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| Volkswagen Golf |
Inside, the dash has been refined with subtle aluminum trim, a new three-spoke steering wheel and HVAC controls. The cabin is spacious, but three-door models have the usual problem of stuffing passengers easily into the rear seat. Both models do offer a generous cargo area that’s expands easily with the 60/40 split folding rear seats.
All Golfs use engines familiar to the Volkswagen family: base cars use the 2.5-liter five-cylinder that produces 170-hp and an equal amount of torque. In the three-door, that engine uses a five-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission, while five-doors only get the auto.
The TDI is marginally slower than the 2.5 to highway speeds, but in-gear acceleration is remarkable. The suspension still features MacPherson struts up front with a four-link independent setup in the rear, but the TDI’s gets retuned to offer a sportier feel standard. The four-wheel disc brakes are solid with good pedal feel, and every Golf gets ABS with brake assist and brake-pressure distribution to ensure stops are made swiftly and securely.
Compared to its rivals, the Golf offers refinement and a sense of quality that’s hard to find in North American or Asian compacts. There are, however, definite competitors on the horizon that hope to challenge Volkswagen’s perceived quality.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Volkswagen Golf is a compact hatchback offered in either two- or four-door configurations and in one of two trim levels: 2.5L or TDI. With either trim level, four-door models gain power-reclining front seats.
The TDI models can be equipped with adaptive xenon headlights, a premium Dynaudio sound system, a navigation system and (on four-door models) rear seat airbags.
The base 2011 Volkswagen Golf 2.5L is powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder that produces 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. These Golf models are classified as partial-zero-emissions vehicles (PZEV) when sold in states with California emissions standards. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 23 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined for the automatic and 22/30/25 mpg for the manual.
A six-speed manual transmission is standard and a six-speed dual-clutch automated manual (DSG) is optional.
Safety
The 2011 VW Golfs standard safety features include antilock disc brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length head curtain airbags. Rear-seat side airbags are unavailable on two-door models, but are optional on four-door models.
Interior Design and Special Features
Simply replacing the VW logo on the Golfs steering wheel with four rings would convince you that you were in an Audi. Thats how nice the Golfs interior is. The Golf is actually much nicer than the new 2011 VW Jetta sedan.
Whether you choose the two- or four-door route, the Golfs interior passenger space remains the same. Access to the two-door Golfs rear seats is made relatively painless thanks to front seats that slide easily out of the way. The split-folding rear seats bump that figure up to 46 cubes.
Driving Impressions
The 2011 Volkswagen Golfs high level of interior refinement is echoed in its composed, solid feel on the road. At highway speeds, the Golf is significantly quieter than other hatchbacks. The Golfs gasoline engine provides smooth power throughout the rev range.
