Volkswagen Golf 2012 review

You win some, you lose some. Or so it would seem when it comes to Volkswagen's new ultra fuel-efficient Golf BlueMotion, which is priced from $28,990.

ECONOMY

The win in this case comes in the form of outstanding fuel economy, which at 3.8 litres/100km, is about as good as it currently gets _ surpassed only by Ford's smaller Fiesta Econetic at 3.7. It's even better than Toyota's benchmark petrol-electric Prius. With a 55-litre fuel tank and economy of 3.8 litres/100km, the Golf has a theoretical range of 1447km.

ENGINE

On the downside we bid goodbye to the current, 1.6-litre 77TDI diesel. It's been axed to make way for the new BlueMotion model. The car features the same 1.6-litre turbo diesel as the 77TDI, but with several refinements to improve fuel economy.

The diesel delivers 77kW of power at 4400 revs and 250Nm of torque between 1500 and 2000 revs. A stop/start system is also part of the setup that shuts down the engine at traffic lights, provided the car is put into neutral and the energy normally lost during braking is diverted to the car's battery.

TRANSMISSION

The thing is BlueMotion is available only in manual form. If you want a diesel with VW's acclaimed DSG `manumatic' transmission you'll have to cough up considerably more for the more expensive 2.0-litre diesel. 

It's paired with a five-speed manual gearbox (not a six-speed), with gear ratios that are said to do a better job of keeping revs in the torque band where it is at its most efficient. The engine management system has been revised to reduce idle speed and a visual prompt tells the driver when to change gears for maximum economy. 

As well as this a number of aerodynamic improvements have been made to reduce wind drag. The fact that Volkswagen is not offering an automatic doesn't quite fit with the company's claims of no compromise. But VW Australia boss Anke Koeckler explained it was keen to make a "green" statement, to show that it has plenty of know-how using existing diesel technology.

It's a pity because I for one will miss the 77TDI, a car we had for several weeks. Equipped with the DSG transmission, it was as practical as it was economical, one of the few fuel misers that we've tested over a longer period to return more than 1000km from a single tank. The 75 per cent of Golf buyers who chose an auto over a manual may also be less than enthusiastic.

DESIGN

Golf BlueMotion comes as a five-door hatch. A deeper front air dam is fitted along with a rear wing to push air over the car, the ride height has been dropped 15mm and lightweight 15 inch alloys with low roll resistance tyres added.

Underneath it all, however, BlueMotion is still a Golf like any other Golf, with seven airbags, plenty of driver assistance systems and a maximum five-star safety rating. But the spare wheel has been replaced by a reinflation kit to reduce weight, which is down to 1234kg.

The car is well equipped and comes in four colours including environmental blue, but misses out once again on Bluetooth which remains optional.

DRIVING

On the road it is easy and pleasant to drive, but the driver must remain vigilant to change gears as instructed and to make use of the start/stop system. If you don't put the car into neutral it will not activate and you'll miss out on fuel savings.

Although it is often difficult to achieve official economy figures, we came close at the launch this week returning 3.9 litres/100km. Former rally driver and self-styled economy expert Ed Ordynski went one better, getting the figure down to 3.3 litres/100km on a 1000km economy run.

In summary Golf BlueMotion will appeal to those serious about making an environmental statement. But we reckon they'll soon tire of changing gears, especially if they're city dwellers.