswagen are not known for succumbing to the fads and trends that periodically circulate the industry, especially not where their rather straight-laced Golf is concerned, but someone must have decided that MP3 stereos are a winner and they’ve jumped on the bandwagon. The Match models actually feature a link-up cable secreted within the armrest so you can connect your iPod or other portable music player and listen to your painstakingly collated files through the car’s stereo. Additional equipment on the Match includes a multifunction trip computer with controls on the leather-trimmed steering wheel. Outside, the bumpers, side rubbing strips and door handles all get body colouring. The Golf Match models actually replace the SE derivatives in the line-up but they offer more equipment at a lower price so complaints are unlikely to be forthcoming. This move sets the Match up as a good bet for private buyers looking to maximise their Golf’s equipment while minimising the cost. Indeed, Volkswagen are expecting big things for the Golf Match. Despite the limited choice being offered – buyers choose a 1.4-litre TSI petrol or the 1.9-litre TDI diesel and are stuck with the 5-door bodystyle– the trim level is predicted to account for one third of total Golf sales. The two available engines tally well with the value for money emphasis of the Golf Match, the strengths of each lying more in the way of economy than performance. The 122bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged TSI petrol is available from £15,445 and can cover the sprint to 60mph in around 10s and achieve a top speed of around 120mph. Based on the original award-winning 1.4-litre TSI engine which combines a supercharger and a turbocharger to produce an impressive level of power from a small capacity engine, the 122bhp unit uses simply a sophisticated turbocharger and offers a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG gearbox. Torque is increased substantially over the old 1.6 FSI petrol unit that was previously offered in this model, by nearly 30 per cent from 155 Nm to 200 Nm. The 1.4 TSI engine also brings fuel saving benefits: the combined consumption, for example, has increased from 42.2 mpg for the old 1.6-litre FSI to 44.8 mpg for the 122bhp 1.4-litre TSI. Carbon dioxide emissions are also reduced from 161g/km to 149g/km. The diesel engine option (£16,225) of course betters its petrol counterpart’s showing at the pumps, with a 53mpg average, and although its looks slightly slower on paper with an 11.3s 0-60mph sprint and 116mph to speed, it feels stronger on the road. There is a penalty to pay in terms of refinement with the oil-burner sounding coarse on start-up and more vocal than the petrol under normal driving conditions. It’s also less smooth in its power delivery with a flat spot early in the rev range before the turbocharger does its thing but the mid range pulling power and economy still see the diesel edge it. The diesel is available with a 5-speed manual transmission or the excellent DSG twin-clutch auto box while the petrol option gets a 6-speed manual. There’s also the option of ordering this car in frugal BlueMotion guise, where it returns emissions of just 119g/km and a combined fuel figure of 62.8mpg. There is a higher £16,745 upfront price to pay for this however. Inside, the Golf is the class of the field in the family hatch sector. If you want vibrant design and eye-catching detailing this might not be the car for you but the layout and the quality of construction are from the top draw. There’s ample space both in the front and in the rear with the driving position providing plenty of scope for adjustment and all the controls feeling reassuringly solid. You can sense from just sitting inside the Golf that it’s going to stand the test of time far more resolutely that rival products which might appear glossier and more alluring on first inspection. Safety equipment is very impressive on the Golf Match and on all Golf models for that matter. ABS brakes and ESP stability control are standard on all models but if the worst should come to the worst, there are twin front, side and curtain airbags to fall back on. To help boost security, central locking and an alarm are also fitted as standard. The Volkswagen Golf is undoubtedly a highly polished family hatch product with far-reaching appeal. The only area where it did leave itself open to real criticism is that of cost with similarly-equipped rivals often weighing in significantly cheaper. The Match trim level has addressed this issue to an extent, with its tight pricing and an equipment list featuring the kind of extras that buyers tend to look for. You’ll still pay a shade more for a Golf but its build quality, engineering and strong residual values mean that UK motorists will continue to be more than happy to do so and probably even happier.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf Match range PRICES: £15,320-£16,745 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 6 CO2 EMISSIONS: 119-168g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.9TDI] Max Speed 116mph / 0-60mph 11.3s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.9TDI] (urban) 43.5mpg/ (extra urban) 65.7mpg/ (combined) 56.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS / side and curtain airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4204/2000/1485mm

THE KEY TO A MORE POWERFUL DRIVE Want the ultimate sporting hatch? Then you can’t ignore Volkswagen’s Golf R32. By Andy Enright

When Volkswagen launched the first version of their Golf R32 in 2002, it was a car so unlike previous Golfs in character and performance that it seemed like something from a different company. Back then, it had a key role to fill since supposedly ‘sporty’ Golf GTI models were then seen as anything but. These days, the GTI is far more of an enthusiast’s tool, leaving the MK5-based R32 to simply be the ultimate enthusiast’s hot hatch. Pure and simple.

Prices start from £24,845 and like its predecessor, this R32 features all-wheel drive. This was very much the key to the old model’s appeal. Although rivals such as the Alfa 147 GTA and the Ford Focus RS Cosworth gamely attempted to deploy their substantial power through their front wheels, it was a decidedly ineffective way to go about building a capable super hatch. With grip and go traction that worked a treat in our often damp conditions, the R32 was just a whole lot more useable. As of course is the MK5-based R32, which will hit 60mph in a twinkle under 6.5 seconds and will only stop accelerating at 155mph. 4MOTION intelligent four-wheel-drive gives the car a big advantage over rivals like Ford’s current RS Focus and with 248bhp on tap (up from 239bhp in the MK4-based version), it’s just as well this Golf has it. There’s also a hugely superior suspension set-up which is perfectly suited to bumpy British B roads.

"The R32 offers serious performance wrapped up in slickly packaged practicality"

Like its predecessor, this car feels even quicker than the figures would suggest, with a massive surge of mid range torque flinging it up the road. Only two gearchanges are required in the sprint to 60mph, the close ratio six-speed gearbox being like so many other Volkswagen units, i.e. somewhat notchy but always positive. The steering will be a revelation if you haven’t driven an R32 before. Unlike many ordinary Golfs, which sometimes seem to offer a certain resistance in lieu of genuine feel, the R32 has a much sharper helm, due in no small part to the Audi TT steering rack being appropriated. At 2.6 turns as opposed to 3.0 turns lock to lock, you’ll find the nose of the R32 surprisingly lively for something incorporating such a hefty hunk of metalwork. The ride isn’t what you’d describe as lithe, with a good deal of bump and thump being transmitted into the cabin. On a smooth road however, the car can make devastating progress and corners very flat and true, though on scabbier surfaces the rather rudimentary rear suspension makes itself known. Externally, the R32 looks distinct from all other models in the Golf range, including the stand-alone GTI. With a bold aluminium full-length grille, centrally-positioned twin exhaust pipes, darkened rear lenses, a smart front spoiler with imposing air scoops, plus a full-depth painted rear bumper (with black middle section), the R32 asserts its presence to onlookers. From the side, too, this R32 has its own clear personality, thanks to imposing 18-inch alloy wheels inspired by those of the first version of this car. Twenty spokes on each wheel still allow a glimpse behind of the signature blue brake callipers, as seen on the original car. Inside, the MK5-generation model leaves its driver in no doubt as to its sporting ability. Distinctive instruments, sports seats, aluminium pedals, gear knob and steering wheel are just a few of the highlights. For those wanting to add the ultimate sporting touch, dramatic racing-style Recaro bucket seats are offered as an option. Standard equipment is of course the most comprehensive of any model in the Golf range, and includes bi-xenon headlights, as well as 2Zone Climatronic air conditioning, a ten-speaker audio system and rain sensor wipers with auto-dimming rear view mirror. Volkswagen offer the car with a choice of either a 6-speed manual gearbox or, for around £1,300 more, the optional dual clutch gearbox (DSG). Equipped with the DSG, the R32 is marginally quicker: 6 instead of 6.3 seconds to 60mph from rest. With this R32, Volkswagen have managed to keep the same feel as the old model but marry it to the undoubtedly higher capabilities of the Mk V. On that basis, they should be onto a winner.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf R32 range PRICES: £24,845-£25,345 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 18 CO2 EMISSIONS: 255g/km PERFORMANCE: [manual] 0-60mph 6.3s / Max Speed 155mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 26.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4204/2000/1470mm January 22nd 2008

