Displaying items by tag: Volkswagen

Monday, 02 August 2021 08:40

New Volkswagen T-Roc Active 2021 review

The new Volkswagen T-Roc Active trim adds extra kit to the small SUV for not much more money

Verdict

Active trim adds worthwhile extra kit and boosts the level of value on offer in the T-Roc range. It’s an attractive small SUV that’s complemented by enough tech, comfort and fundamentally sound driving dynamics, but we’d save even more money and go for the more efficient 1.0 TSImanual model, which will still offer enough power for most users.

Special editions sometimes mean that sales are slow. After all, why would you risk tweaking something that is making money? However, the application of a new Active trim level has occurred right across the Volkswagen range, and the manufacturer’s T-Roc compact SUV has definitely benefited from these alterations – or more to the point, customers have.

That’s because at £27,490 for this 1.5-litre TSI 150 EVO car equipped with VW’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic DSG gearbox, the Active model is only £300 more expensive than SE trim, yet it comes with extra kit to the value of £2,160 if you were going to add it as optional extras.

This includes a winter pack, featuring heated seats, a powered tailgate, foglights, tinted windows and standard-fit sat-nav as part of the eight-inch touchscreen infotainment set-up. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included on SE trim as well as with Active, which might be many people’s preferred choice for navigation.

Other standard items include adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, autonomous braking and lane assist, plus two-zone climate control.

It is worth mentioning that, while Active trim does add plenty of features, one option that’s still worth specifying is the £445 10.3-inch digital dashboard.

This new trim also brings some cosmetic upgrades, including lots of Active badging outside, Active sill plates and puddle lighting, and 17-inch wheels. They’re small tweaks that you might not notice, but with a contrast roof our car looked smart.

From behind the wheel the Active is no different to any other T-Roc, which means that the 148bhp 1.5-litre TSI turbo engine is smooth and pulls well from low down. Sometimes the DSG gearbox is a bit too eager to kick down if you go beyond around 50 per cent throttle, but at a relaxed pace it shifts smoothly and early. It’s an equally easy-going partner to the engine, which delivers easily accessible performance in a sustained surge and with not too much in the way of engine noise either.

The ride is fine on 17-inch alloys. The T-Roc is based on the same MQB A0 platform as VW’s Polo supermini, and while the ride is sometimes a little bobbly, it’s mostly good. Some tyre roar at higher speed impacts refinement, but comfort is a commodity the T-Roc offers in large enough quantities for an everyday SUV.

It’s also relatively precise when it comes to handling. Cars like the Ford Puma or MINI Countryman will be more fun from behind the wheel, yet the T-Roc’s light but precise steering and good level of grip mean it delivers enough dynamically. As a result,while it rarely feels inspiring or encourages you to drive it a little more enthusiastically, it also rarely feels out of its depth.

On that subject, we know most people looking at SUVs in this sector will buy on finance anyway, so with a monthly cost of £274 based on a three-year PCP deal limited to 10,000 miles per year and a 20-per-cent deposit, the T-Roc Active is an affordable model, even if the lesser 1.0-litre TSI 110 manual car would be more than adequate in performance terms,  more efficient and cheaper still to buy.

 The powertrain doesn’t affect the practicality on offer though. So, with a rear cabin that can accommodate two adults but is better suited to children, plus a fair 445-litre boot that eclipses a VW Golf’s (it’s understandable why people buy SUVs when you analyse the info), the T-Roc is a fairly versatile machine. It should cover most bases, including if you’re after a small lifestyle SUV, as the Active name suggests.
Model: Volkswagen T-Roc 1.5 TSI EVO DSG Active
Price: £27,490
Engine: 1.5-litre 4cyl turbo petrol
Power/torque: 148bhp/250Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch auto, front-wheel drive
0-62mph: 8.6 seconds
Top speed: 127mph
Economy: 44.1mpg
CO2: 148g/km
On sale: Now

(autoexpress.co.uk)

Published in Volkswagen
Thursday, 29 July 2021 04:15

Volkswagen T-Cross SUV review

“The Volkswagen T-Cross is one of the class leaders in the small SUV sector”

Volkswagen offers a wider choice of SUVs than most manufacturers, with six different models and more in the pipeline. The T-Cross is the smallest and cheapest, sitting below the T-Roc, Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace, the electric ID.4 and the flagship Touareg. It aims to capitalise on the current demand for compact yet practical SUVs, and joins a class saturated with excellent rivals, including the Ford Puma, Skoda Kamiq, Renault Captur, Nissan Juke, Hyundai Bayon and Citroen C3 Aircross.

The Volkswagen T-Cross is an all-new model, but under the skin it's very similar to the SEAT Arona, Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia. It borrows some of its styling cues from the T-Roc, and looks to imitate the Touareg with its wide grille. Whichever angle you approach it from, the T-Cross is clearly from the VW stable, and does just enough to stand out in a sea of similarly sized rivals. Volkswagen concentrates on making smart-looking, well built, practical cars, and the T-Cross is simply the latest product of that approach.

For its first foray into the hotly contested small SUV class, VW has given the T-Cross some bold details. Its rear lights are surrounded by a thick, black swathe of trim, while the headlights are joined by a chrome strip that goes straight across the middle of the grille. Underneath, there are fog lights and daytime running lights, which look similar to those on the T-Roc, while T-Cross lettering stretches across the bootlid. Roof rails and black plastic wheel arch extensions give the T-Cross a rugged look.

Best small SUVs

Small SUVs have already been available for a few years now, but the T-Cross is looking to take top honours - thanks in part to the badge on the front. That alone will sell the car to many buyers, although it’s clear throughout that the T-Cross is aimed at the premium end of the class.

It combines VW’s typical sturdiness and planted feel with light steering that’s perfect in tight city streets. The T-Cross continues to drive well at speed without feeling too twitchy, which can be a side effect of light steering. It’s refined even up to motorway speeds, and keeps its composure over most bumps and small potholes. VW has certainly prioritised comfort over sportiness, which is what most small SUV buyers will prefer.

The 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine can occasionally feel sluggish below 2,500rpm, which means you’ll have to rev it hard sometimes - when joining a motorway, for example. Volkswagen introduced a punchier 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine at the start of 2020 but in truth, the 108bhp 1.0-litre engine will suit most buyers. The T-Cross has the option of a smooth DSG automatic gearbox - it’s a bit more expensive, but could be a great choice if you do most of your journeys in stop-start traffic.

The 1.0-litre petrol engine is offered with either 94 or 108bhp but whichever you pick it will return around 49mpg. This is pretty similar to most of its rivals but the DSG automatic does increase fuel consumption to around 45mpg. You’ll get a similar figure from the 148bhp petrol engine. A diesel engine was briefly available but it was expensive and wasn’t much more economical than the smaller petrol options.

