Volkswagen Golf
Debut: 2008 |
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34 years history, 5 generations, 26 million units sold, European No. 1 best seller... I suppose most of our readers are familiar with the achievement of Volkswagen Golf. However, what made it so successful is worth thinking. Though always been the benchmark of the family hatchback class, the Golf has never been a trend setter or innovator. Radical is not an adjective we would use to describe it. Build quality ? yes, undoubtedly good, but it is not the main reason people trusting it, because it never came close to Japanese cars in quality surveys. The key to its success is actually one word: Consistency. Look at its rivals, sometimes stylish and sometimes ugly, sometimes radical and sometimes conservative, sometimes great to drive and sometimes boring. No one else in this class evolve consistently and stick to its core values generation after generation like the Volkswagen. Like BMW 3-Series and Porsche 911, it built a strong reputation through consistent evolution. If consistency is good to Golf, then the latest evolution Golf VI must be better than ever. You may remember the outgoing Mk5 presented an unusually big leap forward. It brought a younger look, a classy multi-link rear suspension (in response to Ford Focus), advanced turbocharged direct-injection engines and double-clutch gearbox. It drove so well that Wolfsburg considered a major upgrade would be unnecessary this time. Therefore for the first time in its history, the new generation Golf is built on the underpinnings of its predecessor. Works are concentrated on new packaging, improving NVH and fine tuning everything. In other words, Golf VI is not really Golf VI. It is Golf 5.5 at best, or I would describe it as a mid-life upgrade of Mk5.
From the pictures, you can see the same location of hard points resulted in an identical shape to the last car, which looks too boxy these days. Nevertheless, you may say conservatism works in line with the core values of Volkswagen. In the seas of radically styled new cars, the conservative Golf is actually quite outstanding. (There are more than one ways to judge beauty) Moreover, a new horizontal grille and slim headlamps reassembling Scirocco bring a classier image. In natural sunlight it looks more elegant than in pictures. What a pity the rear end doesn't look any more special despite of new horizontal taillights. Volkswagen said 60 percent of all components are new to Golf VI. If this were true, then most components must be used in the exterior and interior packaging. Sometimes I don't quite understand how car makers count the number of components. Sharing the engines, gearboxes, steering and suspensions alone would contribute to more than 50 percent of all components, so there must be some tricks in the counting. Anyway, once you are in the cabin, you might forget that you are riding on the Mk5 platform. Why ? Because the new Golf is ultra-refined. Its ride is so smooth and quiet that you might assume you are in an executive car. Wind noise, tire noise, suspension noise and engine noise are barely audible. It sets new standard of refinement for the C-segment. To achieve this, Volkswagen gave it new engine mounts, quieter tires, extra sound deadening materials, more effective door seals and thicker laminated glass.
The cabin looks as conservative as exterior, but its build quality is another upgrade from the already outstanding Mk5. Panel fit and finish are better than ever. Soft-touch plastics cover even larger area. Controls are made even higher quality and more ergonomical. You can have very classy optional equipments, such as touch-screen infotainment system, radar cruise control, rear-view camera and even an automatic parallel parking system like Passat CC and Toyota Prius. As usual, the seats are well shaped, multi-adjustable and comfortable. Space is still competitive front and rear. Although the new Golf shares the same underpinnings with Mk5, we can hardly complain. Not many C-segment rivals employ independent multi-link rear suspensions like it. Not many's electrical power steering weighs as linear and deliver decent feel. Not many has a wide range of advanced petrol and diesel engines. These include the excellent 122hp 1.4 TSI direct injection turbo, 160hp 1.4 TSI direct injection twin-charger and 2.0 TDI common-rail turbo diesel. The Golf therefore combines great drivability, refinement and frugality. Moreover, none of its rivals have 6-speed manual gearbox as standard and offer 6 or 7-speed DSG gearbox as option.
