2005 Volkswagen Golf Reviews

It proves that Volkswagen can still do it right, and force the pace, when it gets serious.Volkswagen says the fifth Golf is the biggest change since the first of the type in 1974.It has been set to beat the Ford Focus, Holden Astra, Peugeot 307 and the rest in Europe, and should also go better against such contenders as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.The diesel option is a two-litre with (more important than power alone) 320Nm of torque and anyone can see the sense in a car that can easily cover more than 800km between topups.On the road, the first impression is how surprisingly swift the Golf TDi is. It also rides superbly, is extremely well built and promises to stay safe and solid over the long haul.There is so much to enjoy. It will trundle down to the mall, but can also be packed tight with people and playthings for a long interstate run.With a diesel engine, the range on freeways is likely to run close to 1000km.My fuel consumption averaged only 6.6 litres/100km and I often saw the reading on the car's trip computer drop below four at a gentle 110km/h cruise.The car is so light on fuel because the turbodiesel is hooked to a six-speed manual gearbox and makes maximum torque from only 1750rpm.Often you only have to tickle the throttle to hustle the car along.The Golf TDi doesn't have the eagerness enjoyed in sporty twin-cam fours, but the torque push is impressive.The TDi automatic is far less sprightly than the manual from a standing start, but good enough once rolling.The Golf sometimes runs a bit wide in tight corners – perhaps down to the heavy-ish diesel motor in the nose – but otherwise has great balance and grip.Lined up against its compact Euro diesel rivals, the Golf V is my choice.

An auto is a better proposition in laborious stop-start city traffic, but smaller capacity, less powerful engines normally labour under the weight of an automatic.Most have inadequate and poorly space gear ratios, and are slow to respond to the gas pedal – but small autos are what the market demands.In the case of the Volkswagen's latest Golf, however, the paring of its 1.6-litre engine and six-speed sequential automatic is about as good as it gets.In fact, we'd goes as far as saying the entry level Golf with this transmission fitted should become a reference point for other manufac- turers.Mind you, the auto is optional and adds $2300 to the basic cost of the car.After driving the superb Golf GTi, we were prepared to be disappointed by the smaller engined model.However, nothing could have been further from the truth.Sure, it doesn't offer anything like the same level of performance, but the transmission really brings the car to life.The 1.6-litre four cylinder engine produces 75kW of power at 5600rpm and 148Nm of torque at 3800rpm.Once upon time, this would have been regarded as a pretty hot engine, but time has moved on as it has a way of doing and with it so have our expectations.Suffice to say, the engine delivers zippy performance and excellent fuel economy, especially if you elect to change gears manually.Our test car was a the upmarket Comfortline with some added extras.Ignoring the niceties for a minute, the car impresses for its solid, big car feel and superb on-road dynamics.A much-improved Mac strut/lower A-arm front suspension and a all new four-link rear design contributes to the car's ride and handling.New electromechanical power steering pro- vides variable power assistance depending on the speed of the car, providing greater feel and enhanced straight-line stability.Brakes are four-wheel discs with standard ABS, brake assist and electronic brake force distribution.Traction control is also standard.If you're after a safe car, then Golf is the one.It achieved the highest ever rating for a passenger car in European crash testing.All models come with six airbags (driver and front passenger, driver and front passenger side airbags and curtain airbags front and rear), as well as three-point safety belts and active head restraints for all occupants.Fuel consumption from the 55-litre tank is rated at 8.2L/100km and that is about what we got, but it takes premium unleaded.Standard equipment includes aircondition- ing, power windows and mirrors and a high quality six-speaker CD based sound system.Volkswagen Golf is priced from $25,490 plus on-road costs. 

