We start the engine and begin the exam. The truth is that it makes almost no noise and the cabin is very well insulated, although the engine is heard more when it is cold, showing its diesel nature. The main engine of the test is the 1.6CV 105 TDI, with which Volkswagen estimates the average consumption approved at 3,8 l. As you can imagine, that figure has been impossible for me to reach, but I have to tell you that the consumption of this Golf has been exceptional.
The engine has pleasantly surprised me in almost all aspects. The figure of 105 hp may seem a bit low a priori and that it will not be very efficient, but it is not. The engine is forceful when we accelerate and does not falter as we go up in revolutions; it is very solvent. Whether accelerating or recovering, the engine is very hardworking and more than enough to move the Golf. It works quite well, better than expected.
The only but that I find about the engine is that at the beginning of the test, driving around the city, I got the impression that there is an area from idle and before 1.500 rpm (in this area the engine already starts to pull with desire) in what the engine has a slight "vacuum". Arriving at roundabouts in second gear, or in some yields, I noticed that the engine did not respond, that it left the car a bit "hung". I also have to say that as the days of testing the car went by, that feeling gradually disappeared, and each time I liked the engine more; perhaps because I adapted my way of driving to the engine, avoiding that area of the rev counter as much as possible.
In the city it is easy to get around, thanks to the smoothness of its direction and the comfort of the suspensions, which well isolate the passenger compartment from the dreaded speed bumps. When it comes to parking, we have it easy thanks to the steering, which is very smooth because it self-regulates its hardness depending on the speed, and its good turning radius. In addition, our car had the park-pilot, a system with which, thanks to the acoustic signals and the rear camera, parking becomes a simple task. It is also worth mentioning the good operation of the Stop-Start, and the operation of the electric parking brake and the self hold. I particularly liked the autohold a lot; This system holds the car every time we stop it and I find it very practical at traffic lights, slopes... On some occasions it was difficult for him to "let go" of the car, but most of the time it worked very well.
On the road, the Golf continues to be very pleasant to drive. The suspensions are on the soft side, although it shows a good compromise between comfort and dynamics. Whether going fast, or driving calmly, the Golf is always easy to drive and inspires confidence. Overtaking maneuvers are carried out satisfactorily. We just have to go down to fourth and the car picks up decisively. This engine is associated with a 5-speed manual gearbox (except in the BlueMotion finish that equips 6 speed), whose feel is very good. Theoretically it may seem that we need a sixth but in reality it is not. The fifth shows a fairly long development to flatten at low revs.
If we decide to tickle him the Golf continues to maintain the type. As I already mentioned in the first part, this engine is associated with the semi-rigid rear suspension, simpler and less effective than the independent one, but I have to say that it has behaved very well. In curves the car is always quite easy to drive and neutral in its reactions. All Golfs have the XDS system, this system tries to emulate the action of a limited-slip differential and gives us a plus when cornering. Surely our Golf would go better with the independent rear suspension, and with slightly wider tires and a lower profile (it is equipped with 195/65 R15, in my opinion, quite successful), but if we want better performance, we would also go for a motor top, don't you think?
On the highway, what has been said is still maintained; it is comfortable and the Golf is at ease, quite plumb; so long trips at regular rates are very satisfactory, taking into account above all the consumption it has. The touch of direction, I found quite good. Thanks to the variable assistance the direction is pleasant in all kinds of situations. Perhaps I would have liked it to be more informative about what is happening on the road, but in general the electromechanical steering works quite well.
The brakes are pretty good.They stop the car in a short distance and the pedal has a good feel. Curiously, it was the case that the clutch of the car tested on certain occasions made a rather annoying noise when clutching, but surely it was a fault of that unit in particular and it is not something to take into account.
Now it's time to talk about consumptions. We have been echoing the good consumption of the Golf throughout the test and now it's time to prove it. Go for it.
In the city, the German compact obtained a figure of 6,6 l; It is not bad at all, considering that it was loaded, with continuous stops and starts and that the air conditioning was on full blast, due to the intense heat of the past days. On the highway, during a journey of 200 km, consumption stood at 5,0 l, not bad at all... and on the road, for about 80 km, the figure dropped to 4,6 l. If we go to require the mechanics, particularly driving through a mountain pass, consumption rose to 7,7 l.
It is understandable considering the conditions of use; in low gears and at high revs. Carrying out the same road and highway journeys at a faster pace, the figure remained at 5,7 l on average. Which shows that the Golf continues to maintain good consumptions even at faster rates.
Summarizing, the Golf offers quite refined consumption in all types of use; so if we are looking for a car that spends little, this is a candidate to keep in mind. In addition, as we have already mentioned, it moves quite well, with more than reasonable performance and driving that stands out for its simplicity and poise in all types of conditions.
Morning We continue with the last part, in which we will review the equipment, price and final verdict on the Volkswagen compact.
More information - Test Volkswagen Golf Advance TDI 105 CV BlueMotion, exterior and interior design
More information - Volkswagen Golf Advance TDI 105 CV BlueMotion test, equipment, price and conclusions
