Volkswagen Golf

Overview

The Volkswagen Golf is surely one of the best cars to be had at the price range. This performance hatchback has continued to thrill the people of Malaysia with its value-for-money and beastly approach. However, the company is very optimistic about this car, which is evident by the unveiling of the GTI TCR concept that was displayed at Wörthersee earlier this year.

The company even launched the  2018 Golf 1.4 TSI R-Line, with Vienna leather upholstery at a price of RM 159,888 on the road. The hot hatch has been an immensely popular car ever since it received a formal introduction. It forms the perfect combination of attractive design and a powerful heart.

Interior & Features

The Volkswagen Golf is extremely feature-rich when it comes to the interior. The seats are wrapped in Zoom fabric upholstery as standard, while the top end variants have Vienna perforated covers. The steering wheel and gear knob are covered with leather too.

An 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is given in the lower trims, which has the app connectivity options of Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink. However, the range-topper gets a bigger 9.2-inch display with the same connectivity options. An 8-speaker audio system is standard.

The boot space is pretty healthy at 380 litres. However, if you fold the rear seat, it goes up to a humongous 1,270 litres, which is too good for a hatchback.

Exterior

The Volkswagen can be mistaken as the Polo at a little glimpse, especially on the front portion. However, when you take a close look, you will start to note the differences. The front fascia is very hatchback-like but has a very slim grille with just one slat. There are air intakes lower down. The headlamps aren’t the sleekest in the segment but tend to flow out from the grille. The wheel arches on the fenders are very prominent. There are fog lamps given at the rear too.

There is an all-LED illumination all around (head and tail lights), including the attractively styled DRLs. The car rides on 16-inch alloy wheels, while the top-of-the-line R 2.0 has 19-inch units.

Ride & Handling

You will barely complain about the performance prowess of the Volkswagen Golf, be it any variant it is pertaining to. The smaller engine models have a lot of punch the moment you hit the throttle. The 150PS/250Nm figures are quite staggering for a car in this segment. However, the wheels are grippy and the suspension gets the car to be stable on the roads.

The speed-sensitive steering wheel helps in keeping a firm grip even when you are cruising on the highway at high speeds.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The Volkswagen Golf is offered in two engine trims, where the 1.4-litre unit is standard, while the performance-based range-topper has a 2.0-litre motor. The smaller engine is good enough to make a maximum power of 150 PS between 5,000-6,000 rpm while making 250 Nm of torque, which comes at just 1,500 rpm. Power is sent down to the wheels with the help of a 7-speed DSG gearbox.

The bigger 2.0-litre sporty 4-cylinder engine can thrust out a huge 290 PS of power at 5,500 rpm and a peak torque of 380 Nm at 2,000 rpm. The same DSG does the transmission duties here too.

Braking & Safety

ABS, along with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, is given as a standard fitment. The cabin is full of airbags, including those for the front passenger, sides, curtains and driver’s knees.

Apart from this, there are many driver’s assistance features given, some of which are, automatic post-collision brakes, electronic stability control, hill hold control, and differential lock. 3-point seatbelts are given for both sides, where the front ones are height-adjustable.

Verdict

The Volkswagen Golf, by no means, can be called a regular hatchback. This hot hatch is fiercely powerful and pins down any of its competition, including some SUVs, with its sheer power, especially the 2.0-litre variant.

However, for some people, a starting price tag of over RM 170,000 might be a little too much. But it should also be kept in mind that features are not compromised upon at all.