Goes Like A Rocket! (just A Shame The Looks Don鈥檛 Thrill)
My kids are already thinking about Christmas. It鈥檚 the only way they can cope with the prospect of yet another year at school, from the mandatory sentence of 14 years that has been dished out to them. They have my deepest sympathy. School either starts too soon or goes on for far too long, take your pick. It only takes half that time to become a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon - what the heck鈥檚 that about? It鈥檚 also very much Christmas in my business, which is why, between now and December, all sorts of characters are clamouring to get on the type of radio show I do, to flog their wares. Not that this is at all a bad thing: it鈥檚 actually a very good thing, providing a glut of juicy content and colourful contributors. Like Simon Reeve this week, 鈥榯hat nice empathetic travel reporter鈥? as many people see him.
Or how about, instead, the former 20-something who wrote the only book about super-terrorism and Osama bin Laden pre-9/11, called The New Jackals? It went on to become a New York Times bestseller. I know this because I read about it in his latest book, Step By Step, Reeve鈥檚 autobiography. The VW Polo GTi. Take That are popping in next Friday to promote their 30th anniversary tour and Greatest Hits album, Rod Stewart is due to perform live in the studio, as are Seasick Steve and Tom Odell. What鈥檚 not to like about any of that? But here鈥檚 the thing: if you fancy treating yourself to a new car for Crimbo, the end of this month is deal weekend. The end of the third quarter, when all the sales guys will be at their most 鈥榓ccommodating鈥?in the push to hit their pre-Xmas targets, thus bagging their much-deserved Christmas spends.
In which case, new Polo GTi anyone? Sure, it鈥檚 not the legend that is the Golf GTi, nor the outgoing Beetle, for which the death knell sadly chimes, but it is almost 拢10k cheaper than a Golf and miles more fun to drive than a Bug. First off, though, let鈥檚 get the downside out of the way. Dear VW, why oh why didn鈥檛 you make your latest GTi incarnation more exciting to look at? Share It鈥檚 dull. Like, really dull. It鈥檚 a GTi for crying out loud, and, what is more, a 2018 GTi. It鈥檚 just about OK from the front, but there endeth any further allure. What a waste. It has the odd clean line or two, but so does an ironing board. It鈥檚 also too high at the back, like the rear suspension is petrified of what the design team was about do next. Inside is a different story, however. The signature tartan Golf GTi seats are present and correct, both in the front and rear, smaller but perfectly formed and supportive. From the pilot鈥檚 point of view, the driving position is excellent and the interior vista is spiced up with bare metal inserts (colour-matched to the exterior) on the main dash, central console and around the door-pulls. The main info screen works well and the instruments are clear, so all is good. My only gripe is the lack of a central armrest - with plenty of room in between the front seats, the space is crying out for one.
This new one is a compact hatchback that is now something that looks good and drives extremely well especially the higher powered ones. It has been that way since 2013 and I am happy to announce that I have managed to finally have a go in the facelifted (since 2017) Volkswagen Golf. Not one, but all three of the current range of Golfs brought in by distributors Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia. So this is just a first feel of the updated and refreshed facelifted Golf which Volkswagen themselves call it the 鈥楴ew Golf鈥?in its marketing pieces. We just like to call it the Mk7.5. Whatever the case the facelifted Golf gets some improvements over the one first revealed in 2012 (for the 2013 model year). The things you notice externally are slightly different front and rear bumpers for all variants. All three get slightly different bumpers and add a slightly different air to the styling. All get LED headlights and tail lights which also come with animated signal indicators (which flows like the ones on higher end VW Group cars like the Audi).
The interior gets the focus of the upgrades in that Volkswagen has actually thrown in a lot more tech for the driver and passengers to fiddle around with. There are newer more premium materials used in the dashboard, door panels and centre console. The inside of this new Golf, even the Golf TSI R-Line feels premium these days. The only issue from this new and impressive looking (and functional cabin) is the fact that it only comes with one dedicated USB port up front. It is located beside the 12V socket (which you can buy a USB adapter to add USB ports) and basically suits the people up front and not the rear. I personally think that this is the only thing lacking in these New Golf variant鈥檚 interior. This is the only thing from 2013 actually, a lack of dedicated USB ports. Technology includes a lot more active safety systems and advanced driver features. The New Golf also features upgraded power outputs from the 1.4 TSI, 2.0 GTI and 2.0 R engines as well as other upgrades to the dual clutch (DSG) transmissions to improve real world emissions, drivability, reliability and even rolling resistance.
