2013 Volkswagen Golf: official details of lighter, safer, greener small car

By Tim Beissmann
August 23rd, 2012

FIND DEALS

Intimate details of the all-new Volkswagen Golf have been revealed overnight, with the German manufacturer confirming its seventh-generation small car will be lighter, more efficient, safer and more technologically advanced than its predecessor.

Expected in Australia around the middle of next year following its official unveiling in Germany on September 4, the 2013 Golf hatchback will become the second of more than 40 small and mid-sized vehicles to ride on the Volkswagen Group’s versatile new MQB platform, following the new Audi A3 that debuted at the 2012 Geneva motor show.

UK publication Autocar reports the new Volkswagen Golf will be 4255mm long (+56mm), 1799mm wide (+13mm) and 1452mm tall (-28mm). The wheelbase has grown by 59mm to 2637mm, while the front and rear track widths have been stretched 8mm and 6mm respectively.

The larger dimensions create more interior space, with rear-seat legroom growing 15mm, front and rear shoulder room up approximately 30mm, and boot space up 8.6 per cent to 380 litres.

The introduction of an electronic park brake has cleaned up the centre console area and created more storage space, while the interior is said to have a classier feel.

Volkswagen claims the new Golf will be up to 100kg lighter than the old car, with the base model set to tip the scales at around 1050kg. A higher percentage of ultra-high-strength steel throughout the platform and body shaves 23kg from the new hatch’s mass, while a revised suspension set-up with increased aluminium use saves a combined 26kg across the front and rear assemblies.

A range of engines will be offered in the Volkswagen Golf Mk7 line-up, including the company’s new 103kW 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with cylinder deactivation technology that should return combined cycle fuel consumption of approximately 4.8 litres per 100km.

A 77kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel will also feature, sipping a hybrid-rivalling 3.8L/100km combined.

The new Golf GTI will feature a new 165kW 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, while the Golf R – seen here in these spy shots – is expected to run a more powerful version of the current car’s powerplant.

As the images reveal, the new Golf R, which is not expected to launch until 2014, sports sinister rectangular LED daytime running lights, high-gloss black alloy wheels wrapped in low-profile rubber, a larger lower grille opening for increased cooling at the front and quad exhaust outlets at the rear, replacing the outgoing model’s centrally positioned twin pipes.

The Golf also promises to set a new benchmark for intelligent safety and driver assist systems, with the new model set to feature emergency autonomous braking at speeds below 30km/h, a collision brake system that pulls the car up in the shortest distance upon impact, adaptive cruise control, fatigue detection, lane assist, bird’s-eye view camera display and the latest version of the manufacturer’s automatic parking system.

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SLORE

Will set the benchmark even higher for other cars in this segment when it is revealed in full detail.
- Bluesoup
  
  Aswell as both ownership pricing and reliability issues
  - Damian
    
    Come on, Bluesoup; this is hardly a fair assessment of a car that hasn’t be released yet.
    - Bluesoup
      
      you only need to look @ previous generations my friend! I agree it may get better in regards to cost of ownership and reliability but from my experiences still has a long long way to go to be the benchmark in these areas.
    - Captain Nemo®™
      
      Why isn’t it a fair assessment Damian? Plenty of people pass judgement on other cars even from just CGI. With comments like “oh it will not drive very well”
      Bluesoup is right about reliability though nothing will change its a VeeDud.
      - Emelia
        
        Because you cannot assess something that is not even available for assessment. Lucky we have you with your incredible foresight and intelligence to guide us with your know-it-allness. Thank goodness.
  - DAVIDZ
    
    +1
    
    not only that they are going back to cam belts on the engine, to save a few bucks abd a few $$
    
    FAIL, a overpriced and underdone vehicle as always
  - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001052011893 Ishmael Monnathebe
    
    GOLF wil only be reliable the day they stop installing the gas pump directly inside the gas tank! i wass shocked when i found wires, connectors etc inside the gas tank…so ive been sitting on a petrol bomb hopefully mine will go for the next 1 year then i sell/scrap it. enuf with petrol bombs.
Jober As A Sudge

Looking forward to details of the Golf R.
Hoping reliability of the 1.4TSI engine has been addressed as well.
- Golfschwein
  
  The 1.4 litre engines are all new and turbocharged only.
  - Jober As A Sudge
    
    I note they have mentioned the 103kw version but will there be a slightly more powerful 1.4 matching the old TSI output? Really liked the old 1.4TSI performance wise…just a shame it was a ticking timebomb
  - F1MotoGP
    
    According to Autobild this is the engine selection.
    
