72% Which? works for you. Which? Car review Volkswagen Golf ( ) On sale: Jan 2004 Class: Medium cars New price: - Used price: From 2,395

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1 Which? works for you Which? Car review Volkswagen Golf ( ) On sale: Jan 2004 Class: New price: Used price: From 2,395 Performance: Boot & Storage: Ride comfort: Safety: Impressive safety and crash protection. Continues to hold its value well. Comfortable, and a good drive. Intrusive engine noise in some versions. Remains expensive to buy secondhand. Some parts are costly to replace. handling: Reliability: Total score: 72% Recommended models in the range Which? Car Top Choice Model 2.0 GT TDI 5dr New price: Used price: 3,175 Fastest Model 3.2 V6 R32 4MOTION 5dr DSG New price: Used price: 6, mph: 6.2 secs Most Efficient Model 1.9 BlueMotion Match TDI DPF 5dr New price: Used price: 4,825 Combined fuel economy: 62.8 mpg Cheapest Model to buy new New price: Overview The Golf Mk5 marked a siginifant improvement over the stodgy Mk4, which really hit Volkswagen s reputation. A wide range of engine and gearbox choices should suit most needs, and the Mk5 range also includes a proper highperformance, funtodrive GTI option. The range includes lively turbo and supercharged 1.4 TSI, directinjection 1.6 FSI and 2.0 FSI petrol engines, and of course, a comprehensive series of 1.9 and 2.0 TDI diesels. Choose from three or fivedoor hatchbacks, or the handsomelooking estate; there s also the more MPVlike Golf Plus and the booted Jetta saloon. The fifthgeneration Golf marked a return to form for Volkswagen in this sector, and it s a model which remains a desirable secondhand purchase for many buyers but they need to beware of belowpar reliability. The cabin is spacious, with enough headroom for very tall folk, and has a quality feel and logical layout. The suspension absorbs large bumps with ease, although the ride is quite jiggly over small road imperfections. Handling is stable with wellcontrolled body roll. The 1.4 and 1.6 petrol engines are tuned for economy rather than pace (we got 37.7 and 39.2mpg respectively), but the petrol engines aren t that refined. The 1.9litre (105bhp) turbodiesel provides a better balance we got 48.7mpg. The turbo and supercharged Twincharger 1.4 TSI petrol engine generates 140 or 170bhp, but we got only 37.7mpg from the 140bhp version. The Golf Mk5 may score consistently highly in terms of customer satisfaction in our surveys, but its reliability is merely average. Petrol models are more dependable than diesels, according to the latest Which? Car Survey, with cam belt failures and exhaust systems causing the most problems for diesel owners. Cheapest Model to buy used 2.0 S SDI 3dr Used price: 2,395 Cheapest Model to Run (new) New price: Running costs: (3 years/36,000 miles) Owner s View Very competent at what it does, provides relatively fast and economical transport

2 Volkswagen Golf ( ) On the road The Golf s cabin is a pleasant place to be; controls and switches are logical and functional and materials are of a high quality, especially as you move up the model range. The Golf is an assured and stable car to drive, although performance is rather leisurely unless you go for one of the powerful versions. Performance Some of the Golf s engines aren t that refined quite a surprise for a manufacturer with such a reputation for quality. Shifting gears, on the other hand, is a pleasure the five and sixspeed manual boxes are quick, smooth and precise. Performance from the 138bhp 2.0litre diesel engine is excellent. It has a lot of pulling power at low revs, and 060mph is achieved in well under 10 seconds. The 75bhp 1.4 petrol engine, on the other hand, is quite weak, whereas the 115bhp 1.6 is a bit better 60mph comes up a little over 10 seconds. The gearbox in this 1.6 is optimised for low fuel consumption and not for performance at motorway speeds, shifting down is often necessary. The clever TSI engines were added to the Mk5 Golf range from Boosted by a supercharger and turbocharger, the 1.4 GT delivers an almost unbelievable 168bhp from its small capacity, and is great fun to drive. It can reach 60mph from standstill in less than eight seconds, yet fuel economy is still good (VW claims 38.2mpg combined). Power output is smooth across the rev range and there are no noticeable peaks or troughs. Mated to the sixspeed manual gearbox box or the DSG semiautomatic, this is one of the stars of the range. Acceleration (3762mph) Rating diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) 6.6 secs diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) 7.0 secs diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 7.4 secs 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) 5.0 secs petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) 10.8 secs petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) 5.5 secs petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) 6.0 secs petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) 4.4 secs petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) 7.4 secs petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) 4.3 secs Performance We use the sophisticated electronic timing equipment to record standingstart and ingear acceleration, and repeat each test several times. Ride comfort Ride comfort is assessed by our laboratory experts who have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in a myriad of different models. Ride comfort The Golf s suspension absorbs large bumps well, but you can really feel it going over small bumps, which are less wellcontained. diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) Rating