LOADS BETTER Volkswagen hates to have holes in the product portfolio and the lack of a small load lugger has been neatly plugged by the Golf Estate. Andy Enright reports

Compact estate cars never put much of a dent in the public consciousness and as neatly finished as this Golf Estate is, one suspects it’s always going to remain a minority interest item. No hurriedly cobbled together conversion, this estate is properly practical with up to 1,550 litres of load space available.

Given that estates are designed to haul a hefty amount of gear around, the concept of a compact estate at first seems one destined to crash and burn. And so it has proved. No matter which hugely successful product line you choose - Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra or Renault Megane - its estate variant has added but a nominal amount to the overall sales figures. Accept that this is the way it is - and is destined to stay - and it’s easier to get to grips with this latest Golf Estate. There have been Golf Estates before and in the more Byzantine days of the Volkswagen empire, the company was even selling Golf and Jetta estates alongside each other in some markets but this time round it has sorted its product portfolio a lot more sensibly. Sold alongside the Golf three and five door hatches and the longer wheelbase Golf Plus, the Golf Estate offers another alternative for those not quite prepared to step up to a Touran mini-MPV. Prices start at £14,505, a premium of around £600 over the equivalent Golf hatch. One of the more interesting things about the Golf Estate is the range of engines offered. Realising that this is a relatively high-end vehicle that’s likely to be used for hauling gear, Volkswagen has given it some firepower. Yes, there are entry-level powerplants like the 1.6-litre 100bhp petrol engine and the 103bhp 1.9 TDI PD diesel but there’s also some more purposeful tackle. The 138bhp 2.0-litre TDI engine certainly isn’t short of punch. If economy and emissions are of more importance, there’s also the option of ordering the 1.9 TDI diesel version in frugal BlueMotion guise, where it returns emissions of just 119g/km and a combined fuel figure of 61.4mpg. On all models, handling is assured courtesy of a body eighty per cent stiffer than its predecessor and trick multi-link rear suspension.

"The largest loadspace of any Golf to date…"

With the largest load space of any Golf to date, this estate extends the versatility of the Golf range. As well as a sleek look to the rear of the car, the Golf Estate benefits from fresh styling at the front, together with several practical and dynamic touches. Three mainstream trim levels are available – S, SE and Sportline - plus the economical BlueMotion model based on the 1.9-litre diesel engine. The nose has been thoroughly revised with a distinctive chrome grille section framed by a set of deep front air dams. This lends the Golf Estate an imposing look that isn’t dissimilar to the Phaeton. The major changes occur from the B-pillar backwards. The tailgate section is designed to maximise boot space without compromising style and intersects a set of big rear lights. Finishing off the look are a set of roof rails and a subtle aerodynamic spoiler mounted on the trailing edge of the rear window. It’s a very neat styling job accentuated by the rising sill line below the doors. The expanded load space is accessed through a wide tailgate aperture incorporating a low load lip. To aid practicality the rear seats fold flat into the floor to reveal fully 1,550-litres of boot space complete with multiple load hooks. Loadspace is 505 litres with the rear seats in place. A 12V socket plus stowage beneath the boot floor are useful additions, along with heating elements built into the rear windows. As is the case with any Golf, it all feels built to last this century and the next. Volkswagen can produce figures that show that the company has shifted over 1.2million Golf Estates throughout Europe since the model’s launch in 1993 but it is less forthcoming with exactly what slice of the pie is accounted for by British customers. I’d wager that figure would be less than ten per cent, whereas with something like Golf GTI, it would nudge forty per cent. Still, you can’t fault Volkswagen’s effort. Although this is a car that campaigns at the very top of its class, it’s still desirable for the sort of customer who might have been tempted by something altogether more proletarian. Standard equipment includes no fewer than six airbags, alloy wheels, Climatic semi-automatic air conditioning, anti-lock brakes and a CD stereo. As with all Golfs, once you’ve got over the initial purchase price, the story keeps on getting better. Servicing is surprisingly modestly priced and the three year/60,000 mile warranty should cover most eventualities. Residual values have always worked strongly in the Golf’s favour, outstripping everything this side of an Audi. Likewise, the range of engines all offer very good economy. The diesels you’d expect to perform well but the 1.6-litre 100bhp petrol engine also does extremely well, making it an reasonable choice for company car user choosers and anyone with a slightly green-tinged environmental conscience. Opt for this powerplant and you’ll achieve a combined fuel consumption figure of around 38mpg. On the top 2.0 TDI 140 variant, you can also opt for Volkswagen’s clever DSG semi-automatic gearbox. Insurance is affordable, reflecting the mature ownership profile of small estate cars. Other than offer a long wheelbase version, it’s hard to see how Volkswagen could have done a lot more with the Golf Estate. It’s neatly styled, cherrypicks some of the best engines from the mainstream Golf range and looks to have the practicalities nailed down too. All of which would seem to make it a guaranteed success were it not for the British public’s selective myopia when it comes to this sort of car. Part of the Golf’s challenge will be to convince buyers that it offers something significant over a Skoda Octavia wagon. Estate buyers are a notoriously pragmatic bunch and may not be swayed by the lifestyle and image argument. I can’t help but feel that there’s more to come from the Golf Estate range. A 1.8T version using the engine from the Golf GTI would certainly grab some attention, as would a rugged all-wheel drive model. For the time being at least, I’ll play the waiting game.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf Estate range PRICES: £14,505-£18,870 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 6-12 CO2 EMISSIONS: 122-176g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0TDI] 0-60 9.7s Top Speed 125mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 TDI] (urban) 40.9mpg / (extra urban) 60.1mpg / (combined) 51.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1590 [est]

THIS ONE’S GOT HISTORY Thirty years on and the Golf GTI is in the rudest of health. Andy Enright takes a look at Volkswagen’s commemorative edition.

