2000 Volkswagen Golf Reviews

The soaring price of petrol in the past year or so has had motorists looking at every possible alternative, including diesels that might save them a few bucks at the pump. If LPG has become the champion of used car buyers, the diesel has become one of the most popular alternatives for new car buyers.Increased sales of new diesels, like the VW Golf TDi, in recent times means that there are more used diesels coming on the market. The diesel is now a used buy worth considering by anyone wanting to save on their fuel bills.MODEL WATCHDiesel sales have soared in Europe in recent years as motorists have been slugged with higher fuel prices. The ugly phenomenon has recently reached Australian shores as local motorists have copped a similar whack at the pump. VW is a leader in diesel engine technology in Europe, boasting a range of diesel engines right across its entire model range from humble Polo to the prestigious Passat. In the middle of the range sits the ever-popular Golf, and it’s the Golf that VW has used to power its push into the growing oil-burner market here.The company hit the ground running in 2004 with the release of the 1.9 TDi in two trim levels — the Comfortline and the Trendline — and a 2.0-litre TDi Comfortline. Outwardly the diesel Golfs look like any other Generation 5 Golf. It’s only the TDi badges that distinguish them from their petrol cousins.Modern diesels shouldn’t be confused with the oil-burners of old, which were noisy, smelly, usually followed by clouds of thick black smoke, and generally holding up the traffic. The only time they came into their own was when they rattled past a servo as their petrol-powered cousins stopped to replenish their tanks.Today’s diesels are quiet, don’t smell or belch out clouds of black smoke, and aren’t left standing when the lights go green. Even better news is that they are still economical. The 1.9-litre TDi engine was a single overhead camshaft four cylinder turbo diesel that delivered 77 kW and 250 Nm — compare that to 75 kW and 148 Nm for the 1.6-litre petrol Golf model — while the 2.0-litre TDi was a more modern double overhead camshaft four cylinder turbo diesel that punched out 103 kW and 320 Nm at its peak. Compare the latter to the 2.0-litre FSi engine VW also offered that gave 110 kW and 200 Nm.The key to the diesel performance, and achieving the best fuel economy, is the massive torque that it offers. Drive to make best use of the torque and you will not only realise its potential to save fuel, but you will also realise its performance potential. Both diesels were available with VW’s DSG six-speed auto and a six-speed manual gearbox.On the road the diesel’s low-end and mid-range performance was easily able to account for its petrol equivalent. It was really only the petrol car’s top-end performance that out-gunned the diesel.IN THE SHOPVW build quality is generally high, as high as any other brand and higher than some. That said they can still have issues with build quality, but with VW handling the local distribution now those problems that do occur seem to be handled more effectively than they might have been in the past. Make sure your used car choice has a good service record with regular oil changes.IN A CRASHThe diesel Golfs have the same array of airbags as their petrol cousins so the crash rating is the same. An agile chassis and powerful braking provide plenty of active safety in avoiding a crash.AT THE PUMPThe diesel Golf will return fuel economy numbers in the region of 6.0 L/100 km. That’s about 20 per cent less than you would see from an equivalent petrol engine. The fuel economy equation gets a little tricky here because diesel is usually a little more expensive than regular unleaded, but the gap varies so it’s a moving target. At the time of writing diesel was three cents per litre more expensive than regular unleaded, but 10 cents per litre less expensive than 98-octane premium unleaded.Compared to a car running on regular unleaded it would take almost 90,000 km before the lower economy of the diesel would bring you to a break even point, but if you compare it to a car running on 98-octane unleaded you would gobble up the diesel’s average purchase premium in around 65,000 km.OWNERS’ VIEWSKeith Sanders and his wife tested the diesel Golf soon after its release and were quickly convinced it was for them. They chose the 1.9 TDi Comfortline with DSG gearbox because it was a willing performer and adequate for their needs. Now, after four years and 62,000 km they say it was a great choice. They have had a few issues with a faulty cruise control switch and a water leak through the windscreen, which have been fixed under warranty, but overall they’re happy with the diesel Golf and would buy another one without hesitation. Typically they get 6.3 L/100 km in average daily driving and low to mid-fives on the highway.Roland Nicholson drives a 12-month-old Golf TDi GT Sport with DSG, leather and sunroof. He was looking for better fuel economy when he bought it, but still wanted to have a sporty feel. He says it’s satisfying to see