3 Volkswagen Golf ( ) On the road continued... Handling When cornering, body roll is wellcontrolled and there s some understeer (easier for less experienced drivers to deal with). Overall, the Golf feels stable. Even when you change direction quickly at high speed in an emergency, for example standardfit stability control (ESP in VWs) activates, helping to keep the car under control. The steering feels smooth and responsive and, thanks to the small turning circle, parking is easy. All Golfs have clever speedsensitive power steering, which again adds to the pleasure of driving the lightness of the steering adjusts to how fast you are travelling. diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) Brakes Rating The brakes are powerful. As you d expect, all models in the range have ABS, helping you to brake safely in emergencies. Stability control is a welcome feature which is standardfit on every Golf. Braking distance (620mph) Rating diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) 37.5m diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) 38.5m diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 38.5m 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) 39.5m petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) 39.5m petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) 39.0m petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) 38.0m petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) 38.5m petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) 37.5m petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) 40.5m Handling Onthelimit handling is explored well away from public roads to ensure a fair test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of the harshest tests in the industry.. Brakes The Which? Car braking test measures stopping distance from 620mph and is repeated ten times in quick succession to highlight any brake fade issues. Refinement and noise The Which? Car experts use a decibel meter to record interior sound levels at common UK motorway speeds, and combine this with subjective assessments to arrive at an overall score. Refinement and noise The humming and buzzing of the engines we ve tested can be quite obtrusive, especially at high speeds, and the Golf could be more relaxing on long motorway journeys. Cruising noise Rating diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) 70dB diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) 69dB diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) 70dB diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) 68dB petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) 68dB petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) 70dB petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) 68dB petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) 68dB petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) 68dB petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) 71dB

4 Volkswagen Golf ( ) On the road continued... Cabin and controls We penalise cars with difficult controls, and we look for things like backlit light switches and easytouse heating and ventilation adjustments. Visibility and parking Visibility is a major issue for motorists today, so each car gets a 360degree swivel view test to reproduce the driver s eye view and any obscured areas.

5 Volkswagen Golf ( ) Comfort and practicality The Golf is a reasonably comfortable car with good interior space. If you want more space, go for the more MPVlike Golf Plus, but the standard fivedoor hatch is roomy enough to carry four adults, or a family with smallish children and their clutter. Getting in and out Getting into the standard hatchback is easy for both front and rear passengers, even in the threedoor models, where the front seats have to be pushed down. However, the doors are wide, so it might not be possible to open them fully, depending on where you re parked. Also, in wet weather, water from the roof can drip onto the front seats when the doors are open, a minor design fault. Once you re in the car, you ll find a roomy front cabin with enough headroom for even the very tall. In the back, there are two adultsized seats, plenty of headroom and enough legroom for someone up to 1.9m (6ft 3in) sitting behind another of the same height. Tall or not, you do need a fair bit of agility to get out the back of the threedoor version, though. Getting in and out We take measurements all around the driver and passenger s door apertures and note the height of the seat, door sills and step down onto the car floor. The best cars don t require too much bending or stretching to get in and out. Seat space and comfort diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) Rating We assess seat comfort subjectively, using our road testers expert knowledge and experience from thousands of different cars. And we measure the head, legand elbowroom on offer in every seat, to see how well the car caters for people of all shapes and sizes. Seat space and comfort The heightadjustable front seats are firm and feel comfortable, although there s not a lot of support for the lower back. The rear seats are comfortable, too, but lack thigh support for taller passengers. diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) Rating

