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The writing has been on the wall for some time now, nevertheless it’s lastly official – the Volkswagen Golf Wagon is getting the axe in Australia.
Volkswagen Australia confirmed round a month in the past you can not order a brand new Golf Wagon, together with the warmer R variant. It additionally axed the complete Arteon and Passat ranges in the identical fell swoop.
When you’ve nonetheless acquired your cash down for a Golf Wagon you’ll get it, however potential clients will in any other case should discover a car in vendor inventory.
Consider this evaluate because the farewell tour for the Golf Wagon. On check right here we now have the mid-spec Life variant that slots between the entry-level mannequin and the high-performance R flagship.
The Golf Life Wagon could be distinguished externally by its 17-inch alloy wheels, in addition to its chrome roof rails. It’s additionally longer and taller than the Golf Hatch.
Given the Golf Wagon is now useless in Australia that doesn’t depart many different smaller wagons to select from. Are you unhappy to see the it go?
How a lot does the Volkswagen Golf price?
The 2023 Volkswagen Golf Life Wagon is priced from $40,590 earlier than on-road prices. This makes it $2600 greater than the entry-level Golf Wagon, and $31,400 cheaper than the recent Golf R Wagon.
Our tester was completed in Reflex Silver Metallic exterior paint which prices a further $700, bringing the overall to $41,290 earlier than on-roads, or $43,715 drive-away for Victorian consumers (every State has barely completely different taxes).
The Golf Life Wagon is on the market with two elective packages, although neither of them have been fitted to our tester. These embrace the $2000 Consolation & Model Bundle, in addition to the $1650 Sound & Imaginative and prescient Bundle.
By way of rivals to the Volkswagen Golf Life Wagon there are fewer and fewer by the month. The one different comparable rival comes from throughout the Volkswagen Group within the Skoda Octavia 110TSI Model wagon ($42,490 D/A).
Different pricier small wagon options embrace the Peugeot 308 GT Premium Wagon ($50,490), and the Subaru WRX Sportswagon ($50,990).
What’s the Volkswagen Golf like on the within?
Strolling as much as and unlocking the Volkswagen Golf Life Wagon, you’ll be greeted by some small ambient lighting within the door handles and the facet mirrors whirring into place. As soon as the mirrors are in place, a nondescript graphic is projected onto the bottom.
Hopping in you’re introduced with some trusty cloth seats which might be manually adjustable. The seats themselves aren’t something to telephone residence about, however design is subjective and so they do the job.
The motive force’s seat is solely manually adjustable and affords handbook lumbar adjustment, which is good to have. There’s a dial to regulate the seat recline nevertheless it’s tucked beside the B-pillar which makes it a ache to make use of.
The seat itself is admittedly snug with loads of facet bolstering that makes you’re feeling such as you’re cocooned and never going wherever. The headrest can be deliciously squishy.
The one factor I used to be on the lookout for from a driver’s seating place perspective was just a little bit extra thigh assist. What’s supplied as commonplace is totally nice, however a contact extra wouldn’t go astray.
Trying across the cabin, the armrests are lined in cloth just like the seats and are mushy sufficient that your elbows gained’t get sore. I like that the extendable and ratcheting centre armrest, in addition to the actual fact the felt-lined door pockets proceed to dwell on as a result of it’s certainly one of my (and my companion’s) favorite Golf options.
Past the armrests although, you don’t should look far to search out tougher plastics. There’s a mass of matte plastic, which admittedly appears to be like so much higher than piano black, across the centre tunnel that’s onerous to the contact.
Forward of the motive force is a steering wheel that’s claimed to be leather-covered however doesn’t actually really feel like actual leather-based. It’s a little cheap-feeling in hand and sadly it attracts scratches simply.
I’m grateful the Golf Life Wagon has the bodily push buttons on the steering wheel, not like the higher trims that at present get the awkward touch-sensitive selection.
The steering wheel buttons on our tester labored completely each single time and have been very simple to grasp.
