Volkswagen Golf News & Reviews
2010 Volkswagen Golf Wagon 2.5L Comfortline Road Test Review
I often get asked, "What's the best family car?" It's not a question I like to answer being that there is no "best" vehicle in the "family
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| The new Golf Wagon is the compact load hauling king! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
segment," if there even is such a thing as a family segment. Family transportation can range from a subcompact hatchback to a full-size four-door pickup truck depending on what a given family's needs are. But if you've got a couple of active kids with lots of stuff that needs to get hauled around regularly and you want to keep the initial price and running costs down, I've got a recommendation.
Volkswagen's all-new 2010 Golf Wagon is a serious performer. Performer? Sure, it's fun to drive like all Golfs and gets great fuel economy too at an estimated 9.2 L/100km in the city and 6.9 on the highway with my tester's optional automatic, from regular fuel no less. The diesel delivers class-leading fuel economy at 6.7 and 4.6 respectively, if you want to pay a little more initially.
I covered the <Read More> Survey Says: VW New Beetle Still Number One with the Ladies!
Who would have thought that Volkswagen's New Beetle would still be a hit nearly a decade after it took the automotive world by storm? <Read More> Volkswagen to Show Electric Milano Taxi Concept in Hanover
With the Crown Victoria soon going the way of the dodo, it's time to rethink the taxicab. In certain markets smaller more fuel-efficient
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| The Milano Taxi Concept a modern green version of Britain's black cab. (Photo: Volkswagen) |
cars and mini-MPVs have already started to take over, Toyota's Prius gaining a foothold in some North American cities and the Opel/Chevrolet Meriva becoming the mainstay in Europe, where the Mercedes E-Class has long ruled the roost, and South America, respectively.
Volkswagen gets its share of commercial people moving business with its Sharan minivan and a few other models, but a dedicated commercial taxi might sway fleet managers to the German brand's side.
Enter the Milano concept, a B-segment subcompact van that pulls a lot of design cues from the ultra-cool Space Up! Blue Concept that was introduced at the 2007 Los Angeles auto show. Debuting this week at the Hanover Trade Show in Germany, the Milano shows <Read More> 2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI Road and Track Test
No matter what your status or economic well being, I'm sure you have a soft spot for the GTI. It didn't become an automotive
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| The sign in back reads Circuit Mont-Tremblant, a very good thing when a the track is open and a variety of new 2010 VW GTIs are on hand. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
icon without reason, and because it's the originator of the hot hatch segment it deserves our doting attention. But does this originator remain class leader when weighing pros and cons against its many new competitors?
Well, after 30 plus years of street fighting, some of its rivals have become iconic all on their own, Honda's Civic Si, Mini's Cooper S, and Nissan's Sentra SE-R being just three. Mitsubishi's Evo and Subaru's WRX STi are in a different league because of performance and price, but the regular WRX and relative newcomers such as Mitsubishi's Lancer Ralliart, Dodge's SRT4 and the Mazdaspeed3 can really give the GTI a run for its money, while Kia's new Forte Koup is also a strong contender for those who don't need quite as much performance.
Performance <Read More> 2009 VW Rabbit 5-Door Road Test Review
The VW Rabbit has been around for quite some time, since 1974 to be exact. And through the years, it has experienced
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| Still a great looking hatchback, despite 2009 being its last year of production before the all-new Golf arrives. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
facelifts, body changes and a name change too. Yet over the decades, this three or five door vehicle has maintained its popularity and longevity by proving to be a nice-looking and fun-to-drive vehicle. Now as the 2009 VW Rabbit heads back to the rabbit hole, it makes way for a newer and more exciting vehicle.
For all the Rabbit lovers out there, unfortunately, this furry friend's revival has come to an end. VW is phasing it out and reviving the Golf nameplate for the 2010 model year. And since the Rabbit/Golf will be going through a metamorphosis, the Rabbit is almost a carryover from the 2008 model year.
But just because the Rabbit is on its way out, doesn't mean that VW would let it hop away without a few upgrades here and there. For the 2009 model year, it offers an optional Sport Package with 17" alloy wheels fitted to 225/45R17 'ClassiX' all-season tires, <Read More> 2009 Volkswagen Jetta GLI 2.0T DSG Road Test Review
What does GLI stand for anyway? Does the name suggest that when generating locomotion is imperative, the GLI is the car for you?