6 Volkswagen Golf ( ) Comfort and practicality continued... Boot and storage The boot on the standard hatchback is about average for the class at 350 litres. The shape is practical, the floor is smooth, and the tailgate opens easily you just push the VW badge on the back. If more space is needed, the rear seats can be folded down making 1,305 litres available, but doing so creates a step in the boot floor, making it harder to push your luggage all the way forward, especially since the backs of the seats also remain at an angle. If you want to carry three people in the car, plus a big load, just part of the split rear seat can be folded down. Boot space (seats up/down) Rating diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) 375 litres / 735 litres diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) 350 litres / 690 litres diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 350 litres / 690 litres 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) 350 litres / 690 litres petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) 350 litres / 690 litres petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) 350 litres / 690 litres petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) 350 litres / 690 litres petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) 350 litres / 690 litres petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) 350 litres / 690 litres petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) 350 litres / 690 litres Heating and ventilation Air conditioning came as standard in all models except the early entrylevel versions, and climate control (standard in higherspec versions) allows driver and passenger to set the temperature independently of one another. Heating is powerful in the front, warming the front of the car quickly, but it s on the weak side in the back. Boot and storage Carmakers give official stats for boot space, but our tests are more realistic. We load the boot up with measuring blocks only as far as the rear window line, so that luggage is well secured and won t obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test with the rear seats up, and folded down (where possible). Heating and ventilation Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm each car up from a frosty 10 degrees in our climate chamber. Starting with a cold engine, we measure how long it takes to warm up the front and rear of the cabin. Diesel cars usually take longer. We also check the effectiveness of air conditioning, where fitted. diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) Rating

7 Volkswagen Golf ( ) Running costs and depreciation The Golf is relatively expensive to buy, but not necessarily expensive to run. Insurance starts low, from group 4, though the R32 s in group 18. Servicing intervals are variable, as indicated by the onboard computer, and often quite long, if you treat your Golf gently; maintenance costs are quite cheap, and the Golf can be easily maintained by independent garages once out of warranty. The V6 models are a little more expensive to service, however. Fuel consumption Fuel consumption We tested the 1.9 TDI (105bhp) threedoor with manual gearbox, and it returned a respectable average of 48.7mpg (official figure: 53.3mpg). Alternatively, you could pay a little extra and opt for the 140bhp 2.0 TDI; we tried it with VW s excellent DSG semiautomatic gearbox and it returned 44.8mpg (officially 46.3mpg). Petrol (combined mpg, claimed) 26.4 mpg 47.9 mpg We test fuel economy under strict lab conditions using realistic test cycles to reveal the facts behind the figures. Our figures rarely match manufacturer claims as, unlike the official mpg test, we measure economy with both a hot and cold engine, and on the motorway. Diesel (combined mpg, claimed) 44.1 mpg 62.8 mpg

