My Experience

I test drove a 2003 Golf GL 5-speed at a local dealership. My test drive lasted about half an hour and covered city streets, winding secondary roads, and the freeway.


Performance

The Golf's 2.0-liter engine develops 115 horsepower--nothing special in the budget-sedan class--but on my test drive, it felt more eager and responsive than the on-paper figures suggested. It felt particularly energetic around town, with quick throttle response that allowed it to step away from traffic confidently.

When I charged up a freeway on-ramp, the engine pulled nicely up until about 4000rpms--the low end and midrange seemed to be its sweet spot. After that, it started to run out of breath, and once I hit 5000rpm, there wasn't much point to revving it any higher--it felt like it was just making more noise. Most rivals feel better when being wrung out to the redline, but the Golf compensated for this by feeling as eager as anything else in the class at low revs, which is a more useful quality in most driving situations.

Another strong point of this engine was smoothness. There was very little vibration in the Golf's cabin, whether I was sitting at stoplights or exploring higher reaches of the tachometer. It sounded good, too. Most of the time it emitted a pleasant, muted growl, with little grumbling, which made me feel more comfortable driving it briskly.


Transmission/Clutch

The Golf's transmission was less satisfying than the engine. The problem here was the clutch. The Golf's clutch had a very long throw--easily the longest in this class--and its take-up was way at the top of its travel. So every time I shifted gears or accelerated away from a stop, my left leg went through big up-and-down motions, a necessity which was annoying from the moment I left the dealer lot. Its effort was light, at least, and its take-up was gentle enough. Still, I can only imagine how awful this clutch would be in a traffic jam.

Fortunately, the shifter isn't nearly as bad. The rubberiness that plagues turbo VW shifters was completely absent here, replaced by a notchy and hollow (but sturdy) feel as I moved the lever from one gear to the next. Its throws weren't too long, and the gates were clearly defined, so rowing through the pattern quickly became second nature. Its hard-plastic feel was too clunky to be truly satisfying, though.


Steering/Handling

The Golf really let me down in this department. Its handling isn't bad for the class, but on my test drive, I was expecting the tight, buttoned-down precision that German cars are known for--and I was sorely disappointed. In spite of Volkswagen's "fun-to-drive" reputation, the Golf's handling is about class-average, and is easily bettered by rivals from Mazda, Toyota, and Honda.

The Golf's suspension was very soft, and allowed the body to lean and wallow noticeably through bumpy turns--even those taken at moderate speeds. When I hustled the Golf around a freeway off-ramp, the leaning encouraged me to back off early, and while the tires had fairly good grip, their limits were not easy to sense.

Part of the problem here was the car's loose-feeling body structure. I knew this car's design was getting old, but I really hadn't expected the car to feel so quivery over expansion joints and other sharp impacts. This gave the handling a feeling of uncertainty when the pavement was less than perfect. When the roads were really rough, I could actually see the steering column jiggling from side to side--not a confidence-inspiring trait.

The steering itself was fairly good, but not great. It tracked very well in turns--I could dial in some steering angle and the car would hold its line all the way through--and it had a good sense of straight-ahead on the freeway. But I didn't like the gelatinous feel of the steering's power assist. Its weighting was moderately hefty once I got the wheel turning, but the first few centimeters of movement felt like jelly, with no firm resistance--no matter what its angle. So whenever I turned the wheel gently into a curve or adjusted my line mid-corner, the steering felt light and disconnected in my hands, even though the car went where I wanted it to. Worsening matters was the lack of road feel through the wheelrim--except for the jiggling of the body structure, there wasn't much communication at the helm.

All of this surprised me, given Volkswagen's "fun-to-drive" reputation. In truth, the Golf's handling is easily bettered by the Mazda3, Civic, Corolla, and Focus. The Golf's handling is on par for the class, but Fahrvargnugen? No way.


Ride

The Golf's ride quality was generally okay, but it was marred by the car's lack of structural rigidity. On my test drive, I was irritated by the frequent quivers and jiggles in the Golf's body structure. Whenever I drove over expansion joints or other sharp impacts, rubbery shudders passed through the car's frame, detracting from the feeling of solidity and reducing my confidence. This wasn't what I expected from a German car, but in truth, the Golf is among the shakiest cars in its class--only the ancient Cavalier and outgoing Spectra are worse.

