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2017 Volkswagen Golf 7.5 Review: First Australian Drive

 

Good points

  • Much improved value equation
  • Best-in-class infotainment
  • 1.4-litre turbo quick when pushed

Needs work

  • No DAB digital radio offered
  • No manual on the upper trims
  • Driver Assist Pack should be standard on Highline
2017 Volkswagen Golf 7.5 110TSI R-Line Front End Driving – Chasing Cars

How do you improve the best small car on the market? That’s a question Volkswagen have been pondering for some time. Resting on your laurels is dangerous – even for VW, whose seventh-generation Golf continues to wear the accolade of leading hatchback four years after the car’s 2013 launch. Do nothing, and inevitably, your competitors will catch you – and cars like the Hyundai i30 and Holden Astra are now better than ever. Wolfsburg are keenly aware of this: do nothing wasn’t an option. Instead, the response is the most comprehensive mid-life update to a Golf ever – enter the 2017 Volkswagen Golf 7.5.

We had few complaints about the outgoing Golf 7 – and reflecting this, Volkswagen have skipped wholesale changes to the car. They’ve opted for a large number of new refinements that boost the performance, add to the value proposition and modernise the Golf’s technology in order to stave off the attacks from Korea, Japan, and within Europe itself.

2017 Volkswagen Golf 7.5 110TSI Comfortline Side Profile – Chasing Cars

Under the bonnet the Golf’s small but willing 92kW turbo four-cylinder has been jettisoned in favour of a significantly beefier 110kW version, reflecting similar decisions by Hyundai and Holden to meet buyer demand for more power in the hatchback segment. Inside, small, old displays are gone, replaced by big and beautiful glass touchscreens and the option of an Audi-style, 12-inch, fully-digital set of driver dials for the first time ever in this class.

Small omissions have now been corrected, too: at last, autonomous emergency braking is standard across the Golf range. Value is up, especially on the base model, which aside from the more powerful engine and better cabin tech, replaces steel wheels with smart alloys. But prices are up too – more than $1,000 on the base car – and the effect of this will be most felt when Volkswagen’s current driveaway launch specials are no longer in effect.

On the launch of the Mk7.5 Golf in the Yarra Valley in Victoria, we were curious to see how much appeal these new features added, and if anything else about the Golf had changed. We drove it hard on some of the country’s best roads, but also in Melbourne and in a variety of conditions. So, with a slew of new competitors, is the class favourite still the best all-rounder small car? Based on first impressions, we think so.

2017 Volkswagen Golf 7.5 110TSI R-Line Side Profile – Chasing Cars

Key specs (as tested)

Engine
Capacity
1.4 litres
Cylinders
4
Induction
Single turbocharger
Power
110kW between 5,000–6,000rpm
Torque
250Nm between 1,500–3,500rpm
Configuration
Dry double-clutch
Power to weight ratio
87.2kW / tonne
Fuel
Fuel type
Petrol
Fuel capacity
50 litres
Consumption
5.4L/100km
Average Range
926 kilometres
Drivetrain
Transmission
Automatic
Drivetrain
Front wheel drive
Engine configuration
In-line
Gears
7
Dimensions
Length
4.26 metres
Width
1.8 metres
Height
1.45 metres
Unoccupied weight
1,261 kilograms
Cargo space seats up
380 litres
Cargo seats down
1,270 litres

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