There were times that the new generation of Golf would be the most important launch for Volkswagen.
However, those times are in the past. Nowadays, the ID.3 and ID.4 are getting all of the attention. That's why this eighth generation Golf has...
kind of moved to the background. And we're talking about a hatchback, a GTI, an R-version and this brand-new Golf Variant.
And where the competition used to be from Europe with the Asian brand acting as backmarkers, it's the other way around now.
Coming from Japan and even more from South-Korea, there's a lot of competition. Take this Hyundai i30 Wagon for example,
which has been facelifted. It's been around for a few years now and they've updated the drivetrain and interior.
A good rival to the Golf of today. Both cars are powered by a 1.5-litre engine, with the one in the Golf producing 130 horsepower. The Kia...
on the other hand, produces 160 horsepower. A small difference there. Let's kick things off with the rear seat.
The cabin space in the Golf has always been one of its strong suits. Both on the rear seat and in the boot.
The way they divide all of the space is key, because the exterior proportions of the Golf doesn't change that drastically.
And this new Golf Variant is no exception. Just look at the legroom over here. And the headroom, despite there being a glass roof, is very good.
I'm just very comfortable in here. Having said that, the seats themselves are very good too. My feet easily fit beneath the seat,
so there's barely anything to complain about.
When we move to the back, we can immediately conclude that the boot certainly doesn't belong to the smallest part of the market.
It can hold just over 600 litres, and when we fold down the seats, it goes beyond 1.600 litres. These protective mats are optional,
and there's additional storage space underneath the floor.
Right, the Hyundai. When we get in, it's very clear that it's not a Golf. My knees touch the seat in front of me, but I wouldn't...
call it cramped. However, it's not as spacious as the Golf either. Also, my feet are a little more snug.
The headroom then. With a glass roof, I would call them about the same.
If we move to the back, you'd say the i30 has a smaller boot. However, don't be fooled. Because of the shape, it's practically the same.
It's just over 600 litres, and if you fold the seats down, you go over 1.600 litres. The Golf takes it by just a few litres,
but percentually speaking, I would call it a tie. And just like the Golf, there's additional storage space underneath the floor.
We'll kick things off with the Golf, the ultimate allrounder throughout the centuries. Also when it comes to driving.
However, I do have to say that the eighth generation has a clear focus on comfort. Even more than the seventh generation, which...
was very comfortable already as well. But for now I'm driving the R-line, which has a stiffer sports chassis.
It does feel sturdier on the road, but to maintain the perfect balance in this car, I wouldn't recommend that chassis.
If you have a regular chassis, it feels more right. If you want something sportier, just get a Focus or a Kia Ceed. Don't do this.
Just get one for longer distances. It's nice and quiet, even at higher speeds. Something the C-segment has taken very big steps...
in for the past ten years. Anyhow, this would be a great travel companion if you drive about 40.000 to 50.000 km a year.
The same goes for the engine. A 1.5-litre e-TSI producing 130 horsepower. It's available with 150 horsepower as well, which would be nice,
but since we're only allowed to drive at a maximum speed of 100 km/h, it's not really necessary.
Interestingly however, if you do get the 150 horsepower-version, you get a different rear suspension. Multilink instead of a torsion axle.
That means this feels a tad less sturdy and more bumpy.
Since we're talking about the chassis, there's a fun little detail about this Variant. It's got a longer wheelbase than the hatchback.
That's why it's got additional space in the back, and why the i30 doesn't. On the other hand, the i30 has Multilink-suspension as standard.
The steering in the Golf is light and comfortable, but I've got a little bit of feedback
In the i30, I don't have that. I can already tell you. So the steering in the Golf involves you a tad more in the drive.
The whole driving experience is pretty good. Especially if you don't select the sports chassis.
That let's you feel a tad more imperfections on the road, and it doesn't really add anything. On the other hand, it's all...
about design as well, and if you look at the R-line... I mean, it's got bigger bumpers, four fake exhaust pipes,
people expect it to be lower. Something you'll notice when you actually stand next to it.
Right, the interior. It looks very modern and minimalistic. The materials are good for this segment,
the buttons and screen look very high-tech. And immediately, we've found the biggest problem in this car.
Nice screens look very good, but they have to work. And at this time, the multimedia system from Volkswagen isn't our...
biggest friend nowadays. And the system in here isn't an exception. It's slow, it crashes sometimes, it's not clear, it's got a huge...
amount of options... I mean, that makes it very modern, but if it doesn't work, I'd absolutely prefer less options that do work.
The same goes for the screen in front of me. It won't crash on me, but there's too much options to select.
All kinds of dials and visibility settings, and it's more distracting than it's useful.