the trip computer showing 4.9 L/100 km on the freeway, and still have the quick acceleration when needed. The downsides to owning a diesel, he says, are the high price of diesel fuel and the lack of decent, clean refueling facilities at some service stations. His only complaint is that off the line the diesel/DSG combination is a bit hesitant and jerky. The vehicle itself is excellent, he says, the finish is very good and things like heated front seats are a great option.Nick Smithwick bought a 2006 2.0-litre TDi Comfortline brand new and loves it. He acknowledges that diesel is more expensive than petrol, but says 85 per cent of his driving is in traffic and around the city and he still gets over 850 km to the tank. On the highway he gets more than 1100 km.Stephanie Harris owns a 2007 2.0-litre TDi Golf and says its fuel economy is really good. She is not happy with the price of diesel, but on a trip she can get between 1100 and 1200 km and 900 km around town. She adds that it is very comfortable and has plenty of get up and go when needed.LOOK FOR• Good Golf build quality• Fuel economy savings• Higher purchase price a downer• Good performance• Ace drivability• Dirty refueling facilitiesTHE BOTTOM LINE• Diesels drive and perform well, but their higher purchase price has to be covered before any economy benefits can be enjoyed and that can rule them out.RATING• 85/100

But for Aussies it could all be about the numbers, as the company prepares to launch its sixth generation Golf in Australia with a range of smaller engines.That, in the past, hasn't gone down particularly well with us, where bigger is usually regarded as better as evidenced by Polo's poor performance after the switch from a 1.6 to a smaller 1.4-litre engine a few years ago.The changes have been brought on by Europe's strict tax regime with incentives for manufacturers to build cars with smaller more environmentally friendly engines.Volkswagen argues the smaller engines are more powerful and more fuel efficient than those they replace, but still we find that number 1.4 cropping up again.To put this in perspective, the current Golf V opens its card with a 1.6-litre four cylinder petrol engine that produces 75kW of power and 148Nm of torque.The new Golf VI, however, kicks off with a turbocharged 1.4-litre four that delivers 20 per cent more power and 35 per cent more torque at 90kW and 200Nm, the latter from a low 1500rpm.And, this time around, there's a seven-speed version of VW's acclaimed robotised manual or “DSG” automatic as it is known, instead of the current six-speed.That's with the petrol engine anyway.The transmission can't cope with the higher torque output of the diesel, so it sticks with the six-speed version.There will be no traditional auto.Together with the seven-speed DSG, the Golf can sprint from 0-100km/h in 9.5 seconds, instead of a rather leisurely 12.5 seconds with the previous six-speed auto.It also uses 28 per cent less fuel, just 6.0 litres per 100km instead of the previous 8.3.With figures like this, you'd think Golf's success would be a no brainer, but we're not convinced.But as all models are either turbocharged or supercharged in one way or another, it puts the car off the shopping list of young drivers - in NSW at least where P plate drivers are banned from driving V8 or turbocharged vehicles.At the moment the 1.6-litre model accounts for seven per cent of sales and the DSG gearbox is optioned by 72 per cent of customers.Volkswagen invited us to drive the new Golf this week in Iceland of all places.In cold, wet and windy conditions the car performed flawlessly.We were able to drive the new 90kW 1.4 litre TSI model with the seven-speed DSG as well as the new 103kW 2.0-litre TDI turbo diesel, this one with a six-speed DSG.There's also a 118kW 1.4-litre twin charged engine with a turbocharger and supercharger that replaces the current 2.0-litre FSI model.Again it produces more power and torque than before, with 118kW and 240Nm versus 110kW/200Nm - but has been tuned with economy in mind.The current lineup also includes a 125kW twin charged engine as well as a 1.9-litre turbo diesel and more powerful 125kW version of the 2.0-litre diesel.Although Golf VI is described as all new it does in fact sit on the same platform as the previous model, with the same external dimensions and wheel base and suspension set up as before.To look at the car is more conservatively styled and we're told much cheaper to build, even though VW is keen to stress that build quality sets new standards for the segment.The roof is the only body panel that has been carried over from the previous model.The big bold front radiator grille has been given the boot, front and rear lights have been changed and other subtle panel changes made to give the car a lower appearance.The rear window line has also been lowered to make it easier for children to see out of the side windows.Inside, particular attention has been paid to the finish and choice of materials.We were a little disappointed to find however that the flashy blue instrumentation for which Golf is renowned has given way