    Petrol:
    1.2 TSI, 63 kW/165 Nm • 1.2 TSI, 77 kW/175 Nm • 1.4 TSI, 90 kW/200 Nm •
    1.4 TSI, 118 kW/250 Nm • 2.0 TSI, 132 kW/320 Nm • 2.0 TSI, 162 kW/350
    Nm • 2.0 TSI, 220 kWS/400 Nm.
    
    Diesel:
    1.6 TDI, 66 kW/230 Nm • 1.6 TDI, 77 kW/250 Nm • 2.0 TDI, 103 kW/320 Nm • 2.0 TDI, 125 kW/350 Nm • 2.0 TDI, 162 kW/450 Nm.
    
    Source: Autobild
    - Random
      
      Sounds fantastic, and VW usually leads it’s competitors where customer choice is concerned. But somehow I doubt they will provide all those engine options here.
    - Jon
      
      162kW/450Nm 2.0 TDI diesel , mmm very impressive, guess it is for GTD?
jekyl & hyde

1050kg’s is very impressive.
- AndyGF
  
  I agree, that where real gains in performance AND economy can be had… Its a win-win.
Andrew Sherwood

Not sure about VW Golf setting new safety benchmarks in its class when the A-Class and its other competitors will have exactly the same features and also will have automatic parking function available. It will be a close fought battle on the driving ability and only a comparison with the A-Class will determine whether it still has the edge it has maintained for a long time. The A-Class will be its strongest rival in all aspects until BMW updates its car.
- coolbeans
  
  It will be a lot more affordable than the A Class, so that’s already a win.
- Al
  
  Dont forget Volvo v40 either.
  When will the gti be released in Oz?
  - Jon
    
    sometime in 2013…
- Legnab
  
  A CLASS will be very good but price will put up against A3 not the golf , hot hatch wars are going to be really on now with ST , and opel still pondering , plus renault .
notatoy

Is it going to have torsion beam rear suspension?
- SLORE
  
  What a stupid question…
  - notatoy
    
    Why is it stupid? As far as I know, some models, if not all, are going have torsion beam rear suspensions.
    - Golfschwein
      
      Not a chance. The MkV had a multilink independent rear, the MkVI has the same. It would be like going back to a 4 speed transmission, I reckon.
      - Save It For The Track
        
        Really?? Renaultsport does quite well with torsion beam rear suspension in Megane RS. It’s not a Golf or a VW that holds the current FWD lap record at the Nurburgring…
      - Bob222
        
        The i30 has gone from multi link back to torsion beam. So… its possible.
gt86.com.au

hope the infotainment system is half decent..the current one needs a serious update.
Falcodore

Oo legnab… legnab.. where are you.. have you wiped yourself yet?
- Legnab
  
  Back in your old tech OZ bomb , whats it worth today three fifths of *u%k all .
Ian

Isnt the Golf actually the 3rd car to be shown using the MQB platform? 1st – Audi A3, 2nd – Seat Leon.
guest @ guest

OH!!! What did Hyundai say about i30 again????
I DON’T THINK SO… It’s long way to go Mr Hyundai….
Zaccy16

Cant wait for this. The current golf is still the class benchmark but this will set the bar even higher!
- DAVIDZ
  
  in laalaa land?
  
  benchmark in $990 “service” lol
  
  the great man once said “one born evey minute” = vw buyers…lol
  - Legnab
    
    Pray tell me what service is $990 , my 15k was $356 , thats cheap for a year , not 6 months but 1 whole year .
  - Not logged in today
    
    Where do you get a $990 service from? Which one is it? The 60,000? 75,000? Even my 90,000 service, with a few optional items thrown in (wheel rotation, wiper blades front and rear) was just over $500.
  - Mad Max
    
