Volkswagen GOLF
Volkswagens Golf Can Teach Some Of Its Family Hatchback Rivals A Thing Or Two, Thinks Vanessa Hinkley
Think of a quality family hatchback and its hard not to think of a
Volkswagen Golf. Britain has always been one of Wolfsburgs favourite markets and particularly so with the latest Mark V version we have here at present. A Golf will cost you slightly more than an equivalent Astra or Focus but for me, the style and quality of the product makes the extra cash worthwhile.
With the Golf, Volkswagen talk about democratising luxury; taking expensive build quality and advanced technology and bringing it within reach of the normal persons pocket. Other competitors claim to have done this but in my view, its the Golf that truly sets the standard. Take a
seat behind the wheel and the fit and finish is so much better, every switch and stalk working with the kind of quality click youd expect to find in something much more expensive. I recognised the fascia design from the £50,000 Phaeton luxury saloon (no bad thing), although the centre console is lifted from the Touran
mini-MPV.
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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. I also liked the 2Zone climate control and four-way lumbar support fitted to my TDI test car. In addition, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), no fewer than six airbags as well as anti-lock brakes are fitted as standard throughout the range.
Big car features such as automatic activation of headlamps and wipers are built into the cars electronics. Trim levels run from S through SE and Sport to GT and, of course, GTi.
Both three and five door models are available, which means that soft-top fans may have to wait a while. The petrol hatches are powered by a choice of a 75bhp 1.4-litre unit or either of three higher-tech FSi units: a 1.4 developing 90bhp, a 1.6 with 115bhp or a 2.0-litre with 150bhp or a turbocharged 200bhp in GTi form.
Theres also the choice of two diesels, the familiar 1.9-litre unit, plus the newer 2.0 TDI also used in the Audi A3. Buyers seeking more grip can even opt for a 4MOTION 4x4 model.
This latter 2.0TDI unit was the one I tried and was especially impressive. This engine will punt the big-boned Golf through 60mph in 9 seconds and on to a top speed of 126mph, making it a brilliant long distance cruiser.
Prices start at £11,845 for the entry-level three-door, though that cars 1.4-litre petrol engine is, to be honest, a bit weedy to pull along a car of this weight. The 1.6-litre five-door models that most people buy start at £14,210.
Whichever Golf you choose, it will come complete with climatic air-conditioning, twin front airbags, side airbags, ESP, ABS, a height and reach-adjustable steering column and rear seats incorporating the clever Isofix system for attaching a child
seat. Its the little touches that impress you most though. Cup holders in the front and the rear, the self-dimming interior lights, the chrome tie-down hooks in the luggage area, the gas struts to hold up the bonnet, the special cover on the boot locking pin so you dont get things caught in it; I could go on but I wont save to say that this is a car that makes its competitors feel cheap.
This, I found, was a car that will please those with an eye for thoroughness and attention to detail. A very German, German car that, but for a few detail criticisms, sets a class standard unlikely to be bettered any time soon.
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