Volkswagen Golf GT Sport TSi 2008 Review

For example, the elusive hope of having a car with small thirst but big performance.

Trust Volkswagen — after all, the name means “people's car” — to come up with something that manages this conjuring trick.

It has done it by fitting a Golf hatchback with a small petrol engine which, by itself, would be pretty feeble, but at least wouldn't drink much.

Then it added a supercharger to boost its off-the-mark pulling power to a decent level. And on top of that, added a turbocharger for even more muscle in places the supercharger can't reach.

This “twincharger” setup is, of course, devilishly complicated. It's twice the price of a regular car with such a small engine, but then it feels twice as good.

VW these days seems to love technical challenges, and it has built in enough electronic brainpower to make sure all the gizmos work happily together.

Once into its stride, the result is a seamless delivery of power, along with the painless habit of driving past petrol stations. You don't need to fill up very often.

According to VW's sums, this 1.4-litre-engined Golf has the torque of a 2.3 litre car, but with 20 per cent less thirst.

Trouble is, when you do visit the pumps, its hi-tech powerplant requires premium-priced, high-octane petrol. Here we have a small car approaching $40,000, that demands the most expensive fuel. There goes the budget.

The “twincharger” machinery first appeared early last year in the TSi Golf. When it proved popular, VW announced it had been a limited-edition offering, and was being replaced by the GT Sport TSi.

It has also added a GT Sport TDi, which uses a more conventional turbo-diesel setup. It's fantastic to drive, but $2500 dearer.

Back to the petrol side of the family: the GT Sport TSi (1.4 litre engine with its two 'chargers, adding up to 125kW of power) is not as zesty as the GTi (147kW from a 2.0 litre engine with a single turbocharger), not as sports-focused, not as costly.

Rather, the GT is a handy stepping stone between “normal” Golf hatchbacks and the GTi. Think of it as a junior hottie: though not a slowcoach, it doesn't have anything like the athleticism of its bigger-engined GTi brother. Instead, it strikes a balance between sportiness and fuel economy.

Whatever lurks beneath the bonnet, a VW Golf is an impressive piece of work, feeling sturdy and surefooted, comfortable and roomy. Even the boot is a good size.

One catch with the TSi's power-boosting hardware is that there can be times when you put your foot down and find both the turbocharger and supercharger are asleep for a moment when the engine revs are low. That's when it responds with all the energy you'd expect in a substantial, five-door hatchback powered by a mere 1.4 litres of engine — nothing much happens.

The solution is to keep the engine speed up, and then reactions are very sharp.

The TSi is a clever technical achievement and is impressive to drive. If it cost less and was less expensive to run, it would be a five-star proposition.

KEY POINTS

VW GOLF GT SPORT TSi

DETAILS: Compact five-door hatchback with 1.4 litre four-cylinder engine, turbocharger and supercharger. Power 125kW. Torque 240Nm.

FEATURES: Stability control system, anti-lock brakes, six airbags (front, side and curtain), dual-zone airconditioning, cruise control, sports suspension, alloy wheels, sports seats.

COST: $34,990 with six-speed manual, $37,290 with six-speed automatic “dynamic shift” gearbox.

FOR: Performance with modest thirst.

AGAINST: Needs super-premium fuel.