Despite its size, the T-Cross offers space for five, and adults should be comfy in the outer rear seats thanks to lots more headroom than in the Polo. The rear seats slide forwards and backwards, so you can choose whether you want more space for passengers or luggage. It has a big boot, regardless of where you have the back seats, while those in the front will enjoy a classy dashboard with a standard eight-inch infotainment touchscreen.

The Volkswagen T-Cross certainly isn’t the first small SUV, but it’s now one of the ones to beat. It offers an impressive blend of style, comfort and peppy engines.

Volkswagen T-Cross SUV - MPG, running costs & CO2

The T-Cross is economical and should have excellent residual values

There was a time when SUVs were typified as being ‘gas guzzlers’, but the latest wave are often almost as economical as their hatchback counterparts. The Volkswagen T-Cross, which shares its engines with the Polo hatchback, should be very economical to run, even though it only comes with petrol power. It’s not a heavy car, despite its SUV bodystyle, and only comes with two-wheel-drive.

Many buyers are tempted by the VW badge on the front, and this means the T-Cross is set to offer great residual values - it should lose less of its value than some other cars in the same class.

Volkswagen T-Cross MPG & CO2

It's no longer possible to spec the Volkswagen T-Cross with a diesel engine, but the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is cheaper and should be economical enough for most people. Available on four of the six current trim levels, the entry-level 94bhp version returns up to 49.6mpg, the same as the 108bhp version (offered on all but S trims). Petrol versions of the Renault Captur manage around 45mpg, so you’ll struggle to notice a difference between the two cars at the pumps.

Volkswagen now sells the T-Cross with a more powerful 1.5-litre EVO TSI petrol engine. It has cylinder deactivation (under light throttle it’ll run on just two cylinders) to save fuel, but is only available with the DSG automatic gearbox. You can expect 47mpg from this engine, which is still pretty reasonable and even a little better than the claimed 44.8mpg figure of the 1.0-litre engine with an automatic gearbox.

A 94bhp diesel engine has previously been available but it made up a tiny proportion of sales. That’s not surprising when you consider it only offered around 5mpg more than the frugal petrols but cost a lot more to buy.

The T-Cross should be affordable to fill up and all variants are subject to the standard rate in VED (road tax) from the second year of ownership - the first year’s tax is usually rolled into the on-the-road price of the car.

Insurance groups

The T-Cross should be affordable to run, with insurance starting in group 8 for S and SE models with the 94bhp petrol engine. Top-spec R-Line models occupy 11-13, but the 1.5-litre petrol engine increases this to groups 16-17.

Considering the desirable badge, it’s impressive that the T-Cross is no more expensive to insure than the SEAT Arona, which also starts in insurance group 8E for 94bhp versions.

Warranty

Like all new VW cars, the T-Cross benefits from a three-year/60,000 mile warranty, which is transferable to the next owner if you sell or return the car before the warranty expires. This warranty is fairly standard, although far from class-leading. Rivals such as the Hyundai Kona and Kia Stonic have five and seven-year warranties respectively, which is something to bear in mind if you plan to keep your car for a long time. You can buy extended warranties from VW, which work out at about £140 per year.

The T-Cross’ paint will be covered for three years, while the car also comes with a 12-year anti-corrosion guarantee.

Servicing

Servicing the T-Cross should be relatively pain-free. Volkswagen has the third-largest dealership network in the UK. Service intervals should be the same as the Polo, so you’ll have to book it in for a service every year or 10,000 miles, whichever comes first.

As with all VW models, you’ll be able to take out a service plan, which’ll spread the cost of your next two services over 18 monthly payments of between £15-20. You can either pay this separately, or add it to your monthly finance payments if you’re not buying the car outright.

Volkswagen T-Cross SUV - Engines, drive & performance

The T-Cross is good to drive and impressively refined

Small SUVs are unlikely to be the dream vehicle for keen drivers, but the T-Cross easily competes with the current class leaders in this regard. It drives well, with pleasingly light steering and a comfortable ride. Over most bumps and bad surfaces it’s composed, and body roll is kept to a minimum through the majority of corners.

Like many other VW Group cars, the T-Cross isn’t built primarily to excite; its handling and driving experience is composed and careful, which inspires confidence in the car. The higher driving position compared to the Polo helps with seeing further ahead, and is one of the main reasons to buy an SUV over a standard hatchback. If you're after more fun behind the wheel, consider the Ford Puma.

Volkswagen T-Cross petrol engines

A 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is the most popular option, with outputs of either 94 or 108bhp. While the latter is essentially the engine from the Volkswagen up! GTI, the T-Cross doesn’t provide mini-hot hatch performance. However, it manages 0-62mph in a smidge over 10 seconds, or 11.5 for the 94bhp version - the 108bhp engine is our pick.

Refinement is very impressive for such a small car. In fact, it feels very mature and capable. The higher-powered version offers a six-speed manual gearbox over a five-speed in the entry version, and the 108bhp engine is available with a slick DSG automatic gearbox at extra cost.

In January 2020, Volkswagen introduced a 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine to the range. It’s almost as efficient as the 1.0-litre, thanks to the ability to shut down half its cylinders when you’re not pressing the throttle hard, but the 0-62mph time improves to 8.5 seconds. Its top speed is 124mph.

Diesel engines

A diesel engine was available for a short time but, unsurprisingly, slow sales saw it withdrawn. The 94bhp 1.6-litre engine has been removed from the Polo range too. It prioritises efficiency over performance, and 0-62mph takes almost 12 seconds. No hybrid version is currently available to rival the Hyundai Kona or Renault Captur E-Tech, which is a shame. However, Volkswagen is planning to electrify most of its range, so a hybrid or pure electric version could be in the pipeline.

Volkswagen T-Cross SUV - Interior & comfort

The interior is a strength of the T-Cross, with plenty of tech on all versions

The VW T-Cross is one of the most expensive small SUVs available - for the price of the top-spec model, you could get a bigger and still well-equipped Volkswagen T-Roc - but the interior feels far more premium than rivals such as the Kia Stonic, Ford Puma and SEAT Arona. For buyers who don’t need a larger SUV but value premium materials, the T-Cross makes sense.

In terms of comfort, the T-Cross surpasses rivals too. It’s incredibly quiet on the move, making the cabin feel serene and relaxing. The T-Cross is well damped, ironing out most bumps - only large potholes will send a jolt through the cabin. There are many larger, more expensive SUVs that don’t manage to be so comfortable.

Volkswagen T-Cross dashboard

Volkswagen is known for its upmarket interiors, which is why many customers don’t mind paying a bit extra for a car with a VW badge. The T-Cross is no different, as it feels more plush and expensive inside than many small SUVs. While there are some scratchy, hard plastics on show, the main dashboard fascia lifts the cabin. If this silver trim doesn’t appeal, you’ll be able to choose a range of different options and even match the dashboard to the exterior paint colour.

