Choose between a used Golf and a Kadett – From the Old Box

Thirty years ago, of course, different choices were possible if you were looking for a nice hatchback with not too much experience. What about the Ford Escort Mk4, Renault 19, Mazda 323 or Peugeot 309, for example. Just a few options, but of course the prime candidates were the Opel Kadett E and the Volkswagen Golf II. After all, they sold like hot cakes when they were new, so not only was the range on the used car market huge, but apparently a lot of people were already convinced to buy them new, so that also created some confidence for those who hook up later on.

In AutoWeek 14 of 1993 we found a Golf and a Kadett that were very similar on paper. They both came from 1990, had a 1.6 under the hood with around 60,000 km of experience and they both cost barely 20,000 guilders. The Golf was designed as Manhattan and, in addition to the accompanying stickers, had extras such as fender flares, heat-resistant glass and a height-adjustable four-spoke sports steering wheel. In addition, this Golf had the optional striking square headlights. The Kadett was a Supreme. That wasn’t a performance at all, was it? That’s right. The Kadett was actually a Club, but it had Supreme badges because it was a used car sold by the official Opel dealer, who, in addition to a one-year warranty, had things like sill protection, Supreme floor mats and new hubcaps in store for the Kadett. Supreme badging on the car indicated that it was an extra pampered used Kadett.

One spotless, the other not

All sounds great, but what was left of it when we started testing the cars? Well, quite a lot actually. Both the Golf and the Kadett made a good impression. The Volkswagen only did slightly better than the Opel. We found the 1.6 in the Golf a bit more pleasant than the one in the Kadett. The Opel engine made a somewhat raw impression when starting and also if you asked a bit more of it along the way. The block in the Gulf was just a bit more refined, although both cars were sufficiently motorized. With 75 hp, the Kadett was slightly stronger than the Golf, which had to make do with 70 hp. The Kadett’s engine not only sounded less pleasant when starting, it also turned out not to be one hundred percent in a compression test. Still no cause for concern and ‘possibly not representative’, but it was not completely spotless. The Volkswagen came through with flying colours. We also discovered one small rust spot on the bottom of the Kadett, where the Gulf had been devoid of corrosion.

On the road with both cars we discovered more differences. You were comfortable in both cars, but a bit more comfortable in the Kadett. Along the way, the Golf also showed itself a bit ‘tighter’ in terms of suspension than the Kadett and clearly a bit more capable of sporty cornering. The Kadett was more of a fan of sliding comfortably over the asphalt and did not invite smoother steering. If you did, in our opinion the gearbox hindered you from making it a smooth story, because we found it downright disappointing and choppy. We also did not like the view to the rear in the Kadett, although the interior made a nicer impression than in the Volkswagen.

Without looks or blushing

Our editor on duty ultimately chose the Golf without batting an eyelid, in his own words. “With increasing amazement I peat the number of D-Kadetts (from before 1985). Even the C-Kadett is still quite represented, it strikes me. That must say something about the quality. Still, the search for purchasing arguments for the Opel Kadett trouble. The sympathetic, fresh Supreme package and the cozier-looking interior, that’s about it. Or can fanatical Kadett drivers lend a hand? Because as the cards lie here in this comparison with these two successful cars, I choose without delay for the other one.”