It’s odd how entire years of our childhood can be condensed into a single event. For me, my sole recollection of 1977 is queuing round the block and then paying 55p for a kid’s ticket to see Star Wars. That’s it. As an eight year old, the introduction of the Mk1 Golf GTI rather passed me by. I was probably too interested in hatching plans to relieve Trevor McCrisken of his ‘Darth Vader stick’ to notice that Volkswagen had single-handedly changed the way we looked at small, fast cars. Almost thirty years down the road, the Golf GTI is still with us, although to commemorate the anniversary, Volkswagen have released a version that definitely has something of the dark side about it.

Where the original was powered by a 112bhp engine, this latest version more than doubles that power output, fully 228bhp now streaming to the front wheels when throttle meets bulkhead. Of course, the GTI has put on more than a few pounds as it approaches thirtysomething but the power to weight ratio nevertheless weighs in this car’s favour. The same can’t be said for the price. Back in 1977 the old Golf GTI cost £5,217. That figure adjusted for inflation would today equal around £19,000 but you’d need at least £22,500 to get your hands on one of these GTI Edition 30 models. Still, looking at the specification lists of the two cars, it has to be said that the premium is well worthwhile. Any car that lists a push button radio with one speaker as a big selling point is probably going to struggle against one that features anti lock brakes, electronic stability control, six airbags, a CD stereo and 2Zone climate control. It’s not as if the original can even claim to be a better drive. It was great for 1977 but lose the rose-tinted specs and drive one today and you’ll find incredibly heavy steering, modest front end grip and an interior that twitters like a starling roost. Still, it did well enough to shift over 19,500 examples until it was replaced by the chubbier MK2 in 1984. The Edition 30 won’t make anything like those numbers, Volkswagen limiting production to just 1,500 UK examples. Aside from choosing which one of the six paint colours to choose from (and how can you resist Candy White?), the big question for Golf GTI Edition 30 buyers will be whether to spend the additional £1,300 on the DSG gearbox. I’m normally rather unimpressed by sequential manual gearboxes but this twin-clutch affair is something rather special and some day in the not too distant future, almost all gearboxes could well be built this way. Unless you’re a heel and toe fetishist, it’s money well spent.

"Thirty years is quite some performance"

One reason why – and this is quite some blow to the macho sensibility - is that it makes the GTI a faster car. Opt for the manual car and you’ll need 6.6 seconds to get to 60mph, the sprint incorporating a hurried shift from first to second. The DSG-equipped car will polish off that sprint in just 6.4 seconds, establishing a half car length’s advantage. To kids who were weaned on whether Darth Vader’s TIE fighter could outstrip a Rebel Y-wing bomber, these things are important. Both cars will run on to a top speed of 150mph. It may not possess a twin ion engine but the 2.0-litre FSI unit is the next best thing. Boosted from its standard 197bhp to a healthy 228bhp, it retains that uncanny ability of its donor to rarely feel as if it’s relying on a turbocharger to do the donkey work, the smooth swell of power from as little as 1,5000rpm giving it the characteristic of a much larger naturally-aspirated powerplant. Small wonder that the detuned version of this engine has claimed International Engine of the Year awards back to back in it s class in 2005 and 2006. Fuel Stratified Injection is a system that promises the twin benefits of more power and better economy. A high-pressure fuel line mounted on the side of the cylinder head, often dubbed ‘common rail’, injects fuel straight into the combustion chamber. The shape of the pistons and the clever working of a set of valves make the air ‘tumble’, thus creating more efficient combustion. Where FSI engines really impress is their behaviour under part throttle loads. Whereas before, part throttle meant just that, partially strangulating the output by closing a butterfly valve, the FSI system can be run with the throttles in a more efficient open position. How? In effect by creating a rich fuel mix directly next to the spark plug and a leaner mix in other parts of the combustion chamber. This is not only more efficient in terms of how much fuel enters the chamber in the first place but it also means that less energy is wasted as heat to the cylinder block. In effect, a blanket of air shields the ignited fuel from the walls of the cylinder. So much for the ironmongery under the bonnet: many will be more concerned with how the car looks and it’s easy to mistake this Golf variant for its R32 big brother. Multispoke 18-inch ‘Pescara’ alloys see to that, while the body-coloured side skirts, a deeper chin spoiler and a colour-keyed rear bumper all give the car a more aggressive mien. Tinted rear lights and a small GTI badge finish the look while inside, there’s that visual pun of a golf ball gear knob, silver sill plates, sports eats and a sculpted leather GTI steering wheel with red stitching. The Golf GTI Edition 30 is bigger, faster, better equipped, safer and, at significant risk of being tarred and feathered by Volkswagen historians, I’d say it’s more fun than the old car. There’s progress for you.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30 PRICES: £22,545 - £23,045 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 18 CO2 EMISSIONS: 194g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 150mph / 0-60mph 6.6s FUEL CONSUMPTION: 33mpg (overall) STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4204/2000/1470mm

GOLFS THAT CHARGE YOU DOUBLE Equipped with both supercharger and turbocharger, Volkswagen’s revolutionary Golf 1.4 TSI models could be the shape of things To come. Andy Enright reports

Frugal and fast is a combination that diesel cars have now well and truly cracked. There are any number of powerful turbodiesel models that will crack 200bhp and still return over 30mpg. How much fun are they though? The entertainment tends to tail off at a measly 5,000rpm, plus there’s often a huge hunk of ironmongery hanging over the front bumper upsetting the weight balance and there’s often very little throttle sensitivity. All of these issues are solved by a petrol engine but in order to power something Golf-sized at a reasonable clip, we’re usually losing out in terms of fuel economy. Volkswagen think they have the answer in their Golf 1.4 TSI models, cars which fuse two tried and tested technologies with one very innovative piece of engineering. The results are startling.

Turbocharged cars have been around for decades and supercharged models even longer: the 140 and 170PS 1.4-litre FSI Twincharge engines fitted to the latest Golf models use both, at prices starting from £17,610. The supercharger operates at a maximum of 1.8 bar pressure, boosting the low end torque response where turbo cars can often feel lethargic. Once the supercharger has done its bit, the turbo kicks in for high-end power. With the faster powerplant, the peak power figure of 170PS arrives at 6,000rpm, whereas the maximum torque peak of 177lb/ft is retained all the way from 1,750 to 4,500rpm. Experts will realise that this makes a flexible and inherently driveable engine. The old cliché that this is a small capacity engine that drinks like one but drives like a bigger unit is, in this instance, bang on the money. The clever technology doesn’t just stop with the use of turbocharging and supercharging either. The 1.4 TSI units also use Volkswagen’s clever FSI (Fuel Stratified Injection) system. FSI is a set-up that promises the twin benefits of more power and better economy. A high-pressure fuel line mounted on the side of the cylinder head, often dubbed ‘common rail’, injects fuel straight into the combustion chamber. The shape of the pistons and the clever working of a set of valves make the air ‘tumble’, thus creating more efficient combustion. Where FSI engines really impress is their behaviour under part throttle loads. Whereas before, part throttle meant just that, partially strangulating the output by closing a butterfly valve, the FSI system can be run with the throttles in a more efficient open position. How? In effect, by creating a rich fuel mix directly next to the spark plug and a leaner mix in other parts of the combustion chamber. This is not only more efficient in terms of how much fuel enters the chamber in the first place but it also means that less energy is wasted as heat to the cylinder block. In effect, a blanket of air shields the ignited fuel from the walls of the cylinder.

