Browse over 9,000 car reviews
Look familiar? Well it's not. This is the new Volkswagen Golf. New. Seriously. It looks so much like the last one you wonder what the designers do other than buy pointy shoes and manicure their sideburns.
Volkswagen assures us this is the seventh generation of the small hatch that was launched in 1974, with the sales tally about to hit 30 million. Selling that many cars tends to stifle any move to make a radical change between generations, so this Golf is only slightly larger than the previous model and has an almost identical silhouette.
The design evolution may be glacial, but Volkswagen has made substantial changes to the Golf's innards. The result is a car that is significantly better than the last, which instantly sets a new benchmark for the class. Yes, it really is that good.
PRICES AND SERVICING
The range starts with the 90TSI manual at $21,490 and moves up to $24,990 for the better-specified Comfortline version running the same engine. Picking an auto adds $2500.
Two new Highline models sit at the top of the range, the 103TSI petrol at $31,990 and the 110TDI diesel $34,490, with gear such as Alcantara seat trim, satellite navigation and small touches that contribute to a prestige feel for the cabin.
Volkswagen Australia has decided to make life even more difficult for its rivals with the starting price, $500 less than before. It has ditched the undercooked 77kW base engine that reminded the owners they should have spent more money every time the traffic lights went green, replacing it with a 90kW unit.
More standard equipment has been added, weight trimmed and fuel consumption has been cut. All this makes the Golf a formidable opponent. The Australian small car segment is still divided in two, with Hyundai and Kia duking it out with Toyota, Nissan and Mazda around the $19,990 mark while semi-premium European cars such as the Ford Focus and the Golf perch about $1500 above.
While there is some quality new product among the cheaper models, this Golf is so much better, even in standard form that the premium suddenly looks like small change. That leaves the fear of servicing costs and durability problems as the only real reasons to doubt the Golf -- apart from the understated design.
Motoring club technical query lines field a disproportionate amount of calls regarding Volkswagen faults these days and driving beyond the warranty period can cause anxiety. The durability of this particular model can only be proved with time, but Volkswagen Australia has at least moved to alleviate running cost concerns with a capped-price service program.
It sets a standard fee of $2113 for the first 90,000km or six years for petrol models ($2371 for the diesel). Like similar programs it doesn't include consumables such as oil, brake pads and tyres, but goes some way to protect customers from dealers charging above the odds (not that dealers of European models would consider such a thing).
PLATFORM DESIGN
As for the car itself, it is almost completely new and is the first to use the Volkswagen Group's new Lego-style system to be shared by its many brands, including Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat. The company has been sharing like this for years, but the new system allows for sections of the car to be mixed and matched. Front axle units, rear axle units, front ends, rear ends and so on can be arranged in different configurations.
The Golf is the first of the new MQB models, which is abbreviated German for a front-drive car with a transversely mounted engine. The Audi A3, which is on sale here next month, uses many of the same modules, as will the next Skoda Octavia.
The Golf employs two different rear axle units in the same range: a basic torsion beam system and a premium multi-link unit that delivers the ride and handling synonymous with Golf. The torsion beam is fitted only on the least powerful Golfs that Europeans are happy to tolerate and has not made the boat trip to Australia.
That's quite a relief and means the Golf maintains its position as a model with a comfortable ride and capable handling. Pressing the car through the winding ribbon of the Toolangi State Forest near Victoria's Healesville revealed it is a joy to drive -- delightfully responsive and agile, benign but not dumbed down.
ENGINES
Engines have been revised and Volkswagen has discontinued the fascinating Twincharger four-cylinder that used both a supercharger and turbocharger. Now that turbo technology has improved, the supercharger has been left on the shelf.
The 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo, which benefits from a range of minor upgrades, now produces 90kW and 200Nm in the base car and 103kW and 250Nm in the mid-range 103TSI model. Both of these engines move the car along swiftly, rev out without much fuss and have enough torque to avoid any wringing of necks. The entry-level engine is teamed with a manual (six speeds) or dual-clutch automatic (seven speeds), while the mid-spec engine is auto only.
Only one diesel is offered, an upgraded 2.0-litre four-cylinder with 110kW and 320Nm that provides loads of effortless torque for the 110TDI version. It is relatively quiet, for a diesel, although the stop-start system means the engine is intrusive when it fires up again. Auto only, the diesel has fuel consumption of 4.9 litres per 100km. Surprisingly the petrol Golfs, which also have stop-start, are not far behind with figures ranging from 5.2l/100km to 5.7.
DRIVING
The entry-level 90TSI is a revelation. It has an interior that belies its position in the range. The premium look and feel of the plastic surfaces, seat trims and switches is complemented by excellent suppression of tyre, road and wind noise, which have been reduced to Lexus levels.
It absorbs the bumps without fuss, yet is not so soft that it wallows. Better-specified models are still easy to live with but the larger wheels and tyres do pick up a few more of the surface bumps.
The new electric steering is lighter than before, which helps in tight spots, although there is always the risk of taking away some of the feel through corners at higher speeds. Volkswagen engineers spent a lot of time and effort on this and it has paid dividends.
The result is a range of models that go beyond the best on offer in the small car segment in most respects by a long margin. While the Focus may match it through the corners and most rivals feature far more adventurous design, the Golf has so many strengths and is so well rounded, it is the new leader. It even rivals the more expensive Mercedes-Benz A-Class and BMW 1 Series in many respects.
The step forward is such that I asked visiting Volkswagen board member Ulrich Hackenberg, who is in charge of development, why anyone would pay more for the Audi A3 when it uses many of the same underbody components. He mentioned the additional features, sportier focus and different design, before offering up, after a second question along the same lines that the answer could be found on the bonnet and boot.
“The Audi customer would not consider buying a Volkswagen. They have reached Audi and will not go back,” he said. “The value of a brand, of the image, is very high.”
VERDICT
Check out the A3 and other luxury hatches by all means, but don't overlook the brilliant Golf if you can live with the badge.
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77 TSI | 1.2L, —, 6 SP MAN | $6,050 – 8,580 | 2013 Volkswagen Golf 2013 77 TSI Pricing and Specs |
| 90 TSI Trendline | 1.4L, —, 6 SP MAN | $7,920 – 11,110 | 2013 Volkswagen Golf 2013 90 TSI Trendline Pricing and Specs |
| 90 TSI Trendline | 1.4L, —, 6 SP MAN | $7,260 – 10,230 | 2013 Volkswagen Golf 2013 90 TSI Trendline Pricing and Specs |
| 90 TSI | 1.4L, —, 6 SP MAN | $8,250 – 11,660 | 2013 Volkswagen Golf 2013 90 TSI Pricing and Specs |
$7,500
Lowest price, based on 170 car listings in the last 6 months