    The only service that gets close to $990 is the 60’000 and 120’000 when fitted with DSG. Thats the standard service plus DSG service. But then why let facts get in the way of a good (lie) story…
  - Carlover
    
    People forget that VW’s have 15K service intervals versus 10K for many Japanese cars. A golf is actually cheaper to service over 160K than a Corolla. FACT -Check it out.
Random

I hope they introduce a mechanical LSD to the GTI instead of the power sapping electronic version.
Keener pricing will see them dominate the small car segment but somehow I think they will continue trading on people’s ignorance that VW is really Germany’s Holden.
- Legnab
  
  No its not power sapping , funny but ford is adopting the same cheaper solution on the focus ST , actually works well considering the power going through the front .
  - Robin_Graves
    
    So a brake converting rotational energy into heat is not power sapping? OK Einstein. Torsen LSD is the best if there is no chance of one wheel coming completely off the ground.
    - Legnab
      
      Not power sapping on the focus ST or the GTI , FORD must know what their doing , well with the focus at least, not so with the old tubby falcoon as it slowly grinds its way to oblivion .
      - Garrywhopper
        
        Your mrs is tubby
      - Robin_Graves
        
        The badge on the front doesn’t change the laws of physics. Brakes convert rotational energy to heat, that takes power. Give it up you are clearly WRONG
Robin_Graves

“German manufacturer confirming its seventh-generation small car will be lighter, more efficient, safer and more technologically advanced than its predecessor.”
No mention of better reliability, by far the biggest weakness that VeeDud have at the moment and it’s not being addressed? FAIL.
- Igor
  
  You’re a boring & repetitive twit that deliberately tries to offend people..add immature to that accurate description too.
  I know 4 people with late model VW’s (2 Golf DSG’s) & they all love their cars & report no reliability problems.
  Now who should I believe?
  Real people with real experiences or an anonymous & faceless cyber troll such as you?
  - Robin_Graves
    
    Quite a few insults there – hypocrite much? I dont give a damn who you believe, the facts are VeeDuds are lemons. Its your money, roll the dice if you dare.
    - Legnab
      
      No the lemon is the falcoon , must be, sales keep dropping and dropping , so does resale , ditch it while you can grave robber . fiesta would suit you .
  - twincharger
    
    I know two drivers of new VW”s.Golf and Polo,golf replacement dsg 36,000 km,polo had engine replacement and numerious warranty complaints.
  - Legnab
    
    I have had three golf’s , two suppliers golf and passat , no issues igor .
    
    The falcadore whiners who see the life blood being sapped out of their old tech OZ bombs cant cope with superior small cars so they rant on with myths that they dream up , so sad .
    
    Soon they can wrap their hands around a fusion or a malabore .
    - Jober As A Sudge
      
      Technology is great…when it works properly! Here’e hoping Mk7 has addressed those reliability problems
      - Mad Max
        
        My wife and I have had a few Golfs (diesel and petrol GTI’s) plus my current Passat and have had nothing but a great run with no issues. But then why let the truth get in the way of a great story. So if CURRENT VW’s are so bad, why are there not hundreds and thousands of people complaining worldwide??? Many of the issues people have is using incorrect fuel (91 RON not 95/98) putting petrol in diesel cars, using non authorised service centres that using non genuine parts and incorrect lubricants and then having the DSG boxes serviced with non VW oils. Yes VW’s cost a bit more to service than a Toyota or a Hyundai so if you can’t afford it, don’t buy the car the whinge!
      - Jober As A Sudge
        
        Folks had a 1.4TSI which has just had an engine replaced thanks to a melted piston. Quick internerd search suggests that their experience is one of many experienced worldwide with this engine (not “hundreds and thousands of people” but enough to make it a concern . As i have stated many times before…it’s a great car let down by significant fault. I’m not slating all VW products but it would make me slightly hesistant in buying a 1.4TSI
      - Captain Nemo®™
        
