Volkswagen Golf 77TDI 2010 Review

Volkswagen Golf 77TDI

Road Test

Price Guide (recommended price before dealer and statutory charges): $28,690
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Comfort package $2200
Crash rating: five-star ANCAP
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 5.1
CO2 emissions (g/km): 129
Also consider: Mazda3 diesel, Ford Focus TDCi diesel, Hyundai i30 CRDi diesel, Holden Cruze CDX diesel

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.0/5.0
Safety: 4.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.5/5.0

About our ratings

In this too-quickly changing world, future predictions are fast becoming today's realities. Global temperatures appear to be rising more rapidly than expected, weather patterns are running amok as we struggle with alternate bouts of flooding rains and searing droughts -- and world governments squabble about defining what is, and what isn't a developing economy as they attempt to find equitable ways of facing climate change.

In the midst of this are the car companies, which have often been collectively described (probably with some accuracy) as slow to react to issues that may negatively affect their bottom line.

When it comes to making socially responsible changes the car business, in a general sense, has a history of being reactive, rather than proactive. But change is coming over the industry. Consumptive fixations are giving way to minimum-impact posturing as carmakers strive to attract customers with cars that are more efficient and less pollutive.

Change can often bring bizarre outcomes -- such as a seemingly obscure new variant at the bottom of a carmaker's lineup becoming more desirable than others much higher on the model chain.

Volkswagen's latest entry-level turbodiesel, the 1.6-litre Golf 77 TDI, is a case in point. It may not displace the new GTI as the most aspirational model, but it is a car that gives the company plenty to talk about.

While many a carmaker undoubtedly would once have made capital of the fact that the Golf 77TDI's average 5.1L/100km fuel consumption offered a cruising range of better than 1100km, this sort of talk has an even stronger resonance today. And so has the fact that the new diesel is the cleanest-running in the Golf lineup, with a CO2 reading of 129g/km for the five-speed manual version.

The 77TDI joins the Golf range as the entry-level turbodiesel, sitting below the 2.0-litre 103TDI with different bore and stroke dimensions (still long-stroke though) but sharing the same basic technology -- common rail direct fuel injection, four valves per cylinder and a diesel particulate filter.

The result is an output of 77kW, along with a typically-strong diesel torque figure of 250Nm, coming in at a low 1500rpm and continuing through to 2500rpm.

This might not make the 77TDI the fastest Golf (in fact, it's the slowest), but the torque is strong enough for the manual version to pick up its skirts and scamper to 100km/h in a reasonable 11.3sec. On the open road, it is swift enough, quiet and assured, comfortably holding cruising speeds with enough in reserve to minimise time spent passing slower traffic. It really doesn't feel like an impoverished high-economy, low emissions model.

The 1.6-litre diesel seemed a lot quieter on startup than we remember of previous (2.0-litre) Golf diesels and only when tromped on below 1500rpm was any lack of bottom-end torque noticeable. Past that point, the 250Nm of torque came into play to propel the 77TDI without embarrassment.

The five-speed manual is not exactly a sports shifter and can be a bit vague through the ratios until the driver adjusts to it. A firm, decisive hand brings relatively fast changes. And while it is no real reflection on the abilities of twin-clutch automated manual transmissions, it is nevertheless interesting to note that, while the seven-speed DSG version accelerates slightly faster than the five-speed manual (zero to 100km/h in 11.2 seconds), it uses a little more fuel (average 5.3L/100km) and is not quite as clean (133g/km).

The 77TDI points well enough via the electro mechanical power steering, although the little 15-inch alloys (6.5 inches wide compared to 6 inches for the steel versions) took some of the crisp edges off turn-in response. Three turns from lock to lock and a turning circle of 10.9 metres mean the Golf slips into parking spots like any handy hatch should.

In terms of interior space, the Golf is not a segment leader with its shortish 2574mm wheelbase, but is acceptable nonetheless, and the boot offers a useful-enough but unspectacular 350 litres with all seats up, expanding to 1305 litres with the split-fold rear seat down.

The test car was kept reasonably free of add-ons by Volkswagen apart from a set of alloy wheels. Disappointingly, the cruise control fitted to the test car costs extra in Trendline Golfs.

The seats are trimmed in cloth, as you'd expect, and there's nothing fancy other than cushion height adjustment for the driver. There's no adjustable lumbar and no rear centre armrest. That doesn't mean to say the seats are uncomfortable -- Golf passengers will cope with long spells on the road without complaint unless everybody is two metres tall.

The experience generally paralleled that of other Golf 6 models driven by the Carsales Network; tangible improvements in refinement (particularly onroad noise suppression) high safety rating, a quality feel to the cabin with a nice soft-touch dash, power windows that can be closed via the remote from outside the car, semi-auto air-conditioning, trip computer, an on-dash headlight trimmer and an eight-speaker audio with singe CD player.

Coming only in entry-level Trendline form, the Golf 77TDI sits at slightly less than $3000 above 1.4-litre petrol-engined 90TSI equivalents. The five-speed manual 77TDI is tagged, before onroad costs are added, at $28,690 while the seven-speed DSG version is $31,190.

At those prices, and without any real sacrifices to be made in terms of performance, the Golf 77TDI is hard to ignore. Volkswagen Australia will hopefully be allocated sufficient numbers to cope with demand.

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