2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI – First Look and Review – The Diesel Driver – The Joy of Diesel Driving

DRIVING THE NEW GOLF TDI

The Golf TDI is one of the first beneficiaries of the Wolfsburg-based automaker’s new 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine, known as the EA288.  It has the same displacement as the outgoing engine but it’s all new and one of the first built using the MDQ, or Modular Diesel Matrix, engine platform.  It’s lighter, smaller, and more efficient than its predecessor yet produces an additional ten horsepower.  From a driver’s perspective, there’s less engine vibration and noise, and the throttle is more responsive.  The 236 pound-feet of torque are certainly noticeable.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard and a six-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission is optional.  Both are estimated to attain around 31 mpg (7.58 l/100 km) in the city and 42 (5.6) on the highway.

Most of my drive time with the new Golf was with the TDI with the six-speed manual transmission, which was extremely precise and shifted like butter.  While I liked driving the previous-generation Golf, it was less refined and required more effort.  The Golf TDI is pushing the model into new territory (think “Audi”) with a higher level of refinement and a driving quality that is both fun and comfortable.  The torque is available on demand and both the manual as well as the DSG transmission are excellent matches for the oil burner.  Whether driving around twisties or accelerating onto a California freeway, I was never left wanting for power.  (The brakes are very good too, as evidenced by my deer encounter.)

The interior is crafted using richer materials with elegant textures.  The plastic trim might have been better had it been metal, but it was pleasant nonetheless. Controls, as one would expect in a German automobile, are precisely where they are supposed to be.

Gauges are large and clear and all 2015 Golfs are equipped with a 5.8” touchscreen that supports a variety of entertainment features, including Bluetooth streaming, USB, and HD radio.  I was also impressed by the Apple Lighting connector hanging below the center stack.  It’s the first car I’ve seen that has what is now a two-year-old connector standard.

The last item tested was the car’s navi, albeit on the drive home in a bright red GTI.  It’s not terribly different from past VW navis and it does what it’s supposed to do with crisp graphics and clear instructions.

BOTTOM LINE

We’ll be spending more time with the 2015 Golf in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned for an in-depth review.  For now, all I can say is that the new 2015 Golf indeed promises abundant Fahrvergnügen for the driver.

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