        Whatever helps you sleep at night Max.
        What are you saying VeeDud owners are dumb? plenty of VeeDud owners only get their car serviced at the dealership and still have engine failures.
        Plenty of owners only use 98PULP and still have engine failures. As for wrong fuel in wrong car (Diesel/Petrol) your clutching at straws for excuses buddy.
        You need to take those rose tinted VeeDud fanboy glasses off champ. Accept the fact beloved VeeDud has more mechanical problems than any other make.
    - Robin_Graves
      
      Bunghole you really are a little backward aren’t you. You keep going on about these ‘reps’ and ‘suppliers’ that tell you stories. That’s their job you tool! They know you are a veedud batty boy so they tell you what you want to hear to sell you things? You are about as sharp as one of your dodgy saucepans.
      - Legnab
        
        Grave robber you do live i a strange world , these guys own the cars as they own the business , only fools driving falcoon GE6 dumsters delude themselves into believing they their oz bombs are perfect , perfectly valueless in todays climate .
      - Robin_Graves
        
        And the ‘reps’ who spin you tales of woe about their repmobile Falcons and Commodores? Your as gullible as they come, I guess that’s why you back a lemon brand that build hand grenades.
    - Fairlane
      
      Atleast Falcons can handle 91RON without voiding their warranty.
      
      VW’s must have piss weak engines.
    - Fairlane
      
      Atleast Falcons can handle 91RON without voiding their warranty.
      
      VW’s must have weak engines.
      - Legnab
        
        Failane , only boggo dumsters run on 91 , get real , time to bury the old ford in the back paddock , go get a fiesta .
      - Fairlane
        
        Golf + 91RON = kabooom
  - Bt888
    
    OK, I’ll bit too, have owned, and currently own a VW, and I agree completely with some of the -ve comments here about VW, you won’t know until you’ve own one. Go and look up ETKA, their parts catalogue, see how many parts are ‘available’ as individual parts as opposed to VW’s complete replacement of failed $1 parts. Seal gone, replacement of complete DSG, 10 cents LED, replace complete dash….you’re an incomplete VW fanboy, incomplete because the other half is a troll.
- Carlover
  
  Well Alfa have been promising better reliablity with every new model for years and not much has changed? Despite this negative example , of course all car makers try to fix recurrent faults because they cost them money.
  
  The thing with VW is that they are early adopters of new technology. Direct Injection, Dual Clutch Transmissions, Laser welding – VW’s are full of innovation. The fact is that this technology is why their cars dominate new car comparison tests. I agree there are sometimes problems when the new car buyer can become the ‘beta tester’ for these new technologies and experience problems but to suggest that the maker does not at least try to sort them out is ridiculous.In internation surveys VW rate quite well. Japanese and Korean cars get the gong for reliablity but both VW and Renault dominate road testers verdicts fo rmaking the best hot hatch. The Europeans are doing something right and most owers I have spoken with love their car.
JamesB

They keep focusing on its crash and green credentials such that they forgot to make it reliable and sensible to service.
Luke Brinsmead

The Golf has proven (source: TÜV) to provide above average reliability, I can’t say the same for the Polo however, showing up as being below average. It’s a great all-round car that brings new technology to the masses at a reasonable price. Also, If you view the Golf’s operating costs on RACQ, NRMA, RACV etc it also compares favourably. Here’s some figures to prove my point. For Service and Repaires the Golf 90TSI is 6.68 cents per kilometre, Mazda3 Neo: 7.70 cents, Toyota Corolla Ascent: 7.11 cents and the Hyundai i30 SX: 6.05 cents. Source: RACQ Car Running Costs 2012.
- Mad Max
  
  Give up Luke!!! You can’t using logic on these forums as the masses will rebel and still type the same miss-information and lies that they like to pedal. That’s why nobody has replied to you (apart from me) because you used facts and logic. Its simply not allowed!
  - Robin_Graves
    
    Its running costs, towing costs are not included.
  - Luke Brinsmead
    
    Yeah, it’s such a shame isn’t it. Subjective critisism over objective facts.
Save It For The Track

The new tune of the 2.0l turbos is of most interest with the much improved torque figure. The new Gti should be quite something with the 25% increase in torque and with less weight. The VW/Audi group petrol turbos seem to be getting closer and closer to their diesels both in terms of torque and in fuel economy.
Shak

