Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion : GREEN IS THE COLOUR

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Volkswagen's Golf is at its greenest in BlueMotion form. Steve Walker reports.

At one extreme of its ever-popular Golf family hatchback range, Volkswagen has the GTI and GTD models. These go exceedingly quickly and come festooned with desirable trinkets to turn the hardnosed showroom visitor in to a weak-kneed cheque-signing machine. Taking an entirely different tack, we have the Golf BlueMotion. It's less likely to reduce prospective buyers to putty in the sales team's hands with its power and panache but could be just as compelling on a more cerebral level. BlueMotion is the Golf for people more concerned with mpg than mph.

BlueMotion has become a big brand within Volkswagen, rolled out across all of the marque's mainstream product lines. Its arrival coincided with a shift in the priorities of car buyers towards fuel efficiency and low running costs and its aim is to deliver both without tarnishing the polish of the Volkswagen ownership experience in any meaningful way. Some BlueMotion models have done this more successfully than others. The basic premise is to make lots of small alterations which combine to have a big effect on the car's efficiency. Early BlueMotion efforts took quite dramatic steps to save weight, removing features that most buyers would have preferred left in situ, and relied on somewhat dated engine technology. Both issues look to have been addressed by the latest Golf BlueMotion cars, with buyers no longer required to make major sacrifices to obtain the headline-making fuel economy. The aging 1.9-litre direct injection diesel engine that formed the basis of early BlueMotion Golfs has chugged away to meet the Volkswagen factory-trained technician in the sky. Its successor is the altogether smarter and more youthful 1.6 TDI common-rail diesel. In the Golf, this engine is available in 89bhp and 104bhp guises but, rather counter intuitively for the most fuel efficient model in the range, it's the 104bhp version that sits up front in the BlueMotion. Performance is far from shabby with an 11.3s 0-62mph time and a 118mpg top speed. There's also torque of 250Nm from just 1,500rpm, so this isn't an eco-car that's going to nullify its environmental benefits by forming a lengthy queue of traffic in its wake.

"The 69mpg that the Golf BlueMotion returns on the combined cycle will do all the convincing that many customers need"

The sixth generation Volkswagen Golf is very like the fifth in many respects but though they may not be immediately obvious, lots of improvements were made. Perhaps chief amongst them was the step forward in refinement and that bodes well for the BlueMotion. Early Volkswagen BlueMotion cars utilised old-school diesel engines and stripped away sound-proofing measures to save weight but today's Golf BlueMotion should prove an altogether more mild-mannered companion. The six generation Golf looks similar to the fifth and the BlueMotion derivatives don't do much to stand out from the less environmentally-correct models in the range. This is not great surprise from a manufacturer that is notoriously conservative with the styling direction of its mainstream models but it does mean that buyers wanting to bask in the public approval that can be garnered by driving a green car may need to invest in some BlueMotion stickers for the bodywork or, perhaps, a branded baseball cap to wear while at the wheel. A flag would have been another option but it might counteract the aerodynamic modifications that Volkswagen has made to the BlueMotion model. The interior of the BlueMotion is identical to that of the standard models. 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 on the MkV models are now bright white but the overall shape of the dash is similar to that in the previous generation Golf. The advancement in refinement can be partly attributed to a special design for the door and window seals, a damping film that supports the windscreen and a clever engine mounting system. Choosing a BlueMotion Volkswagen no longer means consigning yourself to a car with precious few mod-cons. The Golf version is based on the middle-ranking SE trim and features air-conditioning, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlamps, cruise control and an eight-speaker stereo with iPod compatibility. By leaving that lot on the shelf, Volkswagen might have saved an extra half an mpg but to be of real benefit to the environment, the car has got to sell in big numbers and a detailed equipment list gives is an enhanced chance of doing that. Safety isn't forgotten either and every BlueMotion Golf benefits from seven airbags, ABS brakes and ESC stability control. Volkswagen is by no means the only manufacturer campaigning in the family hatch sector with a green special model. Together, the issues of fuel economy, costs and the environment have formed a major battleground in the car market and all of the major players are attempting to reap the benefits in terms of increased sales. Amidst all the ECOnetic Fords, ecoFLEX Vauxhalls, Optimal Drive Toyotas and others, things can get a little confusing for the motorist trying to reduce costs. The Golf BlueMotion is currently one of the more advanced efforts but pricing of over £17,000 positions it at the upper end of the sector. The 69mpg that the Golf BlueMotion returns on the combined cycle will do all the convincing that many customers need. 107g/km CO2 emissions will help too, producing a tangible annual saving that will only increase for higher mileage buyers. This sterling performance at the pumps is achieved through a series of mechanical alterations, including longer third, fourth and fifth gears in the five-speed manual gearbox, regenerative braking that charges the battery when the car is slowing down and a stop, start system that cuts the engine when the car is stationary. With its classy image and quality construction tending to command a premium over family hatchback rivals, the Volkswagen Golf isn't an obvious choice for car buyers seeking to reduce costs. In BlueMotion guise, is looks far more frugal with its low fuel consumption and emissions but the best bit is that the things that make the Golf special are still very much intact.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion
PRICES: £17,165-£17,750 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 7E [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 107g/km
PERFORMANCE: [104bhp] Max Speed 118mph / 0-60mph 11.3s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [104bhp] (urban) 54.3mpg / (extra urban) 80.7mpg / (combined) 68.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Seven airbags, ABS, ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4199/1786/1479