Engines are shrinking. From econocars to supercars, from pint-size roadsters to full-size pickups, engine downsizing is happening across the industry. This is not a sad story. While those output losses are not negligible, they have been largely offset by new transmissions with additional gears. A standard six-speed manual鈥攆inally! 鈥攐r optional eight-speed automatic has replaced the 2018 Golf's five-speed stick and six-speed autobox. Even better, despite the loss of power and torque, acceleration from a stop keeps pace with the last automatic-equipped Golf we tested, a 2018 Golf SE. The 2019 car reached 60 mph in 7.6 seconds (versus 7.7 for the 2018 model) and matched its predecessor in the quarter-mile at 15.9 seconds, its 88-mph trap speed lower by 1 mph. As with most other modestly powered cars, the 2019 Golf had us hammering the gas pedal pretty often during everyday driving. But unlike most other modestly powered cars, the engine didn't thrash and scream in protest when we did so. Nor did it boom at low rpm, as we observed in Golfs with the 1.8-liter and automatic combo.
Only at the very upper reaches of the rev band does it start getting loud. Generally, the 1.4T is uncannily smooth and quiet in most of its operating range鈥攁 few times we had to check the tachometer at stoplights to see if it was running. Our test car was a base Golf S model and rode on 195/65R-15 Bridgestone Ecopia EPA422 Plus tires, which could partially account for its 177-foot stop from 70 mph. That's eight feet longer than the 2018 Golf SE required; it weighed 158 pounds more but was fitted with more aggressive 205/55R-16 Hankook Kinergy GT tires. Despite its modest rubber, the 2019 Golf clung to the asphalt with 0.84 g of lateral grip, which is a tick more than the 0.83 g we observed with the 2018 car. That tiny improvement at the skidpad understates the impact a lighter nose has on handling. While we have long touted the Golf's steering as lively, it now feels even more eager to change direction and offers genuine tactility transmitted through the steering wheel's thin, leather-wrapped rim.
It also continues to track as well at high speeds as an Audi costing twice as much. Otherwise, the car remains pretty much the same unpretentious yet upscale offering it has long been鈥攕ame perfect seating position, same excellent outward vision, same Costco-friendly cargo-carrying capability. A mid-cycle facelift for 2018 straightened what few curves the Golf's exterior had left and upgraded some interior bits and pieces, leaving the seventh-generation Golf as dapper and aspirational as it has ever been. The Golf S sure doesn't feel like a stripper. Although it lacks a sunroof, heated seats, automatic climate control, navigation, satellite radio, and certain driver aids such as lane-keeping assist and active cruise control, life with the base Golf S is far from bad. You still have to twist a key to turn it on鈥攌eyless access and push-button start arrive with the SE鈥攂ut it does come with paddle shifters, cruise control, comfortable mesh fabric upholstery, and a sophisticated touchscreen infotainment system. A pleasing mix of surfaces and textures show that much thought was put into this car's interior design, with contrast stitching spiffing the place up a bit. There is some bad news to report, which is that prices have climbed by nearly a grand for 2019, severely lengthening the payback period for any fuel-related savings. That said, the standard equipment list has grown to include forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking, as well as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The 2019 Golf represents net improvement in a car that has been a regular on our 10Best Cars list. At the very least, this car is good enough to make the subject of engine downsizing much less troubling.
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It rained for most of my time with the Jetta in DC, so some of these are going to be VW's stock images. Expect to see more of this鈥攊t was an epically wet summer, in fact. The Jetta under gray skies. I rather like this paint color; VW calls it white silver metallic but I think it's a nice gray. The Jetta is longer than it used to be. The cabin is austere but classy in that way that VW does better than anyone else. That infotainment screen is a total fingerprint magnet. Curiously, the 7th-gen Jetta gives away about half an inch in rear legroom (37.4" vs 38.1") to the old 6th-gen car. Forget the gas struts of a hatchback. There's 14.1 cubic feet (400L) of space in the trunk. And unless you push the trunk lid ALL THE WAY open, it will smack you in the back of the head as you're reaching in to load or unload something. I got beaned several times by two different Jettas until I finally noticed this warning glyph on the trunk.