Behind the steering wheel is the ten.25-inch Digital Cockpit Professional show(Volkswagen’s time period for this particular digital instrument cluster), that appears very high-resolution and has loads of configurability. You possibly can cycle by quite a few completely different infographic menus, in addition to completely different views that permit for a full-size map to be displayed, for instance.
My favorite setup was to have the standard dial view, the acceleration/braking dial on the left, gas consumption/journey information within the center, after which the motive force help web page on the suitable.
Beside the Digital Cockpit Professional is a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system that seems to be simply as high-resolution because the digital cluster. It boots up in a short time upon startup and new pages load inside an affordable period of time, which implies there’s an ample quantity of processing energy.
Interacting with the touchscreen may be very intuitive as each time you choose one thing there’s an audible click on sound. Scrolling by menus and pages is straightforward as effectively.
The infotainment system affords gesture controls however this could solely be used within the native screens. It will probably’t be used throughout Apple CarPlay although.
Talking of Apple CarPlay, the Golf Life Wagon comes with each wired and wi-fi smartphone mirroring. I didn’t have connectivity points in any respect with wi-fi Apple CarPlay, and the usual wi-fi telephone charger truly charged my telephone.
Exterior of smartphone mirroring, the infotainment system’s interface is essentially simplistic and straightforward to grasp. There are a number of enormous buttons on the homepage that take you to key pages.
The in-built satellite tv for pc navigation system is extraordinarily simple to make use of, with looking for factors of curiosity or locations solely taking just a few faucets of the display screen. Cancelling routes is straightforward as effectively.
One draw back concerning the touchscreen is you nearly should do every little thing by it, together with nearly all of the local weather controls.
There’s a slider contact panel nevertheless below the touchscreen that can be utilized to regulate the quantity or alter the local weather controls. It doesn’t illuminate at night time although and usually feels awkward to make use of.
I averted utilizing the contact panel in any respect prices, and as a substitute used the steering wheel for quantity controls, and the touchscreen itself to vary the local weather management temperature.
There have been additionally just a few instances once I was driving and by accident knocked the contact bar whereas utilizing the touchscreen which both brought on my music to get louder abruptly, or the temperature to vary. This wasn’t very enjoyable in any respect.
I hope Volkswagen has a greater method to combine this type of expertise within the up to date Golf due subsequent yr, as a result of proper now it’s simply not fairly there. A step in the suitable course could be to have the contact panel be illuminated on the very least.
It’s not all doom and gloom contained in the Golf Life although, as there’s inside ambient lighting that may be adjusted between 10 completely different colors. When you go for the $2000 Consolation & Model package deal you’ll get entry to 30-colour inside ambient lighting, amongst different options together with a panoramic glass sunroof.
On the centre console the engine begin/cease button, knobbly gear selector and electrical park brake are all lined up which makes good sense. There’s additionally a handy little part to the left which is ideal holder for the important thing.
The one factor that’s lacking is an auto-hold operate, which is tied to the actual fact the core Golf fashions now obtain an eight-speed torque-converter automated as a substitute of the dual-clutch automated.
Transferring to the second row there’s completely oodles of area. At a leggy 182cm I had completely loads of head, shoulder and toe room.
The outboard seats have scalloped sections that made you’re feeling like you’re being hugged. The entire seats are very snug, with extraordinarily squishy headrests to match.
The door armrests and the flip-down armrest are mushy, with the latter having two-and-a-half cupholders in it. By way of second-row facilities, there’s a 3rd zone of local weather management, USB-C ports, and machine pockets on the seat backs.
Now in case you thought the second row had loads of area, you’d be completely blown away the quantity of area on supply within the boot. By way of outright capability there’s 611 litres with the second row of seats upright, and 1642 litres with them folded.
The Golf Life Wagon comes as commonplace with an influence tailgate which turns out to be useful as a result of it may be managed not solely from the important thing but in addition from the motive force’s seat.