to simple white lighting, to give the car a classier feel.VW claims it's the quietest Golf ever, but it's a claim that is difficult to quantify.There's no doubt the new 90kW engine that will power the entry level model packs more punch than the 1.6, but as good as it is the seven-speed DSG box is still not as smooth as a conventional auto, occasionally thumping into gear.But if feels quite sporty and you wouldn't swap it for quids, nor can you argue with the the speed with which it changes gears or the better fuel economy that it delivers.A six-speed manual is standard while the seven-speed DSG will set you back $2700.The 2.0-litre TDI engine is a carry over from the previous model, but has been updated from the original engine, with common rail direct injection.With 103kW of power and 320Nm of torque available from 1750rpm, it delivers smooth, powerful performance and is much quieter than the original.The dash from 0-100km/h takes 9.3 seconds while fuel economy with the DSG transmission fitted is a claimed 5.4 litres/100km.Although we found the new model generally quieter inside, the low profile Michelin Primacy tyres fitted to our test car generated quite a bit of road noise on coarse bitumen.The car feels nice and tight, with no squeaks or rattles and delivers crisp driving dynamics.Fuel economy for the petrol model ranged between 8.2 and 9.1 litres/100km over two stints behind the wheel, while the diesel returned 8.7 litres/100km after a long very hard drive.Safety has been upgraded too with the addition of a knee bag bringing the number of airbags to seven and adjustable damping was fitted to a couple of the cars we drove allowing us to switch between sport and comfort settings.There's plenty of hi-tech options too like satnav, a hard disk-based entertainment system, active cruise control and the automatic parking system that we have already seen with Tiguan. But nothing has been confirmed for our market yet - not even the price.We're tipping a small increase.New Golf will arrive some time in the first half of 2009 while the new Golf GTI will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this week. 

Volkswagen has done a makeover on its Golf to create a car which is more of the same, and much the same, for 2009 and beyond in Australia.The sixth-generation Golf looks much the same as the car it replaces, also drives much the same and should be priced much the same. That's no surprise as some significant components - from the roof to the suspension - have been carried over from Golf 5.But there are big improvements to cabin quality, a new refinement, incredible quietness, and engines which promise more go for less fuel with both petrol and diesel power.And Volkswagen has killed the automatic gearbox in the Golf, only fitting five and six-speed manuals and either six or seven-speed DSG robotised manual transmissions in the 6.The main visual change is a new family 'face', which will be carried through to other Volkswagen models starting with the baby Polo later in 2009, as the car has almost identical dimensions to the outgoing Golf 5. The lines are drawn a little tighter, but there is no sign of the raunchy work that has gone into the latest Ford Focus or the adventuring design in newcomers from Peugeot and Renault.Detail work on Golf 6 includes a much classier cabin with Audi-style quality, new dial designs and upgraded infotainment, a seven-airbag package with knee protection, and the availability of everything from active suspension and automatic parking to radar cruise control.Volkswagen predicts an easy five-star NCAP safety rating and improved pedestrian protection without the giant noses sprouting on some of its rivals.But nothing is certain for Australia, even the choices from VW's four petrol and two diesel engines."It's too early to be announcing anything. We haven't even locked in the launch timing," says VW Group Australia spokesman, Karl Gehling.Volkswagen began the roll-out of the new Golf with the five-door hatches in Iceland and promises to follow with the three-door price leaders and the sportier GTi. The hot hatch will be previewed at the Paris Motor Show as a concept car in a little over a week, with the likelihood of a 155 kiloWatt engine as well as the predictable bumper, spoiler and wheel upgrade for the GTi.Driving two Golfs yesterday in Iceland, a 90 kiloWatt turbo petrol car and a 103 kiloWatt diesel, showed there is nothing special in Golf 6.But that, in many ways, is what makes it special.The engineering team has taken plenty of the existing good stuff from Golf 5 and brought it into the 6 package to create a car which is incredibly quiet, very refined and still drives nice and tight.It's a more human and humane car, with more feedback at every level from cabin materials to the steering and performance from both engines.And it is incredibly quiet. As well as greener, with improved economy and reduced emissions.Still, Golf 6 is likely to be a slow burn and we will need to drive it in Australia - and make the crucial price and specification comparisons with its rivals - before giving it a tick. 