Volkswagen had forgotten what made the GTI tick, just as it turned the Golf from a taut compact into a bloated 3 Series pretender, but has gone back to the basics for 2005.The outcome is a fifth-generation Golf hero which is more tightly focused and enjoyable than I can remember.It is going to rattle its rivals, including the Mini Cooper S and BMW's 1 Series, and give some real enjoyment to people who could have forgotten – or never known – what the GTI was all about.And the price is tight, too, from $39,990 as a six-speed manual or $42,290 with the DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) which has become my favourite.In the Volkswagen line-up, the GTI is much the same as the Subaru WRX. It's a hero car, an image machine and a vehicle which proves the Golf can be more than just a nice hatchback."It's not just another Golf. It's a car that you really have to experience, to drive," says Peter Dierks, marketing chief at Volkswagen Group Australia.The GTI is the fifth all-new model with the badge, and a few facts put the evolution of the car into focus.The original Golf GTI, back in 1976, weighed 830kg, had 81kW of power and 130Nm of torque, and accelerated to 100km/h in nine seconds. Today's GTI weighs in at 1340kg, delivers 147kW of power and 208Nm of torque, and sprints to 100km/h in 7.2 seconds. So it is a bigger and more refined car, but also much quicker. And not just on the straight bits.The 2005 GTI – which stands for Gran Turismo Injection – is the first of its type with a turbocharged and direct petrol-injection engine, as well as electronic stability control, anti-skid disc brakes with brake assist and six airbags.The equipment list runs from leather wrapping on the wheel to aircon, six-stack CD sound and the usual electric assists.But this Golf is a GTI and so the car is dropped by 15mm on sports suspension, has unique red trim around the grille, side skirts and a roof spoiler, twin chromed exhaust tips and 17in alloy wheels. The cabin is also dressed with the GTI wheel, aluminium dash inserts, alloy pedals and gear lever, GTI seat trim and shift paddles in the DSG car.The GTI is a big deal for Volkswagen in Australia (VGA), which switched its focus from the postponed super-luxury Phaeton to the hot hatch to try to build brand backing from the bottom.It is a real favourite with new VGA managing director Jutta Dierks, and she believes it will go well."We are expecting to sell 350 cars until the end of the year. We are trying to get more stock," Ms Dierks says. "We want to push it. There is obviously plenty to work on. We have done the first steps and hopefully we did the first steps in the right direction."She believes the GTI will do the same job for Volkswagen that the WRX does for Subaru, but highlights that the German car undercuts the Japanese one.And all of its likely rivals, including the Honda Integra and Renault Megane.The new GTI is a ripper. No other word fits.It will rip through a 100km/h sprint, it will rip through any set of curves, it will rip into its rivals and the new twin-clutch gearbox even allows it to rip through the ratios.I expected something good after a week with the Golf turbodiesel but I wasn't prepared for the car that Volkswagen unleashed at the press preview in Canberra.It is light and tight to drive – like all the fifth-generation Golfs – but has a combination of refinement and explosive performance which will make it a huge hit.It even makes a ripper "whoomp" down the exhaust when you fire it into the next gear at anything approaching maximum revs.It comes as unburnt gases are fired by the turbocharger and is just as much fun as any of the whistling, popping and banging you hear in a Subaru WRX.The WRX is one of the GTI's rivals and it promises an interesting battle, but people who go for the GTI will also be getting a refined European hatch that has been totally revamped and repackaged into its fifth generation.The newcomer is roomy and comfy, very well equipped and surprisingly priced. But that's not a real surprise, as most of the Volkswagen range has just been repriced – with the Polo from $16,990 and the Beetle Miami from $35,990 – to try to get the sales volume the company targeted when it set up a full factory operation Down Under.It has not been close for the past few years, but new management and newcomers, including the GTI, could easily make the difference.The GTI gets along very briskly with its turbo engine, the ride is surprisingly compliant for sports suspension and it also stops and handles well. It is not as sharp in the chassis as the Honda Integra and it doesn't have WRX-style all-paw grip, but it will be more than good enough for most owners.The turbo motor gives huge torque from just 1800rpm, but it still likes to be pushed to the redline, and the use of a force-fed four also leaves space in the Golf range for a V6 R32 model down the track.The newcomer proves that Volkswagen has not forgotten the basics, or what the GTI badge really does mean.Our favourite drive is the DSG GTI with a super-quick twin-clutch gearbox that is as good as anything I have driven.It can run as gently as an automatic or deliver the best manu-matic F1 shifts I have felt in any car, including a Porsche or Ferrari.It is hard to find faults with the Golf GTI, which is finally back to its best and everything I expect from a car which put the world's "hot hatch" into the automotive dictionary.