"Give a petrolhead the task of cutting fuel bills and emissions and the Golf 1.4 TSI would be the result"

So much for the technicalities. The 170PS version of this Golf 1.4 TSI will accelerate to 60mph in 7.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 136mph, so it’s as quick as most decent hot hatches. That sort of performance in a car of this weight usually means an average of around 30mpg but this installation sees the Golf return a combined fuel economy figure of 38.2mpg. Benefits are also realised in terms of emissions. Whereas a 2.0T Golf GTI emits 194g/km of carbon dioxide and is only marginally quicker, the 1.4 TSI 170 chugs out just 175g/km, making it a far more attractive choice for company car user choosers and anyone with a slightly green tinged environmental conscience. The 170PS TSI unit comes only in sporty GT Sport trim costing from around £18,710 but if you’re prepared to satisfy a little of the speed but still like the technology, the 140PS version of this engine also comes in GT Sport guise for a around £1,000 less. Here, sixty is 8.8s away from rest on the way to a maximum of 127mph. And you’ll achieve a combined fuel consumption figure of 39.2mpg. Both TSI engines come in five-door form for a £500 premium and, if you go for the five-door version of the 170PS unit, you can also opt for Volkswagen’s clever DSG semi-automatic gearbox for around another £1,300. The Golf’s chassis produces a fine balance between comfort and lithe handling. The handling feels similar to that of a Ford Focus – for so long the industry benchmark – and that’s hardly surprising as Volkswagen poached a number of key Ford chassis engineers in the development of the Golf. The Twincharge engine sounds quite unlike any other engine on sale today, combining the low-end whine of a supercharger with the top-end whistle of a turbo. Overlaid over those sounds is a rather purposeful induction sound that’s quite unexpected for such a modestly sized engine. It’s by no means disagreeable but if you’re benchmarking it against, say, a 2.0-litre Golf, the Golf 1.4 TSI will appeal to those drivers who prefer things a little sportier. A specific output of 120bhp per litre for the 170PS TSI unit is right up there with some serious performance cars. On longer journeys, it’s possible to plug the Golf into a settling rhythm and it’s effortlessly composed, smoothing the bumps and eating up the miles. Slotting the shifter into top gear and keeping it just above 2,400rpm – where the supercharger disengages – seems to give the most relaxed lope. Interior space is also good with ample accommodation for two six-foot people in the front and one of the most voluminous rears in the class. The controls and instrumentation in the cab are laid out in typically simple Volkswagen fashion and the gearstick has a tight, short throw action - even if the top of the shifter does feel a tad bulbous in the hand. The brakes are well up to scratch, with a firm pedal feel and an almost imperceptible anti-lock threshold. If you’ve been getting rather depressed about the impending need to switch to a diesel or a hybrid car in order to maintain manageable fuel bills, Volkswagen may well have thrown you a lifeline. This technology isn’t cheap of course but if you look at all the work that’s gone into the whole TSI concept, you’d have to expect that. The Americans reckon there’s no substitute for cubic capacity but these are the people who think that having a gun in every house cuts violent crime. Go figure.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI range PRICES: £17,610-£19,210 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 13-16 CO2 EMISSIONS: 169-175g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.4 TSI 170PS] Max Speed 136mph / 0-60mph 7.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4 TSI 170PS] (urban) 28.8mpg / (extra urban) 46.3mpg / (combined) 38.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1485

KEEPING IT SIMPLE Volkswagen has taken an old school solution to its Golf and come up with some very relevant results. Andy Enright reports

Sometimes being an engineer has to be depressing. You have a eureka moment, design a product of almost divine brilliance and the general public don’t get it, you’re hamstrung by inept marketing, the economic climate changes by the time the product comes to market or a combination of all of the above and some more besides. When Volkswagen introduced their 1.4-litre Twincharge engine in the Golf, it expected take up to be strong. Here was an engine of 1.4-litre capacity with good fuel economy yet which served up 170bhp and kicked out more torque than a BMW 330i, a Ford Focus ST, a Mercedes SL350, or a Porsche Cayman S. Did we buy it? I think you know the answer to that question already.

Volkswagen has instead gone back to the drawing board and reduced the complexity and cost of that engine, offering it in solely turbocharged guise in its Golf (and Jetta, Eos, and Passat ranges) with a more cost conscious focus. Volkswagen hasn’t gone totally back to basics with this one. The 121bhp power figure this car generates is still quite something from a 1.4-litre petrol unit. Those with long memories will remember another 1.4-litre turbocharged hatch and will be minded of how times have changed. Whereas this Golf isn’t even classed as a warm hatch, the Renault 5 GT Turbo was deemed almost antisocially rapid with its 115bhp power output. How weights change too. That Renault weighed 850kg whereas the much bigger Golf will tip the scales at around 1300kg, laden down with airbags, soundproofing and silicone damped controls.

"…this 1.4-litre turbocharged engine looks like a winner"

Offered with a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DSG twin clutch sequential manual ‘box, the 1.4TSI replaces the 1.6-litre normally-aspirated engine and brings a 30 per cent torque increase. With 200Nm of torque available anywhere between 1,500 and 3,500rpm, this Golf feels a lot stronger than its modest capacity suggests. The DSG gearbox is an interesting piece of kit, this seven-speed version being mounted transversely. The shifts remain lightning quick and the logic of the full ‘automatic’ mode has been improved to prevent spurious up and downchanges. Some vehicles age remarkably quickly where others stave off the ravages of time with measured good grace. The Golf Mk V is certainly one of the latter. Since its introduction, Volkswagen has nipped and tweaked at it to keep it looking fresh and the Golf remains one of the cleanest-styled cars in a market sector that has started to rely on the gratuitously odd in order to get attention. Interior space is amongst the best of any family hatch. Otherwise, things are much as you’d expect from a Golf. Both three and five-door bodystyles are available and there’s plenty of room to stretch out. The interior finish keeps the Golf near the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon, although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything out there as regards ambience. The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars and blue instrument backlighting with red needles. Two trim levels are offered with the 1.4 TSI turbocharged engine; entry-level S and better-equipped Match. The S is available in three-door guise from £14,270 on the road and for another £500, the five-door car is available. This is then also offered with the DSG seven-speed gearbox which tacks another £1,330 onto the asking price. Given that Volkswagen options aren’t cheap (satellite navigation will run you £1,580 on the Match model) the DSG gearbox doesn’t seem that exorbitantly priced. The Match opens at £15,445 for the manual and £16,845 for the DSG-equipped car, this trim level adding 15-inch alloy wheels, iPod preparation, cruise control, automatic lights and a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel to a Golf S specification that already includes air conditioning, anti lock brakes, stability control and six airbags. View these prices in the light of a 1.4-litre hatch and they do appear quite expensive, as a 2.0-litre Ford Focus with 143bhp is cheaper than the manual Match model but the Golf feels better built inside and many people will spend a little more for the feeling that they have bought a premium product. If you need more space, this engine is also available in the slightly larger Golf Plus. One thing that all mainstream Golf models have in common is a vice-like grip on residual values that is quite remarkable for what is essentially a volume production car. The key to this is the equity of the Volkswagen badge and the 1.4 TSI looks set to be no exception in terms of residuals as it blends affordable cheap running costs and brilliant build quality. Ongoing costs are certainly on the manageable side, the 1.4 engine managing an economy figure of some 44.8mpg while the old 1.6-litre’s carbon dioxide emissions of 161g/km have been pared back to a trimmer looking 149g/km. Choose the DSG gearbox and it’s even greener at 139g/km, something business users may well be able to make a convincing case for. Yet despite all these advances, prices have crept up over the 1.6-litre outgoing car by just £150 which seems like fair business for such a manifestly superior engine. Insurance ratings are low, reflecting the fact that his model isn’t offered in any of the sporty trims. The Golf 1.4 TSI is an interesting and rather pragmatic development for Volkswagen. Some manufacturers would be unable to swallow their pride if a prized project failed to catch the public’s imagination but the Twincharge engine that spawned this powerplant will probably come good again when the value proposition has been refined a bit. In the meantime Volkswagen is ploughing ahead, this 1.4-litre turbocharged engine looks like a winner and the fact that it’s being used not only in the Golf but also in the Eos, Jetta and Passat ranges underscores Volkswagen’s belief in it. Pricing still looks a little optimistic although there is probably some scope for negotiation with your dealer to shave a few pounds off. Although some will note that this is a 1.4-litre engine for the price some rivals are charging for a 2.0-litre unit, the Golf TSI might just be the smarter choice when economy and emissions are taken into account.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI range PRICE: £14,270 - £16,170 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 8 CO2 EMISSIONS: 139-149g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 118mph / 0-60mph 10.2s [est] FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 44.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Six airbags / ABS / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1580