Just like in the Volkswagen Polo, the build quality in the T-Cross is impressive. Even though this car will be one of VW’s least expensive models, it feels solid and well built, and the controls feel reassuringly chunky. There are stylish silver inserts on the steering wheel and a gloss black surround for the lower centre console, which adds to the feeling of quality. VW has also chosen to stick with a manual handbrake, instead of switching to an electric version.

Equipment

The T-Cross does well for standard equipment, with an eight-inch full-colour infotainment system fitted across the range. The car offers a full suite of connectivity including Bluetooth, USB and Apple CarPlay (this is standard on all but the base model), plus DAB radio.

The kit list doesn’t stop there. Air-conditioning and a variety of safety systems are included on all models, while top versions come with VW’s crisp configurable digital instrument cluster (shown in these pictures). In this R-Line model, customers benefit from dual-zone air conditioning, sat nav and parking sensors at both ends. SEL and R-Line models get automatically adjusting LED headlights, plus LED tail-lights and daytime running lights.

Options

There aren’t too many optional extras to choose from in the T-Cross brochure, perhaps because it’s rather well-equipped in the first place. However, you can choose from a variety of different alloy wheels (on the mid-spec trim levels) and paint colours to personalise the car to your tastes. Design packs are available across most of the range should you wish to add further splashes of colour and different interior upholstery.

VW T-Cross R-Line seats22
Once you’ve chosen these, you can pick options like a reversing camera, park assist and keyless entry. Electric folding door mirrors and high-beam assist can also be picked on VW’s smallest SUV, while packs include a Beats audio pack and a winter pack consisting of heated seats, heated windscreen washer nozzles and a washer fluid level indicator.

The options list is slightly different if you choose the entry-level ‘S’ model, however. Here, you can opt for front and rear parking sensors, front fog lights, tinted rear windows, sat nav, app connectivity and an extra security system.

Technology

As well as the entertainment technology listed above, the T-Cross gets a lot of safety features as standard. All models feature extended pedestrian and cyclist protection, front assist, auto emergency braking, tyre pressure monitoring and automatic emergency services contact in the event of a collision.

On SE models and above, you’ll also get blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, a driver alert system, adaptive cruise control and hill start assist.

Volkswagen T-Cross SUV - Practicality & boot space

The T-Cross is more spacious and flexible than the VW Polo

You might look at the T-Cross and think that it’ll barely be big enough to accommodate the weekly shop, but its small-looking proportions disguise practical interior space. The boot, while not the biggest in class, is a pleasant surprise, as is the thoughtful touch of rear seats that slide forwards and backwards.

The extra headroom afforded by the taller body will be a big draw to many customers, as it makes the T-Cross that bit more practical than the Polo. There’s also a similar amount of headroom as you get in the Ford Puma and more than in the Renault Captur.

Volkswagen T-Cross interior space & storage

The T-Cross is quite a practical car generally, not just in the context of its compact size. It’s slightly longer than the Polo and 107mm taller, which makes it feel considerably more spacious inside than VW’s supermini hatch. Large windows allow the cabin to feel light and airy.

Cleverly, the rear seats can slide backwards or forwards, depending on how you want to divvy up cargo and passenger space. This trick is usually offered on much more expensive cars, or people carriers that prioritise substance over style. As a result, the T-Cross is very versatile, despite the distance between its wheels (the wheelbase) being identical to the Polo.

You’ll want to keep the rear seats pushed as far back as they’ll go if you regularly carry passengers, as legroom vanishes with the seats fully forward.

Boot space

Creating an SUV based on a Volkswagen Polo may divide opinion, but it certainly benefits boot space. The T-Cross offers between 385 and 455 litres with the rear seats up, depending on where you have them, but even the smaller number is five litres bigger than the boot in the Volkswagen Golf. With the rear seats pushed forwards as far as they’ll go, the boot is no longer flat - there’s a large channel where the seats were, which your possessions will fall into if they aren’t secured.

Flip those seats down and you’ll have 1,281 litres to fill - plus, you can fold the front passenger seat flat to accommodate longer items. In this configuration, the T-Cross offers almost as much space as a small van, which means it’s perfect if you occasionally need lots of luggage space but only have a small parking bay.

In terms of boot space, the T-Cross leaves many of its rivals behind. The Hyundai Kona offers up to 361 litres seats up and 1,143 litres seats down, the SEAT Arona offers 400 litres in five-seat mode, while the larger Renault Captur matches it almost exactly. In fact, with the seats pushed forward, the T-Cross offers slightly more space than the larger T-Roc.

Towing

It’s unlikely that many T-Cross owners will use their car for towing, and Volkswagen says that the 1.0-litre petrol models, and the 1.6-litre diesel models will safely tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1,100kg. The more powerful 1.5-litre petrol engine is the most capable model of the range, with the ability to tow a braked trailer up to 1,200kg in weight.

Volkswagen T-Cross SUV - Reliability & safety

Reliability untested but the T-Cross received a five-star Euro NCAP rating

Volkswagen has a good reputation in the UK, which is another reason why buyers flock to the brand. Its position as a premium mainstream manufacturer is appealing, and is backed up by reliable cars, a big dealership network and mostly satisfied customers. Even high-mileage cars hold their value much better than rivals in the classifieds. VW tends to post reasonable results in Driver Power surveys but this slipped somewhat in 2020. Nevertheless, the T-Cross could occupy one of the higher spots in the next couple of years.

The brand is also perceived as a builder of safe cars. All models come with a five-star Euro NCAP rating, and there is plenty of standard safety technology that would be optional extras on some other SUVs.

Volkswagen T-Cross reliability

It’s too early for any specific reliability feedback for the T-Cross but VW fell to 19th out of 30 manufacturers in our 2020 Driver Power survey (still ahead of BMW and Mercedes) while the Golf and Tiguan finished 50th and 51st out of the UK's top 75 models respectively.

Safety

Euro NCAP has given the T-Cross a full five-star score. It scored 97% for adult occupant safety, 86% for child safety, 81% in the pedestrians and other vulnerable road users category and 80% for on-board safety tech. The T-Cross features a range of passive and active safety systems to protect its occupants and pedestrians.

These include pedestrian and cyclist protection, automatic emergency braking, front assist and a speed limiter. More expensive trim levels add features like adaptive cruise control, hill start assist and blind-spot monitoring, which help the T-Cross achieve a maximum rating.

(carbayer.co.rs)

Published in Volkswagen
Saturday, 10 July 2021 03:52

Volkswagen Golf Estate review

Thoroughly rational, practical family car with an air of quality
 

 At a glance

New price £24,730 - £31,330
Lease from new From £270 p/mView lease deals
Used price £17,990 - £24,915
Used monthly cost From £449 per month
Fuel Economy 46.3 - 62.8 mpg
Road tax cost £155
Insurance group 14 - 22How much is it to insure?
New
8.0 - 10.7
Miles per pound (mpp)

 PROS

  • Sensibly sized for British roads and towns
  • Premium feel and many clever details
  • Diverse range of engines and trims
  • Uncompromised practicality

 CONS

  • Appreciably more expensive than rivals
  • Tech overkill, touch-controls are annoying
  • Some trim is not family-friendly
  • Can’t escape engineering shared with cheaper cars
 

Is the Volkswagen Golf Estate any good?