8 Volkswagen Golf ( ) Running costs and depreciation continued... diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 3door (2004) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual 5door (2008) diesel 1.9TDI (105bhp) manual BlueMotion 5door (2008) diesel 2.0TDI (140bhp) automatic 3door (2005) petrol 1.4 (75bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 1.4TSI (122bhp) automatic 5door (2008) petrol 1.4 TSI (122bhp) manual 5door (2007) petrol 1.4TSI (170bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (115bhp) manual 5door (2004) petrol 2.0 (200bhp) automatic 3door (2005) Urban (claimed/measured) 42.2 mpg/42.8 mpg 41.5 mpg/45.6 mpg 48.7 mpg/50.4 mpg 35.8 mpg/36.2 mpg 29.4 mpg/29.7 mpg 36.7 mpg/35.8 mpg 34.4 mpg/34.0 mpg 28.5 mpg/30.4 mpg 31.7 mpg/33.2 mpg 26.2 mpg/24.4 mpg Extra urban (claimed/measured) 61.4 mpg/60.1 mpg 61.4 mpg/62.8 mpg 74.3 mpg/68.9 mpg 57.6 mpg/57.6 mpg 50.4 mpg/51.4 mpg 57.6 mpg/52.3 mpg 54.3 mpg/53.3 mpg 48.7 mpg/47.1 mpg 51.4 mpg/49.6 mpg 44.8 mpg/44.1 mpg Motorway (measured) 44.8 mpg 48.7 mpg 51.4 mpg 42.2 mpg 35.3 mpg 35.3 mpg 34.4 mpg 34.4 mpg 36.2 mpg 29.4 mpg Combined (claimed/measured) 53.3 mpg/48.7 mpg 52.3 mpg/53.3 mpg 62.8 mpg/57.6 mpg 47.1 mpg/44.8 mpg 40.4 mpg/37.7 mpg 47.9 mpg/41.5 mpg 44.8 mpg/40.9 mpg 38.7 mpg/37.7 mpg 41.5 mpg/39.2 mpg 35.3 mpg/31.7 mpg Emissions While testing fuel economy, we also collect exhaust gases to enable us to measure the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted. We also check whether particulate filters are effective at removing sooty emissions from diesel engines. Safety We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP crash test scores (where available), alongside our own comprehensive safety checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results from our accident avoidance test after all, it s far better to steer around a crash than rely on the airbags... Security Security scores come from the security experts at Thatcham, who break into hundreds of cars each year. Most modern cars are very difficult to drive away, but are still too easy to steal from.

9 Volkswagen Golf ( ) Which? Car Survey results The Which? Car Survey is the UK s most robust reliability and owner satisfaction survey. In 2015, drivers told us about 58,000 cars, covering more than 484 million miles in the previous 12 months (that s equivalent to driving to the moon and back a hundred times). This unique feedback allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars. Note: Star ratings below are from 15 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown under Most common faults indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the past 12 months. Brand Volkswagen ratings Sample size: 4,743 people Overall owner satisfaction for this brand 82% Brand reliability Dealer Sales Service Dealer Servicing & repair Model: Volkswagen Golf ( ) Ownership ratings Sample size: 408 people Overall owner satisfaction for this range 84% Driving enjoyment Ease of driving Comfort Dash layout and controls Practicality Value for money Running costs Incar technology About our survey Brand ratings Everyone who takes part in the Which? Car survey tells us about their car and the dealers who sell and service it. We analyse this feedback across all cars to give toplevel satisfaction ratings for each brand, including the brand s reliability record over the last eight years. All star ratings are out of five. Model ownership ratings These show how owners score this car in 12 different areas, from performance to heating. Owners ratings are subjective so may differ from Which? Car test scores but they give a good idea of what the car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars are scored against other cars in the same class (e.g. for space). Owner s View I am satisfied with the design and safety aspects of the VW Golf. It is a responsive car and reasonably comfortable to drive Owner s View A history of faults, affecting reliability of this particular car. Fuel consumption is quite poor by modern standards for a small family car.

10 Volkswagen Golf ( ) Which? Car Survey results continued... Reliability ratings Overall Reliability Up to 3 years old 48 years old Petrol cars Reliability Breakdowns 8% average annual repair cost 199 Diesel cars Reliability Breakdowns 8% average annual repair cost 257 All cars Reliability Breakdowns average annual repair cost Breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months Average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12 months About our survey Reliability ratings We split reliability into breakdowns (including failure to start), faults (where parts need replacing) and problems (minor issues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where the car has been on sale for some time, and we have numerous survey responses from owners, we also split scores by the age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are out of five the more stars, the more reliable the car. Most common faults Most common faults Up to 3 years old 48 years old Cam Belt (D) 6% Exhaust System (D) 6% Air Con 5% Turbo (D) 4% Electronic braking 4% Want to know what s most likely to go wrong as the car gets older? These are the five most common faults reported by owners, grouped by age into new, recent and older cars. A score of 40% means four out of 10 owners reported problems with that part of the car over the previous 12 months. Engine electrics and nonengine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause more headaches than mechanical parts in most modern cars. Failure rate: The proportion of owners reporting this problem in the last year