TORQUING A GOOD GAME Diesel Hatches Don’t Have To Be Boring. The Defence Presents ‘Exhibit A’: The Volkswagen Golf GT TDI 170. Andy Enright Reports

Mere figures really don’t do cars like the Volkswagen Golf GT TDI 170 justice. When manufacturers are now cramming almost 300bhp in small hatchbacks, a 168bhp Golf probably isn’t going to knock your socks off. In fact, you’re probably possessed of a longer than average attention span if you’ve made it this far. Congratulations. This diesel Golf may not be the most exciting car on paper but to drive one on the road is to experience a car with some serious muscle at its command. You could even wonder why you need anything significantly quicker.

This is the third TDI engine that Volkswagen offer in the Golf line up. There’s a rather underwhelming 103bhp 1.9-litre unit, a markedly superior 138bhp 2.0-litre powerplant and now this engine, a 168bhp tweaked version of the latter. It comes only in sporty GT Sport trim, priced from £19,700, with a five-door variant costing £500 more. Go for the latter bodystyle and you also get the option of Volkswagen’s clever semi-automatic DSG gearbox for a premium of around £1,300. The most potent diesel Golf to date, this model uses Piezo electric elements to provide high precision the fuel injections. This has a number of benefits. Not only does it maximise the power output by creating a very clean combustion cycle, it also minimises consumption and emissions. A maintenance-free particulate filter further reduces carcinogens. The headline figure with this model isn’t the power output but the maximum torque output of 258lb/ft. The Audi A4 3.2 quattro, the BMW 330i, the Ford Focus ST, the Mercedes SL350, the Porsche Cayman S, and the Subaru Impreza WRX all fail to top this figure. Torque is simply defined as rotational force and it’s best to think of it as the engine’s muscularity. With this sort of torque on tap, you can rest assured that this Golf isn’t going to get sand kicked in its face. Acceleration figures from rest never do a diesel car justice and the 0-60 figure of 7.9 seconds sounds brisk rather than concussive. A more indicative test is the 30-70mph time through the gears and here the Golf is quick enough to give many of the cars listed above a real scare.

"The Golf TDI 170 is as complete a family hatchback as you could hope to find"

With a top speed of 137mph, the Golf TDI 170 will have no issues at cruising at British motorway speeds and even on the cut and thrust of a two lane derestricted autobahn, it has more than enough mumbo to jet up to speed after dispatching a dawdling artic. The great thing about this powerplant is that the torque is almost omnipresent. That maximum figure is available from just 1,750rpm, little more than tickover. Given that it’s over £19,500 (and around £650 more than the TDI 140PS unit), you won’t need us to tell you that this Golf resides at the premium end of the hatchback sector but nevertheless, we’d say that this car represents sound value for money - especially when Volkswagen’s unimpeachable residual values are brought into the equation. Running costs are kept on the manageable side with a fuel economy figure of 46.3mpg while a 160g/km emissions figure will mean this car will figure on the wanted lists of many business users with a £20k budget. It’s not as if they’ll need to look long and hard at the options list either as the GT trim level comes with a decent roster of standard kit. It’s been altered to more closely resemble the iconic GTI, with the addition of a revised front grille, 17-inch Classix alloy wheels, a 15mm drop of the ride height and twin exhaust pipes. Volkswagen have made great strides concerning the refinement of the TDI engine and the effects are palpable as soon as you turn the key. The TDI system was once derided as being far less effective than the new wave of ‘common rail’ diesel engines that have become popular and in terms of refinement, Volkswagen’s solution has lagged behind. No longer: the difference is now virtually negligible. If you're interested in the technicalities, this 2.0-litre diesel works on the basis of so-called direct injection, a system intended to make better use of every drop of diesel. The injectors on all four cylinders are controlled by a single powerful electronic control unit (ECU) which carefully controls the amount and mixture of fuel passing through into each cylinder. For engineers, the obvious next step is for each cylinder to have its own ECU unit; the fuel amount and mixture can then be even more carefully monitored and even greater efficiency achieved. This is the basic concept behind the new 'second generation' of 'common rail' diesels – engines that Volkswagen says it's developing in its own time. The big bonus of Volkswagen’s TDI system is that it’s relatively easy to liberate big power outputs- as evidenced by this 168bhp model. One criticism levelled at the two previous generation Golf models was that, although the cars offered a ride and refinement package that was hard to beat, they never really provided the sort of infectious handling that many rivals could boast. The fifth generation car adopts a pragmatic tactic in ‘benchmarking’ the suspension of the Ford Focus and first impressions are promising. The body is eighty per cent stiffer than its predecessor and the new electro-mechanical steering feel and composed body control are leagues ahead. The interior keeps the Golf at the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon, although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the possible exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything out there as regards ambience. The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars plus blue instrument backlighting with red needles, a signature of the fourth generation model. Some of the plastics used on the minor controls and the lower fascia, however, do feel surprisingly cheap, perhaps allowing Audi a little ‘wiggle room’ to justify the A3’s higher prices. It’s hard to look beyond this car though. Do you really need more than the Golf TDI 170 offers? It’s quick, good looking, well equipped, it handles, it’s relatively inexpensive to run and it’s joyously covetable. The Golf has come good. Really good.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf GT Sport TDI 170 PRICES: £19,700-£20,200 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 16 CO2 EMISSIONS: 160g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 137mph / 0-60mph 7.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: 46.3mpg (overall) STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4202/2010/1470mm

ENTRY-LEVEL EXCELLENCE Propping Up The Budget End Of The Range, Can The 80PS 1.4-Litre Petrol-Engined Models Live Up To The Volkswagen Golf’s Star Billing? Steve Walker Reports…

For obvious reasons, car dealers populate their showrooms with the top spec derivatives in any given new car range. It’s these models that show the vehicle in the best light as even the most ill-conceived, slapdash product can be rendered presentable once it’s fully leathered, perched on some expensive alloys and endowed with the choicest gadgetry that the options list has to offer. For a more accurate reflection of a car’s true qualities, the entry-level models that most people actually buy are far more enlightening. Here, all the chaff is stripped away, allowing the product’s real essence to shine through. In the case of Volkswagen’s Golf, a look at the base 80PS 1.4-litre models should tell us plenty.

