2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI SEL Review - Yes, it was only three weeks since our last report Volkswagen Golf. Why do you ask? Perhaps be...
Yes, it was only three weeks since our last report Volkswagen Golf. Why do you ask?
Perhaps because the small VW is on fire. The car is almost single-handedly bring the hatchback sales with the introduction last year of its seventh generation model. Winner of numerous national and international awards automobile journo, sales MKVII Golf in the US were up 230% in June over the same period last year, and are tracking toward a record 84,000 sales for 2015.
There are two 2015 Golfs in my driveway this week: my own two-door GTI 6 speed and today's tester, four-door TDI SEL above with automatic dual clutch transmission DSG. This is not a comparison test, the variation between the equipment levels of the two cars made for interesting perspectives.
The wide range in 2015 Golf models and powertrain options is one reason for all the growth of hype and sales. Basic Golf GTI sport, the all-electric e-Golf to drive 292 hp all-wheel Golf R and even the TDI Clean Diesel, Volkswagen hatchback covered all prospects.
The Golf TDI diesel 4-cylinder turbo and intercooler produces 150 horsepower at 3,500 rpm and 236 lb-ft of torque at only 1,750 rpm. Our tester came with slick dual-clutch DSG six-speed Volkswagen. A handful of TDI diesel are produced with a manual 6-speed transmission, but are actually slightly slower acceleration than the DSG-equipped cars. (A friend in a West Coast store Volkswagen / Audi think VW diesels built stick-shift to meet the TDI "evangelist" - homeowners who are in their third diesel and sitting around his showroom, while their cars in service, everyone says how TDI their 0,000-mile is still on the original clutch. He says they are the same people who ask about "the European diesel that gets 70 mpg Volkswagen sell to the United States. ")
the car is available in three versions, all available as a four-door model only. the base S model starts at $ 22,345 and comes well equipped with exterior heated mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity, side curtain airbags, a hill holder (!), Split folding rear seats, rear wiper and washer, and a tilt and telescopic steering wheel.
Step to the model 25895 $ SE and adding 17-inch wheels made of aluminum alloy, a sunroof electrically operated, heated front seats, windshield wipers with rain sensor, fog lamps, a rearview camera and an audio Fender 400 watt system.
Our tester is the top of the line SEL model with an MSRP of $ 28.329. It adds 18-inch wheels made of aluminum alloy, a navigation system, automatic climate control, keyless entry, push-button start and the driver's seat, electrically adjustable 12 ways. Our tester had nice gray and black seats "pleather". (In the strange world of Volkswagen sets of options, leather seating is only available on the R GTI and sports models.)
Our car also came with the lighting package $ 995, which features bi-xenon headlamps and adaptive front lighting system I find far superior to the standard GTI on my lighting. The $ 695 package of driver assistance, which includes front and rear parking control and collision warning alarm before, was a little sensitive. I also think that the package needs to add corner warnings death in the mirrors into a useful value.
The total MSRP of our TDI was a $ 32,005 cardiac arrest. According to the automobile dealer TrueCar, the average discount available nationally on this model is about $ 1.050. Volkswagen currently offers 1.9% APR financing for up to 60 months on all TDI and a $ 249 / month lease special for 36 months on the base model TDI.
A full 76% of TDIs available for sale within 0 miles of me are the basic model of S. My friend Volkswagen dealer said the SEL variant sells well, but the availability is rare then, as I learned with my GTI, get the exact options and the color you want will be nearly impossible unless you are ready to order and wait 6 months.
of 18-inch wheels and the TDI Blue metallic paint Night actually made the sedan look downright luxurious. (I wanted to use the phrase "luxury cries" but I have determined that my two-door GTI "shouts" and all I could think was "USC student exchange.")
J ' have already deplored the way I would have bought the 4-door version of the GTI and TDI drives the point: while the interior volume is identical on two golf courses and four-door, entrance and exit to the spacious rear seat can be a pain. Fold the rear seats and you have the cargo room of a small CUV
I also learned why I'm apparently the only owner who loves the Golf touch infotainment center 5.8 inches. My GTI has no navigation. this TDI has this option and, between the screen too small and too weak location (not to mention his stupid graphics), the system is horrible. Word is that a 8 inch touch screen comes next year on all VWs. As I said about my GTI, dashboard and controls are near Audi worthy
keyless start TDI / button is located on the side of the shifter console stop. - Exactly where it belongs - rather than on the dashboard. You can press the button and enter the shift lever in a single movement. Why most other car manufacturers are on the dashboard?
At idle, the torquey diesel is barely stronger than a direct injection Mercedes. Hit the throttle from a standing start and discover what may be the biggest glitch TDI: hesitation followed by a commitment transmission too sudden enough to scream tires to handle three-quarters of gas . Our esteemed editor has noticed the same thing in its test of a Jetta TDI. After a week in the saddle, I barely noticed.
The TDI was running at about 8 seconds for the 0-60 sprint. For most traffic situations, the car responds instantly to your right foot. It could use a bit more power from highway, but that is the price to pay for high fuel economy. The shifter DSG lived up to his hype: the changes are fast and crisp whether in automatic or manual mode
Although not quite a GTI, the ADI is also a lot of fun in curves .. It is stable and firmly planted, although sharing the direction slightly sloppy other Golf models. I lack most of my Dead World pedal GTI in the corners.
The TDI eats the miles on the road with little tire or wind noise. My only complaint was a little monkey butt after a few hours of seats being a little too hard, but I'll take what seats are super support.
The TDI is EPA rated at 31 mpg city and 43 mpg highway. The indicator of the fuel consumption of the car showed 41.0 mpg after a lively mixed-use 350 mile run. I was skeptical of this number and of course, fill-up on hand I calculated the reader to 38.6 mpg. It is that other media have also spotted this over-optimism of the fuel saving calculator. Hopefully at least the speed of the Golf is accurate. (Perhaps we should add the feature from 1970 pounds tests chamois as measured against the "indicated" figures "real" speedometer. I remember "indicated" speed was usually 3 to 10% higher the "real" speed before Japanese brands came and started to beat the number of mph on his head.)
two and four-door Golfs have the same external dimensions and the interior volume.
What kept running in my mind that I was testing the TDI is that this car is two steps - leather seats and better navigation - to be an Audi A3. Apparently Audi is okay because they bring the A3 Sportback this year and one of its engine options will be the TDI engine.
my friend at the dealership VW / Audi notes that the A3 hatch can injure the Audi TDI as higher residual values mean that the lease payments on an Audi with higher price can actually be lower than those on VW TDI, as is currently the case on the A3 TDI sedan. Although some diesel customers lease their cars, pay disparity is one of the challenges created by the platforms Audi and Volkswagen share.
The Golf TDI is a high mileage sophisticated trap that does many things well. It's the most fun you can have 40 mpg
Picks :.
- Another variant of the goodness around the Golf
- engine smooth and quiet diesel TDI
- A disguised Audi
Nit Pics:
- Out-of-date navigation system and display
- SEL model Loaded is dear to $ 32,000
- Off-the-line acceleration hesitation
Wife Sez: so tell me why we did not have a sunroof in our GTI?
Volkswagen provided a vehicle for a week with insurance and a tank of gas.
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