If you own the car, you'll get used to it and you'll select one setting. And that kind of renders all of the other options useless,
and thus it becomes overkill. And let me be clear, if you want a minimalistic approach to your interior, you should be able to have one.
But I think it needs to work, otherwise it would seem shape goes before function, and that isn't the correct order.
Lastly, let's talk about the engine. You don't need any more power, but I want to mention it's a very nice drivetrain.
There's a lot of torque in lower revs. Sure, the Hyundai produces more power, but I think the TSI works very well with the DSG-gearbox.
So you don't notice anything when you drive it, which is positive. It does what it needs to do in utter silence.
So let's move on to the new i30 Wagon. Or rather, it's not new. The car has been around for some years now, but this facelift is...
only six months old or something. That makes it a great competitor to the new Golf.
In the front, we've got a turbocharged 1.5-litre with a 48 volt mild hybrid-system, which means it has a lot of boost.
Something you'll notice very easily. It's got more torque than the Volkswagen, which makes it smoother at lower revs. However,
when you put your foot down, you'll feel that it's got more punch than the Golf as well. And that's logical, because it's got...
30 more horsepower. When it comes to the drive, Hyundai is supposed to be the more comfortable brand from Korea, with Kia being...
the sportier brand. Throughout the years however, I think Kia has the better cars. In Korea, Hyundai has a tad more status,
but in the Netherlands, the better cars come from Kia. They just seem more right.
Hyundai's i20 might be their best car up to this moment. Having said that, you can clearly feel this car has been around for a while.
It's a tad slower when it comes to steering. Despite all that however, it's still a comfortable car.
The handling is good, it won't be taken by surprise if you do something suddenly. Both when it comes to steering and acceleration.
The rear remains stable as well, despite the lengthened wagon-shape. The steering feels very distant, which doesn't invite you to dynamic driving.
Having said that, it's a real allrounder. Just like the Golf aspires to be.
This is an N-line, which only applies to the exterior. It has a front fascia which reminds me of the Ford Focus, but the suspension...
has stayed the same. If I look around me, I'm a tad higher up than the Golf.
In there, because of the MQB-platform, the seating is absolutely phenomenal. It's not bad in here, but I'd prefer the seating in the Golf.
If I look at the materials as well, it looks more modern and high-tech in the Golf.
And when it comes to quality, it's just a tad better than in the i30. In the doors for example, it's just hard plastic in here.
So when it comes to appearance, I prefer the Golf, but when it comes to ergonomics... I mean, the multimedia system isn't very simple,
it's quite modern and comprehensive. It might not look as modern as in the Golf, but it works absolutely fine.
I can easily guide my way through it. Also, there's a separate panel for the climate control. You can operate everything with a knob.
I can turn the heated seats on with a button too. So I don't have to guide through a crashing system which let's Apple CarPlay...
take over against my will. So my question to you is; do you want a very modern system or a slightly outdated one that actually works.
I know what I'd want. I've been driving the Golf for a small week and it managed to annoy me pretty badly.
I don't have that in the Hyundai. So it's a simple comparison. Volkswagen has a nicer interior design, whilst the usability is better...
in the Hyundai. And I'll let you decide what's more important.
Like I've already showed you, the seating in the back of the Golf is better than in the i30.
Especially if you've got several passengers or tall kids. The Golf will be the more spacious car. When it comes to the boot,
it's pretty much the same. Both when the seats are up and down, so it's going to come down to points.
On a few points, the Golf is better. It's quieter, the steering is nicer, and it involves you more in the drive. When it comes to comfort,
the Hyundai takes it because of the sports chassis. If you remove that from the equation, it would be a tie.
The Hyundai seems to have more grip, but the Golf is more inviting to search for grip, so it's a small difference.
The biggest difference then. On the points where the Golf is the better car, it's only slightly better than the i30.
The i30 is a little less good on certain points. However, on the points where the i30 is better than the Golf, it's much better.
I'm talking ergonomics, multimedia, you name it. It manages to be much less annoying than the Golf, which says a lot about how far Hyundai...
has come. We haven't discussed things like fuel consumption yet, because I've only been driving them for a week. That could be...
a gamebreaker. Like you've probably concluded already, it's doomed to be a deadlock. That's cowardly, but I haven't mentioned the prices yet.
This N-line, which has pretty much all of the options, will cost you €37.500. The Golf R-Line however, with automatic gearbox...
and several separate options, will cost you more than €44.000. That's quite a lot more. Almost 15 percent more expensive.
And is that additional price worth it in a tie? Nope. And if you then tally up the points, there's a clear winner.
And it's not the new Golf Variant. It's the facelifted i30 Wagon. Well done, Hyundai.