VW is not giving its bestseller Golf a completely new model for its 50th birthday, but it is providing an update with many innovations. Future customers can choose from nine drive variants. In addition to petrol and diesel engines, there is also a plug-in hybrid that can travel a good 100 kilometers purely electrically.
In Austria, the VW Golf, which has been spoiled for success for a long time (5380 units sold), had to be satisfied with third place in the new registration statistics in 2023, behind the Skoda Octavia (6877) and Tesla Model Y (6039); In its home country of Germany, however, it also took the top spot in 2023 with around 81,000 units, despite shrinking registration numbers. After four years, there is now a far-reaching further development with many details, with almost unchanged dimensions. “More efficiency, comfort, value and a new operating concept. More Golf is not possible,” says brand boss Thomas Schäfer.Cockpit fundamentally revisedIn fact, the engineers from Wolfsburg have learned from mistakes with the current Golf 8 and customer criticism. Examples are the sliders for temperature and volume settings called “touch sliders”. They are now easier to use and, above all, finally illuminated. The centerpiece is the floating 12.9-inch central monitor (10.4 inches in the basic model). The software has been completely redesigned and the processors work faster than before. Important functions are now bundled in an upper touchpad bar where frequently used apps can be selected directly. The previously cumbersome search on the display is no longer necessary. The lower row of pushbuttons provides direct access to the climate and seat heating. Voice recognition has also been improved. The second screen (10.2 inches) behind the steering wheel can be freely configured. This means that either classic round instruments are visually recreated or important information is displayed in tiles. For example, the navigation map of the central display can be mirrored in the space in between. A head-up display can also be ordered. All the electronics are linked to a wealth of assistance systems. What’s new is remote-controlled parking and parking using a mobile phone app, in which the driver maneuvers his car from outside into a tight parking space or into the narrow garage. In the new “Area View”, a live image of the car appears on the monitor from a bird’s eye view, created virtually by connecting three cameras. Variety in the engine compartment The variety of what’s on offer in the engine compartment also makes you sit up and take notice. It starts with four 1.5-liter gasoline engines, which are available for the hatchback and the station wagon known as the Variant. The basic models with manual transmission produce 115 hp or 150 hp. Engines of the same size can also be combined with a mild hybrid system. There is then a 48-volt electrical system and cylinder deactivation on board. A small additional battery supplies the starter generator. The result should be significantly lower consumption, the data of which VW has not yet revealed. What is known, however, is that the “mild” hybrids have a seven-speed DSG automatic as standard. The 2.0 TSI with all-wheel drive will only be available from 2025. It is more powerful than today’s model with this abbreviation and produces 204 hp. Two variants await diesel fans. Two-liter engines with 115 hp or 150 hp.PHEV with 100 km electric rangeIf you want to drive purely electrically at least part of the time, you can’t ignore the two hybrid models. They combine the already mentioned 1.5-liter gasoline engine with an almost 20 kWh battery to power the electric motor, which should ensure a range of up to 100 kilometers. Together the two hearts produce 150 kW/204 hp. Charging can be done at the wallbox or public alternating current taps with up to 11 kW (previously it was only 3.6 kW), but also at a DC fast charging station with up to 50 kW. The new “super hybrid” with the abbreviation GTE uses the same technology. With 200 kW/272 HP it is the champion on the golf course. This means it even surpasses the classic GTI with its two-liter petrol engine, which increases by 14 hp to 265 hp. Anyone looking for external features of the new Golf generation will find what they are looking for, especially at night. New taillights with LED technology and LED headlights that are significantly narrower towards the VW logo. Anyone who opts for the more striking “Performance” lights or even the futuristic “IQ.LIGHT – LED matrix headlights” (high beam up to 500 meters) for an additional charge will receive a special treat. An LED crossbar provides another aha effect. For the first time, the trademark will also be illuminated as a new identification symbol. VW is currently keeping the exact technical data to itself. Delivery is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of the year. There’s also some guesswork about the prices of the four equipment variants. The basic model currently starts at 26,390 euros. A slight increase is to be expected.
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