I know this is a bit off topic, but does anyone know if the VW Up! has officially gone in sale in Australia yet? I’m asking because i saw one parked on Woodville Road in Sydney yesterday in front of a hipster cafe, but i was pretty sure they weren’t on sale. It was red with NSW licence plates, and looked slick and shiny new.
- Luke Brinsmead
  
  I was wondering the same thing, I think they might be arriving sometime next month.
Car Fanatic

I’ll have the 162 kw Diesel thanks

Incidentally, I own a Mk V, 78,000 on the clock, no issues. I love how every VW hater knows someone, a friend of a friend of a friend. It’s never first hand experience, just first hand drivel.

Can’t wait for the VII release, they better release that Diesel screamer in Aus.
- Sumpguard
  
  The reason it is not first hand because they have been warned off the product! It’s not rocket science kiddo. I actually love these cars but only from a distance. I know buyers with horror stories. That is why I don’t own one. I’m not prepared to take the risk.
  
      We had a Jetta diesel as a hire car from Melbourne to Brisbane via the coastla route and it was a fantastic drive. That very same model had endless issues it later emerged. A mate onws a car yard up here and has told me to steer clear. I suspect given he handles the product he has a fair idea of the issues.
  
     A client’s GTi spat the transmission at 11,000 kms. and “she” had never driven it hard.
  
     It’s great that you want to own them. Just don’t expect me to until VW can show a clear span of decent reliability. They aren’t there yet!
MK

Loved our Golf, but DSG went at 15′km.
- Not logged in today
  
  How much did it cost you to replace?
  - F1MotoGP
    
    Should be under warranty.
    - Robin_Graves
      
      Towing is not, time without a car is not, being stuck somewhere and needing a taxi to get home and back to the stealership is not, time off work is not.
      - Legnab
        
        Ford owners would be quite used to lots of down time , not so good with customer relations from what i hear
      - http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass
        
        You’re in denial, don’t change the subject.
      - Legnab
        
        Dr KARL the expert , ive never had down time on any of 3 golfs , towing only happens to falcoons as they head to the dump .
      - Robin_Graves
        
        Chances are the taxi that comes to rescue the stranded VeeDud owner will be a Falcon. Oh the irony.
      - Legnab
        
        Grave robber i dont see to many falcoons where i live , all toyotas , maybe blacktown is where the oz bombs reside .
      - Luke Brinsmead
        
        No one wants the inconvenience of a breakdown. But if the chance was 21.7% in a 10 year old Golf compared to a 14.9% in a 10 year old Corolla, I think I could still sleep at night.
Showtime

I’m a bit over these VW haters and I don’t even own one! You should appreciate that the Golf is the class benchmark for the small-car class.
- Fairlane
  
  Maybe you should tell legnob the same thing,when he refers to a Falcon.
Rightindicators

Well lets all wait until the review comes out next year, wait another couple of years and see if anyones’ got bad experiences and check the JD power reliability surveys. In the meantime, chill out and relax.
Legnab

According to autoblog thats actually the R in the pics not the GTI .
dookie

nanna will be happy, she can get a new GTI to get her shopping on fridays
qikturbo

I wonder if the next Golf R will have a larger margin of performance than the Golf GTI ?
I have never considered the GTI as a Hot hatch due to the pi$$ weak 280nm and 155 kw however,the Golf R has had more respect by me as a hot hatch.
I believe the next Golf R should have at least 220kw and 400nm and leave the GTI for the turtle neck wearing,cafe latte sipping, sucked on a lemon look drivers.
- Legnab
  
  Expect 260hp in the GTI , mine pulls 188kw , 410nm is that enough grunt , for mr Kmart drag queen .
  - matt
    
    fully sik lowrd turbo bru…!! hahaha whos the bogan now
  - qikturbo
    
    I was commenting on the Golf R but It’s unlikely that the next GTI will have 194kw(260 hp).That amount of power would overwhelm the usual GTI driver?
    Your re-flashed Golf is indicative of what the majority of GTI(enthusiasts) owners have to do in order to keep up with stock hot hatches and other cars.
    I had a FORD FOCUS XR5 that was re-flashed and I assure you my 200kw and 450nm would blow your pretentious and sissy “hot hatch” into the weeds.
    - Legnab
      
