Volkswagen Golf 2017 Review

Without doubt the seventh generation Golf has set a formidable benchmark for Volkswagen’s iconic small car. So Golf 7.5 was always going to be tough gig – especially as Volkswagen seeks to keep something in reserve for the all-new eight generation model.

In the meantime, Golf 7.5 is here, and it’s undeniably a success in the making – locked on a very narrowly-defined bullseye at the intersection of price, specification and consumer expectations.

As I noted reviewing the new model in Spain earlier this year, nothing the Golf 7 did well has been jettisoned in the Golf 7.5. The new model’s pricing and specification for the local market was revealed by Volkswagen in May, and there were few surprises.

New DSG
One surprise Volkswagen did hold back was the new DQ381 DSG (dual-clutch) transmission for the diesel Golf variants. Impressively rated up to 420Nm of torque, this transmission is a seven-speed wet-plate unit that operates smoothly and efficiently - changing gear with subtlety and composure - but also responding quickly to driver demands for sequential shifts.

Volkswagen claims the new transmission aids efficiency, with a low-pressure mechanical oil pump and a combination of natural centrifugal forces plus small spray jets to keep the internals properly lubricated. This pump also provides hydraulic pressure for clutch actuation, a job handled by a secondary electric pump when the engine is not operating – such as when the fuel-saving idle-stop system shuts-down the engine at traffic lights.

We sampled the transmission behind the wheel of an Alltrack 135 TDI Premium during the Golf 7.5 media launch in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Among its other advantages, the DSG was impressively hushed, as were all the DSG variants tested. In contrast with a manual hatch driven during the day, there was very little in the way of driveline noise from the dual-clutch transmissions. Whether due to lower levels of noise insulation in the base-grade model, or the nature of the manual transmission itself, there was slightly more transmission rumble audible in the manual hatch.

Less is more?
Clearly the base-grade Volkswagen Golf is not a car which should be overlooked merely because there are more expensive models in the range which shift gear for themselves. The manual transmission is light, precise and easy to use. Other reasons to consider the entry level Golf include a slightly softer ride on the 16-inch alloy wheels and generally good front seats. Given its $23,990 price tag, if you’re keen on the Volkswagen Golf’s brand cachet and engineering qualities, but can’t stretch to the pricier, better equipped models, the 110 TSI six-speed manual definitely deserves a test drive.

But one reason to consider a Golf model further up the range would be the steering. The base model’s tiller was not as sharp on centre, and on its higher profile tyres, steering response was not in the same league as other variants.

At the high end of the model range, the Golf Highline hatch rode fairly firmly on its optional 18-inch ‘R-Line’ alloy wheels, but steering was razor-sharp and turn-in was faultless. Compared with other small hatchbacks, the Highline’s seats were aggressively sporty - while you do acclimatize to them, the cushioning is definitely not marshmallow-soft, and the side bolstering is actually hard and unyielding. This is a seat set-up familiar to performance car drivers, but its virtues might be lost on family buyers heading to the corner bakery for an early Sunday coffee run.

Comfortline straddles the divide
Which brings us to the mid-range Volkswagen Golf Comfortline. This is the car Volkswagen expects will be the volume-selling variant in Australia. The wagon was our transport from Melbourne’s CBD out to the Yarra Valley. It was very settled on the mostly open roads and the interior proved to be so quiet, on the poorly surfaced Monash Freeway, tyre roar was highlighted.

The Comfortline’s front seats were better cushioned than those in the Highline model and the shaping was preferable to the base model’s seats (although the entry-level Golf variant’s pews will receive few complaints). And the seat shape in the base model was wider and flatter for...erm…‘big-boned’ buyers.

With the exception of the manual transmission in the base Golf, the drivetrains were identical across all the cars tested other than the diesel Alltrack. Fuel consumption figures for the petrol models were as low as 5.2L/100km for the Comfortline wagon (on the open-road ‘transport stage’). At the other end of the scale was the Golf Highline hatch (driven hard on different roads) recorded 9.6L/100km. In between was the manual Golf 110 TSI, on 7.8L/100km, which didn’t enjoy the same free run along the drive route.

As we expected after Golf 7, the petrol engine produced plenty of mid-range torque and a willingness (but no desperate need) to rev up to the redline, all without rattling teeth loose. Its power delivery was more or less linear once the turbocharger was on boost, and, from about 3000 revs, there was sufficient engine output to chirp the tyres in a straightline on dry bitumen. With injudicious use of the accelerator pedal it was possible for the Volkswagen Golf to spin wheels and push towards the outside of a bend if it’s tight and the surface is wet.

Volkswagen’s traction and stability control systems kept the car’s handling mostly in check. Those dynamic safety aids, and the fundamental competence of the MQB platform, eliminate nasties like torque steer, axle tramp and lift-off oversteer.

In other words, the Golf is a very safe-handling motor car.

The Alltrack factor
The Alltrack stood out from the petrol-engined variants. Fairly quiet, but strong and undemanding, the diesel engine in the Alltrack would be the ideal choice for the all-wheel drive wagon. On the trip back to Melbourne, including some moderately heavy traffic, it posted a fuel consumption figure of 5.1L/100km.

The Alltrack is a different sort of beast from the petrol Golf hatches and lower-riding wagons. Naturally it was a little more ponderous in cornering – but still changed direction well by the standards of small SUVs. While there was some sharpness to the ride properties of the Golf Highline hatch (largely a consequence of the wheel and tyre combination) the Alltrack’s ride was fine over smaller bumps and holes, but did firm up when subjected to higher-speed and heavier impacts. And that was entirely due to the choice of spring and damper.

The seats in the front of the Alltrack were, frankly, the seats I personally liked best. They’re good seats for an SUV. You sink into them more than the seats in the non-SUV Golf variants, yet there’s enough shape and support to hold the occupant properly in place.

With the exception of cosmetic details, the new infotainment system and advanced safety features, Golf 7.5 package is largely unchanged from Golf 7.0. The Golf is roomy inside with true adult-size accommodation for four (even with a sunroof fitted), every variant features adjustable air vents for rear seat passengers, there’s a usefully large boot with a space-saver spare under the floor and de rigeur fold-down rear seats.

On the subject of the infotainment systems (and the Active Info Display in the Alltrack model), the high-resolution graphics and straightforward selection make Volkswagen’s interfaces in the revised Golf an outstanding solution for the price.

And so we come back to the start – the Golf’s changes are changes for the better, but the rest of the package remains what it was: the finest example of small car design in the segment.

2017 Volkswagen Golf 110 TSI, Comfortline and Highline pricing and specifications:
Price: $23,990 base, $30,490 Comfortline wagon, $34,490 Highline hatch (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 5.7L/100km manual, 5.4L/100km DSG hatch, 5.6L/100km DSG wagon (ADR Combined)
CO2: 133g/km manual, 128g/km DSG hatch, 131g/km DSG wagon (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP)

2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack 135 TDI Premium pricing and specifications:
Price: $40,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 135kW/380Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 142g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP)