Volkswagen GOLF 1.4 RANGE
Propping Up The Budget End Of The Range, Can The 1.4-Litre Petrol Engined Models Live Up To The
Volkswagen Golfs Star Billing? Steve Walker Reports
For obvious reasons, car dealers populate their showrooms with the top spec derivatives in any given new car range. Its these models that show the vehicle in the best light as even the most ill-conceived, slapdash product can be rendered presentable once its fully leathered, perched on some expensive alloys and endowed with the choicest gadgetry that the options list has to offer. For a more accurate reflection of a cars true qualities, the entry-level models that most people actually buy are far more enlightening. Here all the chaff is stripped away, allowing the products real essence to shine through.
In the case of Volkswagens Golf, a look at the base 1.4-litre models should tell us plenty.
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Prior to the launch of the Golf MKV, the whispers had it that the cars use of an advanced multi-link suspension set-up along with other improvements would have an inflationary effect on prices that might deter buyers but these rumours proved to be largely unfounded. The Golf opens at £11,845, which compares favourably with the likes of Renaults Megane, Fords Focus and Vauxhalls Astra, once you factor in the premium thats traditionally charged for that VW badge. Its the 74bhp 1.4-litre engine that props up the range but if you can muster an extra £705, theres the option of upgrading to an 89bhp 1.
4-litre FSI powerplant which benefits from the
Volkswagen groups Fuel Stratified Injection technology. Whichever 1.4-litre engine you choose, youll find yourself excluded from the upper echelons of the Golfs trim level hierarchy as both units are offered solely in conjunction with entry-level S specification. Since the days of the original MK1, every incarnation of the Golf has been progressively larger and more substantial than the last.
The MKV is a bigger and heavier car than the MKIV but the basic 1.4-litre powerplant still does an acceptable job of propelling it around. The engines best feature is a combined fuel consumption figure of just over 40mpg, an impressive showing given the engines size and the cars generous mass. Less noteworthy are a 0-62mph time of 14.
7 seconds and a 102mph top speed, figures which should prepare buyers for some less then blistering performance. In its defence, this is the entry-level engine in the range so expecting hot hatch acceleration is more than a little churlish but the 1.4-litre FSI engine is perceptibly better.
"The S trim level is the Golf laid bare or at least as bare as the sectors most opulently constructed product gets."
Fuel Stratified Injection has become a widespread feature in VW Group product ranges over recent years and the Golfs 89bhp 1.4-litre FSI unit utilises it to good effect. Again, the engine doesnt transform the Golf into rocketship but the 12.9s 0-62mph time and the 108mph top speed dont tell the whole story either.
This 1.4 FSI uses a high-powered injection pump similar to that found in Volkswagens TDI diesel engines to produce more efficient combustion. Resulting in better economy, lower emissions and, crucially, more torque. The FSI technology helps deliver torque of 184lb/ft at 3,750rpm where the standard 1.
4 manages only 93lb/ft at 3,800rpm. The proof is in the pudding and an FSI powered Golf feels livelier off the line and through the gears than one packing the basic 1.4-litre. Fuel economy is also slightly boosted to 43.
5mpg. The S trim level is the Golf laid bare or at least as bare as the sectors most opulently constructed product gets. Climatic air-conditioning, a six-speaker CD player and ABS brakes with hydraulic assistance are all standard and those are arguably the three specification features that UK motorists value the above all others. Theres ESP stability control too, even though the 1.
4-litre engines probably lack the grunt needed to upset the Golfs supremely balanced chassis. Twin front airbags, curtain airbags, active head restraints, electric mirrors, electric front windows and power steering also feature. Sit in a Golf S and it really doesnt feel all that Spartan. Some of the plastics used dont appear particularly sturdy and the steel wheels are a blot on the exterior landscape but most of the basic equipment that makes a car pleasant to use day-in day-out is included.
Look at what the higher SE and Sport trim levels add and its largely frivolous styling-orientated stuff or dubious convenience features that most people could function quite happily without. Theres no denying that higher spec Golfs look better than the S but for £12,000 it seems a very complete car indeed. The nagging concern that you could be missing out on something which accompanies many entry-level hatchbacks has been successfully banished by Volkswagen. The Golfs chassis produces a fine balance between comfort and lithe handling.
The car isnt as sparky as a
Ford Focus but even with a 1.4-litre engine supplying the motive force, drivers should get something out of a stint behind the wheel. On longer journeys, its composed and relaxing, smoothing the bumps and eating up the miles. Interior space is also good with ample accommodation for two six-foot people in the front and one of the most voluminous rears in the class.
The controls and instrumentation in the cab are laid out in typically simple Volkswagen fashion and the gearstick has a tight, short throw action - even if the top of the shifter does feel a tad bulbous in the hand. Even the basic Golf models have that mark of Volkswagen quality about them. The higher trim levels jazz the package up a bit more but a 1.4-litre S derivative still displays most of the attributes that make the MKV Golf the car that it is.
Theres no getting round the fact that you do pay a premium for a Volkswagen but the Golfs standard equipment quota and the quality of the chassis makes scraping around for those few extra pounds look like a sensible course of action. Buyers looking for real performance will need to venture higher up the range but if youve seeking a top line family hatch on a budget, the Golf 1.4-litre models wont leave you feeling short-changed.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volkswagen Golf 1.4-litre range
PRICES: £11,845-£13,040 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 156-168g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.4 FSI] Max Speed 108mph / 0-60mph 12.9s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4 FSI] 32.5mpg (urban) 53.3mpg (extra urban) 43.5mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4204/2010/1485
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