      According to the real people in europe it will be 260hp , you stick with your starwars XR5 plasticy interior pretend GTI , i drove it, a bit pedestrian and down market , not the real deal .
      - Sydlocal
        
        …but it sounds so much better than the Golf which is all part of the experience. However the lack of cruise control and not proper left footrest on a car that expensive is a joke.
      - Legnab
        
        Agreed no cruise is a joke , they have rectified it new model which is far superior car .
  - Fairlane
    
    you should sell your one to buy this new one,its got more console space for your skinny non fat soy mocha cappachino latte.
    - Legnab
      
      No mate scotch is my poison , than again your probably down at Mc Cafe getting a cappo and a fatty burger , most failanes have greasy seats .
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass
    
    That’s almost as much power as a Falcon. You should be very proud.
    - Legnab
      
      Sure am and its 400kg lighter , not so tubby round the bends .
Garrywhopper

Well the DSG in my golf went at 5000kms, what are you supposed to think when you are let down so badly like that
- Paul
  
  If you drive a VW just be Very Wary
- Legnab
  
  TOTALLY cover by warranty unless you were doing track work , would have been replaced .
  - Garrywhopper
    
    Not really the point it though, you seem to think its normal for cars to do this. The thought of owning a VW out of warranty gives me shivers
    - twincharger
      
      Good point Gary,massive cheque for new VW”s on order.No dealer or auctioneer will touch a 5 year old veedud.
      The only one of legnads cars to go the distance was his VK Commodore.
      - Legnab
        
        Never had a problem shifting my trade and i got good residule unlike falcodores that drop like stones , more tales of woe from the OZ bomb brigade , pray tell me why VW are growing sales by 14% this year .
      - Paul
        
        they are not growing @14% on the same model, they are growing from introduction of new models and variants of existing. All this mean is 2-3 years down the track, VW owners will just find out that all support will be divided amongst ever greater numbers of models and variants, dealers can’t afford to stock ever greater number of parts and send their techs to ever greater number of training sessions for ever greater number of models and variants. It’s already happening …..if you own a VW, you play you pray, be Very Wary.
      - Robin_Graves
        
        Of course a VeeDud stealership is going to trade on a new VeeDud. They would have seen you coming from a mile away. And is ‘Pray tell’ your favourite rep’s new saying? Puppet
      - Legnab
        
        BLA BLA paul more tales of woe , this aint no small time co , better pray you can get spares for the grave robbers G6E when its dead and gone .
      - Legnab
        
        Grave robber pray tell me whats the trade value of your G6E tubby falcoon , not much today and even less when the shut the line down , not even wanted as a pappadam taxi .
      - Robin_Graves
        
        Bunghole you couldnt drive your way out of a wet paper bag. I’ll blitz you around any track in an AU forte on LPG with half a million clicks on the clock. It’ll still keep going for another 10 years while your Flog slinks home on a trailer broken again. We all know falcons have bad resale value. We all know VeeDud’s are lemons. Some of us can deal with reality.
      - Legnab
        
        Grave robber thats funny , AU hah what a looser that was , your GE6 is very closely related to that failure , they never recovered from that sales flop all down hill , see you on the B roads in your tubby falcoon , remember there are corners out there .
er

I wanna know really… Is VW reliability issues that serious? My friend’s thinking of buying a 2013 GTI but is a bit hesitant cause he heard too much about VW’s mechanical problems and he’s not a car enthusiast like us checking CA for news everyday.
- Glenn59
  
  Anybody who buys the first model of ANY brand takes a gamble. It is always safer to wait a year or two for the bugs to be sorted out. This is especially true of high technolgoy cars like Volkswagons.
  
