Like its predecessors, new Golf is intended to storm the world by its success formula : provides superior build quality in a reasonable price. With so many skillful workers trained in Germany or attracted from all over the Europe, plus the famous quality control of German industry, Golf continues to be the best-built car in the small sedan segment.  

Like the previous generation, the new Golf has a rigid and well-assembled body, a dash / central console made of high quality plastic, carefully trimmed cabin and good sound insulation. Its solid look with thick C-pillars deliver the safest feeling one can perceive. The overall shape is quite pleasing, though too conservative and too familiar.  

Those who have driven it must be amazed by its superior quality, especially because the interior looks every bit as classy as Mercedes and Audi, while the body panel gaps are even narrower than japanese cars'.  

If all these qualities come under a higher price, Golf would not have been Golf - it would have been another Mercedes or Audi. In fact, strong demand for such a good car enables an extra-high production volume, thus lowers average cost. Given the experience of Beetle, VW knows very well how to organise the production of so many cars in an efficient way - the Wolfberg plant is the largest factory in the world !  

Further cost reduction is implemented by platform sharing with Audi A3, VW new Beetle, Seat new Toledo and Skoda Octavia - that means 60% of the cost are shared.  

Technical view

Technically it is a very conservative design. Not only the styling is nearly identical to Golf MkIII, but its basic structure is unchanged - suspension is still MacPherson struts in front and torsion beams at the rear.  

Engines are better, but except the 1.4 litres, all comes from the existing series of VW and Audi:  

- 1.4 litres all alloy 16 valves four, 75hp 94lbft, new engine - nice entry level engine.  
- 1.6 litres variable induction 8 valves four, 100hp 106lbft, carry over from Golf III - sweet and best buy  
- 1.8 litres 20 valves four, 125hp and 125lbft, comes from Audi A3 - serve well  
- 1.8 litres 20 valves turbo four, 150hp and 155lbft, also from Audi A3 - strong torque, but does not suit GTI.  
- 2.3 litres 10 valves V5, 150hp and 151lbft, modified from Passat VR5 - smooth and refined (Update: now upgraded to 170 hp and 166 lbft by the use of 4-valve head) 

Now, Golf finally has a full range of competitive engines.  

What about handling and ride ? To those traditional GTI lovers, the new Golf may disappoint them. According to 2 British magazines I've read, both the ordinary Golf and Golf GTI cannot live up to expectation. Its steering is less involving and less sharp than before. Its ride does not improve much, especially introduces more body roll than its predecessor, thus still inferior to the best French hatch. GTI's 1.8 turbo engine is strong and pulling with ease, but lack of the instant throttle response and high-revving character of the previous GTI 16v or VR6. It runs fast, but not as exciting as before because the refiner engine, chassis and steering filtered out any thrills. It becomes more predictable, progressive, neat and tidy, becomes a grown-up car. This is not what GTI lovers expect.  

For the ordinary Golf, this is not necessarily a bad thing - it becomes easier and effortless to drive. However, to the GTI, this could harm its image. Remember, Golf was the inventor of GTI.  

If you know how Audi A3 behaves, you should have predicted this. Golf is too similar to A3. 
 

Golf GTI 180hp

If Skoda Octavia RS and Seat Leon Cupra - both based on the front-drive Golf platform - can have the 180hp version of the 1.8-litre turbo engine, why not the Golf GTI itself ? since the launch of Golf IV in 1997, Volkswagen led me puzzling why it replaced the raw fun of Golf GTI with a refined-but-boring manner. The standard 150hp 1.8T engine was never powerful enough to reach the performance level of the Mk 3 GTI 2.0 16V. Worst still is the introduction of a 115hp 2.0 eight-valver in some markets, and called it GTI as well. Volkswagen was destroying its valuable GTI badge. Across the Atlantic, there is a 170hp 1.8T available, but its homeland Europe was never offered.

At the 25 anniversary of Golf GTI, Volkswagen finally launched a special edition GTI with the 180hp engine, for Europe only this time. Now the engine not only produces 30 more horsepower and 18 lbft more torque, but also uses aluminium block. Working together with the new engine is a new 6-speed manual gearbox. It is not the old, 4motion-only 6-speeder. Instead, it is Volkswagen’s new generation of 6-speed gearbox for use in virtually all mainstream front-drive models, replacing the existing 5-speeder. With closer ratios and 5-speed, it help the 180hp GTI to accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 7.5 seconds. A real GTI kind of performance, finally. 

The chassis of the 25 Anniversary special edition is also the sportiest ever for Golf IV, with firmer suspensions, lower ride height and bigger 18-inch wheels shod with 225/40 ZR rubber. It brings better body control and stronger grip, but involvement is still quite lack of. Handling is not very sharp and communicative by hot hatch standard. A Mini, for example, is more fun to drive.  

The power delivery has similar problems. Volkswagen’s 1.8T engine is always renowned for a flat torque curve, therefore it does not inspire the driver to squeeze out power from high rev. The turbo whistle is also less exciting to hear than the raw mechanical noise of a normally aspirated engine revving at 7,000rpm. 

