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Even the basic model is a planet-beater.
It’s odd for us to contact out the manual transmission as our primary problem with a car—we are the Save the Manuals individuals, after all—but that is the case right here. To be clear, our grumbling isn’t actually aimed at the gearbox or the clutch, which are light and precise and rewarding to use, but rather VW’s solution preparing for its American Golf lineup.
The gasoline-fired TSI version of the all-new Golf is obtainable with a stick shift only in its most standard guise. You can have a manual in any TDI diesel model, but if you want such a gearbox with a gas engine and, say, navigation, heated seats, wheels bigger than 15 inches, a backup camera, auto headlamps, or push-button starting, you are going to have to step up at least a single trim grade and probably 2—and that means you will be restricted to a 6-speed torque-converter automatic. Adding a paper-reduce to this hangnail, the manual transmission in the TSI employs only 5 forward ratios versus the TDI’s 6. But, hey, the sunroof comes common on the 5-door.
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The dearth of convenience attributes, though, helped this Golf S TSI tip the scales at significantly less than 3000 pounds. Light and lithe, our Golf was as chuckable and tossable as any of its brethren, and it exhibited little to no understeer as it sliced up apexes and registered .85 g on the skidpad. (A respectable quantity, specifically contemplating the modest 195/65 Continentals.) It is also as easy to reside with each and every day as any Golf, creature comforts notwithstanding. Credit the extrastiff chassis, the light and lively steering, and the car’s enormous refinement, which is such that it wouldn’t be surprising to uncover 4 rings or a 3-pointed star on the snout. Yes, even in this trim.
There’s one more bonus to this stick-shift automobile: quickness. The manual TSI is .9-second quicker to 60 mph than the TSI automatic, a full second faster than the dual-clutch-auto TDI diesel, and 1.5-seconds quicker than the manual diesel. The availability of full torque low in the rev variety makes the auto really feel sprightlier still, even if the engine never feels as if it is specifically thrilled about its job when asked to rev challenging. Let’s contact that a Germanic demeanor.
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Despite our floorboard-denting driving style, this manual TSI still returned 27 mpg more than 450 miles or so of mixed city and highway use. In the diesel, which costs at least $ 1000 far more, we accomplished 32 mpg with the stick and 34 with the DSG. An further mpg or 2 might be inside attain on gasoline, if only the 1.8 were capable to spin a sixth gear fitting a 5-speed in this day and age is not a mortal sin, but a automobile that feels so premium in almost each other way ought to have a completely modern day manual transmission. At least we get the bigger engine unless they go GTI or R, German buyers can’t order a gas powerplant burlier than a 150-hp, 1.4-liter turbo 4. (Wait, that engine can be had with a 6-speed stick? Re-commence grumbling.)
As pointed out, this Golf S was a basic vehicle. It sported black V-Tex vinyl upholstery—which looks and feels fine—and zero alternatives. In fact, there is just a single obtainable choice, a Lighting pack that brings bixenons with active swiveling, ambient LED interior lighting, footwell lighting, and LED daytime running lamps. Stated bundle expenses $ 995 and is far from needed, but it does guarantee that the car’s aesthetic is as polished and crisp at night as it is when the sun’s up.
And that is genuinely the factor. The most current Golf is a phenomenal car—full stop. We just wish this distinct drivetrain have been obtainable in much more totally equipped models.
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