Just as Volkswagen turned its basic Golf from a taut compact into a bloated BMW 3-Series pretender, it forgot what made the sporty GTI version tick.VW has gone back to basics for 2005 to produce a fifth-generation Golf hero that is more tightly focused and enjoyable than any we can remember.It is going to rattle its rivals, including the Mini Cooper S and BMW's 1-Series, and give some real enjoyment to people who could have forgotten – or never known – what the GTI was all about.And the price is tight, too, from $36,990 as a six-speed manual or $42,290 with the DSG (direct shift gearbox) which has just become our favourite.In the Volkswagen lineup, the GTI is much the same as the Subaru WRX. It's a hero car, an image machine and a vehicle that proves the Golf can be more than just anice hatchback."It's not just another Golf. It's a car that you really have to experience, to drive," Volkswagen Group Australia marketing chief Peter Dierks says.The GTI is the fifth all-new model with the badge, and a few facts put the evolution of the car into focus.The original Golf GTI, in 1976, weighed 830kg, had 81kW of power and 130Nm of torque and accelerated to 100km/h in 9.0 seconds; today's GTI is 1340kg, has 147kW and 208Nm and sprints to 100km/h in 7.2 seconds.So it is a bigger and more refined car, but also much quicker. And not just on the straight bits.The '05 GTI – which stands for Gran Tourismo Injection – is the first of its type with a turbocharged and direct petrol-injection engine, as well as electronic stability control, anti-skid disc brakes with brake assist and six airbags.The equipment list runs from leather wrapping on the wheel to air-con, six-stack CD sound and the usual electric assists.But this Golf is a GTI and so the car is dropped by 15mm on sports suspension, has unique red trim around the grille, side skirts and a roof spoiler, twin chromed exhaust tips and 17-inch alloy wheels.The cabin is also dressed with the GTI wheel, aluminium dash inserts, alloy pedals and gear lever, GTI seat trim and shift paddles in the DSG car.The GTI is a very big deal for Volkswagen in Australia, which switched its focus from the postponed super-luxury Phaeton to the hot hatch to try to build brand backing from the bottom.It is a real favourite with VGA managing director Jutta Dierks, and she believes it will go well."We are expecting to sell 350 cars to the end of the year. We are trying to get more stock," Dierks says."We want to push it. There is obviously plenty to work on."We've done the first steps and hopefully we did the first steps inthe right direction."She believes the GTI will do the same job for Volkswagen that the WRX does for Subaru, but points out that the German car undercuts the Japanese one – and all its likely rivals, including the Honda Integra and Renault Megane.ON THE ROADThe new GTI is a ripper. No other word fits.It will rip through a 100km/h sprint, it will rip through any set of curves, it will rip into its rivals and the new twin-clutch gearbox even allows it to rip through the ratios.We expected something good after a week with the Golf turbo diesel, but we still weren't prepared for the car that Volkswagen unleashed at the press preview in Canberra.It is light and tight to drive – as are all the fifth-generation Golfs – but has a combination of refinement and explosive performance that will make it a huge hit.It even makes a ripper "whoomp" down the exhaust when you fire it into the next gear at anything approaching maximum revs. It comes as unburnt gases are fired by the turbocharger and is just as much fun as any of the whistling, popping and banging you hear in a hot-rod Subaru WRX.The WRX is one of the GTI's rivals and it promises an interesting battle, but people who go for the GTI will also be getting a refined European hatch that has been totally revamped and repackaged in its fifth generation.The newcomer is roomy and comfy, well equipped and surprisingly priced.But that's not a real surprise, because most of the Volkswagen range has just been repriced – the Polo from $16,990 and the Beetle Miami from $35,990 – to try to get the sales volume the company aimed for when it set up a factory operation Down Under. It has not been close for the past few years, but new management and newcomers including the GTI could easily make the difference.The GTI gets along briskly with its turbo engine, the ride is surprisingly compliant for sports suspension, and it also stops and handles well.It is not as sharp in the chassis as the Honda Integra, and it doesn't have WRX-style all-paw grip, but it will be more than good enough for most owners.The newcomer proves Volkswagen has not forgotten the basics, or what the GTI badge really means.Our favourite drive is the DSG GTI with a super-quick twin-clutch gearbox – check page three for a technical rundown – that is as good as anything we have driven. It can run as gently as an automatic or deliver the best manu-matic Formula One shifts we have felt in any car, including a Porsche or Ferrari.It is hard to find fault with the GTI, which is – finally – back to its best and everything we expect from a car that put the words "hot hatch" into the automotive dictionary.

