Volkswagen BORA 2.0 S
Volkswagen Have Some Tempting Engine Choices For The Bora Range But Many Still Choose The 2.0-Litre Lump. Andy Enright Finds Out Why.
Americans and Europeans rarely see eye to eye on matters of automotive taste. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the comparative sales of Volkswagen Boras and Golfs. The Yanks cant get enough of the booted Bora it outsells the hatchback Golf models three to one, yet over here the trickle of Boras leaving Volkswagen showrooms is engulfed by the tidal wave of Golf variants. Its a trend that only looks set to continue with the arrival of the mkV Golf but Volkswagen hope that Bora variants like this 2.
0-litre S model can stem the flow.
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Why the disparity? In the States, a hatchback is seen as a second car, a somewhat mimsy, shopping appliance that lacks the status, security and perceived safety of a reassuring trunk stuck out back. The Jetta badge still survives out there, having acquired some serious brand equity, much as
Volkswagen wouldnt dream of dropping the Golf title for the hatchback equivalent here. Booted Golfs go back a long way. The Jetta was the first, a car with a boot so large it looked like it was trying to claw its way up the rear window and engulf the rest of the car.
To be able to proceed without dragging its posterior along the Queens highway when the boot was full, Volkswagen chose to equip the Jetta with rear springs apparently made from a solid billet of steel, thus giving a teeth-shatteringly firm ride. Resultant sales were minimal. The Vento came next, with its more sophisticated suspension. Unfortunately, with its grotesquely distended rear end, it resembled something in a pickling jar at Ripleys Believe It Or Not.
It too sold mainly to police forces and to human traffickers with a soft spot for quality fit and finish.
"The Bora is undoubtedly a desirable proposition, even in basic S form."
It wasnt until the introduction of the Bora in 1999 that Volkswagen proved that a Golf with a boot could be a genuinely attractive proposition. Based on the Golf Mk IV, the Bora was, if anything, even prettier than its hatchback sibling, especially in plusher guises. Initially available with five engines, three petrols and two diesels, the Bora had an uphill task on its hands to convert buyers who were passionate for parcel shelves. The range has been refined as only the Germans know how, incremental tweaking and polishing resulting in a very attractive model.
The 2.0-litre 115bhp engine in the Bora featured here will be familiar to many, having featured in the Beetle, Passat and the base mkIV Golf GTi and is available in S trim. Its priced at £14,335. Opt for SE trim and the price ramps up to £16,020, a value-added Highline version starts from £16,170, whilst a top of the range Sport retails for £16,995.
The ESP stability programme is now standard on all versions. Volkswagen claim that this Bora will reside in the lower price bracket of the upper medium class, although such aspiration pitches it against some fierce rivals. Better to indulge in some lazy shooting of barrel-bound fish by aiming the Bora at the upper price bracket of the lower medium sector instead. There it can lazily blow chunks out of undemanding bottom feeders such as the
Renault Megane,
Daewoo Leganza and
Mitsubishi Carisma without worrying unduly about what the Mercedes C-class and
BMW 3-series are doing.
The Volkswagens quality dictates otherwise however. Sit inside the Bora and youll understand why many drivers unable to stretch to a BMW or Mercedes dont feel hard done by behind the wheel of the Volkswagen. All Boras get Volkswagen's 12-year anti-corrosion warranty and comprehensive 12-month overall cover and standard features on both trim levels include air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, power assisted steering, twin airbags plus front
seat side airbags, electric windows and door mirrors and central locking. Its hard to imagine anyone finding much to criticise about the interior. A wide screen area and low side windows make it bright and airy and the dash layout and controls from the Golf are functional and easy to use. The adjustable front seats and steering wheel mean drivers of all shapes and sizes can find a comfortable position.
Only rear seat passengers may have cause to grumble. They tend to lose out on head and legroom due to the huge boot. Dont go expecting anything wildly sporting in terms of performance. Volkswagens figures indicate the Bora 2.
0 S will leave a sub ten-second rest to sixty time resolutely unmolested, but several road tests have shaved a second or so off this. A top speed of over 120mph pays testament to its slippery aerodynamics. The engine isnt the silkiest unit in the range, becoming quite vocal when prodded into action, and neither is it the most frugal, its 35mpg average economy being equalled by the quicker 150bhp 1.8 turbo engine.
That said, the Bora is undoubtedly a desirable proposition, even in basic S form. The boldly styled front end, flared wheel arches and a lopped-off, chunky rear all make an aggressive fashion statement that has much more street cred than any Golf. Thanks to a nine-inch advantage in length over the hatchback it also boasts an advantage in terms of load space. Luggage capacity is an impressive 16cu ft - almost 50 percent more than a Golf.
With the back seats folded, this rises to a cavernous 28cu ft - enough for three or four sets of golf clubs or anything else you may need to carry around. The 2.0-litre engine is probably the weakest aspect of this Bora, but there are few whod complain, given the all round competence of the basic product. Yes, there are more alluring choices higher up the range, but 2.
0-litre S is going to make up a respectable slice of Bora sales. Having said all that, as the Volkswagen empire stretches its tentacles still further, its difficult to disagree with the fact that a better sub-£15,000 Bora exists with a
Skoda badge on its bonnet and a 1.8T engine beneath it
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volkswagen Bora 2.0-litre S
PRICE: £14,335 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 7
CO2 EMISSIONS: 197g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.5s / Max speed 120mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 35mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, front seat side airbags, ABS, ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height ) 4376/1446/2018
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