You won’t be surprised to learn that in eighth generation form, the Volkswagen Golf Estate is a thoroughly polished car and it’s somewhat better than good. However, it’s not a car that achieves greatness, because it is far from unique. The core engineering is shared across many cars from the wider group of brands owned by Volkswagen – from Audi to Skoda – and each one is micro-managed to the finest points to appeal to different audiences.

As both the progenitor of VW’s modern-family car approach, and the ‘widest appeal’ marque, the Golf thus ends up being something of a personality-free zone. There’s none of the zest of the Leon Estate, nor the superior arrogance of the A3 Sportback, or the reserved pragmatism of the Skoda Octavia, even though the best qualities of all three are wrapped up in one package.

So yes - it’s very good, and of high quality. But it’s just a touch anonymous.

In isolation, though, it’s rather impressive against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake, Ford Focus Estate and Hyundai i30 Tourer. A safe, advanced choice that won’t let you down or lose much money when it's time to trade in.

Whether it wins your heart, however, is another matter.

What’s it like inside?

Blurring the lines between VW Group’s brands, the Golf has taken some of the ‘high tech’ thunder from Audi and swapped to futuristic touch controls throughout. It’s not just the gadgetry, depending on trim level there are luxury touches that set the Golf ahead of many premium marques – albeit at the cost of family resilience.

Take, for example, the velvety-soft fabric lined door pockets on some models – they dampen rattles and feel much nicer than sharp edged unfinished plastic, but you wouldn’t want to clean it up after leaving some forgotten sweets in there on a hot day.

Everything is put together to a very high standard, with excellent fit and finish and no in-car rattles even with the large panoramic sunroof. Materials and appearance vary with specification, but all models get some version of two-screen cockpit; this is where the polish starts to wear off as the infotainment system can be laggy, the touch heater controls are hard to use by, well, touch, and after a while you just wish it had been designed with more focus on usability rather than looking good.

None of it is a showstopper though and you’ll adapt, it’s just there’s a lot of progress for the sake of it in a car that is supposed to be a familiar family friend.

Volkswagen Golf Estate (2021) review interior view 

Practicality and luggage space

With big windows, a long, flat roofline, and a large, flat-sided boot the Volkswagen Golf Estate is the perfect shape for carrying people and stuff; there’s little attempt to make it ‘sporty’ or fashionable, and that’s the way we like it. The tailgate extends low down with a wide, unimpeded opening and there’s an impressive amount of width available relative to the car’s size. Because the Golf Estate is still a relatively small car it’s got a short load area that is easily extended by folding the seats – and it has the useful feature of Isofix points on the front seat so you can fetch large items and take your infant with you.

Front seat comfort is the same as a normal Golf. In the rear seats the more upright roof and windows mean visibility is better, and Volkswagen’s thoughtful touches extend to not one, but three pockets on the seat backs on some models – with smartphone-sized slots further up the back of the front seat.

Fabric interiors retain that VW trick of making your back feel a bit hot after a while behind the wheel, but as many models come with air conditioning or climate control as standard, that isn’t as uncomfortable as it used to be. Ride depends on engine and spec – but every Golf is a strong performer here.

Volkswagen Golf Estate (2021) boot space
 
 

What’s it like to drive?

We tested the Volkswagen Golf 150 TDI Style, a mid-range model with torquey diesel engine and DSG automatic gearbox. VW’s diesel offers impressive refinement and more than adequate performance, as well as near 60mpg real-world economy.

Despite a wealth of driver assistants on offer, the Golf’s unobtrusive, driver-friendly setup means you can enjoy the car’s precise steering and neat handling. Yet it’s easy to let the tech take over in more tedious situations, which it does very effectively.

Nothing is outstanding on this spec, given the price – it’s just very, very good, intuitive, and predictable. As the Golf Estate is also available in very basic, luxurious, all-wheel drive and soon, high-performance R models as well, you should be able to find the experience you want; crucially they all have the same impressive, no-nonsense practicality that you want an estate for in the first place.

What models and trims are available?

As the best of Volkswagen Group, the Golf Estate offers, well, the best of VW’s engine selection. Everything from a 110hp 1.0-litre petrol to the storming Volkswagen Golf R will be available eventually – the latter offering all-wheel drive and 320hp when it arrives, depending on spec. This will be a truly fast load-lugger with only the smallest of external clues to tell other drivers what it is. Until the R arrives, the 200hp Alltrack provides grip and torque.

At present the hybrid Golf – the GTE – is not available in estate form, and for this generation there’s no e-Golf as the VW ID.3 fulfils that role, so there's unlikely to be a plug-in Golf Estate.

However, there is a slightly higher ground clearance, all-wheel drive Golf Alltrack, which is only available with 200hp diesel power and DSG automatic gearbox.

On other models, you can opt for a manual gearbox or VW’s proven DSG automatic, and there’s a comprehensive set of driver assistance available if desired. In short, the Volkswagen Golf may be a byword for the essentials of family motoring, but it can be lavishly equipped.

What else should I know?

One thing the Golf Estate has going against it is cost. No VW Golf is ‘cheap’, but even so you’ll find you pay a hefty premium for a normal spec of Golf against strong rivals such as the Ford Focus Estate, Kia Ceed and of course, the in-house rivals of the Skoda Octavia and SEAT Leon estates.

However, the Golf feels more like a premium product – in places it feels more upmarket and higher quality than more obvious posh brands such as Mercedes-Benz and even some Audis. A little bit of that is in soft, short-lived things like soft-trimmed door bins – but it implies a longer-lasting, more robust car overall.

On the other hand, if longevity is important to you other manufacturers are now offering warranties that make VW look decidedly stingy. With that in mind, read on to find out if we think the Volkswagen Golf Estate is worth buying.

 
Volkswagen Golf Estate (2021) review, driving

Should you buy a Volkswagen Golf Estate?

There is absolutely no denying that the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf is technically the best Golf ever – and it isn’t always a given that a new one will be a better one, as the third generation demonstrated. However, the same engineering is available with different badges for less money, in the form of the Skoda Octavia Estate – which also has some physical controls instead being completely dependent on touch controls for many features, too.

If practicality is foremost in your buying decisions, that alone will rule the Golf out. However, the Golf does present a more pragmatic image and balance than, say, an Audi.

Soon, the appeal will be enhanced with the delightful combination of family-friendly, small-enough-for-towns subtle performance in the Golf R Estate which has few direct rivals, and little that can approach the performance for the money.