It's that good.After much poking and prodding, we discovered the car comes with only a space saver spare wheel, which loses it half a mark in our eyes.If you ever had a flat tyre – particularly out in the country – you'll rue the day you open the boot to discover one of the funny looking space savers nestling under the floor.The skinny little rims and tyres are only good for about 400km, after which they must be replaced – and that is a story in itself.Apart from this, our only quibbles concern the boot lid which does not seal properly on first shutting and the optional sunroof which suffers from a compression build up of air in the cabin unless you open the side windows.Volkswagen has really nailed it with this one.No wonder it decided to launch the car separately to the rest of the Golf range.The GTi builds on the excellent Golf V platform with more power, bigger and better brakes, 15mm lower sports suspension and a long list of standard equipment.You get all this for a starting price of $39,990 – it's enough to take your breath away.The Golf GTi is credited with starting the whole hatch thing way back in 1978.This is the fifth generation GTi but it is a quantum leap forward from the previous lack lustre model.That car's 1.8-litre turbocharged engine put out a pretty ordinary 110kW of power, compared to the new car's 147kW.It was also pretty hefty giving it an unimpressive power to weight ratio.Not so with the new GTi.It's still not as powerful as a WRX, I hear you say, but the proof of the pudding is in definitely in the driving and this car leaves nothing to be desired.Even our resident power junky, Mr "V8" Barnwell is impressed and that's saying something.The heart of the matter is VW's 2.0-litre, high pressure FSI engine which has been turbocharged to produce 147kW of power at 5100rpm and 280Nm of torque from a low 1800rpm.You get a choice of six-speed manual or six- speed DSG, double clutch auto.The GTi goes like the clappers as we discovered at Canberra's Sutton Road Driver Training Centre, with no discernible lag from the turbo.We drove the six-speed manual which some felt could have done with a shorter throw shift, but it pushes all the right buttons as far as we're concerned, being smooth and easy to use.The manual GTi accelerates from 0-100km/ h in 7.2 seconds, while the DSG is even better at 6.9 seconds.In fact, the DSG is even quicker than a Rex with automatic transmission, but who's count- ing?The bloke in the WRX on the way back from Canberra certainly showed us some respect.However, we were happy to tuck in and sit behind him all the way back to Sydney.Everything in the GTi has been adjusted to suit the car's sporty personna, including the electronic stability control system which kicks in only when absolutely necessary.On the road the car feels light and responsive, with a nice note from the exhaust and impeccable mid-corner manners, even at the limit.Standard equipment includes stability con- trol, brake assist and alarm system with interior monitoring.Optional are the DSG auto which adds $2300 to the cost, plus metallic paint, leather upholstery, bi-xenon headlights, electric sunroof and satellite navigation. 

He then lets the media loose with the fifth-generation VW Golf GTI on the Suttons Park driver training circuit at the recent vehicle launch in Canberra.New VW Australia managing director Jutta Dierks warns "this is not a race track" and this is immediately evident in the off-camber corners and lack of run-off typifying the worst of Australian roads.Like the Mt Cotton driver training circuit in Brisbane, there are traps to catch the unwary driver.However, a dozen high-speed laps in the new VW direct-injection turbocharged rocket confirm Stokell's advice.Like the fifth-generation Golf, the GTI (Gran Turismo Injected) hugs the road without being harsh and with almost no body language, even through the first-gear chicanes set up to monitor speed.And although the chassis is 15mm lower than standard and the suspension travel shorter, it didn't hit the bump stops on the track nor on the same stretch of road where the Jaguar S Type was banging away at its launch last year.Because of the high grip levels afforded by a combination of front strut and rear independent multi-link axles and wide Continental SportContact 2 rubber, when traction is broken, things happen quickly with ESP switched off.But don't expect Supernanny to be telling you to drive in the naughty lane when you have the electronic sabilisation program switched on. Intervention through a combination of drive and braking comes in slow and allows the driver to play a little, thanks to recalibration of the ESP from the settings in the standard Golf.Consequently, you can use a bit of slide to help turn the vehicle and set up a pendulum type motion to usher you swiftly through a series of esses.VW quotes figures of 0 to 100km/h in about 7.2 seconds for the manual, but 6.9 seconds for the DSG (direct shift gearbox).Testing this on the track without a stopwatch was difficult, but two parts of the track proved their claims. One was a hump just after a first-gear chicane. No matter how hard I pressed the manual, I could not get the front drive wheels to spin as it crested the hump, yet it consistently did so with DSG.The second was an off-camber bend between two hairpins. Here, it was almost impossible to shift from second to third and back to second in the manual, so you just had to ride it on the limiter.In the DSG variety, snicking through the gears was so fast and easy, you could gain the extra momentum of third for those two precious seconds.And you don't even have to take your hands from the 9:15 position on the steering wheel to effect the changes through the use of the paddle shifters.DSG works on a twin-clutch system where the gears above and below the one currently engaged are already spinnning and ready to grab as soon as the drive gear is disengaged.This GTI is also the first VW to marry FSI direct injection technology with a turbocharger and intercooler, like the new Audis.It is a robust powerplant with a useful 280Nm of torque and 147kW of power well before you hit the 70000rpm limit.There is no hint of turbo lag or turbo cut-in and no dips in power delivery right through the range.This makes passing manoeuvres and accelerating out of corners a breeze.Inside and out the GTI badging and styling is subtle. There are no whale tales, bonnet scoops or improbably low skirts to attract attention.This GTI makes its point in performance, not in posing.