Prior to the launch of the Golf MKV, the whispers had it that the car’s use of an advanced multi-link suspension set-up along with other improvements would have an inflationary effect on prices that might deter buyers but these rumours proved to be largely unfounded. The Golf opens at £12,245 (or £12,745 if you want a five-door version), which compares favourably with the likes of Renault’s Megane, Ford’s Focus and Vauxhall’s Astra, once you factor in the premium that’s traditionally charged for that ‘VW’ badge. It’s now an 80PS 1.4-litre engine propping up the range, but if you can muster an extra few notes, there’s the option of upgrading to 90PS 1.4-litre or 115PS 1.6-litre powerplants which benefit from the Volkswagen group’s Fuel Stratified Injection technology (FSI). Go for the entry-level 1.4-litre engine and you’ll find yourself excluded from the upper echelons of the Golf’s trim level hierarchy as it’s offered solely in conjunction with entry-level S specification. Since the days of the original MK1, every incarnation of the Golf has been progressively larger and more substantial than the last. The MKV is a bigger and heavier car than the MKIV but the basic 1.4-litre powerplant still does an acceptable job of propelling it around. The engine’s best feature is a combined fuel consumption figure of just over 40mpg, an impressive showing given the engine’s size and the car’s generous mass. Less noteworthy are a 0-62mph time of 14.7 seconds and a 101mph top speed, figures which should prepare buyers for some less then blistering performance. In its defence, this is the entry-level engine in the range so expecting hot hatch acceleration is more than a little churlish.

"The S trim level is the Golf laid bare - or at least as bare as the sector’s most opulently constructed product gets"

The S trim level is the Golf laid bare - or at least as bare as the sector’s most opulently constructed product gets. Climatic air-conditioning, a six-speaker CD player and ABS brakes with hydraulic assistance are all standard and those are arguably the three specification features that UK motorists value above all others. There’s ESP stability control too, even though the 1.4-litre engines probably lack the grunt needed to upset the Golf’s supremely balanced chassis. Twin front airbags, curtain airbags, active head restraints, electric mirrors, electric front windows and power steering also feature. Sit in a Golf S and it really doesn’t feel all that Spartan. Some of the plastics used don’t appear particularly sturdy and the steel wheels are a blot on the exterior landscape but most of the basic equipment that makes a car pleasant to use day-in day-out is included. Look at what the higher Match and GT Sport trim levels add and it’s largely frivolous styling-orientated stuff or dubious convenience features that most people could function quite happily without. There’s no denying that higher spec Golfs look better than the S but for £12,000, it seems a very complete car indeed. The nagging concern that you could be missing out on something which accompanies many entry-level hatchbacks has been successfully banished by Volkswagen. The Golf’s chassis produces a fine balance between comfort and lithe handling. The car isn’t as sparky as a Ford Focus but even with a 1.4-litre engine supplying the motive force, drivers should get something out of a stint behind the wheel. On longer journeys, it’s composed and relaxing, smoothing the bumps and eating up the miles. Interior space is also good with ample accommodation for two six-foot people in the front and one of the most voluminous rears in the class. The controls and instrumentation in the cab are laid out in typically simple Volkswagen fashion and the gearstick has a tight, short throw action - even if the top of the shifter does feel a tad bulbous in the hand. Even the basic Golf models have that mark of Volkswagen quality about them. The higher trim levels jazz the package up a bit more but a 1.4-litre S derivative still displays most of the attributes that make the MKV Golf the car that it is. There’s no getting round the fact that you do pay a premium for a Volkswagen but the Golf’s standard equipment quota and the quality of the chassis makes scraping around for those few extra pounds look like a sensible course of action. Buyers looking for real performance will need to venture higher up the range but if you’ve seeking a top line family hatch on a budget, the Golf 1.4-litre models won’t leave you feeling short-changed.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf 1.4 S [80PS] PRICES: £12,245-£12,745 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 4E CO2 EMISSIONS: 170g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 101mph / 0-60mph 14.7s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 29.4mpg / (extra urban) 49.6mpg / (combined) 39.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1485

THE GOLF UPS ITS GAME The Latest Generation Turbodiesel Golfs Are About As Good As Family Hatches Get. Andy Enright Reports

Even if you’ve never driven a Mk V Volkswagen Golf TDI diesel, you’ll probably know what to expect. It’ll be beautifully built, the engine will be loud but powerful, it won’t be much fun through corners and it will be reassuringly expensive. Right? Not totally. Just when you thought you had the Golf formula taped, Volkswagen have given the car a more radical shake up than those evolutionary lines would suggest. The latest TDI diesel models are probably the most significant variants in a range that offers a massive amount of choice.

Though Volkswagen do still offer the old 2.0 SDI diesel engine on the Golf in entry-level form for under £13,000, most customers after a diesel Golf go for one of the three TDI turbo diesel units we’re looking at here, pitched at prices which start from £15,045. There’s a standard 1.9-litre engine that manages 105PS or a rather ritzier 2.0-litre powerplant that generates healthier figures of either 140 or 170PS. All three engines are well worth seeking out, especially after you’ve driven them back to back with the petrol Golf powerplants, the 2.0-litre TDI units being especially impressive. The 140PS engine will punt the big-boned Golf through 60mph in 9 seconds and on to a top speed of 126mph, making it a brilliant long distance cruiser. The 170PS unit is of course even faster, getting to sixty from rest in 7.9s on the way to 137mph. Even the 105PS unit is reasonably rapid and will get to 60mph in 11 seconds and top out at 116mph. It’s also likely to prove the bigger seller. Fuel economy of all three engines is excellent, the 1.9-litre averaging 56.4mpg and the 2.0-litre 140PS unit faring almost as well at an impressive 52.2mpg. Get the 1.9-litre in BlueMotion form, though, and it can produce nearly 63mpg. The emissions figures of 135, 146 and 160g/km respectively for the 1.9, 2.0 140 and 2.0 170 engines are among the class best and the BlueMotion’s 119g/km betters many citycars. The 1.9-litre car is fitted as standard with a five-speed gearbox but the 2.0-litre TDI variants get six cogs as standard with the option of the revolutionary DSG twin-clutch sequential gearbox.