So ultimately, it’s down to whether you’re the sort of person who likes to pay for high quality, without necessarily shouting to the world that you bought the fanciest thing. If you are, the fit and finish will impress, the details reassure, and the relatively classless badge will appeal.

What we like

The wide range of engines and transmissions, the classless image and the sheer practicality of the Golf Estate make it a very easy car to like.

What we don't like

It's more expensive than a Skoda Octavia Estate and when you start optioning it up, it gets even more costly. The touch controls on the fascia are also unresponsive and are not as satisfying to use as traditional knobs and switches.

Which model is best for you?

There’s a diverse range, from the bare-bones 1.0 TSI Life to the 200hp all-wheel drive Alltrack, but we think the Golf Estate works best as a subtle, premium model – either of the 150hp diesel or petrol versions, in Style trim, will deliver an efficient, refined experience that justifies the expense.

The Golf Alltrack offers a different dilemma – when compared with premium rivals it represents good value for a capable car, ideally suited for rural areas prone to bad weather and patchy road clearance. It may struggle to look appealing next to a traditional 4x4 or SUV.

Overall though, the Skoda Octavia Estate offers better value than the Golf, particularly at the more affordable end of the range, and it would be our starting point here.

Volkswagen Golf Estate (2021) review, driving
 
(parkers.co.uk)
Published in Volkswagen

German carmaker Volkswagen will suspend sales of cars powered by internal combustion engines in Europe by 2035 and focus entirely on electric cars, while this change will arrive later in the US and China, said one of the members of the Board of Directors of the VW Group.

"We are leaving the market for cars powered by internal combustion engines in Europe between 2033 and 2035, and later in the United States and China," said Klaus Zellmer, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Group in charge of sales.

"As far as South America and Africa are concerned, conventionally powered cars will stay there for a bit longer due to the fact that there are no legal frameworks that provide time limits for achieving zero emissions," he added.

In addition, Zellmer told the German newspaper Muenchner Merkur that by 2050 at the latest, the entire Volkswagen range should be completely CO2 neutral.

The idea is that in Europe, by 2030, electric cars will make up 70% of Volkswagen's total sales, which would allow them to avoid the severe penalties imposed by the European Union for all car manufacturers that exceed the CO2 allowance.

Published in Blog/News

According to the latest statements of the CEO of the Stellantis group, Carlos Tavares, it can be concluded that the competition has repeatedly wanted to take ownership of the Alfa Romeo brand, and the most serious was Volkswagen in 2018.

According to Autocar sources, contact was established between Volkswagen and the FCA Group during 2018 on the idea of ​​Ferdinand Piëch. The former director of Volkswagen often spoke positively about Alfa, for example during the Paris Motor Show in 2011 when he thought that this brand could flourish if it were owned by the VW Group, and even then said that Porsche could manage the Italian brand .

By 2018, Piëch no longer had the main say in Volkswagen’s day-to-day operations, but sources claim he was still determined to buy an Alfa Romeo. His interest jumped when investment company ADW Capital Management, a longtime owner of shares in the FCA, suggested that the Alfa Romeo brand could reach the level of Ferrari with a few changes.

Contact was established in June 2018, at the request of Ferdinand Piëch. Mike Manley, who then took over as CEO of the FCA Group, and Herber Diess, the head of Volkswagen, met to talk about potential collaboration. However, when Diess asked if Alfa Romeo was for sale he got a short and simple answer - no.

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Singapore is the most expensive country to own a car

YouTuber Kuma Kuruma opens the topic using the Volkswagen Polo as an example, citing its open market value (OMV), or the price of the car before taxes and fees are applied.

According to B92, the value of the open market is 17,796 Singapore dollars. Then an excise tax of 20 percent of the value is added, in Paul's case 3,559 Singapore dollars. After that, there is the service tax (GST) which is 7 percent - 1494 Singapore dollars.

The worst fee is the registration fee (ARF), and for cars whose open market value is below 20,000 Singapore dollars, you pay an additional 100 percent of the open market value. This means that since Polov OMV is Singapore $ 17,796, its registration fee is that much more.

Add another 3,559 Singapore dollars in excise duty and 1,494 dollars in services tax, the total price of the new Paul in Singapore is 40,646 Singapore dollars, which is 30,226 US dollars, or 2,983,214.82 dinars.

However, once you've bought your new car, your troubles don't stop - you need one more thing before you can drive it: a Certificate of Rights (COE) that allows you to drive a newly acquired vehicle for up to 10 years. For one Polo, such a certificate would cost around 48,000 Singapore dollars, according to which the final cost of Polo would be 99,000 Singapore dollars, which is 73,620 dollars!

Published in Blog/News
Wednesday, 16 June 2021 04:27

New Volkswagen T-Cross Black Edition 2021 review

The small Volkswagen T-Cross SUV turns on the style in new Black Edition trim

Verdict

Black Edition trim is a useful update to the T-Cross line-up, adding some additional styling touches for not much extra. It’s a solid small SUV with some good tech – although we wish more of it was standard. However, we can’t fault the excellent powertrain when it comes to refinement and performance, while flexibility, practicality and efficiency are sound, too.

To keep its T-Cross compact SUV feeling fresh in an incredibly crowded class, Volkswagen has updated the range, adding new trims – including an Active model – and this, the T-Cross Black Edition.

It’s identical to the rest of the range mechanically, available with the same 1.0 TSI turbo petrol in two power outputs (though not the range-topping 1.5 TSI), and either manual or dual-clutch automatic gearboxes, depending on which version you go for.

However, image is important in this class, and Black Edition trim – as its name suggests – adds some key visual extras, including 17-inch black diamond-turned alloys, black door mirrors and some dark tinted windows, plus some extra kit over the SE model it’s otherwise based on, including full LED headlights and all-round parking sensors.

The 108bhp 1.0-litre TSI 110 we’re testing will be a big seller, not least because it comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, whereas the lower-powered 94bhp model makes do with a five-speed transmission.

It’s an extremely refined engine as it is, but this extra gear – plus a useful 200Nm of torque – helps cruising refinement. The TSI 110 unit pulls smoothly and in a linear way; there’s not much turbo lag, just a smooth slug of torque that gets the T-Cross moving fairly swiftly and without any fuss from under the bonnet. The 0-62mph sprint takes 10.8 seconds, but it’s the flexibility that makes this a pleasing small SUV to use.

It’s coupled to good ride quality that only starts to become ruffled on bad country roads at mid speeds – it’s actually better the faster you go on this type of tarmac. Otherwise, the T-Cross is direct and agile enough to drive, with light steering and plenty of composure that means you can drive it faster than you might think.

Not that many owners will do this, and in everyday driving the T-Cross is a strong all-rounder. There’s a fair level of space in the rear of the cabin and a 455-litre boot, so small families shouldn’t feel the need for more space.

