Volkswagen Golf 2013 Long-term review - 2

Long-term tests offer the writer the convenience of forming conclusions more carefully considered than during a frenetic media drive program packed into one day.

And since I represented motoring.com.au at the launch of the Volkswagen Golf 7 earlier this year, this update for our latest long-term test vehicle has opened up a rare opportunity to see how the car stacks up now – in a week-long 'ownership experience' – versus the 'all care, no responsibility' drive program of six months ago.

Turns out the Golf rates even better than I recalled. This particular long-term test vehicle is a 103TSI in Highline trim – the variant I praised at the time as the best of the range, back to back against its 90TSI and 110TDI (diesel) brethren. In isolation the Golf impresses even more in daily commutes than it did during the open-road drive to Healesville back in April.

Belying an average fuel economy figure that has worsened only a little (from 7.0L/100km to 7.1 during the week in my custody), the Golf has not been spared the occasional flogging. It's nicely responsive to the throttle and accelerates fast enough to thread its way through traffic when required.

While I noted previously that it rode a bit firmer than the other variants, the Golf 103TSI soaks up bumps really well in contrast with two other 'continental' cars driven during previous weeks.

The Golf gives nothing away in active safety and driveability either, as observed during its launch, but – and here's the 'carefully considered' bit – there are subtle details that enhance the appreciation of the car. As one example, the illuminated strips in the door cappings, supplying ambient lighting for the cabin, are only noticeable at night. They add to the car's sense of budget-brand luxury, as do the seats, which are undeniably comfortable on longer trips.

We packed the whole family into the Golf and drove an hour without any complaints from the back seat. In fact, both kids fell asleep long before the trip was complete.

The Golf remains quiet and composed in the urban context and while the idle stop-start system can be detected when the starter motor is grinding away, it's a much more refined process than in other cars – some costing significantly more.

My partner in crime hates idle stop-start systems, but has made no mention of this system in the Golf. It's not that she's unaware of it, but it simply isn't that intrusive and doesn't cause her any anxiety. After just one night, what's more, she has adjusted to the Golf's electronic parking brake too, and finds the packaging is spot-on for her purposes.

Almost everything about the Golf is calculated to work to specification. Along the narrow driveway at home the parking sensors make life easier than in other cars. You won't be driven nuts by the incessant audible alarms (in one recent case, remaining audible after the car had backed past the obstacle).

Steering is light yet communicative – in more ways than one. Its electric motor assist can be heard working at parking speeds if you're twirling the wheel quickly. Traction and roadholding complement the car's hard-working engine. So you can induce wheelspin and a measured loss of grip, as occurred during Melbourne's inclement weather over the week, but it won't affect safety or forward progress to any great degree.

The dual-clutch transmission (or DSG) – the transmission people currently love to hate – operated smoothly and was generally pretty quick on the draw for those moments when you needed to manually select a different gear. Infrequently, and particularly if the car hadn't warmed up to operating temperature, the transmission would take its own good time to release the clutch.

While backing slowly the DSG system 'pulses' torque in brief spurts – just enough to maintain momentum for a few metres at a time. It's distinctly different from a conventional automatic, which will keep torque piped through to the drive wheels at all times. On balance, however, the DSG doesn't ask that much of a new driver, and delivers what most owners will want.

People have already made up their minds about the Golf – and perhaps Volkswagens in general, particularly those with DSGs. Time will tell whether that mistrust is misplaced, but our long-term test vehicle is yet to put a foot wrong.

Related reading:
Volkswagen Golf Long-Term Test (Introduction)

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