Our pick of the range is the 160 hp 1.4 TSI twin-charger. Compare with the same unit in Golf V, it lost 10 horsepower at the top end but none of its tractability. It still produces 177 lb-ft of torque from 1500-4500 rpm, which enables a flexible driving character and relaxed motorway cruising. Equipped with 7-speed DSG gearbox, it can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds. Most amazing, its EU combined fuel consumption figure is improved from the old car's 39 mpg to 47 mpg, while CO2 emission is reduced from 174 to 139 g/km ! In curves, the Mk6 Golf retains the fine handling of Mk5, with excellent body control, composed ride and a secured feel. Optional adaptive damping (like Scirocco) improves things a little - sharper in Sport mode and softer in Comfort mode - although Ford Focus still feels sportier and more communicative. However, what makes the new Golf special is its ultra-refinement. Everything happens smoothly and quietly. It deserves to be called a junior executive car. |
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| The above report was last updated on 11 Oct 2008. All Rights Reserved. |
Golf R
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Tastefully styled, impeccably built and powered by a marvelous V6 engine, the outgoing Golf R32 was the most desirable hot hatch to me in the past decade. Now having switched to a low-carbon four-pot turbocharged engine and wrapped in the slightly less desirable clothes of Golf Mk6, can the new generation Golf R better its predecessor ? It is quite doubtful to me. Yes, I know the German would not have introduced the new car if it could not achieve higher performance and better handling again. In fact, the Golf R has 270 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque on tap, 20 hp and 22 lb-ft more than R32. Its engine comes straight from Audi S3, which means it is based on the older EA113 unit instead of the EA888 of Golf GTI because the latter is not robust enough. Power aside, the four-cylinder turbo engine is lighter than the old V6. In addition to other optimization, the whole car is 70 kg lighter than before. 0-60 mph acceleration is cut by nearly a second to 5.5 seconds. In case of DSG gearbox, the new record is 5.3 seconds compared to the previous 6.2 sec. Although I don't believe such figures can be easily repeated in real world, the new car is still decisively faster than R32 without question. It is greener too, with 199 grams of carbon-dioxide emitted per kilometer, down from 257 g. What it can't quite emulate is the smoothness, clean throttle response at very low rev and the sound quality of the narrow-angle V6. By the standard of high performance four-cylinder engines, this one is remarkably refined - strangely, more so than the one installed to Audi S3. However, in terms of subjective qualities, a four-cylinder will never match a well-tuned six-cylinder engine, especially is one as good as the old VR6. Sadly, Volkswagen group is phasing out the VR6 for the better of its fleet emission - and by the way save costs. Consequently, the bloodline dated back to the Mk3 Golf VR6 has finally come to an end. The Golf R also looks less elegant than R32. Its enlarged cooling intakes at both sides of the front bumper look a little rough, and the thin grille (like all Mk6 Golf) is no where as special as the chromed mask of R32. Elsewhere, both cars look similar. Their tails are distinguished from lesser Golfs by centrally-mounted twin-exhaust. Both cars employ 18-inch alloy wheels, one inch larger than GTI's, and larger brakes consisting of 345mm and 310mm discs front and rear. As expected, the suspension is lower and stiffer than GTI's. What's new is the availability of adaptive damping and ACC adaptive chassis control. The latter provides one switch to alter suspension firmness, steering weighting and throttle response altogether.
As before, the most powerful Golf needs all-wheel drive to tame its power, so 4motion is standard. This explains why it is heavier than GTI by 127 kilograms. The latest, fourth generation Haldex multi-plate clutch system is more responsive than the previous one. Previously, its hydraulic pressure was built by a mechanical pump driven by the speed difference between the input and output shafts, so there is no torque transfer when the rear wheels do not slip. The new system functions the same way, but its hydraulic pressure is built by an electric pump and assisted by a high-pressure accumulator so that, when the electronics detect the rear wheels slip, the multi-plate clutch can engage much more quickly with the readily available oil pressure. What it doesn't change is the way it transfers torque in normal condition - without tire slip, all the torque goes to the front wheels. On the road, the Golf R still feels like a front-wheel drive machine. However, find a twisty road and push it harder, its 4motion starts to make sense. Compare with Golf GTI, it displays slightly less understeer and more enthusiasm to turn into corners. Its added traction and lack of torque steer give you confidence to attack corners at higher pace. Ditto the tighter body control and powerful braking. Nevertheless, the 4motion does not allow 4-wheel drift like Evo or STI. It is not as entertaining to drive as a result. In fact, you may find the lighter, two-wheel-drive Scirocco R deliver a sharper driving experience. Oddly, the Golf R is more about covering back roads with comfort and refinement of a premium car. Compare with boy racer cars like Ford Focus RS and Renault Megane RS, its ride is smoother and its cabin is much quieter. On highway, its 225/40 tires generate no more noise than the Golf GTI, which is no small achievement. On the downside, the Golf R never feels as fast as it should. Despite of those eye-popping 0-60 mph figures, in real world it doesn't feel as powerful as the aforementioned Ford and Renault. As Autocar magazine found out in a comparison test, it is comprehensively outclassed by its rivals for pure acceleration. CAR magazine questioned whether it is sufficiently better than Golf GTI to justify its £30,000-plus price tag, which is 30 percent dearer before you add the most-wanted leather sports seats and DSG gearbox. The same can be said to the previous R32, but I would say the latter's V6 engine and more elegant design fulfill the job of a premium performance hatch better. The new R, satisfy neither the keenest drivers nor image chasers. |
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| The above report was last updated on 23 Feb 2010. All Rights Reserved. |
| AutoZine Rating | ||
 Golf |
 Golf GTI |
 Golf R |
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| Performance tested by: *Autocar, **C&D |
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by Mark Wan @ AutoZine