An interesting reaction you might think, given that the GTi has been one of the outstanding hot hatches of the last decade. But that’s the thing you see. For the R32 to park confidently as the performance-mobile in the Golf range, it shouldn’t just be the one up from the GTi, it should be the excitement machine. It should be goose-bump raising adrenalin on four tyres - and worth every cent of the extra several thousand dollars spent.With all this in mind and not one to judge to quickly, I thought I’d better decide for myself.ExteriorA completely new radiator grill fronts the R32 and comprises two shiny, aluminium twin strips instead of the black honeycomb pattern of the GTi. A polished R32 badge sits to the left. The grill rests above 3 huge air intakes, and between self adjusting, bi-xenon headlamps.Assisting in the achievement of a sporty look, body-coloured bumpers and door handles, together with a 20mm lower chassis give the car its aerodynamic aspect. Centrally-mounted, twin exhausts plus rear roof and deep front spoilers make up the muscular, aggressive form one expects from a true performer. InteriorGenerally, Volkswagen does its best to style interiors that will date well. They do this by coupling quality materials with simple design. R32 badging, ‘engine spin’ aluminium trim and a great looking instrument cluster - unique to the R32, are the only subtle differences that separate it from the rest of the Golf range.Everything is solid and tight with not a hint of poor workmanship or potential for rattles.Engine and SafetyThe 3.2 litre V6 petrol engine gives you a nifty 184 kW at 6300 rpm, which is about 40 more than the GTi, and a solid 320 Nm of torque at around 3000 revs. Power is distributed to all 4 wheels via Volkswagens 4 MOTION system which aims to achieve better traction and improved safety.The R32 achieved 5 stars in its Euro NCAP crash testing program and comes standard with ABS, EBS, ESP and a comprehensive airbag package.On the roadI was keen to give the R32 a good run, even after hearing that it wasn’t hugely different from the GTi, and after the first few k’s along a vast stretch of car-less, winding road, I was having a lot of fun. The exhaust note was guttural and raw. The four wheel drive and big 18 inch wheels, stuck the car to the bitumen on the tightest of turns, and braking and acceleration was precise and true. I was expecting the lowered suspension to be stiff, but not as jarring as I experienced, even with the support of Vienna leather or Recaro seats. It became uncomfortable after a while and I suspected the everyday driver might become a little miffed having to scour the floor every hour for dislodged fillings.Noise from the slightly rough road was quite loud inside the cabin and the steering wheel, same as other cars in the range, was too far away with no option to readjust.Ours was the Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) version but you can choose regular manual if you wish. Personally I prefer the good old fashioned gear stick over paddle shift but you can get 6.2 seconds for the 100 kms with the DSG, rather than 6.5 with the stick. I could probably take or leave that but I will welcome the better fuel economy you get with the DSG at 9.8l/100 kms.I didn’t get the same adrenalin rush that I did in the WRX STi for example, or the Evo – and I was really hoping I would, considering all three are the ‘performance’ cars in their line ups. I wanted my stomach to fill my throat but there was none of that.Perhaps it’s the 200 odd kilos that the R32 has over the GTi, or that I had held my hopes a fraction too high. But there was nowhere near enough notable difference in performance or looks that I thought there should have been, for the R32 to fit comfortably and justifiably at the top of the grid.PricingYou can get 3 and 5 door versions of the R32. Pricing starts at $54, 990.

