More than 100 kilometers electrically, fast charging up to 50 kW and no more 1.0 TSI: this is the facelifted Volkswagen Golf.
The Volkswagen Golf is getting a facelift! As with the ID3, a lot of attention is paid to improving ease of use, but unlike the ID3, the big news is hidden underneath. For example, a plug-in hybrid Golf can now travel more than 100 kilometers electrically.
Highlights
- 5 replaces 1.0, so always four-cylinder
- Much larger battery for plug-in
- New infotainment system
You could say that Volkswagen has lost itself a bit with the latest generation of models. Instead of conservatively doing the same thing over and over again, the brand decided that Tesla had found the way to the future with the ID3, the current Golf and some other models. Volkswagen also went fully digital, but lost sight of ergonomics and some build quality here and there. A lot of whining from the press and customers and somewhat disappointing sales figures were the result. That had to change, it soon became clear. Promises were made and a concrete new ID3 was introduced, with Volkswagen making it very clear that the word ‘improvement’ describes it better than ‘innovation’.
Bigger screen
Now it’s the turn of a facelifted Volkswagen Golf. Once again there are improvements in terms of ease of use. For example, the ‘slider’ under the screen is now illuminated, the screen itself is a lot larger and it provides access to a new infotainment environment, which, according to Volkswagen, works more logically and faster. The oversensitive touch buttons on the steering wheel now seem to make way for the physical buttons that have so far also been found on simpler Golfs in all versions. The new infotainment screen measures 10.4 or 12.9 inches depending on the version and is therefore always larger than the screen in the Golf before the facelift. As a result, it is no longer optically one whole with the digital instruments. The infotainment screen now appears to be stuck to the dashboard as a separate element, as fashion dictates. Other than that, not too much changes to the Golf interior, although we do see some different colors and materials here and there and there is also more piano paint.
50 years of Golf
Yet the big news with the facelifted Golf is not the operation. No, Volkswagen emphasizes the fact that the first Golf appeared fifty years ago, and uses that moment to adapt and improve it mainly technically. This concerns almost all engines, starting at the very bottom of the range. The most striking news in the petrol field is that the three-cylinder 1.0 TSI is disappearing completely. The 110 hp basic engine makes way for a new and less powerful 1.5 TSI four-cylinder, which delivers 115 hp in the case of the basic version. It is available with a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DSG, which automatically turns it into a mild-hybrid eTSI, just like the more powerful variant of the 1.5. The 150 hp 1.5 (e)TSI will also continue to exist, just like the GTI with its 2.0-liter. With 265 hp, it delivers more power than before and is always equipped with a seven-speed DSG. On the international engine list we also find two 2.0 TDI diesel engines, with 115 or 150 hp. In the Netherlands, the Golf is no longer available as a diesel, so we take that as notice.
More than 100 kilometers electrically
The plug-in hybrids are interesting, especially in the Netherlands. These are being overhauled, following the example of the previously presented new Tiguan and Passat. Here too, the old 1.4 TSI makes way for – you guessed it – a 1.5 TSI, although still linked to a DSG with six instead of seven gears. As usual, the plug-in hybrid Golf is available in two power variants, but the most powerful GTE is now a lot more powerful than before. Instead of 245, it now produces no less than 272 hp, which significantly increases the gap to the still 204 hp eHybrid.
The battery pack of the PHEV Golfs has also been significantly enlarged. This now measures 19.7 kWh in all plug-ins, compared to 10.6 kWh with the predecessor. Volkswagen mentions an electric range of about 100 kilometers, but also did so with the Tiguan and the Passat with the same battery pack. When asked, representatives of the brand indicate that the 100 kilometers in the case of the Golf is a conservative estimate and could therefore be somewhat higher. In addition, the PHEV versions of the Golf can now be used on a fast charger, so that you can quickly fill the battery with up to 50 kW. The plug-in Golfs have one important disadvantage: as before, they are not available as a Variant. The petrol models are available as a station wagon, including the new 1.5 with 115 hp.
The ‘old’ Golf above, the new one below, both with the standard front bumper. Note the headlights.
Volkswagen Golf.
Optical
On the outside, things aren’t too bad with the news. The VW therefore remains a real Golf in at least one respect, because the model has always been averse to revolutionary antics. The headlights are a bit flatter than before. This is especially visible around the grille, where the inner part of the headlight now connects without any offset. Previously, the lower line of the headlight unit chose the path downwards immediately after the grille, only to do so again a little further on. The rear lights are also new, although this only concerns the layout and not the shape. The logo on the front is now illuminated, at least if the optional ‘IQ Light’ is chosen. Front and rear bumper are also new. The sportier versions (R-Line, GTI, GTE) have a huge and largely fake fence on both sides, while the standard Golf looks a bit more modest. Volkswagen is saying goodbye to the fake exhaust, but in return it comes with a lot of fake mesh. Volkswagen is also tinkering with the type designations. For example, the designation of the relevant version is now usually on the front door, so that the person next to you in a traffic jam can immediately see whether it is a GTE or a GTI. New colors and wheels complete the facelift.
Dutch prices for the updated Golf are not yet available, but will follow later this year, just before the model’s market introduction.