A sliding rear bench means you can prioritise either rear legroom or luggage space, so there’s a good level of flexibility. Along with the extra design touches here it shows that VW knows how small SUV buyers use their cars, offering an extra element of usability to help fit with the lifestyle crowd. It’s just as much a small family car as well, though, and we’d say that it offers a decent amount of practicality for most buyers in this class.

There’s just enough standard kit, too, given our test car’s £21,760 starting price. On top of the features mentioned above, Black Edition models benefit from adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection with autonomous emergency braking, plus lane assist and blind-spot detection, as well as manual air-conditioning.

An eight-inch touchscreen infotainment set-up with wireless Apple CarPlay and (wired) Android Auto connectivity is included too. However, it’s a shame that VW charges £385 for its 10.3-inch Digital Cockpit Pro dash panel. Built-in sat-nav also costs £860, but it’s an extra we’d do without, given that many buyers will connect their smartphone anyway.

The infotainment works well, with the kind of snappy responses and sharp graphics on the main screen that we’ve come to expect from VW. The optional digital dash could still offer a higher resolution, though.

With a range of bright exterior colours to choose from, you can make your T-Cross stand out – or if you’d prefer to blend in, then there are darker hues, too.

Quality is fine, but nothing special and there are better small SUVs on sale when it comes to materials and finishes inside. But despite VW’s cost cutting in some areas, the T-Cross still feels solid enough at this price.

Its efficiency contributes towards its ability as an all-rounder as well, with WLTP-tested economy of 49.6mpg combined. This is the same as the less powerful 94bhp version, while the TSI 110 model’s 130g/km CO2 output is 1g/km better too, although this doesn’t change company car tax ratings.

Given there’s only a £725 difference in price we’d go for this more powerful model, because there’s no real penalty when it comes to running costs.

Model: Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI 110 Black Edition 
Price: £21,760
Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo petrol
Power/torque: 108bhp/200Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
0-62mph: 10.8 seconds
Top speed: 117mph
Economy: 49.6mpg
CO2: 130g/km
On sale: Now
 
Published in Volkswagen

Although sales in March jumped 63% from last March, the results are still far from those achieved before the pandemic.

With the exception of last year's crisis, last month's sales in Europe were the lowest since March 2013 and 22% lower than in 2019. At the same time, diesels reached a historically low share of only 24%.

According to data from 26 markets in Europe, sales jumped from 842,094 last year to 1,374,313 units in March, according to Jato Dynamics. That this is still not a reason to celebrate is confirmed by the fact that quarterly sales are only 1% higher than in the same period last year, ie the lowest since 1986.

"The European market is far from pre-pandemic, and governments need to take action to increase sales and restore customer confidence," said Felipe Munoz, a global analyst at JATO Dynamics.

What is required?
Only two groups of vehicles, SUVs and electrically powered models, recorded a positive result. In March, electric vehicles reached a record 16%. Recall, last March the share was 9.7%, and in 2019 only 3.4%.

The share of SUVs has risen even more. In March 2019, it was 37%, last year 40%, and this March as much as 45%. The largest increase in popularity is recorded in Sweden, Norway and our neighboring Slovenia and Hungary.

Best selling Golf

The Golf has regained the title of best-selling model on the European market, with an increasing share of hybrid performances. Sales were 26,265 units, or only 836 units more than the second-placed Peugeot 208, which is the quarterly winner.

The Opel Corsa is in third place, ahead of the Clio and Polo, and the fourth place was taken by the Tesla Model 3, also by far the best-selling electric model.

Let's also mention the novelties. The newly launched Citroen C4 reached 5,671 registrations, and the Opel Mokka up to 5,560 units. Electric VW ID.3 and ID.4 had slightly lower sales.

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It’s a good thing you like SUVs, America, because the march of replacing passenger cars with compact crossovers continues without delay. The latest automaker to do it: Volkswagen. This is the new 2022 Taos, which will replace the Golf hatchback in VW’s lineup when it arrives in June (the GTI and Golf R will remain, however). Typically with these swaps — Ford Escape for Ford Fusion and Focus, Chevrolet Trailblazer instead of Cruze — the incoming SUVs are more expensive than the outgoing car. Not so with the new Taos with its starting price of $24,190 (all prices include destination), which is exactly the starting price for the outgoing 2021 Golf. The thought here is that VW is offering up the extra space, extra cargo, higher seating position and boosted utility of the Taos without a price penalty.

Is it enough to make us forget the demise of one of our favorite compact cars? We went to Chelsea, Mich., to drive the new Taos and see if VW’s new strategy will keep our interest in its crossover-heavy showroom.

Clean, Simple, Volkswagenisch Style

There’s nothing distinctive nor distracting about the Taos’ styling. It’s a nondescript crossover shape, same as most everything else out there. It does have a more formal SUV-like roofline, however, providing a boost to cargo space and headroom inside even with the optional panoramic moonroof installed. There are some surprising details, such as standard LED headlights and taillights, some nice bodyside trim with the Taos name embedded in it and VW’s new lettering style on the tailgate. Wheel sizes depend on which of the three trim levels (S, SE or SEL) you choose and whether you select front- or all-wheel-drive. Seventeen-inch wheels come on the S, 18-inchers on the SE and you can get 19-inch wheels only on the AWD SEL trim. The overall look is modern, clean and understated, but paint it in the optional Cornflower Blue pigment and the Taos really pops out on the street.

Competitive Dynamics

Powering all versions of the Taos is a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 158 horsepower and 184 pounds-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard and comes with an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission, while all-wheel drive is optional and comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. That might not sound like much grunt, but it’s extremely well tuned to the Taos, and always provided peppy acceleration and plenty of oomph whenever called on. I drove both the FWD and AWD versions, and neither felt underpowered or sluggish in the slightest. The FWD version did feel a bit lighter on its feet, but that’s to be expected given its 255-pound weight advantage over the AWD model.

The Taos easily feels quicker than competitors like the Chevy Trailblazer or Subaru Crosstrek despite not really making much more power than either of their upper trims with optional engines. The Trailblazer’s base engine is a tiny turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine making 137 hp and 162 pounds-feet of torque mated to a continuously variable transmission; you have to opt for higher trim levels to get the more powerful 155 hp and 174-pounds-feet of the turbo 1.3-liter three-cylinder. The Crosstrek comes with a 152-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes a paltry 145 pounds-feet of torque, but higher trims get a 182-hp 2.5-liter engine with 176-pounds-feet — plus, all Crosstreks have standard all-wheel drive, which is optional on the Taos. If you want something high-zoot, the Kia Seltos is the one to look at: While it starts with an unremarkable 146-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 132-pounds-feet of torque, its optional engine is a zippy turbo 1.6-liter that makes 175 hp and 195 pounds-feet.

Stacked up against other competitors’ base engines, the Taos does them one better — compared against optional engines, the Taos is competitive. It’s even surprisingly efficient, as during my limited test drive that involved considerable spirited driving, it still returned better than 30 mpg, according to the onboard computer.

