Volkswagen Golf
Now in its eighth generation, the motoring icon combines classy looks and practicality while focusing on a comfortable drive
MODEL TESTED: Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI 130 Style
PRICE: £27,765 ENGINE: 1.5-litre 4cyl, 128bhp
IN terms of trim level, Style is the Golf model that most closely matches the Astra and the Focus. The model pictured is a 1.5 TSI with a DSG auto gearbox; we’re comparing it here as a manual, which at £27,765, is the priciest car on test.
Design & engineering
WHEN Volkswagen introduced the
Mk8 Golf back in 2019, it had big shoes to fill. Its predecessor was a car with very few flaws, so how could the latest version improve?
VW ’s solution was to introduce new tech; more safety systems, updated powertrains and a new cabin infotainment system all graced the new car.
New doesn’t necessarily mean better, of course. While the new exterior styling, which brought in sharper headlights on a lower nose, is largely successful, we’re far from convinced about the new cabin ergonomics. Two touch panels – one to the right of the driver for lighting controls; another in the centre of the dash for key comfort and infotainment shortcuts – leave the driver environment looking much clearer and uncluttered, but are a little fiddly to use.
Worst of all are the temperature and volume controls, which are operated by sliding or tapping your finger across a touch-sensitive panel, placed right where you’d choose to steady your hand when using the infotainment set-up. Compared with the old Golf, which was almost flawless ergonomically, it’s a big step back and hard enough to use when you’re at a standstill, let alone on the move. It’s also the most frustrating set-up of this trio. On the plus side, the Volkswagen’s driving position is excellent and there’s a wide range of adjustment in both the seat and the steering wheel.
Under the skin, the specs show some promise. The trusty 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine is the only four-cylinder car in this company, and its peak torque of 200Nm is 30Nm more than its rivals’.
Driving
WHERE the Ford is the default choice for the keener driver, the Volkswagen instead aims to lead the way for comfort and refinement. In terms of ride quality, it takes the lead in this trio. On the 17-inch wheels fitted to this test car, it does an impressive job of soaking up rougher road surfaces.
Despite the compliant suspension, the Golf also delivers excellent high speed stability. On a motorway, there’s very little adjustment needed to keep it pointing straight, and it feels the most sure-footed of this trio.
There are areas where it lags behind the other two, though. Even though the Golf ’s steering is fairly precise, the Ford’s is sharper and more positive still. There’s little to separate the Volkswagen and the Vauxhall for ride comfort, but the Astra feels more fun to drive. The Golf ’s light steering is great around town, though, and it is very precise.
It’s hard to fault the Volkswagen’s engine either. The turbocharged 1.5-litre unit is the smoothest here, and delivers its performance in a more linear way than the Astra’s, and with less noise and vibration making its way into the cabin than the Ford’s. The
manual gearbox is easy to use and has a more satisfying shift than the Vauxhall’s.
Practicality
IN terms of both passenger and boot space, the Golf draws a neat balance between its two competitors. It sits just ahead of the Astra but behind the Focus for rear-seat occupants, while its 381-litre boot just pips the Ford at 375 litres, but loses to the Vauxhall, at 422 litres.
Fold the back seats down and the advantage switches in favour of the Ford. Its 1,354 litres in two-seat mode just pips the Astra (1,339 litres) while the Golf falls some margin behind, at 1, 237 litres.
Many of the Golf ’s cubbies are well thought out. The mobile phone charging cubby is angled forward so your device won’t fall out while driving, while the glovebox is large and well shaped. The centre bin between the seats is smaller than the Astra’s, though, and the only thing we can think of that fits neatly in the small slots beside the gear selector is the key.
None of these cars get very smart features like 12-volt sockets in the boot, but the Golf ’s tethering hooks allow you to tie down more valuable items. In its raised position, the false floor leaves only the smallest of loading lips to overcome, and a level load space through when the back seats are folded down.
Ownership
ALL three of these cars are the same when it comes to warranty cover: each comes with three years and 60,000 miles (whichever comes first) of protection. The same applies to breakdown cover; buyers of all three get one year of roadside assistance from the moment they drive the car off the forecourt.
The Golf is fairly well stocked for safety kit, but we think that, for something so important, it’s a little bemusing to see that side airbags for rear occupants are a £360 optional extra. As with the Focus, a reversing camera is an extra, at £315. The Astra’s 360-degree camera is standard.
Running costs
RELATIVELY small, turbocharged petrol engines used in the right way can often return impressive fuel consumption, and here it’s the Astra which proved to be the most frugal, returning 47.0mpg. The Focus and the Golf proved to be closely matched, achieving 44.6 and 44.3mpg respectively. Cover 20,000 miles at current fuel prices, and that means a cost of £3,627 for the Astra, £3,822 for the Focus, and £3,848 for the Golf.
The Astra looks like competitive value when it comes to key features in the equipment list. Reversing cameras are £315 and £500 extras for the VW and Ford, for example, while a full 360-degree system is standard on the Vauxhall.