Grille test: VW Golf 2.0 TDI DSG Highline

Of course, Golf's history is similar to other important markets, most notably its home country, where it sells more than the other top five. Why? Because Volkswagen has studied what their customers want. And these are not cosmic forms and qualitative leaps in design. Golf shoppers want a car that is timeless (as much as possible with a car), without outstanding flaws, compact and economical. So it's no surprise that Golf generations aren't too different from each other. Well, some have had a slightly larger leap in design, but still smaller than most of the competition. And this applies to both the exterior and interior. The differences are even smaller when it comes to changes in snack times within individual generations.

But this, of course, does not mean that the Golf is not capable of serious technical advances, even when it comes to rejuvenation. The latest update to the seventh generation Golf (about what the eighth will be and when it will appear, more in the next issue of Avto magazine, when we also get behind the wheel of the updated Golf R, Golf GTI, e-Golf and Golf GTE) confirms this.

Design-wise, the test Golf is pretty easy to separate from its predecessor, but only if you pay attention to the details. The bumpers are new, the grille is different (it has a large Volkswagen badge hiding the radar sensor used by the radar cruise control and security systems), and the headlights stand out. It was an extra charge, which means it's LED technology from now on - xenon has said goodbye to the Golf, as expected, but very soon it seems (and deserves it) to be relegated to the dustbin of history. . And the new LED lights are just great! As for the interior, were it not for the new infotainment system and gauges, one could easily write that it has been updated even more modestly. But it is precisely because of the latter, of course, additional options that the Golf (along with all the connectivity technologies they bring) is currently the most digital car in its class.

The first and most important impression is that the new system works smoothly, smoothly and logically, and its large touch screen offers extremely vibrant colors - read more about the infotainment system in a special box.

Another big innovation that the test Golf has mastered is the active information display, which is Volkswagen's name for the 12-inch (given that it's not quite the right shape, the number is more than approximate) high-resolution LCD that replaced the classic meters . We already know this from the Passat (before that we gave Audi) and even here we can only write: excellent! Sometimes there is too much information on it, not because you need less, but because the graphics on it can simply be too cluttered. If only all the important data were printed on it without various circles, strokes, lines, borders and the like, the final effect would be even better. But still: Volkswagen is here again (only because, for example, the new Peugeot 308 will be released in the autumn, which will also have a fully digital i-Cockpit), has overtaken its competitors. Easy.

What about the rest of the technology? There really were no special innovations in the test. The 150-litre TDI is an old friend, and the 18bhp version is well-versed with the dual-clutch automatic. I would like less vibration during the operation of the Start / Stop system, as well as a more gentle operation of the gearbox when starting out of the city, and in general the drive technology met the requirements of the driver. This time, the chassis was less like a golf club: it was more sporty and, accordingly, durable, which causes quite a bit of upheaval on what road builders in Slovenia call roads (although the real situation is mostly more like that after a few hours of artillery shelling) breakthrough inside. It would almost be a shame if this chassis didn't pay off in the corners. It's predictable, fairly neutral (and with ESP disabled at the request of the drivers, and kicks vigorously), very manageable when changing direction quickly, and overall reasonably sporty - and the Golf looks better (and XNUMX-inch wheels with fairly low wheels). profile tires). Yes, even with a diesel engine in the nose, the Golf can be sporty in nature, although for the average buyer a DCC with electronically controlled damping would be a better choice. The active cruise control works great, but it certainly lacked all the necessary assistance systems: blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assist (works really well, but can also have an add-on for autonomous driving in traffic jams), the excellent Dynaudio sound system.

If we add a very favorable consumption to everything and subtract from it the price that is associated with all possible markups (we just wanted to try everything that Golf has to offer) is high enough (but basically there is nothing wrong with that), Golf remains very attractive a set of features that will (and continue) drive big sales.

text: Dušan Lukič · photo: Саша Капетанович

Golf 2.0 TDI DSG Highline (2017)

Basic data

Base model price:	26.068 €
Test model cost:	39.380 €

Costs (per year)

Technical information

engine:	4-wave - 4-stroke - in-line - turbodiesel - displacement 1.968 cm3 - maximum power 110 kW (150 hp) at 3.500 - 4.000 rpm - maximum torque 340 Nm at 1.750 - 3.000 rpm.
Energy transfer:	front wheel drive engine - 7 speed dual clutch transmission - tires 225/40 R 18 Y (Bridgestone Turanza T001).
Capacity:	top speed 214 km/h - 0-100 km/h acceleration 8,6 s - average combined fuel consumption (ECE) 4,6 l/100 km, CO2 emissions 120 g/km
Mass:	empty vehicle 1.391 kg - permissible total weight 1.880 kg. Dimensions: length 4.258 mm - width 1.790 mm - height 1.492 mm - wheelbase 2.620 mm - luggage compartment 380–1.270 l - fuel tank 50 l.

evaluation

• This golf was an interesting combination of sportiness and technical progress. And yes, he's still great, so he's younger and also well prepared for the upcoming competition.

We praise and reproach

Headlights

consumption

position on the road

infotainment system

a little rough DSG

dotted graphics