Both FWD and AWD models exhibit neutral ride and handling characteristics. There’s nothing athletic about the Taos, but then there’s very few people who’ll expect one to be. The steering is feather-light and offers very little feel or feedback, but the steering ratio is super-quick and the turning radius is tight, making for quick directional changes with minimal input on the tiller. It also enables the little Taos to make U-turns in an extraordinarily small space, a boon for urban maneuvering. It feels very different from the Golf it replaces, but it should — it’s taller, larger and heavier. What it doesn’t have are the tighter, more buttoned-down European road dynamics that were seemingly baked into every Golf hatchback.

Out on the street, the Taos’ ride is comfortable regardless of 18- or 19-inch wheel options. It’s well damped, quiet and while it does exhibit a noticeable amount of body roll in corners, it’s never uncomfortable or tippy-feeling. It does feel like you sit taller in a Taos than in a competitor like the Crosstrek or Trailblazer, but it’s part of the appeal of a crossover, I suppose. You’ll never mistake it for a tall wagon; unlike some competitors in the class, it does indeed feel more like an SUV than a passenger car.

Entry-Level Digs

The interior of the Taos is familiar to anyone who’s been in a VW recently. The polygonal styling, the touch-sensitive multimedia system, the buttons and knobs for the climate controls, they’re all right out of the old Tiguan, Passat, Atlas and other models, which is fine — it all works well, is easy to identify at a glance and still maintains things like a volume knob for the audio system. The touch-sensitive steering wheel and climate control system coming for the new Tiguan aren’t here yet, which could be another reason the Taos might be more popular than VW’s upcoming new, slightly larger crossover. New items in here include a standard digital gauge cluster (an 8-inch unit on lesser trims, a reconfigurable 10.25-inch one on the SEL), Volkswagen’s Car-Net connectivity suite with Wi-Fi capability, and heated seats, side mirrors and washer nozzles on the base S AWD model.

The interior is comfortable and surprisingly spacious, especially in the backseat. The front seats have a variety of materials, depending on which trim you select, but all of them feel like an upgrade over the past vinyl transgressions of VW interior designers. The same cannot be said for material quality in other areas, such as the dashboard itself, which features a large swath of shiny plastic that feels and looks cheap, especially when compared with the high-quality materials seen in vehicles like the Seltos. The SEL trim I drove had faux-leather upholstery on the dash and doors, and it does help things, but it doesn’t carry into the backseat, which features plain plastic door skins. It’s not a deal killer and certainly isn’t worse than most other vehicles in its class, but I wouldn’t call it best-in-class materials.

But just as in other VW vehicles like the big daddy Atlas, the sketchy materials quality becomes rather less significant when you realize that the Taos offers extraordinary space. I could sit in the backseat after adjusting the front seats to my normal driving position, and my nearly 6-foot-tall frame didn’t see my knees touch the seatbacks — something you can’t say about a Ford Escape or Jeep Compass.

There’s so much usable space in the second row and cargo area that I do wonder if the Taos doesn’t become more popular than the larger, slightly more expensive Tiguan; having seen them both in person, it’s obvious to me that VW wants to reposition the Tiguan as a more premium, more luxurious option in the class, leaving the Taos to take up the mantle of volume and price-leading family mover.

Priced to Bring ‘Em In

The starting price for a new Taos is $24,190, exactly the price of an outgoing Golf. For that money, you get an S FWD trim with standard LED lights front and back, black mirrors and roof rails, a 6.5-inch multimedia system, the 8-inch digital gauge cluster and more (our full pricing breakdown can be seen here). The mid-level trim is the SE, which brings faux leather and cloth seats, more amenities, and larger wheels and tires, while the top of the line is the SEL, which comes extremely well equipped. A fully loaded SEL AWD with optional panoramic moonroof will top out at $35,440, a considerable sum for a compact SUV but competitive with other models in the category — although at those upper reaches of the price spectrum, VW would truly prefer to show you a new Tiguan SEL R-Line, with its racier styling, bigger wheels and more premium cabin.

So, is this a suitable replacement for the Golf in the VW showroom? Well, not if you’re intent on finding something that’s still tight and entertaining while still being a capable commuter. But given Golf sales versus Tiguan sales over the past decade, it looks like those buyers are increasingly uncommon. The new Taos definitely has a more “American-style compact crossover” feel to it than a “tight European hatchback” feel, but that’s what sells these days, and the new Taos meets all the requirements to be a success in this segment. Priced right, loaded with equipment, efficient, more spacious than expected, and providing that high seating position and AWD capability that buyers are craving, the new 2022 Taos has the potential to be more popular here than the Golf ever was.

(cars.com)

Published in Volkswagen

New tech doesn’t dull the VW GTI’s legendary character.

Can a car have a panic attack? No? Okay, good. For a second there, we wanted to throw a weighted car cover over our white 2022 Volkswagen GTI and slip some sort of vehicular benzodiazepine in its gas tank. If it could gain sentience, this shapely little hatch might incessantly blare its horn and idle at 4,000 rpm out of pure existential angst.

Could you blame the poor thing? First and foremost, it's a new gas-powered compact hatch from an automaker that has made it very clear that its future is both electric and filled mostly with SUVs. It killed the regular Golf hatch in the States, leaving the new MkVIII GTI and forthcoming Golf R as the only America-bound fruit from that once bountiful branch. As part of this Golf goodbye, our GTIs will come from Germany, not Mexico, and won't arrive here until late this year.

It's enough to make anyone a bit nuts. Though, from behind the wheel of the latest and greatest iteration of the perennial hot hatch gold standard, we might be a bit off with our silly anthropomorphism of the MkVIII. Scooting around traffic-clogged city streets, cramming gear into the cargo area, stuffing friends in the back seat, squeezing into tight parking spaces—it's all handled with the familiar chilled-out, cooler-than-you German modernism that makes the Golf—oops, Freudian slip—GTI such a fan favorite.

Oh, and it's also a hoot and a half to drive, but we'll get to that in a bit. The circumstance surrounding our first scoop of the MkVIII is a bit of a whirlwind; we'd not yet gotten so much as a physical walkaround of the new GTI before it buzzed to our test track to be put through our data-driven trials. So, consider this our first touch, first sniff, first drive, first test—first everything.

Same As It Ever Was? Hardly.
Still, in a way, this is a meeting of old friends. Underneath those fresh, ID3-esque exterior duds lie the augmented bones of the existing MkVII GTI. VeeDub's rather excellent and wide-ranging MQB platform is still here, so that means if you like how the MkVII GTI rides and drives—boy, you're going to love this.

The 2022 GTI is significantly spruced-up over the existing car. The MacPherson-strut front suspension's wishbone bushings, bump stops, and springs are revised and tweaked, along with the software associated with the optional adjustable dampers. All this is carried by an aluminum subframe that shaves 6.6 pounds over the old setup. It was purloined from the prior GTI Clubsport S, a scorching hot hatch that was briefly the FWD record-holder around the 'Ring.

