We had to wait the whole year for it, but it's here. 2020 is around the corner and Volkswagen just released their new Golf.
The Golf 8, and you shouldn't underestimate the importance of this car. If we count all of the previous generations, they've sold more than...
35 million Golf's. I don't know any other car which is this regular, but which many, many people talk about.
Everybody has something to say about the Golf. And that's not weird, because everyone had a Golf in their life, or has one, or wants one.
Maybe their neighbour has one, or they have a story about a Golf. This truly is the ultimate 'Volks'wagen.
For that reason, Volkswagen doesn't want to change a lot about it. That scares potential buyers away.
I do have to say, it looks a lot fresher compared to the 7 if you compare the 7 to the 6 to the 5.
Sure, the color makes up for a lot, but it looks a little more outspoken. Beneath the skin however, not a lot has changed.
It's on the same MQB-platform as the previous Golf. Volkswagen themselves say it's a new generation, but when I ask them what's new,
they only talk about some vague figures. It's a tad stiffer, but if you look at the measurements, it's only a matter of millimetres.
A tad longer, a tad higher, a tad wider. But the wheelbase is exactly the same. When I get behind myself, the Golf still is a spacious car,
but that's not where it has gained anything. The luggage space even is exactly the same as the Golf 7: 380 litres.
They even kept the different rear axles for different versions. Up to 150 horsepower comes with a torsion axle, and everything above gets Multilink.
That sounds exactly the same as the previous one, so one might think it's just copy pasting.
Until you get into the drivers seat, that's when it all becomes different. The Golf used to be a premium car when it came to quality.
Good materials, very good finishing, but still very timid. But this new Golf really has a futuristic design.
For the first time, the vents beneath the satnav system. That means it now has a very prominent position. It almost doesn't have any physical...
buttons, the DSG-versions come with a button to set the gear. It's shift-by-wire, so you're controlling a chip.
It all looks much more futuristic whilst keeping the high quality. It looks really good, but it's much more aimed at the smartphone generation.
You always have a digital instrument cluster and a touchscreen. However, it depends on the trim level whether you get an 8-inch or a 10-inch screen.
And it all works with different sorts of haptic feedback. You can swipe for the temperature, the system itself is filled with lots of options.
Ergonomically, it's pretty good. However, it doesn't always work very well. When you're driving and controlling a touchscreen, you're looking for support.
Usually, you find that beneath the touchscreen, but in this case you'll find the radio and temperature controls there.
That means you could all of a sudden be roasting your passenger because you've accidentally set his heated seat on 25 degrees whilst controlling the satnav.
Other than that, the digital instrument cluster looks really good. It shows lots of information, you can configure it yourself...
Even if that means you want five speedometers. A nice head-up display, and it's fully connected as well.
That means it not only communicates with the database of Volkswagen, but with everything around it as well. Car2X it's called.
Car to everything really. Ambulances with that technology are able to warn other road users they're in the area. Other cars can also alert...
you about accidents, so the satnav is able to redirect you around the accident. That's very smart, but Volkswagen goes one step further.
They've said they'll build one version of the car, and depending on what people order, they'll make functions available digitally.
So you'll always have the buttons for the adaptive cruise control, but they won't work if you don't order it.
If you change your mind and do want it after buying the car, you can do that at Volkswagen. Even when you buy it second hand.
If you can turn things off again, if you don't like ACC for example, they don't know yet. Bottom line: still very decent, futuristic,
and ergonomically almost as good as the previous one. I do miss a physical volume button.
So when you've come to your senses again after being this surprised by the interior, you'll notice the drive has remained the same.
I'm serious, if you've ever driven a Volkswagen, the Golf will feel familiar to you. And that's the biggest compliment I could give a car.
I think it's 2.7% more dynamic. The steering a tad more direct, it feels a tad stiffer which makes it turn easier, but it remains a real allrounder.
More than any other car. It's clearly aimed at comfort though, so it absorbs imperfections very refined. And it's not only in the wheel, but also...
when it comes to sound. It just processes it very well. It feels very good qualitatively, decent German steel. And that feels very nice.
It's predictable, it's safe. When you go too fast, the nose will move a little, and if you release the throttle, the rear will move about as well.
With that, the nose moves to the inside as well, and that's it. That doesn't mean it's not good as a dynamic car,
because if you speed up it does offer a lot. This particular car comes with dynamic dampers, which you'll notice because of the stiffer damping in...
Sport-mode, and the limit is quite far away as well. The steering is progressive, so it becomes more direct when you steer in.
It's very predictable though. It's good, it's comfortable and you're able to have some fun with it. It's just not very exciting or enthusiastic,
like a Mazda 3 or a Ford Focus. It's kind of like a yoghurt. You can put sprinkles on it, honey, syrup, but it's still yoghurt.
On the other hand, yoghurt can be very nice. So if you like the taste, which a lot of people do, it's fine.
Speaking of different flavours, there are lots engines available for the new Golf. Or rather, there are going to be lots of engines available.
We're talking about GTE's, TDI's, TSI's, GTI's, R's, TGI's, all letters in the alphabet will be mentioned some time or another.
It starts with two versions which have been introduced at the facelift of the previous generation though.
A 2.0-litre TDI diesel producing 115 or 150 horsepower or a 1.5-litre TSI producing 130 or 150 horsepower.
I'm driving the most powerful TSI producing 150 horsepower connected to a DSG-gearbox. If you get the DSG, the TSI will become a e-TSI.
That's a mild hybrid, so it has a 48V battery available. It also comes with a stronger startermotor connected to the regular engine with a belt.
Theoretically, it can jump in when accelerating. Don't expect too much from that however. More importantly, it can do much more start-stops.
Much smoother as well because of the belt. That means the revs will drop to zero when you let go of the throttle. The engine is then shut down.
That way, you can roll along without using any fuel. I do have to say, it's not new technology and I don't like all of them.
When you're rolling along on the motorway and you put your foot down, the engine has to be started and grab the gear again. So there's a delay.
It's the same in here, but I haven't seen it as smooth in any car ever, with exception of Toyota-hybrids.
The engine itself, a 1.5-litre TSI 4-cylinder, producing 150 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque at 1.400 RPM, is the quietest diesel engine ever.
That's how you should look at it. A lot of torque in lower revs, strong mid-range... In the higher revs, it dips but that's when it has done its job.
The DSG works very well in this car. Very smooth, seemless gear changes, it knows what gear to select. It's very refined, 'klasse für die masse'.
Just what Volkswagen is supposed to be, they've improved it on every level. Not by a lot, but they've improved everything.
Even for the criticasters who say new Golf's don't change, they've changed two things. It now has a new digital instrument cluster and a new logo.