For example, the elusive hope of having a car with small thirst but big performance.Trust Volkswagen — after all, the name means “people's car” — to come up with something that manages this conjuring trick.It has done it by fitting a Golf hatchback with a small petrol engine which, by itself, would be pretty feeble, but at least wouldn't drink much.Then it added a supercharger to boost its off-the-mark pulling power to a decent level. And, on top of that, added a turbocharger for even more muscle in places the supercharger can't reach.This “twincharger” set-up is, of course, devilishly complicated. It's twice the price of a regular car with such a small engine, but then feels twice as good.VW these days seems to love technical challenges, and it has built in enough electronic brainpower to make sure all the gizmos work happily together. Once into its stride, the result is a seamless delivery of power, along with the painless habit of driving past petrol stations. You don't need to fill up very often.According to VW's sums, this 1.4-litre-engined Golf has the torque of a 2.3 litre car, but with 20 per cent less thirst. Trouble is, when you do visit the pumps, its hi-tech powerplant requires premium-priced, high-octane petrol. Here we have a small car approaching $40,000, that demands the most expensive fuel.The “twincharger” machinery first appeared early last year in the TSi Golf.When it proved popular, VW announced it had been a limited-edition offering, and was being replaced by the GT Sport TSi.It has also added a GT Sport TDi, which uses a more conventional turbo-diesel set-up. It's fantastic to drive, but $2500 dearer.Back to the petrol side of the family: the GT Sport TSI (1.4 litre engine with its two 'chargers, adding up to 125kW of power) is not as zesty as the GTI (147kW from a 2.0 litre engine with a single turbocharger), not as sports-focused, not as costly. Rather, the GT is a handy stepping stone between “normal” Golf hatchbacks and the GTI.Think of it as a junior hottie: though not a slowcoach, it doesn't have anything like the athleticism of its bigger-engined GTi brother.The TSI is a clever technical achievement and is impressive to drive.If it cost less and was less expensive to run, it would be a five-star proposition.

Steam is blowing out my ears. I'm stomping around in my house, swearing and cursing. My children are cowering in the corner. My wife is trying in vain to placate me.I hate being a cranky old man. And the older I get the crankier I get.Of course, there is good reason for this fit of pique.We live in a very quiet neighbourhood, it's Sunday afternoon and it's time for my nana nap, but a toy dog two blocks away is having conniptions and keeping me awake.See, I told you it was important.Actually, I lied a little. My children are not cowering, they are telling me to settle down and stop being a cranky old man and my wife has long given up trying to placate me.However, there is steam blowing out my ears.Little things upset me greatly, sparking self-righteous anger.These, of course, are good character traits for car testing.Recently I spent some time in a $131,900 Audi S5.I should have been happy in this expensive, high-powered, luxury sports coupe, but instead I was annoyed by a creak in the door. Annoyed to distraction. Steam blew out my ears.This often happens. One niggling little problem with a car spoils the whole vehicle. And I'm sure I'm not alone.There must be other grumpy old men out there whose whole day is spoilt by a yapping toy dog two blocks away and a niggling squeak in their expensive new car.But after a week driving around in the VW Golf GT Sport TDI, there is no steam coming out my ears.If I was asked what car I would buy — and I often am — the answer would be simple. It would be this beautiful German hatch.There is simply nothing that caused me annoyance.I even got over the slight turbo lag.There is a trick to getting around it. Just don't bury your foot into the firewall; coax the throttle and change up quickly with the world's greatest production car transmission, the Direct Shift Gearbox, also found in expensive Audis.Expense also didn't cause any annoyance. It costs $39,790, which isn't too bad for the world's best small car.And I wasn't even annoyed that with all the extras this car was fitted with (read the options list in the tech specs) that price jumped over $50,000.After all, that's