Around back, the multilink rear suspension is refreshed, too. More software updates and reworked springs, helper springs, wheel mounts, damper bearings, and wishbone bushings keep it all in line. A note on those aforementioned spring rates; they're five percent stiffer in the front and 15 percent stiffer in the rear.

Elsewhere, the software for the electric-assisted steering has been re-coded for sharper turn-in when you want it and lighter effort when you don't. A new brake master cylinder modulates pressure based on driving style and environment: softer and more progressive around town in Comfort mode and a stiff, early bite when you're caning it.

Power, And Lots Of It
Power still comes from the EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, but that is the last thing we'd want changed from the MkVII GTI. The Volkswagen Group's ubiquitous turbo-four has, for some of us, become the definitive engine that springs to mind when the subject turns to 2.0Ts. Power is a stout 242 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, routed solely to the front wheels—as the GTI gods intended—through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission, as in our test car. Crucially, a limited-slip diff is standard, so all MkVIII GTIs should fundamentally be created equal on the performance front.

VW says all this adds up to a 0-60-mph run in 6.3 seconds, but we say VW's been taking pages from Porsche's playbook on purposeful underrating. On our strip, associate road test editor Erick Ayapana ran this automatic-transmission front-driver to a very impressive 5.4-second 0-60 time on its way to a 13.9-second quarter-mile, beating out a DSG-equipped MkVII by 0.6 second in both metrics.

The GTI's software didn't make it easy, though. Ayapana had to work around the big torque and tricky transmission tuning in the pursuit of a clean launch. "It's got sloppy launch control," he said. "It holds the engine revs super high and then rides the clutch for what seems like eternity, and after all that, it still couldn't manage wheelspin."

Heroic Handling Habits
Over on the figure-eight and skidpad, the GTI continued its boot-scootin'. It dispatched the ever-tricky figure-eight in 25.0 seconds at an average of 0.74 g, improving on the MkVII GTI with DSG by 1.1 second and 0.05 g. The new GTI hustled around the skidpad at a sweet 0.96 g average, topping its predecessor by a not-insubstantial 0.05 g. This is still notably behind the 24.1-second, 0.81-g average figure-eight time of the latest Honda Civic Type R, but that's fine; the Type R squares off against VW's own Golf R that's coming sometime later this year or early next year.

Back on the GTI, road test editor and handling head honcho Chris Walton was duly impressed. "Wow, Volkswagen has really stepped up its game," he said. "The steering is very good; it doesn't feel artificially heavy or light. Just right. I wasn't expecting the GTI to be this capable and fun." Still, like Ayapana, he noted the DSG as having sometimes smart, sometimes baffling programming. Both agreed on the GTI's excellent brakes, which returned a best 60-0-mph stopping distance of 104 feet. "Very confident and talkative brakes," Walton said. "Short travel and you can trail them deep into the skidpad."

Less Track, More Road
The track results are good, but how the new GTI fares on the road—both straight and curvy—is of far greater import. With keys in hand, we couldn't help ourselves—we went straight to the canyons. First impression is that of blissful neutrality; that standard LSD and extensive front-end fettling purged most of the nasty understeer that in the MkVII was always present on the fringes of a too-hot corner entry. Barrel into a corner in the new GTI, and you'll get some tug and scramble from the front end as all the systems frantically but effectively rein in your silliness and shoot you out the other side with nary a scratch.

As it has been for decades, the GTI's is an elemental driving experience, much like a Mazda Miata, Ford Mustang, or Porsche 911. This VW leans into the front-wheel-drive layout, with the most effective method of quick cornering being to feed in throttle just as you approach the apex and allow the front tires and LSD to pull you through like a slingshot. Suspension tuning is predictable and, in the stiffer Sport setting, requisitely flat and composed even during moments of aggressive weight transfer.

Beautiful Brake Balance
The steering is on the artificial end of the spectrum, but it loads up nicely and is sweetly accurate in the heavier Sport mode. The test team wasn't kidding about the brakes; they're no carbon-ceramic stompers, but these are some of the most confident hot hatch brakes we've experienced in some time. On much of our road drive, we left both the stability and traction control on, fully expecting the brake-actuated systems to sap brake efficacy after a few blasts through our test loop.

Not so. Through a combination of well-tuned TC/ESC and that new variable brake master cylinder, we had to drive absurdly fast on seriously tight roads before the brakes conveyed any sense of softness or fade. Even after extended bouts of hooliganism, the brakes continued to stop strong and true at every corner.

Two-Faced In The Best Way
Power is plentiful, but in torque we trust. Merging and hard pulls down straights were pure fun, with plenty of initial telltale rumble and wheel hop shake up front as the chassis struggled to manage all 273 lb-ft. When it hooks up, you're off, reaching speed and acceleration far beyond the expectations levied by the "GTI" badge on the rear liftgate.

Time to settle down and go home. Back in Comfort mode, everything relaxes and decompresses, transforming a riotous sport compact into a regular hatchback with a vaguely firm suspension. On the oft-broken pavement that snakes through Los Angeles, every bump, crag, and expansion joint was both physically and acoustically well isolated, especially when you futz with the Dynamic Chassis Control's (DCC) 15-position slider to dial in your preferred level of aggression.

Who Asked For This?
Now we get to our singular glaring issue with the all-new VW GTI. It seems VW is keen on superimposing the all-electric ID4's interior tech onto its other new products, meaning the GTI's interior is almost entirely devoid of physical buttons. Instead, touch-capacitive panels adorn the dash and steering wheel, operating just about every function available. The headlights, climate control, drive modes, volume, tuning, cruise control, and cluster menu selection are all operated via these single-piece, backlit gloss plastic panels.

What's not touch capacitive is squirreled away in the sharp and pretty touchscreen infotainment system, but some items seem almost purposefully obfuscated. The traction control, for instance, is buried behind the vehicle settings menu under the "brakes" subsection. It's all very cutting edge and futuristic, but it feels very much like the solution to a problem that didn't exist. We got used to the touch controls within a few hours of seat time, but they never became second nature. What's more, most of the once-glossy surfaces became a modern art installation of greasy fingerprints and nasty smudges. Buttons, please.

Pricing—What We (Don't) Know
What we cannot report on is just how well equipped (or not) the new GTI will be when it hits dealers, as our example was a German-market car, skinny Euro registration plate and all, and the equipment levels could notably differ. Heck, we don't even have a clear idea of pricing, but figure it land somewhere around $31,000. For now, if you want to grab one of these, we think the wait will be well worth it. As the U.S.—and Volkswagen—increasingly cuts ties with internal combustion, it's nice to know joyful cars like the 2022 Volkswagen GTI will be with us until the final switch is flipped.

motortrend.com

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