Volkswagen Golf Plus Range

The Volkswagen Golf Plus Offers Existing Golf Buyers That Little Bit More Space And Practicality. Andy Enright Reports

One suspects the Volkswagen Golf Plus will cause a certain amount of confusion on first acquaintance with some buyers. Sitting on the same wheelbase as the Volkswagen Golf five-door hatch, its no longer, no wider and is quite tricky to differentiate at first glance. Put the two cars side by side however, and the 95mm extra grafted into the height of the Golf Plus becomes apparent. Still, as someone who stands well over six feet tall and yet who has never found cause for complaint regarding Golf Mk V headroom, I initially wondered what the point was.

So lets look a little closer at the thinking behind this car. Statistics show that were close behind the Dutch as the second tallest nation on earth. Were bigger than all the Scandinavians and the Germans. The Americans are growing out rather than up, but at current estimates, wed still need at least a century or so before the average British males head started to brush the plush head lining of the Volkswagen Golf Plus.

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Even given Volkswagens build integrity, its tough to see too many Golf Pluses plying the roads in the early 22nd century. Where is the benefit in having all this extra height? It increases the frontal area of the car and is rarely beneficial when loading. Volkswagen have a ready answer to this, pointing to the fact that overall load space does go up to 505 litres, but how often have you loaded your hatch brim full to the ceiling? It will doubtless be beneficial for awkwardly sized items like bicycles but the additional carrying capacity of the Golf Plus should be taken with a pinch of salt. Where it does score real practicality benefits is in terms of its seating arrangement.

Thankfully Volkswagen havent tried to squeeze seven seats into this vehicle, positioning it (as its name suggests) between Golf and Touran but a good deal closer to Golf. The rear seats can be shifted fore and aft by 160mm and folded by means of a new system to Volkswagen which means that they are automatically lowered when folded down. This results in a virtually level load space, making the Golf Plus a very practical option indeed. The seats do the usual 60:40 split and the middle seat can also be folded down to form a drinks table. Additional stowage spaces around the cabin and a double height boot floor are nice touches but once again, the Golf Plus throws up more questions than answers. All of these features could easily have been engineered into the standard Golf.

"Volkswagen are hoping that tall is this seasons look"

In many respects Volkswagen is now running into the same sort of customer resistance Ford faced when launching the Fusion, a car that sat on Fiesta underpinnings but was a little taller, uglier, noisier and less adept in its handling. Volkswagen claim the Golf Plus is likely to attract buyers without families, or possibly with small families, who require more room and flexibility than the traditional hatchback can offer. Time will tell. One benefit of basing the Golf Plus on the Golf Mk V chassis is that it has an excellent start to life, the electro-mechanical steering feel and composed body control being leagues ahead of most of the opposition.

It also retains the basic stance of the Golf. The interior keeps the Golf Plus at the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the possible exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything out there as regards ambience.

The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars plus blue instrument backlighting with red needles, a signature of the fourth generation model. The Golf Plus also features 2Zone climate control and four-way lumbar support within the line-up. In addition, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), no fewer than six airbags as well as anti-lock brakes will be fitted as standard throughout the range. Big car features such as automatic activation of headlamps and wipers are built into the cars electronics.

The engine line runs as follows: The range opens with a 80bhp 1.4-litre petrol unit and sitting directly above that is the more advanced turbocharged 122bhp 1.4-litre TSI unit before you get to the 140bhp 1.4-litre supercharged and turbocharged TSI.

The diesel options amount to 90 or 105bhp versions of the 1.9TDI engine or a more modern 140bhp 2.0-litre TDI. There are three trim levels (Luna, SE and Sport) and prices start at £13,162.

If you go for the 1.9-litre TDI in 103bhp guise, you can also go for the Golf Plus Dune model, which features a rather handsome selection of SUV-style add-ons. Then theres the BlueMotion derivative that also uses the 1.9-litre TDI engine but features aerodynamic tweaks and other modifications that maximise fuel economy.

Many buyers will opt to go the turbo diesel route and both engines are well worth seeking out, the 2.0-litre TDI being especially impressive. This engine will punt the big-boned Golf Plus to 60mph in just over 9 seconds and on to a top speed of just over 120mph, making it a brilliant long distance cruiser. The 103bhp unit is no slouch though and will get to 60mph in around 11.

5 seconds and top out at over 110mph. Its also likely to prove the bigger seller. Fuel economy of both engines is excellent with each capable of eking over 50mpg from a gallon of heavy oil. In the BlueMotion derivative, the 1.

9TDI gets close to 60mpg. The diesels are also both Euro IV-compliant so we can drive around with a warmly sanctimonious air, knowing that were doing our bit for the environment. The emissions figures for the 1.9 and 2.

0-litre engines are among the class best. The 1.9-litre car is fitted as standard with a five-speed gearbox but the 2.0-litre TDI gets six cogs as standard.

Both also get the option of the revolutionary DSG twin-clutch sequential gearbox. Volkswagen have made great strides concerning the refinement of these TDI engines and the effects are palpable as soon as you turn the key. The TDI system was once derided as being far less effective than the new wave of common rail diesel engines that have become popular and in terms of refinement, Volkswagens solution has lagged behind. No longer: the difference is now virtually negligible. There are different ways of looking at the Golf Plus but if your perspective is that it offers a useful amount of extra versatility for not a huge amount more money, you can get Volkswagens point quite easily. All things are relative, you see.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Volkswagen Golf Plus range
PRICES: £13,162-£18,757 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4E-13E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 143-171g/km
PERFORMANCE: [2.0TDI] Max Speed 127mph / 0-60mph 9.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0TDI] 48mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1580