BLOGS
The Age
Saturday December 5, 2009
Drive.com.au asked: Was the Volkswagen Golf 118TSI a deserving overall 2009 Drive Car of the Year winner? Here is what our bloggers think:"Golf is king of the all-rounders and a deserving winner.""Without doubt. We've just bought one of these cars and they are an absolutely sensational car. When my wife came home late from a bad night at work last night, all I had to say was 'How's the Golf?' Her mood changed instantly. 'I love it,' she replied.""The innovation in the Golf's engine €” a turbocharged and supercharged small-displacement engine €” is nothing new. Nissan was doing this in the late 1980s. What VW has done is put this in a usable package.""Sure, [twin-charging an engine] has been done more than once before. But doing it right is the key. And there's little doubt that this is the case. Considering Volkswagen is the largest car manufacturer in Europe that owns (among other badges) Audi, Lamborghini and Bugatti, there's a lot of research and development and trickle-down technology available. And it's been very well utilised.""Worthy winner. Gets all the ticks for the small family, double-income-no-kids, or singles. Sets the bar for others to jump. Volkswagen has had some minor quality issues but wins in most other places.""[Small-capacity twin-charged engines] seem to be an increasingly common solution to improving car economy and emissions but I won't consider buying anything powered by one until I see the hard data on service costs and more.""Give me a good old cast-iron single-turbo in-line six, good for 500,000 kilometres, truckloads or torque and performance to make the Golf look completely stupid.""The Mazda3 has just scored five stars in EuroNCAP testing, with a higher rating than the Golf. Mazda3 is also a larger car with more room, a more modern look and complies with 2011 rear collision regulations. The VW Golf does not.""Golfs are great but they are not a family car. If you have kids that need booster seats you can forget a Golf. I would buy one again though when my circumstances change.""Couldn't agree more. I have a 118TSI and it's a fantastic car. My previous car was a MkV GTI and the Golf MkVI model is vastly superior (not as quick of course, although it's no slouch). Also drove the Mazda3 SP25 to compare and there was nothing in it €” the Mazda felt cheap by comparison.""I'll be looking for a new car in this class fairly soon and both the Golf and Hyundai i30 wagon are likely to be considered, among others. It will be up to the Golf to convince me that it is worth the extra money.""I think the Golf is certainly a worthy winner but the Mazda3 is also a decent car, if not as refined as it should be. The Golf is a high-quality vehicle with a classy interior that, while not cheap, is much better value than its overpriced cousin, the Audi A3."Have your say at drive.com.au/blogs
© 2009 The Age