a lot cheaper than an S5 and there is no steam blowing out my ears.The new TDI is an absolute joy to behold, to drive, to sit in, to steer, to thrash and then to fill up.Just look at the figures.The standard TDI has 103kW of power, 320Nm of torque and drinks diesel at a rate of 6.1L/100km with the DSG and 5.7 in the manual.However, the GT Sport TDI has new injectors and a few engine tweaks that make it VW's most powerful four-cylinder TDI engine; with an output of 125kW at 4200rpm and even more excitingly 30Nm more torque at just a few hundred revs over idle.The offset for this performance boost is only slightly worse economy figures of 6.3L/100km (DSG), 6.6 (manual).But notice it is actually more economical with the world's greatest production car gearbox?And right in front of the driver on the instrument panel is a readout for the average mileage (why do we still call it mileage when it should be kilometreage?).This is like a red rag to a bull, or in this case, a red instrument readout to a grumpy old man.It beckons you to play the game of "See how low you can get this figure.”And what a fun game it is. By using some old Hans Tholstrup techniques, such as envisioning an egg under the accelerator, I have been trying all week to drive down the kilometreage. My record was 5.2 in moderate 6.30-7am commuter traffic.Normally the commute would have me blowing steam out my ears because of other drivers' behaviour or because I'd swapped lanes and picked the one held up by a smoke-belching BCC bus.Instead, I was having a hoot driving down the kilometreage.So I parked the car at work, folded in the key on the fob, locked it, stood back and admired the GT once again, before heading inside for the daily grind.It looks very much like its sporty brother the Golf GTI, which costs $1000 more.They share the same sports suspension, tasty 17-inch alloy BBS ClassiXs wheels, wide 225mm tyres, strong 16-inch brakes, the same bumper and radiator grille design, twin tailpipes, sports seats and sports steering wheel.Yep, this is certainly a sporty car that rewards driver input, yet still has great fuel economy if driven judiciously.Then I got to thinking how the State Government was now raking in almost $400 more in stamp duty on each one of these sold this year after it increased the rate from 2 to 3 per cent.Yet it leaves the rate at 2 per cent for cars like the $233,000 V8 Lexus LS 600hL simply because it's a trendy hybrid.The Lexus drinks fuel at 9.8 litres a kilometre, which is pretty good for a V8 and better than a V6 Commodore.However, it's a long way behind the Golf which gets slugged with extra stamp duty from a government that allegedly made the tax changes to encourage people into more economical cars.Better start cowering, children, cause these ears are about to blow.   SnapshotVW Golf GT Sport TDIPrice: $39,790Body: 5-doorEngine: 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-dieselPower: 125kW @ 4200rpmTorque: 350Nm @ 1750-2500rpmTransmission: 6-speed direct shift gearboxAcceleration: 0-100km/h 8.2secEconomy: 6.3l/100km combinedFuel: diesel, 55-litre tankEmissions: 168g/km, Euro 4Weight: 1410kgOptions: satellite navigation and CD changer $3780, electric sunroof $1890, bi-xenon headlights $1890, leather upholstery $2990, rear parking sensors $790, anti-theft alarm $590 

For example, the elusive hope of having a car with small thirst but big performance.Trust Volkswagen — after all, the name means “people's car” — to come up with something that manages this conjuring trick.It has done it by fitting a Golf hatchback with a small petrol engine which, by itself, would be pretty feeble, but at least wouldn't drink much.Then it added a supercharger to boost its off-the-mark pulling power to a decent level. And on top of that, added a turbocharger for even more muscle in places the supercharger can't reach.This “twincharger” setup is, of course, devilishly complicated. It's twice the price of a regular car with such a small engine, but then it feels twice as good.VW these days seems to love technical challenges, and it has built in enough electronic brainpower to make sure all the gizmos work happily together.Once into its stride, the result is a seamless delivery of power, along with the painless habit of driving past petrol stations. You don't need to fill up very often.According to VW's sums, this 1.4-litre-engined Golf has the torque of a 2.3 