  Regarding Volkswagons in general, peopel need to remember that VW is an earlyadopter of new technologies. This technical edge is why they win most of the comparison test but it also means they may be until the bugs are sorted. VW actually do pretty well in many of the owners surveys but some models seem better sorted than others. Most problems have been with the DSG and 1.4 litre engine versions . Both are supposed to be fixed now but If you want to play it safe I have seen no substanted evidence against the current manual GTT.
  - er
    
    Yes that probably is the reason they’re known for bad reliability. But Seems it’s gunna be fine as long as DSG is avoided. I wish they built up expertise in the gearbox’s design for a bit longer rather than rushing to launch it cause if they did, maybe there wouldn’t be this many people with anger.
- Legnab
  
  I can tell you after three GTI’S that they are reliable , mine have all been manual , however those i know who have the 6speed DSG box have not had issues , i found it a bit cluncky round town , awesome in rural areas , some have had issues with the 7speed DSG on lesser models .
  
  This site is littered with tales of woe which have beat up stories of problems in lesser variants , the GTI is definately a sound reliable buy , with very good retained value , mighty performance and economy .
  - Garrywhopper
    
    You just angry cause your mrs weighs the same as a 60′s beetle
    - Legnab
      
      Floppy no grinding on about your mythical golf that blew up at 5000k’s which no one believes ever happened .
      - Garrywhopper
        
        Your mrs blew up years ago like an air compressor had been attached
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass
    
    While I don’t doubt your experiences, that doesn’t prove they’re reliable.
    Would you accept a reliability survey that had a sample size of 3 vehicles?
    - Robin_Graves
      
      He’s too retarded and deluded to know what that means.
  - er
    
    Oh, I know you Legnab. You’re the one who says every car is rubbish if it doesn’t come with a VW badge on every single article relating to VW. While I don’t doubt your experience with the 3 GTIs you had, it’s come to a point where your comment to me seems more of a joke than advice, to be honest.
    - Legnab
      
      der i i dont rubbish scoobies darn good cars , honda’s before they went soft, i would not keep buying GTI’S if they had problems , 3000+ a month are buying VW , why? .
      
      The OZ bomb supporters are fuming over the loss of market share with their tubby falcoons and crummers ,cars that really are yesterdays in terms of size and weight and technology , they did not read the market correctly 10 years ago .
      - Jober As A Sudge
        
        You’re overly defensive of VW. I would think even the most ardent VW fan would at least acknowledge that VW have/had a reliability problem with the Golf (i can’t comment on the other VW products as i don’t have experience with them). We aren’t talking minor faults either…gearbox and faulty engines are rather large problems and concerning.
      - Legnab
        
        THATS WHY SALES ARE SOARING people love unreliable cars , slobering judge back in your crummerdore .
      - Fairlane
        
        Legnab – Seems VW Golf buyers are the automotive equivalent of a Lemming
      - Legnab
        
        THATS right failane just like all the dumbo’s who bought falcoons and failanes , over rated and very average yet the fools bought them , now their educated and saw the stupidity of their ways .
      - Jober As A Sudge
        
        Nice try but I don’t own a Commodore fella! Happy to put my car up against yours at the track any day of the week since you seem out to prove yourself.
        Here’s an idea…try having a reasonable debate with someone rather than insulting anyone who disagrees with you. You might even learn something
F1MotoGP

”Despite Volkswagen’s DSG gearboxes being generally bulletproof,
Chinese customers have had problems with their DSG-equipped cars since
last year. VW officials have acknowledged the faults, have apologized
for the inconvenience and have increased the warranty for the gearboxes
to an unprecedented 10 years and 160,000Km (100,000miles). In China, the 30 minute software update was installed on around 500,000 VW and Skoda vehicles.”

Source: Autoevolution 25 May 2012
- Tom
  
  Also in the article:”The software updated did fix problems at first, but the over 500,000 affected cars from VW and Skoda came back to the dealerships with even more problems than before”
  “Apparently, this DSG gearbox issue is the most complained-about problem among Chinese car buyers this year. Hopefully, the extended warranty will satisfy customers, but from what we can gather, nobody has actually fixed the problem, nor can we find out what the problem is, exactly.”
Guest

Geeky, Twinks on OCAU (OverCryersAustralia) and Whingepool can rejoice now.
Lol

Interesting.