Is that meaning the front-drive Golf IV platform can never be tuned into a driver’s car ? Hopefully the forthcoming Seat Leon Cupra R will do better, given even more aggressive chassis tuning and a 210hp engine. 
 

Golf V5 4motion

Without TT coupe, there probably won't be the Golf 4motion. To handle the 225 hp turbocharged engine, Audi / VW engineers knew 4-wheel drive is inevitable. However, as the Quattro system cannot fit the transverse engine layout of the TT, nor the part-time Sychro system could provide satisfactory result, they had to find an alternative. Luckily, they found a Swedish supplier, Haldex, which developed a 4WD system using multi-plate clutch as center differential. The Haldex system, now called 4motion under VW's marketing agreement, uses ABS sensors to detect the torque needed to be distributed to the rear wheels, then implement the torque split by a computer controlled multi-plate clutch. Theoretically, nearly all the torque can be sent to either axle.  

Since Audi TT is based on Golf's platform, logically, Golf received the same mechanism, including TT's 6-speed transmission and becomes the Golf 4motion V5.  

Since the multi-plate clutch is mounted adjacent to the rear axle, the whole rear suspensions and fuel tank have to be redesigned. By the way, Volkswagen use this chance to sort the handling problem, so multi-link suspension is employed, accompany with a subframe on which the suspension mounted. It won't be adopted in other mainstream Golf, because it is rather costly and (probably) engage more boot space.  

The result is revolutionary - Autocar said the handling improves very much. Body control, chassis poise, stability, gearchange are all improved considerably. How does it compare with Peugeot 306 GTI ? Since it was only a preliminary drive, it is not sure yet. Anyway, I will report as soon as full test info available.  

However, the magazine did criticise that the steering still lack of engaging feeling. It is a little bit inert and heavy. This is not surprising to me, as I've read too many reports criticising the same thing in Audi's cars. What surprised me is that Autocar said the Golf 4motion V5 weighs 117 kg more than the normal Golf V5 !! Of course not, my own data archive tells me the weight increment is actually 53 kg, up from 1304 kg to 1357kg. According to Volkswagen, this costs 0.4 sec for 0-62mph acceleration, and deteriorates the combined fuel consumption from 30.3 mpg to 26.1 mpg. This becomes nothing when consider the improvement in driving fun.  

At this moment, the Golf 4motion is only available with the V5 engine. It is smooth and has a well manner. The real breath-stopper will be the new VR6, rumoured to have 204 hp. Next year we are going to see this beast. 
 

Golf V6 4motion

As explained in my Technical School, the most extraordinary is that it is a true twin-cam unit (unlike most magazines said) with 2 camshafts serving each bank but also a total of 2 camshafts. Because of the narrow angle and the asymmetric layout, Volkswagen’s ingenious engineers could make one of the camshafts drives the intake valves of both banks while another responsible for all exhaust valves. As a result, each cylinder is served by an intake camshaft and an exhaust camshaft, hence twin-cam, and the total no. of camshaft remains the same as the old sohc VR6. This layout also makes cam-phasing variable valve timing possible.  

Roller rocker fingers replace bucket tappet valvetrain of the old VR6 in order to reduce friction. At 3,000 rpm, 34% less friction is generated. This corresponds to 9% less fuel consumption when cruising at part-throttle. 

Otherwise the Golf V6 4motion differs not much from the V5 4motion which I reported long ago. Both of them received Audi TT’s 4-wheel-drive, 6-speed manual box and multi-link rear suspension. For more information you may see the V5 motion article in the above. 

Externally the V6 4motion also differs little, perhaps too little, from the lesser Golfs. Apart from the red V6 badge you can only distinguish it from others by the slightly deeper chin spoiler, twin-pipe exhaust and the larger BBS wheels wearing 16-inch 205/55VR16 rubbers. Inside, the cabin also differs little from any other Golf. It is designed with luxurious in first priority. 

As expected, fire the engine and it starts spinning smoothly across the whole rev range. Only at the very top end, say, 6500-7000rpm red line, hears some complaint, "Lad, I’ve already delivered my peak power at 6200, do you really need to rev so high ?!" It is a lovely engine, powerful yet refined. However, performance is a little bit disappointing, thanks to the 1401 kg kerb weight. The V6 adds some 44kg to the already heavy V5 4motion, that means it is 122kg heavier than a Golf GTi turbo which is without the 4-wheel-drive mechanism. Road test found 0-60mph takes 7.2 sec, which is marginally slower than the old VR6’s 7.1 sec. 0-100mph in 18.2 sec versus old car’s 18.7 sec. Believe or not, the original VR6 weighed just 1220kg. 

Undoubtedly, the 4-wheel-drive implemented by Haldex multi-plate clutch gives it exceptional grip. So secure that the ESP stability control seems useless. But the Golf has more understeer than real drivers like. Although this contribute to the secure manner, it also implies that the car is less adjustable in corners. 