litre car, but with 20 per cent less thirst.Trouble is, when you do visit the pumps, its hi-tech powerplant requires premium-priced, high-octane petrol. Here we have a small car approaching $40,000, that demands the most expensive fuel. There goes the budget.The “twincharger” machinery first appeared early last year in the TSi Golf. When it proved popular, VW announced it had been a limited-edition offering, and was being replaced by the GT Sport TSi.It has also added a GT Sport TDi, which uses a more conventional turbo-diesel setup. It's fantastic to drive, but $2500 dearer.Back to the petrol side of the family: the GT Sport TSi (1.4 litre engine with its two 'chargers, adding up to 125kW of power) is not as zesty as the GTi (147kW from a 2.0 litre engine with a single turbocharger), not as sports-focused, not as costly.Rather, the GT is a handy stepping stone between “normal” Golf hatchbacks and the GTi. Think of it as a junior hottie: though not a slowcoach, it doesn't have anything like the athleticism of its bigger-engined GTi brother. Instead, it strikes a balance between sportiness and fuel economy.Whatever lurks beneath the bonnet, a VW Golf is an impressive piece of work, feeling sturdy and surefooted, comfortable and roomy. Even the boot is a good size.One catch with the TSi's power-boosting hardware is that there can be times when you put your foot down and find both the turbocharger and supercharger are asleep for a moment when the engine revs are low. That's when it responds with all the energy you'd expect in a substantial, five-door hatchback powered by a mere 1.4 litres of engine — nothing much happens.The solution is to keep the engine speed up, and then reactions are very sharp.The TSi is a clever technical achievement and is impressive to drive. If it cost less and was less expensive to run, it would be a five-star proposition. KEY POINTSVW GOLF GT SPORT TSiDETAILS: Compact five-door hatchback with 1.4 litre four-cylinder engine, turbocharger and supercharger. Power 125kW. Torque 240Nm.FEATURES: Stability control system, anti-lock brakes, six airbags (front, side and curtain), dual-zone airconditioning, cruise control, sports suspension, alloy wheels, sports seats.COST: $34,990 with six-speed manual, $37,290 with six-speed automatic “dynamic shift” gearbox.FOR: Performance with modest thirst.AGAINST: Needs super-premium fuel. 

We raved about the 2.0-litre diesel Golf a while back but it pales into insignificance compared with the just-released Golf GT Sport TDi.Significant power boost for GT Sport TDi, up from 103kW to 125kW and torque jumps from 320 to 350Nm. Makes an already strong performer stronger. Roll-on acceleration borders sports car threshold and it ain't too shabby out of the blocks either, especially with the dynamic shift gearbox (DSG) a six-speed automatic by another name.Covers the 0-100km/h sprint in a tad over eight seconds while sipping about 5.5 litres/100km. It is possible to dip under the magic 5.0 litres with careful driving.Power boost comes from new injectors and other minor engine tweaks. DSG offers sequential change on the stick shift and levers on the back of the steering wheel.Being a Sport brings firmer suspension, 17-inch BBS alloys with wide, low profile rubber, big brakes, racy looking front end treatmen, sports seats and steering wheel.It's a great car to travel in, gobbling up long distances with ridiculous ease and capable of covering about 1000km on a single tank. It's smooth and quiet, if the road turns feral, the Sport TDi loves nothing better than to go into attack mode and pull on its sports car guernsey.The interior is well equipped and good to look at. There's premium audio, climate control and all the trimmings. Passenger capacity is five and the boot is a reasonable size.Space-saver spare is a disappointment. It is possible to confuse the DSG with on/off application of the accelerator or a heavy right foot off the mark. Too many sequential gear change options on wheel and stick shift lose one, cut the price. Test car was only a few hundred bucks under $40,000.Not much to complain about at all a really impressive package and something you could live with for years and be happy with, especially as you drive past the servo again and again. Performance is excellent. 

This latest and cleverest incarnation of the exceptionally successful Mark V Golf provides decent performance.

