Facelift (What's New)
1.5-litre TSI Evo engine
'Wet-clutch' DSG gearbox
9.2-inch Discover Pro system
Active Info Display
Numerous safety features
Every 40 seconds of your life that passes, a Volkswagen Golf is purchased, built or delivered. It's the most successful car in Europe and the most iconic hatchback in the world. To put a number on its popularity, Volkswagen makes a million Golfs every year.
The Golf isn't particularly stylish, powerful or fun to drive. What, then, makes it such a hit? The answer according to Christian Bauer, the man in charge of the German compact, is that with each new generation, each update, the Golf steps up to meet the challenges of its time. This time round, it's done so again, with a mid-life revision of the seventh generation model.
The latest updates to the Golf are slightly more revolutionary than evolutionary and according to Volkswagen sources, the 'Mk7.5' is the first significant mid-life revision in the model's 43-year existence. Upgrades include a redesign, highly upgraded infotainment features, more safety and a new engine, which replaces the outgoing model's turbocharged 1.4-litre lump.
A new engine, you say?
It's named the 1.5 TSI Evo (internal codename EA211 EVO) and the version we tested makes 148bhp and 250Nm of torque. This new Euro 6-compliant engine is an improvement of the existing 1.4 TSI, and not new-from-the-ground-up.
The Golf isn't particularly stylish, powerful or fun to drive. What, then, makes it such a hit? The answer according to Christian Bauer, the man in charge of the German compact, is that with each new generation, each update, the Golf steps up to meet the challenges of its time. This time round, it's done so again, with a mid-life revision of the seventh generation model.
The latest updates to the Golf are slightly more revolutionary than evolutionary and according to Volkswagen sources, the 'Mk7.5' is the first significant mid-life revision in the model's 43-year existence. Upgrades include a redesign, highly upgraded infotainment features, more safety and a new engine, which replaces the outgoing model's turbocharged 1.4-litre lump.
A new engine, you say?
It's named the 1.5 TSI Evo (internal codename EA211 EVO) and the version we tested makes 148bhp and 250Nm of torque. This new Euro 6-compliant engine is an improvement of the existing 1.4 TSI, and not new-from-the-ground-up.
Power delivery of the 1.5 TSI Evo unit is surprisingly linear and provides enough punch for you to perform B-road overtaking manoeuvres with confidence, as we've tested on our two-day drive in Majorca, Spain.
There's some brains behind the engine's brawn, too. It features Active Cylinder Management (ACM), whereby two of its four cylinders shut down under lighter loads, thus improving fuel consumption. And, ACM kicks in so unobtrusively that you'd never be able to know when it does.
Mated to the 1.5 TSI Evo is also a new 'wet-clutch' DSG gearbox, which should be tougher than before. It's unmistakably creamier than the old 'dry-clutch' and more decisive when selecting gears. Like ACM, each gear change is so harmonious you barely realise it's cog-changing if you're driving delicately.
There's also a lower rated 128bhp BlueMotion version of the 1.5 TSI Evo not yet available at launch, but it's just about confirmed for Singapore since it's perfect for Category A of our COE system. We can also watch for a new 1.0-litre TSI version, which should be available come end of this year.
There's some brains behind the engine's brawn, too. It features Active Cylinder Management (ACM), whereby two of its four cylinders shut down under lighter loads, thus improving fuel consumption. And, ACM kicks in so unobtrusively that you'd never be able to know when it does.
Mated to the 1.5 TSI Evo is also a new 'wet-clutch' DSG gearbox, which should be tougher than before. It's unmistakably creamier than the old 'dry-clutch' and more decisive when selecting gears. Like ACM, each gear change is so harmonious you barely realise it's cog-changing if you're driving delicately.
There's also a lower rated 128bhp BlueMotion version of the 1.5 TSI Evo not yet available at launch, but it's just about confirmed for Singapore since it's perfect for Category A of our COE system. We can also watch for a new 1.0-litre TSI version, which should be available come end of this year.