"A DSG-equipped Golf TDI 2.0-litre would be my pick if prompted to nominate the best family hatch that’s ever been built"

If you can stretch to around £19,700, the flagship TDI 170 model is an impressive piece if kit. The headline figure with this model isn’t the power output but the maximum torque output of 258lb/ft. The Audi A4 3.2 quattro, the BMW 330i, the Ford Focus ST and the Porsche Cayman S all fail to top this figure. Torque is simply defined as rotational force and it’s best to think of it as the engine’s muscularity. With this sort of torque on tap, you can rest assured that this Golf isn’t going to get sand kicked in its face. Acceleration figures from rest never do a diesel car justice and the 0-60 figure of 7.9 seconds sounds brisk rather than concussive. A more indicative test is the 30-70mph time through the gears and here the Golf is quick enough to give many of the cars listed above a real scare. Volkswagen have made great strides concerning the refinement of all their TDI engines and the effects are palpable as soon as you turn the key. The TDI system was once derided as being far less effective than the new wave of ‘common rail’ diesel engines that have become popular and in terms of refinement, Volkswagen’s solution has lagged behind. No longer: the difference is now virtually negligible. If you're interested in the technicalities, all of these Golf TDI diesel engines work on the basis of so-called direct injection, a system intended to make better use of every drop of diesel. The injectors on all four cylinders are controlled by a single powerful electronic control unit (ECU) which carefully controls the amount and mixture of fuel passing through into each cylinder. For engineers, the obvious next step is for each cylinder to have its own ECU unit; the fuel amount and mixture can then be even more carefully monitored and even greater efficiency achieved. This is the basic concept behind the new 'second generation' of 'common rail' diesels – engines that Volkswagen says it's developing in its own time. The big bonus of Volkswagen’s TDI system is that it’s relatively easy to liberate big power outputs. The fifth generation Golf design has predictably taken the car ever further upmarket, with an even higher quality look and feel. More importantly however, it also reprises a strand of Golf DNA that seemed to have been an evolutionary dead end – driving fun. Older Golfs may have offered a ride and refinement package that was hard to beat, but they never really offered the sort of infectious handling that many rivals could boast. The fifth generation car adopted a pragmatic tactic in ‘benchmarking’ the suspension of the Ford Focus and is now a decent quality steer. It helps in this respect that the body is eighty per cent stiffer than ever before and that the clever electro-mechanical steering now offers a level of feel and composed body control that is leagues ahead of anything Golf owners have experienced in the past. The interior keeps the Golf at the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon, although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the possible exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything out there as regards ambience. The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars plus blue instrument backlighting with red needles, a signature of the fourth generation model. Some of the plastics used on the minor controls and the lower fascia however do feel surprisingly cheap, perhaps allowing Audi a little ‘wiggle room’ to justify the A3’s higher prices. A Golf TDI 2.0-litre equipped with the clever DSG automatic gearbox would be my pick if prompted to nominate the best family hatch that’s ever been built. Few cars manage to do everything quite so well as the latest Golf TDI models. It’s as simple as that.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Golf TDI range PRICES: £15,045-£20,200 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 6-16 CO2 EMISSIONS: 132-156g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0TDI 140] Max Speed 126mph / 0-60mph 9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.9TDI] 56.4mpg (overall) STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, tba

FOR GREEN, READ BLUE Volkswagen has underscored its commitment to environmental responsibility by extending the BlueMotion theme to the Golf range. Andy Enright reports

With environmental and efficiency factors scoring ever higher on the purchasing criteria of car buyers, Volkswagen couldn’t afford to sit back and lose the initiative. The Golf BlueMotion features a combined economy figure of 62.8mpg and 119g/km CO2 emissions at prices which start at just over £15,000. Think of it as responsibility without regret.

Opinion polls can be slyly deceptive. Ask most people if they would voluntarily drive a more environmentally efficient car and they tend to answer in the affirmative, even if that car will cost them a little more money. When it comes to actually buying a car, most vote with their wallets, the environment usually losing out to leather trim and alloy wheels. Volkswagen has studied this buyer behaviour carefully and with the Golf BlueMotion, the German giant thinks it has a car that will appeal to your conscience and your cashflow. It follows in the footsteps of the Polo BlueMotion, a model that hasn’t been hugely successful thus far. The Golf learns a few lessons from the Polo, being more visually acceptable while at the same time being a more commercially attractive proposition. It wears its green credentials a little more subtly and is all the better for it. As you might well expect from a car that’s sold on its environmental status, the Golf BlueMotion is no GTI hot hatch. Powered by a 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine, it generates 104bhp which translates into a sprint to 60mph from standstill in 11.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 116mph. This top speed is, incidentally, a couple of miles per hour quicker than the non-BlueMotion model thanks to the car’s slipperier aerodynamics. One reservation I have about this car are the lower rolling resistance tyres which might make a small saving in terms of fuel consumption, but don’t hang on quite as well as softer rubber through a set of corners. If that proved the difference between a near miss and a prang, I’m not sure I’d like that on my conscience.

"Think of it as responsibility without regret…"

The Golf BlueMotion nevertheless makes a very relaxed motorway car. All models are fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard and with longer gear ratios in third, fourth and fifth gears, engine speed levels are lower while driving. These actions alone reduce consumption by about 0.2 litres per 100km and also increase refinement at speed. The turbocharger has also been revised to help improve economy. Unlike the Polo BlueMotion, with its overt spoilers, wheels and grille treatment, the Golf version is a whole lot more low key. The keen-eyed will spot the BlueMotion badging on the grille and the rear panel but otherwise few would spot that this is anything but a stock Golf. The twin fans, the modified grille, the flow-optimised underbody and the harder compound tyres aren’t immediately obvious and the design details such as the low engine idling speed and the fitment of a diesel particulate filter aren’t broadly publicised either. After all, is there anything worse than the overt and sanctimonious smugness of a typical hybrid car driver? Otherwise, the BlueMotion is much like any other Golf Mk V model. Both three and five-door bodystyles are available and there’s plenty of room to stretch out. The interior finish keeps the Golf near the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon, although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything out there as regards ambience. The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars and blue instrument backlighting with red needles. Two trim levels are offered with the BlueMotion variant; entry-level S and better-equipped Match. The S is available in three-door guise from £15,595 on the road and for another £500, the five-door car is available. The Match opens at £16,775 for the manual, this trim level adding 15-inch alloy wheels, iPod preparation, cruise control, automatic lights and a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel to a Golf S specification that already includes air conditioning, anti lock brakes, stability control and six airbags. Compared to the stock 1.9-litre TDI, you’re paying a premium of around £500 for reducing your carbon footprint. View these prices in the light of a typical diesel hatch and they do appear quite expensive, as a 1.8-litre Ford Focus TDCi Zetec is both more powerful and cheaper than the similarly equipped Golf BlueMotion Match but the Golf feels better built inside and many people will spend a little more for the feeling that they have bought a premium product. Anyway, you need to be comparing apples with apples, in this case comparing the Golf BlueMotion with the Focus in comparably eco-friendly 1.6 TDCi ECOnetic (DPF) guise. Here, you’ll be looking at about £16,300 for the 5-door version, a price Volkswagen’s marketers have evidently benchmarked against. Whether this makes any sense to you depends on a number of parameters. Higher mileage motorists may well be able to recoup that premium back in terms of fuel economy, the BlueMotion’s 62.8mpg comprehensively trumping the standard car’s 53.3mpg showing, if not quite matching its Focus 1.6 TDCi ECOnetic rival. Those venturing regularly into the London congestion charge zone will certainly see the £500 investment over the standard Golf 1.9 TDI as money well spent, the Golf BlueMotion weighing in at under the 120g/km cut off for free entry. The standard Golf 1.9 TDI will get charged £8 per day, so it won’t take too long to make all sorts of sense on the balance sheet if those are your key criteria. Elsewhere things aren’t so cut and dried. If you’re a low mileage motorist, the standard car will appeal to more buyers. It’s cheaper, it’s a bit more fun to drive and customers are more used to it. Where the BlueMotion does claw advantage back is in terms of residual values. It’s not inconceivable that a very strong demand will build for used cars that emit less than 120g/km of carbon dioxide and BlueMotion owners will reduce their overall pence per mile running costs as a direct result. As an example of working smarter rather than harder, we doff our caps to the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion. No single aspect of this car’s makeup is exceptionally clever, yet together a whole host of incremental efficiency improvements has resulted in a car that not only does the business in terms of emissions and economy but also makes a viable case for itself in cold commercial terms. The bottom line is that for around an extra £500, you’re getting a car that not only has clearly better fuel economy than its non-BlueMotion sibling, but also weighs in at under 120g/km of carbon dioxide emissions with all the financial benefits that this entails. It might not be the most sparkling drive around, but it the Golf feels built to last and your friends will never tag you a miser. Going green has all too often meant making serious sacrifices. The Golf Bluemotion shows that needn’t always be the case.

