Volkswagen Golf : SIXTH SENSIBLE

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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.

Most people whove 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. The engine range is made up of the latest Volkswagen units including a quartet of common-rail diesels.

Theres a 1.6-litre TDI powerplant to open the range with a 90bhp output and then come three 2.0-litre TDI engines packing 110, 140 and 160bhp. The petrol side of the range is based around Volkswagens TSI forced induction technology although there are normally-aspirated units at the base of the range in the shape of an 80bhp 1.

4-litre and a 105bhp 1.6-litre. The more powerful units are tightly packed together in terms of their outputs. Theres a 122bhp 1.

4-litre engine and a 1.8-litre unit with 160bhp, both of which are turbocharged but buyers also have the option of 140bhp and 170bhp versions of the 1.4-litre Twincharger engine. This unit utilises a turbocharger and a supercharger to produce a smooth flow of power across a wide section of the rev-range.

Riding on the same underpinnings as the MkV Golf, theres no reason to expect the MkVI models 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 the outgoing car. The electro/mechanical steering system is also carried over enabling an 11m turning circle. Power will be fed to the wheels through a standard six-speed manual gearbox but the fast-shifting seven-speed DSG twin clutch gearbox will also be available.

4MOTION all-wheel-drive models are also a distinct likelihood.

"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."

about to break with tradition where the Golfs 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.

Its 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 boarder. 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. Volkswagen seems to have achieved its aim of upping the perceived quality levels inside the Golf and models with the ability to match its upmarket aura will be a rare breed in the Family hatch class or even the premium hatch sector above.

A host of technological features are being offered on the MkVI Golf. Volkswagens ACC Adaptive Chassis Control system allows owners to select from Normal, Comfort or Sport modes which adjust the settings of the suspension, steering and throttle accordingly. Theres also an Automatic Distance Control feature which uses sensors to monitor the area immediately around the vehicle and can apply the brakes if a collision is deemed to be imminent. There are seven airbags fitted as standard including a drivers knee airbag located beneath the steering column and models with ESP stability control get a more advanced version of the technology.

The Golfs key rivals will include the likes of Fords Focus, Peugeots 308 and Hondas 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. Volkswagens 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 119g/km making it an attractive choice for company car users. A hybrid model is also rumoured to be in the offing but well have considerably longer to wait for that one. The sixth generation Volkswagen Golf isnt the giant leap forward that some of the other iterations have been but then, it didnt 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: £12,500-£19,000 on the road [est]
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4E-15 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 119-190g/km [est]
PERFORMANCE: [1.6] Max Speed 119mph / 0-60mph 10.8s [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [TDI 110] (combined) 62.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Seven airbags, ABS [est]
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1485 [est]