Around Majorca's many roundabouts, the car showcased its competence in dancing into hard and fast corners, and mind you, this isn't even a GTI. In more desolate parts of the island, its composure over patchy surfaces is remarkable, absorbing every road imperfection without sending any into the cabin.
Digital displays, higher sophistication
The most obvious changes are found inside and the first thing that caught our eyes is a new top-of-the-line infotainment system, Discover Pro. It's a big 9.2-inch interactive display interface that's got superb graphics and a host of important smartphone (Android and iPhone) functions.
But it isn't just the system's crisp display that's a next step forward for the brand. Rather, it's the gesture control function that's available for the first time in the compact car segment. To use gesture control, simply swipe your hand left and right to change displayed pages or radio stations. However, we found that it isn't particularly responsive to our frantic gestures or of much use. Conventional knobs continue to have our vote.
Complementing the high-tech Discover Pro system is a digitalised 12.3-inch Active Info Display cluster, which we've already tested in the brand's large family car.
Digital displays, higher sophistication
The most obvious changes are found inside and the first thing that caught our eyes is a new top-of-the-line infotainment system, Discover Pro. It's a big 9.2-inch interactive display interface that's got superb graphics and a host of important smartphone (Android and iPhone) functions.
But it isn't just the system's crisp display that's a next step forward for the brand. Rather, it's the gesture control function that's available for the first time in the compact car segment. To use gesture control, simply swipe your hand left and right to change displayed pages or radio stations. However, we found that it isn't particularly responsive to our frantic gestures or of much use. Conventional knobs continue to have our vote.
Complementing the high-tech Discover Pro system is a digitalised 12.3-inch Active Info Display cluster, which we've already tested in the brand's large family car.
Apart from making the cabin more premium, this new digital cluster gives you information far beyond conventional ones, such as detailed driving data and navigation. Elsewhere, the car's cabin remains much the same as before.
Smarter car, safer drive
To prevent you from crashing and burning, the updates also bring about new electronic safety features such as a lane departure warning system and adaptive cruise control, which work hand-in-hand to enable semi-autonomous driving up to 60km/h.
There's also an emergency feature, a system initiating various measures to rouse you in escalating stages if you're inactive. If you're about to ram into a pedestrian, a city emergency braking system prevents you by braking to a stop autonomously when you don't respond to its warnings.
Handsomer hatch, this
New bumpers, rims, redesigned LED head lights, LED tail lamps (highest spec version has Audi-like dynamic turn signals) and fancy chrome trims complete the update. While they're not monumental design changes, the car is now more modern and easily more premium than the competition.
The evolution of the Golf is a clear revolution for the compact segment. It balances driving dynamics and everyday comfort like none other, continues to push the boundaries of technology and retains a huge quality lead over its rivals.
With this update, the Golf hasn't just stepped up to meet the challenges of its time, it has become the challenge of its time. But then again, was it ever not?
Smarter car, safer drive
To prevent you from crashing and burning, the updates also bring about new electronic safety features such as a lane departure warning system and adaptive cruise control, which work hand-in-hand to enable semi-autonomous driving up to 60km/h.
There's also an emergency feature, a system initiating various measures to rouse you in escalating stages if you're inactive. If you're about to ram into a pedestrian, a city emergency braking system prevents you by braking to a stop autonomously when you don't respond to its warnings.
Handsomer hatch, this
New bumpers, rims, redesigned LED head lights, LED tail lamps (highest spec version has Audi-like dynamic turn signals) and fancy chrome trims complete the update. While they're not monumental design changes, the car is now more modern and easily more premium than the competition.
The evolution of the Golf is a clear revolution for the compact segment. It balances driving dynamics and everyday comfort like none other, continues to push the boundaries of technology and retains a huge quality lead over its rivals.
With this update, the Golf hasn't just stepped up to meet the challenges of its time, it has become the challenge of its time. But then again, was it ever not?