Facts At A Glance

GOLF GOES LARGE Models Covered: (5dr hatchback, 1.4, 1.4 TSI, 1.6FSI, 2.0 FSI petrol, 1.9 TDI, 2.0TDI diesel [Luna, S, SE, Sport, GT])

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Amid all the brouhaha and awards bestowed upon the Volkswagen Golf Mk V, the launch of the Golf Plus escaped some people. Those that did pay attention can be excused for being a little confused about this model’s raison d’etre. Sitting on the same wheelbase as the Golf and being no longer or wider, the Golf Plus isn’t at first an easy car to get to grips with. Family motorists who sample one may well appreciate its charms, however, and used models are, if anything, slightly undervalued. This means that if you want all the practical qualities of the Golf and a little bit more, it needn’t cost the earth. Here’s what to look for.

The Volkswagen Golf Plus landed in UK dealerships in Spring 2005 to almost universal apathy, the standard hatchback model outselling it by a ratio of more than twenty to one. The Plus majored on the utility end of the engine line up, kicking off with the 80PS 1.4-litre petrol unit and a more advanced 115bhp 1.6-litre FSI unit. The diesel options were 90 or 105bhp versions of the 1.9TDI engine or a more modern 140bhp 2.0-litre TDI. Realising that perhaps the range could use the benefit of a little extra pizzazz, Volkswagen subsequently added the 150bhp 2.0-litre FSI engine before replacing that in summer 2006 with the 1.4-litre TSI twincharge engine, fitted with both turbocharger and supercharger. To complicate matters, Volkswagen introduced a second 1.4 TSI engine towards the end of 2007. This 120bhp unit lacked the supercharger of the other 1.4 TSI engine, making do with a turbocharger and it replaced the 1.6 FSI unit. The BlueMotion derivative arrived around the same time with aerodynamic tweaks and other modifications to enhance fuel economy.

So let’s look a little closer at the thinking behind this car. Statistics show that we’re close behind the Dutch as the second tallest nation on earth. We’re bigger than all the Scandinavians and the Germans. The Americans are growing out rather than up, but at current estimates, we’d still need at least a century or so before the average British male’s head started to brush the plush head lining of the Volkswagen Golf Plus. Even given Volkswagen’s build integrity, it’s tough to see too many Golf Pluses plying the roads in the early 22nd century. Where is the benefit in having all this extra height? It increases the frontal area of the car and is rarely beneficial when loading. Volkswagen had a ready answer to this, pointing to the fact that overall load space went up to 505 litres, but how often have you loaded your hatch brim full to the ceiling? It’s doubtless beneficial for awkwardly sized items like bicycles but the additional carrying capacity of the Golf Plus should be taken with a pinch of salt. Where it does score real practicality benefits is in terms of its seating arrangement. Thankfully, Volkswagen didn’t try to squeeze seven seats into this vehicle, positioning it (as its name suggests) between Golf and Touran but a good deal closer to Golf. The rear seats can be shifted fore and aft by 160mm and folded by means of a system whereby they are automatically lowered when folded down. This results in a virtually level load space, making the Golf Plus a very practical option indeed. The seats do the usual 60:40 split and the middle seat can also be folded down to form a drinks table. Additional stowage spaces around the cabin and a double height boot floor are nice touches but once again, the Golf Plus generated more questions than answers. All of these features could easily have been engineered into the standard Golf. In many respects Volkswagen ran into the same sort of customer resistance Ford faced when launching the Fusion, a car that sat on Fiesta underpinnings but was a little taller, uglier, noisier and less adept in its handling. Volkswagen claimed the Golf Plus was likely to attract buyers without families, or possibly with small families, who require more room and flexibility than the traditional hatchback could offer. The sales figures haven’t yet borne this assertion out.

Buying a Golf Plus isn’t quite as straightforward as tracking down a standard five-door Golf hatch due to their comparative rarity and if you’re set on a specific colour/trim combination you’ll need to exercise a little patience. It’s at this stage that many potential used buyers get frustrated and just go with the standard package. Naturally, it’ll help if you can be a little more flexible in your requirements because there are some decent, well looked after cars if you’re prepared to put in the leg (and mouse) work. Prices open at just under £10,000 for a 90bhp 1.9TDI S with the 1.4-litre petrol model costing from £10,250. Add another £500 and you can get yourself a 1.6-litre petrol model while £14,000 is the opening price for the excellent 2.0-litre diesel engine. Insurance ranges from Group 4 to Group 14 for the 140bhp 1.4TSI.

Keep a look out for cars that have been flogged by corporate users and ensure that servicing has been attended to diligently. The entry level petrol and diesel engines are best avoided as the Golf Plus is quite a weighty thing and they struggle to move it with any real conviction. Check for kerbed alloy wheels as replacements are expensive. If looking at a car with the DSG transmission, check that the system engages reverse gear silently and smoothly.

(approx based on a 2006 Golf Plus 1.4 ex Vat) An exhaust system is about £95. A clutch assembly will be around £75 and an alternator should be close to £115. Brake pads front and rear are about £55 and £45 respectively.

One benefit of basing the Golf Plus on the Golf Mk V chassis was that it had an excellent start to life, the electro-mechanical steering feel and composed body control being leagues ahead of most of the opposition. The interior kept the Golf Plus at the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the possible exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of any hatchb