I've always wondered why a car as dynamic and refined as the Golf
was named after such a boring and basic ball game. But as it turns out, Volkswagen named
the vehicle after the Gulf Stream winds, which is kind of appropriate on a day like today.
Naming conventions aside, the Golf has long been the small car benchmark,
but does that still apply to the eighth generation wagon version? Let's find out.
[Music]
Starting life in 1974, the Golf has accumulated almost 36 million sales globally
over around 50 years, overtaking the iconic Beetle as Volkswagen's all-time best-seller. I'm testing
the top spec Golf life model grade in family friendly wagon form and its longer body stretches
the hatch's 4.3 metre length to just over 4.6 metres. It also stretches the price by $2000
over the hatch, which is already several grand more than before, but the more voluminous Golf
is still a lot cheaper than the only other wagon in its class, the Mini Clubman, and you get plenty
of extra boot space for the extra coin, which we'll get to later. In terms of exterior design,
the Golf has always struck a safe balance between an understated broad appeal and a avant-garde
premiumness across seven generations, but I reckon this eighth generation has missed the mark.
Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and details like the standard LED headlights
and tail lights are neat, but the front end of the Mk8 Golf already looks a bit dated to me.
The searing pomelo yellow colour does not do it any favours either.
And under the sleeker bonnet is the same 1.4 litre turbo petrol engine that powered its predecessor.
Outputs are competitive and performance is solid, but Australians miss out on the newer,
more efficient 1.5 litre petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains available in Europe.
That means the Golf's dual clutch automatic transmission is also off-limits for Aussies,
with a conventional eight-speed automatic driving the front wheels instead. The new Golf Wagon is
not off to the greatest start, but the cabin looks schmick, no doubt about it. The uncluttered design
is beautifully presented and it features loads of technology and for the most part,
high quality materials almost everywhere, and this gives it an unequivocally premium feel,
and I love the stubby little Porsche-like gear shifter and simplified parking controls.
Like the rest of the cabin the dashboard has an upmarket look and feel, and these touch-sensitive
reading lights are mint, but look, some parts come across a little bit cheap and chintzy.
The form-fitting seats are really comfy, they've got really good cushioning, but this
cloth upholstery, it feels coarse, and for 40k, you don't even get power operated seats either.
The leather clad steering wheel looks and feels great with well-labelled and easy to use controls,
along with tilt and reach adjustments. Storage is pretty good. You've got two phone holders,
one here and one here, two cup holders, adjustable too, nice, a small central bin
and big door pockets with soft lining, very nice. There are two USB C-ports and a 12-volt socket,
but there is no sunglasses holder and no secret under-seat cubbies. When it comes to tick,
Volkswagen has created a sophisticated set-up and this 10 inch touchscreen is just gorgeous, but
it's let down by average execution and it takes a long time to boot up. Come on buddy. The menu
system isn't too bad with an intuitive interface, good functionality and super sharp visuals.
And I really like the user-friendly climate control options, and the sliders for
temperature and volume adjustment are pretty cool as well. Apart from these sliders here,
it just kind of feels like a re-skinned version of the previous model's multi-media system,
there is no show-stoppers or party tricks to encourage current owners to trade up.
You do get a wireless phone charger and wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play connectivity as
standard, so if you forget your cable, no drama. There's a crisp and clean 10.25 inch digital
instrument display with loads of customisability, there's a lot of functionality here, it's really
nice and even a map function, but if you want a head-up display, it's gonna cost you extra.
There is no 360-degree over-head parking view, just a reversing camera along with
front and rear sensors. There are auto parking functions too, and naturally
the Golf comes with every advanced driver assistance system you'd expect of a European car,
along with an impressive eight air bags, it also has a five star NCAP safety rating.
Back-seat room and amenity is really good. I've got plenty of headroom here,
loads of legroom, plus twin USB-C ports, climate control with air vents,
touch-sensitive LED reading lights and the best seat back pockets ever. How
good is that? There's a fold-out armrest and through loading hatch for skis or javelins
or broom sticks or lancers. Wagon fans will be stoked with the power tail gate
and the boot is suitably large for a small car. Compared to the hatch, you get a lot more space.
When you fold down the seats with these handy quick release latches, load length rises to
around 1.8 metres, hello IKEA flat back furniture. You also get this two-stage cargo cover here,
boom boom, and there's a secondary pit net or cargo net, plus there are four tie-down hooks,
you've got the bag hooks here, there's even a 12-volt socket under here, but only one light.
There's a space saver spare wheel under here, but look at all that room,
if you don't store the cargo blind, there's easily enough room here for a full-size spare wheel.
There's clearly a lot more room there and the roof racks give you even more carrying capacity,
but does the extra length affect the way it drives? Queue the feel good music.
[Music]
Right away, there's a sense of balance and confidence about the way this Golf drives,
and it feels almost as sure-footed as the hatch. While the steering is super light, the
German-engineered and calibrated suspension has a touch of sportiness to it that delivers excellent
road holding and control. This is a really lovely car to drive, and while it doesn't quite have the
ride comfort of a Toyota Corolla, it's still pretty good on rougher roads. While the older
engine and gearbox are inferior to newer European powertrains, they're actually a pretty good combo,
delivering sharp throttle response and more than enough thrust. Refinement levels are impressive.
In fact, noise suppression is a real strength of the new Golf, making the cabin feel as
calm and quiet as some larger luxury cars. The wagon is slightly heavier and therefore
a little thirstier than the hatchback, but you can still get good fuel economy here.
Look the A-pillars are a little thick and can obscure your vision out to the right a little bit,
but it's no worse than any other small car out there, and despite the longer body,
rear-ward vision is really good, thanks to that flat rear window and the large central mirror.
While it doesn't have that high ride height that SUVs have,
you get comparable boot space and it's probably easier to drive in some ways because it's a
little bit narrower and it handles a little bit better, it's really easy to park as well.
Unlike some German brands, this car is backed by a five year, unlimited kilometre warranty
and a range of prepaid and cap price service plans are also available.
No, the latest Golf is not a quantum leap forward over the accomplished model it replaces,
but it does make incremental gains in the areas that really matter and remains the
benchmark non-premium small car in terms of driving dynamics.
Not everyone's gonna be convinced that the higher priced Golf is good value for money,
but if you've got the cash, you're not gonna be disappointed with this vehicle, and especially if
you need the extra flexibility offered by a small wagon. Thanks for watching, really appreciate it.
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