What is it?
Quite simply, the cheapest Volkswagen Golf you’ll find on the UK price list. Yes, we thought after the recent deluge of high-end Mk8 Golf models (the GTI, the R, the GTD and so on) it’s time to bring things back down to earth a bit more.
So how much Wolfsburg family hatchback does a smidgen over £23,000 get you these days? Well, you’ll likely be pleased to hear, the days of entry-level motoring have come on quite a distance in the past decade alone, when the cheapest engine and trim options were often found languishing firmly in the ‘one to avoid’ category. Then again, it was possible to get a Golf for under £14k a decade ago, so perhaps that’s to be expected.
A Golf in entry-level Life trim starts at a full £3500 more than the cheapest version of its platform-sharing sibling, the Seat Leon, while the other prong of the MQB love triangle, the Skoda Octavia, is about £3000 less. A false economy? Actually, no, because the Golf’s kit tally is remarkably extensive for a ‘boggo’ variant - a bit more so than its Spanish and Czech relations.
As with those cars, you get a dual-screen layout with digital instruments, but the base central touchscreen is 10.0in (the base Leon’s is 8.25in). You also get multi-colour ambient lighting - there are even puddle lights in the mirrors - adaptive cruise control, automatic LED lights all round with coming-and-leaving-home lighting, lumbar adjustment and keyless start. Indeed, the only real indication that this is the lowest rung in the ladder are the 16in wheels, which look more than a little lost in the Golf’s arches these days.
Life trim can be had with a bunch of four-cylinder petrols and diesels. But, sticking to the penny-pinching vibe, we’ve got the 1.0-litre triple here, in base manual, 108bhp form.
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Interesting that they recommend the 1.5 petrol engine......still lots of feedback showing the mis-fire issue is still affecting cars after the software patch. Search HonestJohn's website and you'll find owners complaining about mis-fires still
Agree with other comments on here. The lack of buttons and knobs and pointing drivers to trying to use the touchscreen whilst driving is complete insanity. As I alluded to on the GTD review comments section, I do NOT like the profile of this car, especially in the non-sporty versions like this one. I see this one as tested was 25k!! Lost for words.
Utter madness to remove physical controls that allow you to adjust things so easily.
Autocar should be calling manufacturers out for removing controls and replacing them with ultra cheap screens.
Autocar dont live in the real world any more, they never call out deal breaking things like this. The ONLY REASON switches have disappeared because it is cheaper for VW to buy an all in one unit from Slovakia instead of having individual switches, it also increases production line speed requiring less people to build the car. Again this is great for VAG bean counters but WE the consumer get screwed when we pay MORE but get less quality and usability . My advice is STOP being hive minded and buy elsewhere It is extra disgusting when a base version gutless family hatchback golf is £24k when 20 years ago the equivalent golf sold for £9999..
Hi Nimmler, i looked on Parkers and the Mk IV 1997-2005 base price was £10,795, RPI index in 1999 was 165.4 and in 2019 288.8 so in real terms the price today would be £18848. I appreciate that that is still a 25% increase in real terms, but you need to take into account other factors
The Mark IV measures 4148mm - so it is 15cm shorter, or almost exactly halfway between a modern polo and a golf in size.
This spec is 105 bhp and 148 lb ft, compared to 75 bhp and 95 lb ft for the base mark IV
Also the modern 'base' car comes with a lot more kit that would only have been standard on a higher, spec Golf, e.g it is a 6 speed not a 5 speed, even air-con was probably a cost option on a base car in 1999.
So comparing the two is not fair this is a larger, faster better equipped car.
You really need to do some statistical analysis, looking at the average premium between the Polo and the Golf, the extra cost premium in 1999 for the more powerful engine and the extra cost of those options, adjust for inflation and compare that. This is what the ONS do in a very sophisticated way, to calculate inflation and have consistently found that the real cost of cars is falling.