Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 155

A

n all-new Mk8 Golf is due
by the end of 2019, but the
current Mk7.5 model is still the
pick of the small hatchbacks,
especially with drive away
runout deals on the base
Trendline model.
List prices start at $25,290 for
the 110kW 1.4-litre turbopetrol/
six-speed manual 110TSI Trendline
hatch; with a seven-speed DSG
transmission, it’s $27,790.
VW has been advertising
Trendline manual at $25,990
drive away, and Trendline DSG at
$28,490 driveaway.
Trendline wagon, with DSG, is
$29,290.
Comfortline hatch is $30,190;
the wagon is $31,690. Highline
hatch, tested here, is $36,490; the
wagon is $37,990.
VW’s 110kW 2.0-litre
turbodiesel, formerly available
in the 110TDI Highline hatch,
has been discontinued.
The Golf Alltrack 132TSI, a
wagon with higher clearance
and all-wheel drive, runs a
132kW, 1.8-litre turbopetrol
at $35,750 with the six-speed

manual; Premium with six-

speed DSG is $39,990.

You’re positioned quite deep

in a Golf. Highline’s heavily

bolstered, leather-wrapped,

power-adjustable, heated GT-

style seat is plusher than the

usual fi rm German chair and

good for a 1000km day.

Inherited from Audi and

Lamborghini, the optional ($2300)

digital dash replicates the standard

analogue dials and complements

the predictive touchscreen

infotainment system by allowing

you to confi gure the instruments to

suit your information preferences.

You can use steering wheel

controls or voice to access

nearly all infotainment systems

and functions, including phone,

audio and navigation; the current

operating status for these,

including navigation, can also be

displayed between the instruments.

A $1500 Driver Assistance

safety package includes radar

cruise, blind spot monitoring,

lane keeping, automatic parking

and rear cross traffi c alert. It

should be standard. All Golfs

get seven airbags, automatic

emergency braking, multi-

collision braking — which

automatically applies the brakes

after a collision to minimise the

effect of a subsequent impact —

and a rear camera.

Golf’s back seat, while

comfortable enough, is on the

tight side for legroom, especially

if those up front are tall. There’s

not much foot room, either, which

makes getting in and out more

inelegant than it should be.

Boot space is reasonable,

extendable and it’s easy to load

gear onto a very low fl oor. A

space-saver spare is standard.

Golf’s 1.4-litre turbopetrol

is a refi ned, responsive, frugal

engine that delivers deceptively

strong performance.

Most of the time it’s in perfect

sync with the DSG transmission,

except for a characteristic

momentary delay in engaging from

rest, or when you put your foot

down at low revs in a high gear.

Unobtrusive automatic stop/

start and Eco drivetrain mode will

return single-fi gure fuel numbers

in town; on the open road, you’ll

get 5-6L/100km, on premium.

A Golf sits on the road with

the same assurance, comfort

and rock-solid security as a big

German luxo-bomber.

Yet it’s also agile, responsive

and fun to drive. No other hatch

can match its all-round ability.

The $2500 R Line’s optional

sports suspension and steering,

plus sticky Bridgestone tyres on

18-inch alloys, further sharpens

Golf’s handling at the expense of

a less compliant ride, so its value

is questionable.

Golf remains the benchmark

small car. Sure, issues remain

about reliability and servicing

isn’t cheap but, in other respects,

it’s still a front runner, along with

the Toyota Corolla and the new

Mazda3. The new Mk8 Golf should

be better again.

S VOLKSWAGEN GOLF FROM $25,290

THINGS WE LIKE

 The real German car deal at a

bargain price

 Refi ned, punchy, frugal engines

 Assured, enjoyable dynamics and a

comfortable ride

 Exceptionally safe and solid

 High-tech digital instruments and

infotainment

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

DSG transmission delay when

moving off from rest

VW reliability can be patchy

Servicing is also expensive

Tightish rear-seat legroom

Safety tech pack should be standard

SPEX (110TSI Highline)

Made in Germany

1.4L turbopetrol four/seven-speed

DSG/front-wheel drive

110kW of power at

5000rpm/250Nm of torque from

1500-3500rpm

0-100km/h in 8.2 seconds (claimed)

4.8L/100km highway; 6.6L/100km

city; 95 octane premium; CO2

emissions are 128g/km

Warranty: Five years/unlimited

kilometres

Standard: Seven airbags, stability

control, automatic emergency

braking, camera, parking sensors,

dual-zone air, 17-inch alloy

wheels, leather upholstery, heated,

power-adjustable front seats,

keyless entry and starting, LED

headlights, sunroof, eight-inch

glass touchscreen, Bluetooth,

Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, WiFi

hotspot, navigation, USB and two

SD card slots.

Redbook future values: 3yr: 46%;

5yr: 31%

Safety

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money

Overall

STARS

compare with ...

Ford Focus, Hyundai i30, Holden

Astra, Mazda3, Peugeot 308, Subaru

Impreza, Toyota Corolla