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Volkswagen Golf 2.0 GT TDi 140 road test report

2.0 GT TDi 140

The new Golf retains the sharp handling while delivering power with little or no turbo lag. Volkswagen has long had a reputation for the reliability of it’s vehicles and we do not see any reason why this should differ in the new Golf. Rock solid residual values make the Volkswagen a sensible choice for new car ownership, these residuals have also helped make contract hire and leasing rates very reasonable indeed.

Road Test Reports Says 4.5 star rating
A front-facing image of the Volkswagen Golf 2.0 GT TDi 140
Thanks to Swansway Motor Group who provided the Volkswagen Golf for the Road Test Report.
Contact David Aspinall at Swansway Motor Group on 01270 848980 or email d.aspinall@crewevw.co.uk

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Image number 2 of the Volkswagen Golf 2.0 GT TDi 140 Image number 3 of the Volkswagen Golf 2.0 GT TDi 140 Image number 4 of the Volkswagen Golf 2.0 GT TDi 140
ANDY SAYS

Performance Performance - 5 stars

The Golf we drove was powered by the 2.0 litre diesel unit prevalent in many Volkswagen group vehicles and which has traditionally been hailed as the best medium sized diesel engine available. You can opt for either the 140 ps or 170 ps engine in the Golf , we drove the 140ps and it was not found lacking in terms of power or flexibility, we can only imagine how much fun the 170ps version would be to drive in the new Golf! One accusation levelled at the old Golf was that the delivery of this power was a little slow early on in the rev range and then huge after a certain rev range was reached. The new Golf however is smooth in it’s power delivery with little or no turbo lag noticeable and unusually for a diesel the engine actually sounded like it wanted to be revved hard with a rather nice exhaust note emitted under heavy revs.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 4 stars

Our Golf had a few options on it to say the least, one of which was 18” Alloy wheels. Usually you would imagine that when these are combined with the sporty chassis of GT model the ride would be hard and Jarring when driven over the imperfect roads of the UK. This just doesn’t seem to be the case however, unlike other German marques the ride was fairly compliant and forgiving, one thing which may have helped in this issue are the leather seats our car came with, although we don’t see this as a deciding factor. One thing the new Golf does retain is the sharp handling and the feeling that, as a driver, you can simply point the car in the sharpest of turns, put your foot down and enjoy the acceleration, the new Golf has a real ‘point and go’ feel to it.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 5 stars

As previously stated the vehicle we drove had a few options on it, Sat Nav, Dyn Audio with touch screen interface, leather seats, 18” Alloys and the DSG Gearbox. Obviously all of these options add to the feeling of quality within the vehicle but take them off and we feel you would still be left with a very high quality car with a real premium feel to it. We have driven the Audi A3 recently and really we can’t see any difference in terms of build quality or the materials used in the cabin, the only real difference seems to be in price! Volkswagen has long had a reputation for the reliability of it’s vehicles and we do not see any reason why this should differ in the new Golf.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 4 stars

A whole host of standard safety features adorn the new Golf GTD, curtain airbags, driver’s and front passenger’s airbags, driver’s knee and front seat side impact airbags should take care of most collisions! One option we were impressed with was the brake pad wear indicator which should be standard on all new vehicles in our opinion. Electronic engine immobiliser and alarm with interior sensors complete the security aspect of the new Golf.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 4 stars

The Golf feels undoubtedly compact when you are sat in the car itself. When you are driving the car feels like it wraps itself around you and almost becomes part of you. The trick is to pull this off whilst offering reasonable space for four adults and their luggage. The Golf appears to pull this off. We had four adults sat in comfort without any issues and a set of golf clubs , with luggage in the boot. The Golf seems to have lost a lot of the excess pounds which it had gained recently but none of the practicality.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 4 stars

Rock solid residual values make the Volkswagen a sensible choice for new car ownership, these residuals have also helped make contract hire and leasing rates very reasonable indeed. The new GT diesel starts from £19,245 which is very similar to Ford prices and a lot lower than the equivelent Audi. Running costs are pretty low, we got 45mpg from our test drive and we were not holding back. Overall the Golf should offer something for everybody and makes a cracking all-round proposition. A couple of members of our team are so smitten they have sworn to make the new Golf their next vehicle!

Submitted: 11/09/2009 08:21:35

AARON SAYS

Performance Performance - 5 stars

If you are looking for a leading sporty hatch which takes you far for your money then the Golf 2.0 TDi GTD is the car for you. The performance is extremely good and almost identical to the Audi A3 S Line. You will not be disappointed with this car, the model we drove was 140ps and I haven’t yet seen a car of this class perform any better. You can opt for 170ps which is hard to believe the 2.0 TDi engine can perform any better than the one we drove. With the new Golf you seem to have more control over the turbo diesel engine making it a smooth ride and is very responsive once you put your foot down. The model we drove was also the automatic with the DSG gearbox. This has a sport mode which fires the revs through the roof and the car takes off. Very handy when entering a motorway or pulling out of a junction but do use this setting wisely as you will notice the fuel gage drop after a while.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 5 stars

Surprisingly this car is a comfort to drive especially as it’s a sporty hatch. Usually you would expect a bit of a bumpy ride with a nervy and sore experience feeling every imperfection in the road as this range comes with 17” alloys along with low profile tyres as standard but it is shockingly smooth. The model we drove actually had 18” alloys and I was blown away with how comfortable and smooth the ride was as I expected it to be as firm as the Audi A3 S Line I drove recently. The car really hogs the roads nicely around corners and is an all round performer whether it’s at high speeds on the motorway or stuck in traffic in the city centre.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 5 stars

You can never fault VW for their quality and they have created a winning formula with the new Golf. The Golf hasn’t changed drastically over the years but I expect that is because it has always been a leader in the hatch sector. Just a few tweaks to the exterior, interior and engine is just enough to make hot hatch lovers fall to their knees and wish for the latest Golf model to be sat on their drive and who could blame them. The model we drove had extras including, 18” alloys, cream leather interior and built in satellite navigation and all at an incredible high standard. If you are in the market for a hatchback and haven’t yet experienced a love affair with a VW Golf then go straight to your nearest VW dealership and knock yourself out.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 5 stars

Again VW have always had a good reputation for building safe, secure and reliable vehicles. The new Golf has an extremely safe feel to it with it’s solid build giving you that sense of satisfaction behind the wheel. As you would expect from any new car, there are several air bags just in case and also has a brake pad wear indicator which will come in handy I’m sure.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 5 stars

You get a lot of space in the Golf even though it is designed for comfort. There are deep foot wells and plenty of headroom. The nice bulky bucket seats and chunky door panels don’t compromise the space at all. In the back you get plenty of leg and head room as well making this car very spacious and practical for any need. Large boot space as always with the Golf adds to the practicality of the vehicle. Usually when somebody follows their heart when choosing a car, practicality usually isn’t considered but with the Golf you get best of both worlds.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 5 stars

You can’t go wrong buying a Volkswagen as residual value is strong making this car great for ownership value. . The new GT diesel starts from £19,245 which apparently is lower than the equivalent Audi models. When I tested this vehicle my average run per day is 50 miles and I was dazzled by how much money I could save in fuel with this range of Golf, providing I drove it sensibly of course.

Submitted: 30/09/2009 09:19:06

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