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| It's not just a Jetta... it's a GLI! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
If you want a premium small car that is fast, fun, engaging to drive, not overly extravagant in its styling and less than a hog on fuel, then the GLI is definitely a car for you.
GLI buyers are not likely to arrive at their local VW dealership fully educated on all competitive models and only ready to opt for the little sedan on price and comparative value alone. I would suspect four out of five GLI buyers are Volkswagen enthusiasts, or fans of German cars in general. It has that "unqualifiable" but nevertheless unquestionably identifiable Germane-ness of solidity and poise in abundance, and for only a little over $30K.
The GLI is the Jetta's top trim. It is basically the same car as the hot hatch GTI, only with a trunk, <Read More> Chrysler to Maintain Third-Shift at Windsor Minivan Plant
What's the world's best minivan? With more than 40% U.S market share, the third best selling nameplate in Canada, better than
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| Chrysler celebrated 25 years of originating and then dominating the minivan segment. (Photo: Chrysler) |
average fuel economy (up 2mpg for 2009) and availability in more than 80 countries, the smart money has to go on Chrysler's Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, or Volkswagen's Routan which is basically a reworked T&C with attractive VW sheetmetal and badging.
Earlier in the spring, during Chrysler's darkest hours en route to bankruptcy court, the automaker announced that its third shift at the Windsor assembly facility that makes the vans would be eliminated. The result would be 1,200 hourly layoffs, but an effective and seemingly necessary cost cutting measure nonetheless.
Fortunately, due to concessions made by the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union, which will reduce annual costs by $207 million, a commitment by Volkswagen to continue offering its slow-selling Caravan/T&C-based Routan into 2010 and possibly beyond, growth potential via its alliance with Italian automaker Fiat, after emerging from bankruptcy protection, and most importantly an upward trend in sales, the third shift will remain along with its 1,200 jobs.
"They're <Read More> 2009 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible Road Test Review
VW's New Beetle Convertible always has been the cutest darn thing, but the 2009 Silver-Red Edition takes it to a whole new level.
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| Wow! The red top of the Silver-Red Edition adds to the New Beetle's cuteness, while the 17-inch Oktopus wheels give it a touch of street cred. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
This red-topped car is so cute - outrageously, beautifully, classically cute - that on several occasions in the short week I drove it, perfect strangers stopped and remarked on it. Yep, it's a head turner all right, and with sunny weather on hand it seemed only natural to hop in and head for the beach. Perfect!
Pretty much everybody knows what the New Beetle is all about, and what it's about is the style. So much so that it seems almost redundant to mention that this little front-wheel drive bug is based on an earlier-generation Golf chassis. Listing the car's equipment and conveniences also seems a bit beyond the point: Beetles don't come with a whole hoopla of gizmos, but are more about the experience.
Suffice to say that the Silver-Red Edition Beetle is at the luxury end of the lineup, outfitted like the Highline Beetle but with a few added exclusive extras. <Read More> 2009 Volkswagen City Golf Road Test Review
For those who don't want to pay upwards of $20K for a Rabbit, a base Volkswagen Rabbit that is, the 2009 City Golf is the next best thing.
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| The City Golf is based on Volkswagen's previous generation body style, which it's still a nice-looking hatchback. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
Using VW's previous generation body style, the City Golf has a comparably lower base model price tag and offers its driver a comfortable ride and generous trunk space.
While the MSRP of the base City Golf is only $15,300, don't expect too much for this price. It is a stripped down model after all. The Golf does, however, come with such standard features as a 5-speed manual transmission, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and P195/65R15 all-season tires with full wheel covers plus a full-size spare. Adding optional features will, of course, cost you. Such creature comforts as air conditioning ($1,350), Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) ($450), heated seats ($275), and side curtain protection package ($410), definitely make the price tag less favourable. Throw in the optional 6-speed automatic transmission ($1,400) and the Comfort Package ($1,175), which includes keyless entry, cruise control, 15" alloy wheels, etc, and the MSRP, with freight and PDI, is $21,195.
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