Volkswagen cars

VOLKSWAGEN has given the Passat a fresh style injection with the announcement of an R-line trim level.The model has also had a change of engine. A turbocharged and supercharged 1.4-litre TSI petrol unit with 158bhp has been introduced to replace a 1.8-litre unit that produced the same power.The R-line Passat features a …

VOLKSWAGEN Commercial Vehicles has revealed an Amarok Power-Pickup concept featuring a 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine with a power output of 268bhp and 443lb.ft of torque.It was unveiled at the annual GTI enthusiasts’ meeting on the shores of Lake Wörthersee in Austria, at which the Volkswagen group always has a significant presence.The …

NEW TO THE impressive Volkswagen Golf range is the highly efficient BlueMotion model. Offering a claimed fuel economy of 88.3 mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 85 g/km, but still offering the refinement and comfort of the standard car.With its 50-litre fuel tank and 88.3 mpg fuel consumption, the new Golf BlueMotion …

THE BEETLE reboot continues with Volkswagen taking the car to the next, and logical, step in its evolution: going roofless. Of course Volkswagen has been here before; previous iterations of the ‘new’ Beetle boasted a cabriolet variant. However, as you would expect, evolution has brought a number of welcome improvements.Like …

THE compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) market is a booming one. Far and away exceeding the expectations of the various manufacturers, cars like Ford’s Kuga, Skoda’s Yeti, Volkswagen’s Tiguan and Nissan’s Qashqai have captured the imagination of an army of buyers.And then there’s Toyota’s RAV4, the compact SUV credited …

Volkswagen have announced the production of the world's most fuel efficient car - designed like a futuristic motor and capable of an incredible 313MPG

ENGINES – Realistically, if you don’t plan on racking up the miles, one of the small capacity petrol motors will be fine. They are quiet, refined and surprisingly frugal. Mile munchers will appreciate the frugal nature of the diesel units, although some rival offerings are quieter.EXTERIOR – This generation Polo is possibly …

YOU didn’t really think Volkswagen would radically alter its hugely popular family car, did you? The cornerstone of the German firm’s range, the Golf, has been a market leader or thereabouts for many years. However, you don’t get to this position by spooking buyers into running towards the competition.Longer, wider and …

ENGINES – Thanks to the deep reserves of the Volkswagen parts bin, the Fabia boasts a good selection of frugal petrol and diesel engines. Save for the hot vRS model, don’t expect lightning performance from the range – this is very much a car for undemanding drivers.EXTERIOR – Looking a little more upright than its predecessor, …

A NEW Volkswagen Golf launch is always much more significant than this seventh-generation model’s visual changes would have you believe.Aside from a little Audi-style squaring-off of some of the car’s corners there’s not too much that’s different at a glance. But look closely and you’ll see a more radical set of changes …

HOLD YOUR fire. Yes, there is a brand-new seventh generation Golf just around the corner which will eventually spawn Cabriolet and GTI versions of its own. But that’s some way off yet as the Golf VII won’t start deliveries until early next year. In the meantime, the excellent Golf VI is being given a proper send off.Enough …

ENGINES –A small but sensibly chosen range of petrol and diesel motors are available for the S40. Volvo was famous for embracing turbocharging across its range, and some of the early petrol motors boast a healthy performance boost over rival offerings. Diesel fans should warm to the better than average four-cylinder motors.EXTERIOR …

IT WOULD be quite easy to imagine that the life of a motoring journalist revolves around laughably powerful supercars with 20 cylinders that run on Bambi tears – conspicuous consumption in other words. And while there may be a grain of truth in it (apart from the Bambi tears) what excites more than a 300mph manhood compensator …

ENGINES – The Golf Plus shares much with its slightly smaller Golf relative, and that includes engines. Predictably the former’s focus is on being sensible, which is why engine choice is largely modest in terms of horsepower. What’s not in short supply is ability, as VW’s engine line-up be it petrol or diesel is hard to …

NOT so long ago the hot hatch scene was less fashionable than flared trousers. Sky-high insurance premiums thanks to inflated theft and accident risks plus competition from other sectors of the market pushed hot hatches close to extinction.What a difference a few years have made. Now you can't move for beefed-up family …

ENGINES – Being a Seat means you get to choose from a good rage of petrol and diesel engines. And being a car from the Volkswagen family means you can be sure that the oil burners are particularly good. With the Altea XL very much a people carrier, you'll be grateful of the latter's economy.EXTERIOR – The Altea appeared …

ENGINES – In recent years we’ve come to appreciate the depth of VW’s talents in the engine department, however in a bid to promote a more ‘premium’ driving experience the firm’s Eos is a largely petrol-driven model. Save for a token diesel option it’s petrol all the way and, no doubt, this quieter approach will make sense …

THE EXEO has been thought of as something of a wise buy ever since its release in 2009. Wearing the undergarments of a previous generation Audi A4, only partially disguised with a nice new-for-2012 Seat frock means it’s a bit of a bargain.If I may be so bold as to shift the bottom line up so high, at £22,290 on your drive …