Different boot-related options embrace a ski hatch, 12V socket, cargo cowl with two preset positions, retractable cargo barrier, bag hooks, and levers to fold the second-row seats down.
The Golf Life Wagon comes with a space-saver spare tyre, which isn’t wherever close to nearly as good as a full-size unit however might be at lot extra helpful than a can of goo or nothing in any respect.
What’s below the bonnet?
The 2023 Volkswagen Golf Life Wagon is powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 110kW of energy and 250Nm of torque.
That is mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automated transmission with drive despatched to the entrance wheels solely.
Volkswagen claims the Golf Wagon can do the 0-100km/h dash in 8.8 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds slower than the equal hatchback.
The Golf Wagon has a claimed mixed gas consumption determine of 5.9 litres per 100km. Throughout our time with the tester we achieved a median of 6.3 litres per 100km over 400km of combined city and freeway driving.
All Golf variants include an idle stop-start system. Core fashions fashions require a minimal of 95 RON premium unleaded and have a 50-litre gas tank.
How does the Volkswagen Golf drive?
Turning on the Volkswagen Golf Life Wagon feels acquainted in all the most effective methods. I’ve grown fairly keen on how refined the 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine sounds at idle.
Outputs of 110kW and 250Nm don’t sound that loopy on paper, however in actuality they’re utterly satisfactory.
From the visitors lights the Golf Life Wagon retains up with no issues in any respect. Push it and also you’ll simply pull forward of visitors. The Golf’s torquey engine shouldn’t be underestimated.
What does let the engine down just a little bit although, is the eight-speed torque-converter automated transmission. It feels just a little unrefined and utterly juxtaposes how nice the engine feels.
When taking off the transmission likes to make the engine rev abnormally excessive (~2500-3000rpm), which feels actually awkward given peak torque comes on faucet from 1500rpm. It’s just like the transmission is consistently in sport mode.
One other bugbear I’ve with the transmission is at decrease speeds there are noticeable jolts throughout downshifts. I’ve by no means skilled a contemporary automated automotive that does something like this.
It additionally likes to hunt round for gears which makes the driving expertise really feel just a little unsettling. I dwell close to a street that has a 70km/h velocity restrict and turns right into a 60km/h restrict on a slight incline. Throughout this the automotive would shuffle between a minimum of three or 4 gears to maintain it going the velocity restrict.
Round city the Golf Life Wagon has a particularly supple journey. It soaks up pimply metropolitan roads with no issues in any respect and even feels surprisingly strong over the harshest of velocity bumps.
Regardless of having an ever-so-slightly bigger turning circle than the Golf Hatch (10.9 v 11.05 metres), the Golf Wagon nonetheless feels actually nimble with gentle steering. This makes it an absolute dream to navigate and park in tight city carparks.
The whole Golf vary comes with an engine idle stop-start system that I’m largely an enormous fan of. I perceive individuals utterly despise these sorts of methods although, because the engine switches off generally simply as you’re about to take off in gridlocked visitors.
On the flip facet, when the engine idle stop-start system is activated and a automotive forward of you pulls away the engine switches again on. This may be extremely irritating in the event that they solely creep ahead a contact.
Because the velocity picks up the Golf Life Wagon by no means feels out of puff, actually it considerably thrives out on the open street. The transmission appears to discover a good groove regardless of dropping down the occasional gear when going up a hill.
On the freeway the automotive feels tremendous strong, predictable and controllable which helps make cruising very easy. You’ll even be getting implausible gas economic system. Throughout these instances I incessantly noticed gas consumption hold across the low-5.0 litres per 100km and infrequently would dip into the excessive 4.0 litres per 100km.
On the security entrance, the Golf’s lane-keep help system works rather well, however it might get confused when introduced with sure line markings. It all the time didn’t know what to do once I drove alongside the freeway exit I exploit driving residence from the workplace every day.
