Iconic VW Golf revised for sixth generation
by An M. Job to the $23,195 for a 2010 styled to look wider and lower to the front seats are back a long way on Engine sounds were strong, too,
Mazdaspeed3 hatchback with 263- ground than last year's car. their tracks, rear legroom shrinks and the typical buzzy sounds that
The sixth-generation Volkswagen horsepower, turbo four-cylinder What they will notice is that the precipitously. come from a four cylinder weren’t
Golf, heralded by European auto- gasoline engine, manual transmis- look overall is clean and free of There’s a sizable hump in the so pronounced here. Instead, there
motive media as World Car of the sion and 18/25 mpg fuel rating. embellishments. Inside, all controls middle of the rear-seat floor, so any- was a near-growl from the engine.
Year, finally comes to U.S. show- It also compares with the $20,510 and gauges are well-arranged and one sitting in the middle must con- The Golf is front-wheel drive;
rooms this fall and instantly is the starting retail price for a 2010 within easy reach. tend with it. It's much better back front wheels pulled the car impres-
most fuel-efficient, non-hybrid Honda Insight hatchback with 98- Golfs are offered with choice of there to just have two people. sively through standing water and in
compact car for 2010. horsepower, gasoline-electric five-cylinder gasoline engine or But the best place to sit is behind the rain. And the during heard accel-
The top fuel mileage rating for the hybrid powertrain and 40/43-mpg four-cylinder diesel, a choice of the steering wheel. Steering is eration, the steering wheel does not
2010 Golf is 30 miles per gallon in fuel mileage rating. manual or automatic transmission, responsive to driver inputs, and the pull strongly to one side or the other.
city driving and 42 mpg on the high-
way. This is for a Golf with diesel
four-cylinder, six-speed automatic
transmission and no electric motor
hybrid technology.
Don’t worry. The Golf’s real
claim to fame - its decades-long rep-
utation as a fun, sporty, little hatch-
back - remains.
In fact, the 2010 Golf with its
fuel-sipping engine - a 2-liter, four-
cylinder, turbocharged diesel with
direct injection - generates the most
torque at the lowest engine rpm of
any small, sporty, non-luxury hatch-
back on the market.
The peak torque of 236 foot-
pounds comes on by 1,750 rpm,
which explains why the heads of
passengers in the 2010 Golf TDI can
push back into the seats even when
the driver pulls away from city stop
signs.
The strong power can come on so
quickly, the driver had better pay
close attention to the speedometer.
Starting manufacturer's suggested
retail price including destination
charge is $18,190, $1,190 higher
than last year’s base model.
This price is for a two-door Golf
with 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter,
gasoline-powered, five-cylinder,
manual transmission and a fuel
economy rating of 22/30 mpg.
Torque tops out at 177 foot-pounds
at a high rpm of 4,250.
The most prized Golf - with a
140-horsepower, turbodiesel engine
under the hood - has a starting retail The new Golf’s modern “clean and a choice of two- or four-door suspension keeps the car surprising- Major safety equipment, such as
price of $22,890 with six-speed diesel” meets emissions standards in hatchback body. ly poised and comfortable on twisty curtain air bags, traction control and
manual transmission. all 50 states, including California's I prefer the four-door Golf, which roads. Yet the suspension also is electronic stability control and
A diesel Golf with six-speed auto- stringent standards. was the test car, because access to tuned to prevent a harsh, overly antilock brakes, is standard. The
matic starts at $23,989. Note this is Last year’s Golf was called the the second row seats is much easier sporty ride. Golf is one of the few non-luxury
a Direct-Shift Gearbox automatic Rabbit - a moniker that was on the than it is in the two-door Golf. When I pressed the accelerator cars to offer the option of side-
with sequential shift that a driver first generation of this car in the But both models offer more pas- pedal, the test diesel Golf with auto- mounted air bags for the outsides of
can operate without using a clutch 1970s. VW officials went back to senger room in the back seat than matic zoomed forward and tapped the back seats, at as price of $350.
pedal. DSG transmissions, also the more well-known Golf name for what you’d expect by just peering the torque readily. Keep in mind that the Golf comes
sometimes called “manual automat- 2010. inside through a side window. I appreciated that the torque does- with VW’s three-year/36,000-mile
ics,” are better than regular trannies The new Golf is restyled, but it’s There’s 38.5 inches of headroom in n’t shut down after 1,750 rpms. It free scheduled maintenance pro-
for fuel economy and faster shift more of an update to last year’s the back seat. stays at the peak to 2,500 rpm, gram, so services like regular oil
times. look. Casual car buyers might not Legroom in the back seat was which provides good power to the changes are taken care of at dealers
The Golf diesel pricing compares even notice how the 2010 Golf is acceptable at 35.5 inches, but if the next gear shift. for free. AP
Chicago Defender • ChicagoDefender.com • December 9-15, 2009
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