Global debut of Volkswagen Golf Mk VII

Although the sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf remains a reasonably fresh product even in today’s competitive C-segment, it hasn’t stopped Volkswagen from rolling out the all-new seventh-generation model, which made its world debut in Berlin yesterday. Despite looking very similar to its predecessor, the new Golf is truly a clean-sheet development from ground up, sitting on an all-new platform, and powered by all-new engines.

The venerable PQ35 platform that was in use since the fifth-generation model, and remains a staple in the VW Group’s line-up, is gradually being phased out and is replaced here by the all-new MQB modular tranverse platform that debuted in the new Audi A3 earlier this year. The MQB will underpin the next-generation of C-segment models from across the Group, and in the Golf, its use of innovative manufacturing methods and improved materials helped contribute a weight savings of up to 100kg to the benefit of fuel economy. The vehicle’s body-in-white alone is said to be 23kg lighter than its predecessor’s.

Despite being reasonably up-to-date and still well ahead of many rivals, Volkswagen opted against carrying forward the existing engines that power the current Golf. The 1.4-litre twincharged motor is a notable sacrifice, and in its place is a turbocharged unit of identical displacement but making do with 138hp as opposed to the current model’s 158hp. The engine now incorporates cylinder deactivation contributing to an average fuel consumption 4.8 l/100km (112 g/km CO₂). The other petrol-powered option is an 84hp 1.2-litre mill, which ironically has a higher rated fuel consumption of 4.9 l/100km (113 g/km CO₂).

Alternatively, although unlikely to concern the Malaysian market, the Golf Mk VII is also offered with the option of two 1.6-litre diesel engines making 103hp and 148hp. These ultra-efficient oil-burners deliver impressive consumption figures of 3.8 l/100km (99 g/km CO₂) for the 103hp version and 4.1 l/100km (106 g/km CO₂) for the 148hp version. If those are not good enough, there is the hyper-efficient Golf BlueMotion that needs on 3.2 l/100km emitting 85 g/km of CO₂.

That the Golf Mk VII is an all-new development from ground up and not a big facelift of its predecessor is not immediately discernible, as Volkswagen preserved a great deal of the Mk VI’s styling in this new model. The trademark C-pillar design pays homage to the Mk II and Mk IV predecessors, and we have familiar design elements such as the rear bumper-mounted license plate holder, trapezoidal tail lamps, and the VW corporate nose. It’s as if as VW decided to graft the Mk VI’s general look over its brand new platform.

There is a host of electronic driver aids on-board the new Golf, and the list starts with multi-collision brakes, which VW claims to reduce the severity of secondary collisions. Drivers also benefit from the XDS electronic diff lock which was previously available only in the GTI but now standard offering, adaptive cruise control, auto braking, Lane Assist, fatigue detection, and the latest generation ParkAssist system. We last tested VW’s Park Assist 2.0 in the Sharan, and our frank opinion is that after a while, you’re better off getting used to parking the car yourself.

Inside, Volkswagen has tweaked the cabin to deliver a more driver-focused cockpit than it did with the Golf Mk VI. As a result, the cabin carries an unmistakable Volkswagen appearance at a glance, yet the centre console is angled far more aggressively to the driver than we’ve ever remembered seeing in a VW. There is also a notable switch from the conventional handbrake to the increasingly popular electronic parking brake. Official pictures also show a central touch screen, and according to press materials, the screen has proximity sensors that switches from display to input mode when it detects fingers in the vicinity. Wow!

With a lineage that spanned 38 years and with 29 million cars on the road, the Golf ranks among the world’s best sellers year in year out. Each generation is highly regarded as a car of peerless quality that transcends class – accessible to the middle-class, and yet not out of place among the rich and famous. Its arrival in Malaysia won’t happen too soon, but we will be surprised if we have to wait beyond next year for it. Stay tuned for more.

KON

Pictures: Official Volkswagen release

Further Details:
– Volkswagen Golf Mk VI prices and specifications in Malaysia
– Volkswagen car prices and specifications in Malaysia