The Journey Help system can be implausible at what it does, making freeway cruising even simpler. At any time when it tugged on the steering wheel it by no means felt jerky or awkward.
The very last thing I’ll point out is the Golf’s adaptive cruise management is without doubt one of the greatest I’ve ever skilled. The way in which it accelerates as much as the set velocity and likewise reacts to automobiles pulling forward of you is extraordinarily pure.
It’s just a little irritating nevertheless whenever you go to undertake a automotive and the adaptive cruise slows you all the way down to match its velocity. I perceive that is dangerous street manners in Germany however in Australia generally the quickest lane is the gradual lane as everybody clambers over to the right-hand lane.
What do you get?
Volkswagen Golf Life Wagon highlights
Exterior
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Area-saver spare wheel
- Chrome roof rails
- Automated LED headlights
- LED tail lights
- Rear fog gentle
- Rain-sensing window wipers
- Palms-free energy tailgate
- Energy-folding facet mirrors
Inside
- 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Professional (digital devices)
- 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired, wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- 7-speaker sound system
- Wi-fi telephone charger
- 10-colour ambient lighting
- Keyless entry and push-button begin
- Tri-zone local weather management
- Electrochromatic rear-view mirror
- Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
- Consolation entrance seats with handbook lumbar adjustment
The $2000 Consolation & Model package deal provides:
- Panoramic glass sunroof
- 30-colour inside ambient lighting
- Inside lights with switch-off delay and dimmer
- Entrance and rear studying lights
- LED gentle in entrance footwell
- Consolation sport entrance seats
- Microfleece and material upholstery
The $2650 Sound & Imaginative and prescient package deal provides:
- 9-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
- Head-up show
Is the Volkswagen Golf secure?
The Volkswagen Golf wears a five-star ANCAP security ranking primarily based on testing primarily based on carried out by Euro NCAP in 2019.
It scored 95 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 89 per cent for little one occupant safety, 76 per cent for weak street consumer safety, and 80 per cent for security help.
Customary security gear consists of:
- 9 airbags incl. front-centre airbag
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
- Junction help
- AEB reverse
- Lane-keep help
- Journey help
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Entrance cross-traffic alert
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Adaptive cruise management with cease & go
- Site visitors Jam Help
- Driver fatigue monitoring
- Park Help
- Reversing digital camera
- Entrance, rear parking sensors
- Tyre stress monitoring
It’s good to step as much as the Golf Life to get Emergency Help and secure exit warning.
How a lot does the Volkswagen Golf price to run?
The 2023 Volkswagen Golf is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.
Servicing is required each 12 months or 15,000km and Volkswagen affords three- and five-year Care Plan, which is its time period for pay as you go service packages.
The three-year pay as you go service package deal on the core Golf vary is $1550, whereas the five-year Care Plan prices $2650.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Volkswagen Golf Life Wagon
That brings us to the top of the Golf Wagon’s farewell tour. Fortunately it wasn’t practically so long as the likes of Cher’s or Elton John’s.
It’s unhappy to see the Golf Wagon depart the Australian market because the pool of small wagons continues to dry up. Your solely various that’s equally priced and might nonetheless be ordered is now the associated Skoda Octavia Wagon.
There’s no denying how a lot inside area is on supply within the Golf Wagon. It’s significantly higher than any equivalently priced small crossover or SUV. The Mk8 Golf, nevertheless, comes with its personal quirks that embrace however usually are not restricted to the the contact panel that doesn’t illuminate, and the generally clunky eight-speed torque-converter automated.
I believe the Golf Life Wagon types because the candy spot within the longer-bodied vary, although if I used to be ordering a one – which I notably can’t do anymore – I’d go for the elective $2650 Sound & Imaginative and prescient Bundle as a result of I actually like Charli XCX to slap by the audio system.
Hopefully in case you’d wish to buy a brand new Golf Wagon there’s one sitting at a vendor so that you can decide up. In any other case, I hope you’re okay with the prospects of shopping for an SUV as a substitute…
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