While there are many small cars available on the market, it's often hard to find one that boasts a sporty performance and produces enough power to get you excited, without costing you an arm and a leg at the dealers and the pump.But the Golf GT does just that.On paper a 1.4-litre engine doesn't appear very impressive at all. You'd be forgiven for thinking someone has the performance figures wrong.But it's what's added to that engine that makes it, because when the choice between a turbocharger and supercharger came up, Volkswagen didn't choose. Instead, it decided to use both. And that means turbo lag has been thrown out the window. Volkswagen has come up with a solution for that initial delay, introducing a mechanically driven supercharger into the equation.There's plenty of torque available right from the word go.The maximum torque of 240Nm is available from as low as 1750rpm, right up to 4500rpm.But even lower down the tacho, there's still plenty available, with 200Nm delivered from 1250rpm through to 6000rpm. The power is also impressive for a small car, with an output of 125kW. In comparison, its 2.0-litre Golf sibling produces a lower 200Nm and 110kW of power and the even more impressive GTI delivers 147kW and 280Nm.So the GT perches itself nicely in a range that offers 24 variants, with eight different engine choices.Volkswagen claims this is the world's first direct-injection twin-charged engine for high-volume production use. And the marriage of the two is a match made in heaven.The supercharger starts working very quickly and then hands over to the turbocharger once you reach mid to higher revs. But the transition is seamless, with no indication of the swap from the driver's seat.The supercharger retires at about 3500rpm at the most, allowing the turbo to show what it can do.But when the speed drops and more power is needed, the supercharger fires back up again. Power delivery remains constant and smooth as you work your way all the way up to 7000rpm. From behind the wheel the engine feels much bigger than a measly 1.4-litre capacity, and it also sounds much better.For one thing, you don't get that feeling of “Please Sir, I want more”.Because there's no wishing for an extra boost from the engine, as you do on a 20-minute run when you know you have more in you, but you can't seem to power those legs fast enough to extract that extra performance. That experience is nowhere to be found with the GT, which could perhaps be short for “good times,” “going tough” or “golden trooper”.The pocket rocket leaves you satisfied. It's like a buffet where you can eat as much as you want.For a reasonable $34,990, you can feel content you have your money's worth. There aren't many competitors who can offer a package like the GT. It's no slow-coach when it comes to accelerating, doing zero to 100km/h in just 7.9 seconds, quite impressive for such a small four-cylinder motor.We tested the six-speed manual model, the transmission giving an even delivery of power, with smooth shifting. The DSG automatic adds $2500 to the price.During tests, the GT returned a fuel consumption as low as 6.5-litres per 100km on highways, and sat at around 7.8-litres during busy city driving. And the Golf GT's handling and driving dynamics don't let you down either, whether you're out on a highway, cruising around town or throwing it around some bendy roads. The suspension has been lowered by 15mm, adding to its sporty nature and the over-all pleasant ride.Our model had some optioned features including a sunroof worth about $1900, a little steep perhaps but it does add a lot more character, and a $500 metallic paint job.The interior has the typical Volkswagen class and is both a comfortable and good-quality setting. There is a good list of safety equipment, although extra enjoyment-type features would have been nice.It comes standard with dual zone climate control, six airbags, decent storage spaces, a CD-player, ABS with Electronic Stability Program and traction control and a boost pressure display, letting you know when the twinchargers are at work. And while it was a fun car to drive, one criticism arose during the week.While the driving was impressively sporty, it just didn't stand out enough from the regular Golf models.It could have done with a standard sunroof perhaps, and more bling. Aside from the GT badges, there was nothing that screamed out “Look at me, I'm special.”But Volkswagen practically read my mind this week, announcing the Golf GT is being replaced by the Golf GT Sport, featuring the same 1.4-litre engine, as well as adding the option of a 2.0-litre diesel to the mix, which starts at $37,490. And as you can expect with the word Sport, there's more glamour to the package.The GT has not only been hit with the Sport label, it has also been given the athletic makeover in appearance.It now gets features from its big older brother, the GTI, with a distinctive bumper and radiator grille design, sports seats, a sports steering wheel, twin tailpipes, exclusive 17-inch alloys and sports suspension all as standard.It also now wears a GT Sport badge. Perhaps the theory “Ask and you will receive” might be true after all.So now it's not just what's underneath the bonnet that counts, there's that added pizzazz to its look as well, which lets everybody know just how cool it really is. Snapshot Volkswagen Golf GTPrice: $34,990Engine: 1.4L/4-cylinder twin charger, 125kW/240NmEconomy: 7.7L/100kmTransmission: 6-speed manualThe RivalsMazda3 SP23 hatchPrice: $32,600Engine: 2.4L/4-cyl, 115kW/203NmEconomy: 8.6L/100kmTransmission: 6-speed manual   Volvo C30 LE  Price: $38,450Engine: 2.4L/5-cyl, 125kW/230NmEconomy: 8.4L/100kmTransmission: 5-speed manual   BMW 120i  Price: $43,300Engine: 2L/4-cylinder, 115kW/200NmEconomy: 7.9L/100kmTransmission: 6-speed manual  See this car at the Australian International Motor Show