- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.4TSC, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
118kW, 240Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 6.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2009)
Volkswagen Golf 118TSI
The Volkswagen Golf feels like it's been around for ever, though at 35years of age it's still 30years shy of the lifespan of the original "people's car" it replaced.
Golf MarkVI arrives only five years after MarkV, the shortest lifecycle yet for a car that has reached more than 26million sales since its 1974 debut.
The MarkV Golf was complicated and expensive to build, so VW has set out to make the new model more refined, reliable and profitable.
The Golfs we'll get are no longer imported from South Africa but from Germany.
What do you get?
The 118TSI is the range-topping petrol-powered Golf - until the GTI arrives towards the end of the year - in a range that, for now, has shrunk to just three from the previous model's 10. This car starts at $30,490 for a 6-speed manual or $32,990 for the new, 7-speed version of VW's DSG dual-clutch gearbox, in place of a regular auto.
Options quickly inflate prices (our test car cost more than $45,000): leather seats are $3300, electric sunroof is $1900 and touch-screen audio-sat-nav is $4000.
However, this is not to say Volkswagen has been stingy with standard equipment.
The 118TSI includes dual-zone climate control, cruise control, multi-function steering wheel, trip computer, chilled glovebox, leather gearshift and handbrake levers, and power windows with auto up-down for the driver. Bluetooth and parking sensors, though, are disappointing omissions from the standard fare.
Safety
The Golf's safety credentials take a step up for MarkVI. While the new model, like its predecessor, has been awarded the maximum five stars by Euro NCAP (with a 97per cent mark for adult occupant protection), MarkVI introduces a seventh airbag (for drivers' knees) and makes stability control standard.
What's inside?
The GolfVI is a return to form when it comes to interior fit-out. Quality materials and smart cabin design come as standard.
A soft main dash section features chrome touches for air vents, dials, and steering-wheel controls.
The climate control panel is borrowed from the PassatCC four-door coupe, as is the multi-function leather steering wheel.
The optional touch-screen premium audio system is worth the $1800 extra. Opting for satellite navigation costs $4000 for both.
With little change to dimensions, there's still good head and legroom for adults. An array of storage options provides a place for drink bottles, maps, keys and the like.
The clever rear VW badge that flips to open the rear hatch is carried over, though boot space is average - not helped by rear seats that still come nowhere near folding flat.
Under the bonnet
VW's engine-downsizing continues, with a 1.4-litre "twincharger" engine replacing the old 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine.
The 118TSI successfully marries a supercharger and turbocharger to improve response throughout the rev range. VW says it sprints from 0-100km/h in 8.0seconds. That's 1.5seconds quicker than the old 2.0FSI auto, though rolling acceleration is arguably more impressive because the 240Nm of torque is delivered from 1750rpm-4500rpm.
The seven-speed DSG gearbox is a brilliant companion for the 1.4L dual-charged four-cylinder, though pick the Sport mode to get the best out of the engine on twistier roads.
The new DSG also retains the old six-speeder's annoying flaw of hesitating on initial take-off, so it can be frustrating in heavy traffic.
Strangely, VW says the six-speed manual version accelerates just as quickly as the DSG model, despite dual-clutch gearboxes being renowned for changing gears faster than a human.
The new-world transmission also typically produces much superior fuel figures to the manuals, though in the 118TSI's case the DSG is inferior to the manual (6.5 litres/100km against the manual's 6.2L/100km).
Both figures, though, ensure the 1.4-litre twincharger is significantly more frugal than the old 2.0-litre - improving efficiency by nearly 25per cent.
The downside is that the Golf prefers to drink Australia's most expensive petrol (98-octane premium unleaded); if you go against VW's recommendation you'll notice a slight drop in performance and economy.
On the road
VW has added noise-deadening measures such as making side windows 10per cent thicker and incorporating an acoustic film into the windscreen that reduces interior noise by up to four decibels.
There is a feeling of solidity and a generally refined ambience to the Golf driving experience, though our test car's optional 17-inch, low-profile tyres generated a loud roar on rougher surfaces such as coarse-chip bitumen.
Those bigger wheels thump slightly over prominent road joins, yet even with the optional sports suspension it retains the old model's wonderfully supple ride.
Drivers are also unlikely to fall out of their comfort zone on winding roads, with the 118TSI displaying excellent body control and generating plenty of grip.
While the steering is rather remote in feel, it's otherwise accurate, linear and well-weighted.
Verdict
The new Golf may be more of a Mark5.5 than a Mark6, with barely any changes to the suspension or interior space, but the advances in fuel efficiency and interior quality are worthy of a generational jump.
Although it comes at a price premium, Volkswagen's class-less car is still a class act.
For more on the Golf, go to drive.com.au/vw