Last year, Volkswagen launched its iconic hot hatch, the Golf GTI. The Golf GTI is world renowned for its fine handling characteristics while being able to give its owners practicality and everyday usability. Over the course of many generations, the basic recipe of the Golf GTI has been kept intact, and it likewise applies to the standard Golf, but questions were raised by people last year. Where is the standard Golf?
The Volkswagen Golf is one fine looking machine. It is a conservatively designed car, but it isn’t a boring car to look at. The car has so much class and elegance, a design that will surely stand the test of time, and German cars have been generally known for this. 16 inch alloys grace the base Comfortline variant, while 17s are equipped in the Highline variant. Nicely designed automatic Bi-Xenon HID headlamps with LED daytime running lights, active cornering lights, also complement the Golf 1.4 TSI Highline’s elegant exterior design. LED tail lights are equipped as standard on all variants.
Inside is one of the classiest and most premium cabins in its class. Well thought out details that is very German are the felt-lined bins around the cabin. Not only do they feel nice, but they eliminate noise when these items are loosely moving around the cabin. The little details, people, that make the driving experience that much more pleasant. The interior is beautifully crafted and well screwed together, with a solid door thud unlike any other in its class, and materials that are posh and premium to the touch. In the middle of the well trimmed dashboard is a 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The Golf remains the class benchmark in terms of interior quality, but it is not to the point that it’ll faze BMW, Mercedes-Benz or even Volkswagen Group’s own Audi. Another feature that I appreciate in the Volkswagen Golf are the rear aircon vents. Guys, us Filipinos live in a hot country. This is the one thing we will wholly appreciate with all our hearts, and not all car manufacturers give plenty of attention to this aspect of a compact car.
Powering the standard Golf is a 1.4 TSI turbocharged, direct injected petrol engine, which is good for 148 hp and a punchy 250 Nm of torque. Mated to Volkswagen’s excellent 7-Speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG), their marketing brouhaha for their dual clutch transmission, the Golf 1.4 TSI is good for 0-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds, which is certainly no slouch, and is fast enough for most people. Equipped with BlueMotion technology, the Golf 1.4 TSI is equipped with engine start/stop technology, which shuts off the engine in let’s say, a set of lights, and regenerative braking captures heat energy from the heat of the brakes and converts it to electricity.
One thing the Germans are known for in our market is their generous standard safety kit. Standard on all variants are 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability program, and an electronic locking differential.
The standard Volkwagen Golf is one of the world’s most loved cars, and it’s one that I wholly love as well. Now that the standard variant of the Golf has arrived, are you now tempted to own your first ever German car? I sure am.
Golf 1.4 TSI Comfortline: P1,590,000
Golf 1.4 TSI Highline: P1,739,000
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