Okay, so what exactly am I doing here? I like to believe that given a knowledge of the topic, as well as continuous experience of the profession, I can provide a certain insight into what car prospective buyers should focus. The trick is not to approach it not necessarily as a critic and subsequent nit-picker, but rather as an other consumer. That way, the recommendation can come from a perspective that you, the reader, share, and can therefore take it to heart more easily than a rant from someone who has ridiculously high standards about what size his air vents should be.
However, there are, as can be expected, some very extreme exceptions to this approach.
The new VW Golf. Photo: File by Sam Spiller.
Up to this point, my major problem with the VW Golf, as it is with all Volkswagen vehicles, was its price. There can no doubt be that they are quality products, but in a time where lower prices are achievable for minor concessions not visible to the naked eye, they can be frustrating at times to justify, especially also when it came to the standard features list. That being said, the biggest problem one could level against this car, one which has become a defining legend for the German automaker during the last four decades, is that it’s…just a Golf. And that can summarise what I ultimately think about this car. It’s a just a Golf.
…but it’s VERY GOOD at being just a Golf.
The new VW Golf. Photo: File by Sam Spiller.
Prices for the face-lifted seventh-generation hatchback start at R289 900, with my test car being the base-model 1.0TSi Trendline. Competition includes the Renault Megane, Opel Astra, and the Ford Focus, the last two also sporting 1 000cc power plants. The engine in this car is the major headliner of the face-lift, producing 81 kW and 200 Nm of torque. Expect this engine to also be available in the all-new Polo when it’s released next year. Along with the 1.0-litre, two other engines are currently available, the old 1.4-litre turbo-petrol good for 92 kW and 200 Nm, and the 2.0-litre 169 kW turbo-petrol found in the GTi. Two diesel variants for the GTi and Comfortline are expected at a later date, as well as a more powerful 2.0-litre petrol power plant for the R-Line.
Back to the 1.0TSi. This engine is mysteriously good. This is not a small car, and for this small engine to be able to reach the red line this quickly is something to compliment. Fuel consumption is reported to be 4.8l/100km, but that will increase with the amount of luggage and people on board. But that being said, this is a very capable engine and is not to be underestimated. Having tested the 1.4TSi in the previous-gen Tiguan, I will contently say that that engine in this car will do a good job as well.
The steering, though easily responsive, is quite sharp, which may take some getting used to. The same goes for this six-speed manual transmission and its ratios. Given the size of the power plant you’ll be out of first and into second just moments after launch. The ratios are very close together and at the speed you can change between gears, one could forget which one you’re in (well, I did). The ride is excellent and up to standard.
The interior looks new and improved. Photo: Sam Spiller.
On the outside, the design tweaks have been minimal, with the new Golf sporting some revised headlamps (daytime running lights are now standard) and fog lights, and the rear also has a new back bumper. Inside the changes are more noticeable. The old touchscreen infotainment system has been ditched for a new glinting black 8-inch interface, complete with standard Bluetooth and app connectivity. Higher-up models one-up with a Discover Navigation Pro, which boasts an 9.2-inch high definition screen which can be gesture controlled.
There is no reason why you wouldn’t buy a Golf right now. However, VW will remain the most difficult car brand to talk and write about. Given the love South Africans have for it, combined with the fact that they are legitimately good cars, they do set a particular standard. I will never own one, but that’s only because there are more interesting air vents out there. But dear readers, you’ll never be better off.
VW’s local sales and marketing team surround the new ‘bad boy’: Photo: File by Sam Spiller.