The dramatic weight increment is one of the signs that the Golf is going upmarket. It is not deemed to be a real threat to the real driver’s choice such as Peugeot 306GTi. Instead, it wants to be another luxurious-biased fast hatch with comfort and excitement in balance. In order to avoid internal competition with the more driver-biased Audi S3, Volkswagen did not tune the suspension harder than the V5 4motion. As a result, it rides much more compliant than the Audi, especially at low speed, but suffers at high speed composure. The steering feels somewhat artificial and incommunicative compare with S3 or any other exciting hot hatches, turn-in not sharp enough to worry any Peugeot GTi. Body roll is not tightly controlled, thanks to the soft springs and dampers. Like the Audi, the 6-speed transmission is quite notchy to shift. 

If the V5 4motion impresses us, it is because of its less sporty image which is supposed to be a warm hatch with great abilities. If the V6 4motion disappoint us, it must be because of its superior sporty image which is not fulfilled in road test. At the price of £23,500, it is more likely to compete with elegant sedans such as Alfa 156 V6 (£23K) and BMW 323i (£25K) and even 323Ci coupe (£26K), all are nearly as fast as the Golf. For less money you may get a Lexus IS200 (£22K) with more equipments but lower performance, or if you are able to get a Japanese version Altezza RS200 it would provides a 200hp performance. Life is not going to be easy for the Golf V6. 
 

Golf R32

The new name R32 not only kick-starts a new line of sporting editions across Volkswagen’s models, toppling the increasingly civilized GTI label, it also implies the hottest Golf get a larger, 3.2-litre VR6 instead of the 2.8-litre unit serving the V6 4motion. This one has already made debut in the cheapest Phaeton. Compare with the 2.8 unit it has larger bore and longer stroke, new intake manifolds, larger valves and continuous VVT at both inlet and exhaust camshafts. While the old engine pumps out 201hp and 199lbft, the new one generates 240hp and 236lbft. That’s enough to beat Ford Focus RS (215hp), Audi S3 (225hp) and Subaru Impreza WRX (218hp), although Alfa Romeo 147 GTA has an upper hand (250hp). Golf R32 is capable to top 153mph and accelerate from zero to 60mph in 6.3 seconds. It should have been quicker, blame to the 1477kg kerb weight which is a massive 200kg heavier than Focus RS. Even the heavyweight V6 4motion is 76kg lighter, making the R32 obviously overweight.   

As R32 is derived from the V6 4motion, it also has a 6-speed gearbox, an electronic-controlled 4WD system with Haldex multi-plate clutch, and the multi-link rear suspensions instead of the torsion-beam axle of the FWD models. So what? you know these components never turn V6 4motion into an exciting car. Anyway, Volkswagen lowered the chassis by 10mm, tuned the suspensions stiffer, quickened the steering by using Audi TT’s rack (lock to lock is therefore reduced from 3.0 to 2.6 turns), used larger brakes from Passat W8 (334mm diameter front; 256mm rear), installed huge 18-inch wheels wearing wide and low profile tyres, lowered drag coefficient from 0.34 to 0.32 by using deeper air dam and spoilers. By the way, Golf R32 now looks cool. Not as handsome as Focus RS, but feeling muscular and high-quality. 

However, the most important to us the car enthusiasts is: does it deliver fun? yes, this is a fun-to-drive Golf IV at last. Performance is awesome and tractable, with a lot of torque at low to mid-rev thanks to the large V6. Its hard suspension setup, heavy and quick steering, and sharp clutch finally deliver a driver-focused manner. Strong grip, fine body control, good braking... it even listens to throttle and adjust slip angle. This car is so much sharper than the V6 4motion. 

The ultimate hot hatch? sorry, no. R32 has some flaws preventing it from catching the best. Firstly, the steering is just heavy rather than communicative. It’s not surprising because Audi TT is also like that. On straight ahead it is especially numb. Secondly, the gearshift is shorter than before but still clonks between gears. Lastly, it rides too firm to be comfortable on B-roads. Not as poor as Focus RS but still too hard-edge for a hot hatch. 

The R32 is more expensive than Focus RS and Impreza WRX but well below STi and Evo. This make it worth considering. If you prefer V6 over turbocharged four, if you cannot put up with the crashy ride of Focus RS, if you hate the styling of Impreza, if you love Volkswagen’s build quality, you may find R32 the better choice. Volkswagen will build a total of 5000 R32s before Golf V arrive next year. 
 

Bora (Jetta)

Without North America market, I'm afraid this car would have died long long ago. American still favour the Jetta over the Golf. The situation is reversed in the Europe, where the car's name has been changed from Jetta (based on Golf II) to Vento (Golf III) and then Bora (Golf IV). Whether a large boot or a large tail gate is more convenient is still arguable.  

Bora mated to V5 engine is a joy. It's refined yet more exciting to drive than Golf. However, it's no Mondeo, no matter in terms of handling and interior space. As the wheelbase has not improved over Golf, Bora is still a class lower than the Mondeo class.