The Volkswagen Golf 2010 Model
The Volkswagen Golf is without a doubt the most outstanding compact cars ever developed and with its sporty appearance and lavish interior designs it’s very easy to see why.
The 2 door model starts at a base price point of around $17,620, and the 4 door model which comes with automatic transmission as standard has a base price of about $19,335.
Coming with 17 inch alloy wheels as standard provides a unique yet very firm driving experience, while it will please the vast majority of drivers for some it may prove to be a little too firm a driving experience for others. Because it has been installed with a rather short wheelbase it allows for the little Golf to attain high speeds with ease. This vehicle is also able to let the driver stay in control even when driving it at high speeds, which is pretty outstanding considering that it is a front drive vehicle; if it does happen to under-steer, you can solve this problem by releasing the gas pedal a little. Whilst the Volkswagen GTI model extends further with the performance aspect, the Golf manages to retain the basic features of this.
When acceleration of the Golf is considered, it really couldn’t ask for much more in this department. It’s more than capable to accelerate quickly and being equipped with a broad torque curve it can allow for ease to increase up the different rev ranges. The Golf comes with an atypical 5 in-line cylinder engine, usually the more cylinders enables the use of more power or torque for the vehicle, but strangely the output appears almost identical to the previous model. The 2.5 liter engine runs at 170 horsepower with 177 lb-ft of torque, and sadly, the engine seemed to sometimes produce a rough and harsh sound whilst driving.
Another disappointing aspect of the new Golf is the below average mileage it seems to output. This vehicle gives 23 city mpg and 30 highway mpg, while it does outperform its closest rivals in this respect; Impreza gives 23 city and 27 highway mpg while the Mazda 3 gives 21 city and 29 highway mpg. Even some mid-sized sedans managed to output a better mpg than the Golf. Although it is disappointing for a vehicle as compact as this to have such a low mpg output, it remains to be said that it does offer you powerful driving experience. Something you may have to consider is if you want power or and improved mpg; the only problem with opting for a more efficient mpg with a Golf is that you would have to purchase the diesel powered and much more expensive TDI model.
The interiors of the new 2 door and 4 door versions of the Golf share the exact some features inside. The interior design genius within Volkswagen has to be hailed as some of the best within the car industry, and has been for many decades now. The quality of the interior decor and the overall design has been better than those which are incorporated within premium vehicles, which is quite impressive whether or not you consider this a premium vehicle or not.
The new Golf managed to obtain the highest possible scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in all test categories, which are; the front, rear, sides and roof tests of strength. This makes the new Golf a “Top Safety Pick” model. Incorporated with airbags in a multitude of places such as the front airbags, front seat mounted side impact airbags and side curtains which go alongside the front and rear seats. Available as an option is the rear seat mounted side impact airbags. Some other safety feature that come as standard are the anti-lock brakes and the stability system which enables traction control.
While only gaining some subtle upgrades for the new Golf model, Volkswagen will certainly receive more pressure from its rivals that what it has had to deal with in previous years. It most likely won’t secure the purchases of more practically minded people due to its low mileage and the high price point for a compact car, it is however, a quality built
