So, what's my take on the new Golf? Well, without actually getting behind the wheel I'm very impressed to say the least. Volkswagen's most reachable model, in North America at least, is exemplary in its class. Such effort to integrate technology, luxury, and most importantly, quality into a car that's built for the masses has never been seen. The only thing left for us to do is play the waiting game to see if the real thing measures up to what seems like an ideal spec sheet, as well as see if Volkswagen is able to improve its rather lackluster reliability performance - now sitting at 33 out of 37 nameplates, only ahead of Suzuki, Daewoo, Land Rover and Kia, in J.D. Powers and Associates 2003 Vehicle Dependability Study.
There hasn't been a release date for North America yet, but that isn't the only thing we're waiting on. General Motors is about to release the next European market Opel Astra, which, in modified form will make its way here as the successor to the Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire, respectively dubbed Cobalt and Pursuit. Also, Ford is just finishing up its second generation Focus, a car that's sure to have Golf Mk V in its crosshairs. Regardless of its competition, the new VW compact will truly be a people's car, and without hesitation the best Golf to date.
Specifications (estimated North American):
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| The new VW compact will truly be a people's car, and without hesitation the best Golf to date. (Photo: Volkswagen) |
Specifications (estimated North American):
- Price Range (est MSRP): $18,500 - $33,000
- Body Type: 3-door, 5-door hatchback
- Layout: front engine, FWD
- Base Engine (est): 150 hp, 148 lb-ft of torque, 2.0-L 16-valve DOHC I-4
- Transmission: 5-spd manual (opt 6-spd manual, 6-spd auto with manual mode, 6-spd sequential manual)
- Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc (opt ABS, EBD, BA)
- Curb Weight (est): 1,300 kg (2,866 lbs)
- Seating Capacity: 5
- Cargo Volume (behind rear seats): 350 L (12.4 cu ft)
- Fuel Economy (city/hwy): N/A
- Warranty (mo/km): 48/80,000 comprehensive - 60/100,000 powertrain
- Direct Competitors: Acura 1.7 EL, BMW 1-Series, Dodge SX 2.0 / SRT-4, Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Kia Spectra, Mazda 3, Mercedes-Benz C-Sport Coupe, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Saturn Ion, Subaru Impreza, Suzuki Aerio, Toyota Corolla
- Web Site: www.vw.ca
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