Volkswagen Golf: Know its alternatives

It’s been ages since the hot hatch segment has genuinely seen a new competitor. Someone who isn’t part of your regular Merc, BMW or even Honda trio. At the time of writing this story, we still couldn’t find one. However, a trip to Wolfsburg last year proved that VW is the first one to have started this segment. It was with the Golf. The Volkswagen Golf for that matter is still around and is now in its eighth generation. There is also the electric version available now. However, in the Malaysian market, the electric trim is yet to come. We get three versions of the Golf here. There is the R-Line trim, which is the base, the GTI that sits in the middle. and the top spec R trim.

For ease of use, we are taking the R-Line variant here. It brings in 150 PS turbocharged, direction injection 1.4-litre petrol engine. The gearbox is a 7-speed DSG unit. A 12.3-inch active display, full LED headlights with DRLs, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Mirror Link, Apple Carplay as well as Android Auto are on offer too. The Volkswagen Golf R-Line price in Malaysia starts from RM 173,390. So, if I am in this segment looking for an entry-level performance hatchback, what else should I look for? This is the question we are here to answer. Scroll down to take an in-depth look into the options.

Ford Focus

The natural competition for the VW Golf has forever been the Ford Focus. The American carmaker has always had the Golf’s nemesis ready. The Ford Focus for that matter is available in Malaysia and is priced at RM 139,888. It boasts a 1.5-litre turbocharged EcoBoost engine that produces 180 PS of power and 240 Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic gear shift. Dual zone climate control, six airbags, parallel parking assist, front and rear sensors are some of the features of the new Ford Focus.

Honda Civic

This one has recently been revamped. The 2018 Honda Civic is priced at RM 128,631. Apart from a stonking engine, the Civic also promises eternal good looks. The Honda Civic has a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine as well as 1.5-litre turbo petrol. The latter is what we are interested in. In this guise, it produces 173 PS of power and 220 Nm of torque. There is a CVT with paddle shifters that enables the car to do a 0-100 kmph run in 8.2 seconds. The top speed is limited to 200 kmph. There are many technologies like rev matching to keep the car stable at all speeds. The bummer here is that the Civic is available only in sedan form here and at the RM 330,000 Type R gets you the hatch form.

Volvo V40

One of the safest cars out there is here on this list as well. The Volvo V40 hatchback recently got a facelift, and this model is available in Malaysia as well. Price of the Volvo V40 hatchback starts from RM 154,000 in Malaysia. There are two trims available - T4 and T5. We are considering the T4 here as it is the more affordable of the two. The 2.0-litre turbo petrol makes 190 PS of power and 300 Nm. The claimed 0-100 kmph time is 6.9 seconds whereas the top speed is 225 kmph. Volvo offers eight airbags, city safety suite and much more. The only bummer is the less number of dealerships when compared to the other here. Service is also a matter of concern as a result.

Mercedes-Benz A200

The Merc baby hatchback was launched a month ago and is already a hot property. The A-Class hatchback is available in two trims, and we obviously are considering the smaller of the two. The A200 for that matter looks sleek and a proper German at that. It has got an all-LED ensemble as lights. An engine is a 1.3-litre unit that brings in 163 PS of power and sends power to the front wheels through a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The Merc A200 does the 0-100 kmph run in just 8.0 seconds. The Merc A 200 is priced on-road at RM 227,800.