A new decade, a new Golf. And it's come at exactly the right time. Sure, its predecessor wasn't outdated yet, but it wasn't winning any tests anymore.
A year and a half ago, this Ford Focus was released, and it beat everything in its path, including the Golf VII.
Since the new Golf has arrived now, we can use the Focus to see how much progress Volkswagen has made with it.
When you look at the outside, it's clearly a Golf, so you'll recognize it as one. On the inside however, they've applied rougher measures.
It looks much fresher than before. It's almost like they've designed it for the new decade.
Almost no physical buttons, lots of menu's in the infotainment system, and I do have to say the new digital world looks really good.
You have to get into a Mercedes A-Class if you want a better interior than this. Just look at this digital instrument cluster, which you can adjust as well.
The touchscreen is incredibly fast and it has great graphics, I really love it.
Also, the finishing and used materials are very good. I must admit, it's not as big of a difference it used to be with other cars,
but if you compare this with the interior in the Focus, this is the clear winner. It just gives me more of a solid impression, and I like that.
Ergonomically however, I don't think it's as good. Because it doesn't have a lot of physical buttons, you have to do lots of things through the screen.
So if you want to change something simple, like changing the brightness of the screen, you have to get from CarPlay to the menu.
Then you have to look for Setup, then Screen Settings and only then you're able to adjust the brightness.
Sure, it's not a reason not to buy one, but in the Focus there's a button next to the steering wheel. And that's all you have to do.
The annoying part is that when you try to operate a touchscreen when you're driving around, you always look for a little support.
Often, you'll rest your hand on the small panel beneath the screen. However, in this Golf the temperature- and volume-buttons...
are there. So you will encounter moments you're looking for something in the menu and when you've found it, you've also turned up the volume...
or the temperature. Again, it's not a reason to not buy the Golf, but it's incredibly unnecessary. Even though it doesn't look as good in the...
Focus, it does have two simple turning knobs which control the temperature or volume. It's just easier to operate. So, the Golf offers a better experience,
and the Focus is better when it comes to ergonomics.
If we look at space on the rear seat, the Golf wins. Both cars have enough legroom, but the Golf takes it because of its headroom.
When it comes to luggage space, the Golf wins when the rear seat is up. The Focus wins when the rear seat is folded down.
Underneath the skin, the Golf is built on an evolution of the MQB-platform. It's called MQB Evo, and it kind of tells you about the way this drives.
It's like someone took an old Golf and turned all the screws a tad tighter. It's slightly more... I wouldn't call it sportier, or even more dynamic.
It's more willing, that's it. It's more alert. So when you steer, the nose dives to the inside of the corner a tad quicker.
This particular version has adaptive shocks, which have quite a big range. That means you can go from very comfortable to relatively sporty.
It won't invite you to play about, its backside won't fly out of control without warning, it's all safe and predictable.
Every millimetre of the dampers is carefully controlled. It's quiet, almost no rolling sounds. It's a true all-rounder.
A car which is able to do a lot, even when you corner a tad too quickly. It will never surprise you and do everything you want it to do.
And it does so in a more willing way than before, which is good. When it comes to the engine range, it's mostly the same engines.
The whole range will be extended in time, but the biggest news is this 1.5-litre e-TSI I'm driving right now.
It's the well-known 4-cylinder 1.5-litre TSI producing 150 horsepower. First of all, it comes with cylinder deactivation.
So up to 80 km/h, when you're not accelerating vigorously, a small icon will appear in your instrument cluster. That shows you...
that the middle two cylinders aren't operating. Second, and this is the biggest news by far, is the mild-hybrid system this car has.
It's always connected to a 7-speed DSG, which is able to shut off the engine at any given time.
So when you release the throttle, it turns the engine off. That way, you can coast down the road with ease, using all of the momentum...
to release the fuel consumption. And I do have to say, I really like this drivetrain.
The 7-speed DSG can be a tad grumpy sometimes, but that's mostly with the 1.0-litre TSI. This 1.5-litre however, has so much torque coming...
from a very low rev, that it doesn't really matter. It feels very smooth and trusted, and it even goes quite rapidly...
if you put your foot down. When it comes to starting and connecting the engine, you won't really notice anything when you're just driving around.
However, when it's turned off and I suddenly put my foot down... It takes a second for it to actually do something.
Personally, I don't like that, but again it's not a reason to not buy it. Also, it actually reduces the fuel consumption, so this really is the old Golf +1.
It's nice and all that the Golf has become 1.8% more dynamic, but this Focus remains the King of Dynamic Driving in this part of the market.
It's not that it's so much quicker, because it's just an ST-line with Michelin PilotSport 3-tires,
but I think that when you put the same tires on the Volkswagen, the speed will be relatively similar, but it's the way the Focus produces that speed.
It's not like it's able to do more, but it's the way it wants to do what it's able to do.
So when you steer into a corner, it's incredibly direct. The nose bites down, and the rear follows nicely.
It's a car which will invite you to drive it in a playful manner, it involves you much more in the drive and you just feel more in it.
That's what the Focus has always done properly, and still does with the new generation.
Enginewise, Ford has taken a different route than Volkswagen. This is a 1.5-litre as well, but it's a 3-cylinder.
And it's available in three power-levels. However, for the money which buys you 150 horsepower in the Volkswagen,
Ford will sell you a 182 horsepower-version. And that means this car is nice and fast. Also, it's very quiet.
You barely hear it working and there's lots of torque coming from the lower revs. When you do actually put your foot down,
you can clearly hear it's an engine with an odd number of cylinders. But that's not annoying. Instead, it feels like it's inviting you to go faster.
This 182 horsepower-version isn't available with a double clutch automatic gearbox, but if you make manual gearboxes like Ford does,
that isn't a big problem. This manual feels like a hot knife going through butter. And that's the way the whole car feels, it just communicates more.
And it does for a reduced price. This particular car, including all of the options will set you back €35.000. That's a lot, I know.
The Golf however, is a Style First Edition. And it's nice and all that it's a limited edition, but it costs €45.000. Forty-five thousand.
Not too long ago, that kind of money bought you a big Golf R. And what do you get extra for it?
A few things like a panoramic roof and a DSG-gearbox, but it's not like it has lots of gear.
I can imagine you'd want to see the regular price list, but the Focus remains a few thousand Euro's cheaper at similar equipment levels.
So when we'll be looking at the scorecards, it could get very tight.