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Jaggy Cars – June 2009
Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI 110 SE
Frugal Yet Fun Family Saloon
I’m old enough to remember the original lightweight, skinny-wheeled, nimble handling Golf. It was first introduced in 1974 which makes it 25 years old this year, but it was the introduction of the GTI, 2 years later that really made a lasting impression.
Nought to 60 in 9 seconds and 110 bhp doesn’t sound much these days, but when it was introduced it blew away the opposition. The Triumph Dolomite Sprint was faster but it was a bowl of porridge compare to Volkswagen’s light and tasty soufflé!
This week’s car was not unfortunately the new GTI, it was an oil burner. Oh great joy. Still it had to be driven and appraised.
First impression? It was damn comfy. The front seats are excellent and the driving position ideal, topped off with a delightful leather trimmed steering wheel with an extremely comfortable, profiled rim.
Second impression? The engine is on the noisy side of refined compared to other small saloon diesels, but remarkably pokey.
And the third impression? I liked it. No, I really liked it.
The liking really got going on a trip down the Clyde side (the A72 that follows the winding River Clyde through the heart of Lanarkshire). It’s a popular haunt of motorists and bikers, and when the pot plant purchasers have vacated the many garden centres along the route and gone home for their tea, the road is left for locals to enjoy.
Well, I got hunkered down in the well shaped seats and set off. Pretty soon I was enjoying myself. With only 108 bhp you might think it a bit sluggish. Nope. On traffic light starts, maybe, but once on the move the 250 Nm of torque keeps this thing thrumming along nicely. Add in a slick, tactile five speed shift mated up to steering which is effortless and rewarding and it’s all the car you’ll ever need.
Actually, I got carried away a wee bit at times. The seats are sufficiently bolstered to encourage a bit more attack. Even then, there was rarely a moment when I felt I was missing out on the higher revving 207 bhp GTI job.
In fact, in some ways, the diesel engine is more rewarding, offering better satisfaction when you get it right. Because it lacks straight line grunt, the driver has to rely on torque to maintain pace through the corners. That means get all the braking out of the way ahead of the corner, then use that delightful steering to turn in and point the way through the bend, getting on the gas early enough to accelerate all the way. And there are a couple of fast double apex bends on the far side of Rigside south of Lanark
where you want to turn round and go back and do it again!
Yup, I was impressed.
The suspension is more than up to the job too, even with the 17 inch rims and 225 section tyres, it soaked up the worst of Lanarkshire’s ruts, pot holes and gouge marks left by claymores getting dragged along the road after a night in the Wallace Arms!
And here’s the best bit. Even when I was getting carried away, I was still getting 53 miles to the gallon – and it’ll do well over 60 with a lighter foot on the throttle.
It’s also well kitted out for today’s ‘yoofs’ with its iPod sockets and additional connector leads for iPhones and such like, but since I don’t possess such devices I couldn’t try them out.
And so the question, would I buy one?
Yup, if I was in the market for a 4/5 seater that offered a bit of fun and frugality, it would have to be top of the list. The only drawback is the engine noise. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad, but it’s not as quiet as it’s more serious rivals.
In Short:
Price: £17,465
Engine: 1968 cc, 4 cyl diesel with 108 bhp
Performance: 0-62 mph in 10.7 seconds, flat out at 120 mph
Economy: 70.6mpg extra urban, 57.6mpg combined
CO2 emissions: 128 g/km
Insurance: Group 6
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