It didn't really matter, the point had been proven. In its segment, the 2.0-litre Golf was a long distance tourer with few peers. This is aided by a fuel consumption average of less than 6.0-litres/100km – without really trying I might add.If you had a go, the Golf diesel might give 5.0 or even less if you were good enough.On top of this, it delivers excellent performance especially in the mid range. High-tech engine runs smoothly, has 103kW/ 320Nm output.Six-speed auto is also high-tech with adaptive capability and special clutch mechanism with minimal slip. Never caught in the wrong gear. Offers tiptronic selection.Six speed manual is standard.Scores five star NCAP rating.Retains distinctive Golf DNA with links to other VW models. Looks smart, has five doors, five seat capacity, more interior room than before.Boot is decent size, spare is a space saver.Handling is sporty with impressive ride comfort – a good compromise for everyday use.Steering is electro-mechanical power assisted, offers great feel, precise control.Powerful disc brakes, grippy tyres, ABS, traction control, etc. are standard equipment.Clever body repair technology allows crash damaged door skins to be replaced not entire door.Well equipped across the range. Interior is stylish and functional.Diesel engine has low emissions, passes stringent EU4 regulations.Starts quickly, no glow plug warm up. Slightly noisier than petrol at idle.Laser welded body is a comforting thought, contributes to chassis/body strength.Golf feels like a larger car than it actually is. Helped by supple suspension, interior space and feel from the driver's seat.With the lower priced 1.9 diesel, this model could be responsible for a dramatic upturn in the choice of diesel engine passenger cars. It's that good.

The fifth generation Golf features a range of new petrol and diesel engines, from the entry level 1.6-litre to a larger 2.0-litre petrol unit, along with 1.9-litre and 2.0-litre turbo diesel power plants – and more engine options to come.While diesel engines are noted for their super economy, the petrol engines this time around are not far behind.We recently tested a Golf 2.0-litre FSI which in manual form is claimed to return an average of 8.0 litres per 100km from its 55-litre tank.Granted it does so using more expensive premium unleaded fuel, but that's close to 700km from a single tank.In practice, the Golf returned about 9.7L/100km according to the trip computer but that is still excellent economy for a car this size.Our test car the Comfortline manual model is no light weight at 1240kg.The 2.0-litre FSI engine is good for 110kW of power at 6000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 3500rpm.The FSI part of the name stands for Fuel Stratified Injection.FSI engines achieve their remarkably low consump- tion levels by stratification of the fuel mixture in the low and medium speed ranges where the engine operates with an increased air intake.In these conditions the mixture is concentrated around the spark plug positioned centrally in the combustion chamber and the outer areas contain only pure air.FSI models have the option of either a six-speed manual transmission or tiptronic style six-speed automatic.While not as convenient in city traffic, the manual transmission is by far and away the sportier option – and cheaper too.It lends a completely different character to the car as we discovered.In manual form, the 2.0-litre model can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in a brisk 8.8 seconds.Apart from its remarkable performance and econ- omy, the Golf is also very well equipped.In standard form, it comes with ABS brakes, ASR (traction control), EBD (electronic brake pressure distribution) and HBA (hydraulic brake assist).There is also cruise control, automatic wipers and a 10-speaker sound system.On the road the Golf has a solid, large car feel and sits easily on the road, with suspension that is firm but not too firm.We found the tyres squealed easily but the car has high levels of grip.Fit and finish is first class and inside trim is up to Volkswagen's usual high standard.Inside there is an extra 52mm of rear legroom and 24mm of rear headroom compared to its predecessor. The car is also 54mm longer, which provides an addition 20 litres of luggage spaces.Airconditioning is standard.In terms of safety the Golf has earned the accolade of being the safest car ever tested in Euro-NCAP crash testing.All models come with active front head restraints and six airbags: driver and front passenger airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags and curtain airbags front and rear.Our test car was fitted with optional satellite navigation which adds $2990 to the price.Strangely, the navigation CD is forced to share the same slot as the audio CD system which means you can't listen to your favourite music while having the car dictate directions.Golf 2.0-litre FSI Comfortline is priced from $29,990 for the manual and $32,290 for the auto.