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Well our demonstrator arrived so took it for a spin. Firstly the car looks more traditional than MK5 looking more boxy and angular bringing it closer to the original golf. Inside the interior shows an increase in quality, the touchscreen stereo shows graphics when using the air con like a phaeton which gives a real feel of quality. It was the first time I'd seen the new steering wheel which will be making its way into scirocco and other models. The wheel feels larger in the hand than the current wheel and does seem more comfortable, as a compromise it has lost some of the minimalist feel of the MK5 wheel. The result not better but different, the silver inserts on the wheel make it feel more special than the standard golfs. All the plastics have improved and VW has got the ergonomics just right, everything feels better and has a greater feeling of solidity than MK5. Our model had the new rear view camera which is the best I've used in a car showing the rear view when parking, it has a great wide line of sight and works perfectly, picture quality is fantastic.
The model we got given was the DSG 5dr in metallic black. I wasn't expecting it to drive much different to the MK5 but was surprised. Firstly the car is quieter, much quieter. It has a real feeling of luxury and has the refinement of a much larger vehicle. It has Audi levels of comfort and when pottering around the exhaust can be heard popping quietly when the dsg changes. The exhaust note is very quiet compared to MK5. The speed of the car is what really surprises, on paper this car has 210ps which is less than the outgoing special editions and R32 but the car feels like its going to keep up with either easily. The engine is much quieter than the old 230ps engines and the car seems to pull better than the old model. The whole ride seems smoother even with the 18" Shadow alloys our demonstrator had fitted.
All in all a surprising improvement. On paper the car looks similar to the outgoing model but VW has pulled out the stops and created a fast luxury hatch. Golf once more defines the standard for hatchbacks and whilst the car is more expensive it will embarrass some significantly more expensive competition. The only problem is low dealer allocation and no stock which will ensure GTI will be rare for the next 12 months and make discounts unlikely. Those that stump up the cash and weather the factory wait will not be dissapointed.
The model we got given was the DSG 5dr in metallic black. I wasn't expecting it to drive much different to the MK5 but was surprised. Firstly the car is quieter, much quieter. It has a real feeling of luxury and has the refinement of a much larger vehicle. It has Audi levels of comfort and when pottering around the exhaust can be heard popping quietly when the dsg changes. The exhaust note is very quiet compared to MK5. The speed of the car is what really surprises, on paper this car has 210ps which is less than the outgoing special editions and R32 but the car feels like its going to keep up with either easily. The engine is much quieter than the old 230ps engines and the car seems to pull better than the old model. The whole ride seems smoother even with the 18" Shadow alloys our demonstrator had fitted.
All in all a surprising improvement. On paper the car looks similar to the outgoing model but VW has pulled out the stops and created a fast luxury hatch. Golf once more defines the standard for hatchbacks and whilst the car is more expensive it will embarrass some significantly more expensive competition. The only problem is low dealer allocation and no stock which will ensure GTI will be rare for the next 12 months and make discounts unlikely. Those that stump up the cash and weather the factory wait will not be dissapointed.