On well-maintained pavment, the ride was much better, but I found the suspension a bit too soft. It gently absorbed small road imperfections, but uneven surfaces made it bound and float too much for my tastes. These up-and-down marshmallow motions were especially noticeable on the freeway, where it bounced loosely over dips and rises.

Still, the Golf's ride had one major strength, and that was quietness. The Golf was among the quietest cars in its class, with very little wind and road noise, and an engine note that faded to a hum in steady-state cruising. Freeway travel was especially hushed, unusually so for an economy car. But aside from that, I wasn't really satisfied with the Golf's ride quality.


Interior

The Golf's interior was one of its best features. Although it's no longer heads-and-shoulders above the competition for materials quality--the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla are right up there now--the Golf's interior has an upscale, European look and feel that places it among the best in class.

I especially liked the classy color scheme inside the Golf. The two-tone dashboard looked like something out of a car costing twice as much, and the ritzy-looking gauges were more than a little Audi-esque. The mood was serious, businesslike, and very Germanic--and the styling doesn't look new anymore--but materials quality was excellent. The plastics covering the dash and door panels were premium-quality and almost suede-like in their richness. Secondary knobs and switches operated with crisp smoothness and precision, and their simple presentation was pleasing to the eye.

Best of all was the thorough attention to detail. Beyond the generous standard feature content--which included things like cruise control, an eight-speaker CD stero, and power everything--the Golf's interior was full of unexpected thoughtful touches that made the car feel special. For example, cupholders that gently emerged from the dash with the push of a button, lighted lock and window switches on the doors, smoothly-damped pasenger grab handles, and a power outlet in the trunk to plug in accessories when parked. Features like these reflected the fact that, in Europe, small hatchbacks aren't perceived as cheap.

The Golf's interior also excelled in terms of comfort and functionality. Its seats were built to German tastes, so they felt rock-hard at first, but they provided very good support, and their firmness would be much-appreciated on long trips. The driving position was good, but the steering wheel and dashboard seemed a bit high, once again reflecting German norms--there's little of the airy, low-cowl feel that you'll find in most Japanese compacts. The rear seat was a bit tight, forcing my knees into the front seatbacks, but the seat cushion itself was comfortable and supportive.

My favorite thing about the Golf's interior, besides the wealth of standard features, is that it feels classy, unique, and "different." You know it's a European car just from sitting in it, and being the only European car in the budget class, that ambiance separates it from all of its rivals.


Practicality

This is another area where the Golf scores points. Its utilitarian hatchback design is fairly unique in the budget-sedan class. The Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra, and outgoing Kia Spectra are the only competitors to offer this body style, and the latter two are both shaped more like fastbacks, so you can't pack the tall items that would fit in the Golf's boxy rear end. And while other cars like the Suzuki Aerio and Scion xB offer better functionality, the Golf manages to deliver its utility without sacrificing its classy looks--something that can't be said for most rivals.

Inside, there's the usual split-folding rear seat, but the bench part of the rear seat also folds forward, allowing the seatback to fold flat against the floor--useful for carrying long, flat items like my bass guitar. Besides the spacious and usable cargo area, the Golf's interior has plenty of space up front, with a wide range of seat adjustments to suit all kinds of drivers. The rear seat is a bit tight, but that's the only demerit in this area--very impressive for a small car.


Reliability

Here we get to the really bad news. Consumer Reports has rated the Golf's reliability "Much Worse Than Average," and that makes it more than a little difficult to recommend the Golf whole-heartedly.


Overall

The Golf is the only German car in the budget-sedan class, and although it's pricey, it has a worldly, sophisticated, and trendy feel that can't be matched by its American, Japanese, and Korean competitors. Its rich materials, thoughtful features, and attention to detail make most other economy cars feel like, well, economy cars.

But that's only when it's parked. The Golf may have had an advantage over its rivals in driving enjoyment at one point, but its chassis and drivetrain are aging, and it's not nearly as fun to drive as its reputation suggests. When you factor in the dismal reliability record, it makes it pretty hard to recommend the Golf as a top choice. The probability of mechanical trouble is much higher than in rivals such as the Corolla and Civic, and since the Golf really doesn't have any edge in driving fun over those cars, that leaves little reason to put the Golf on your A-list.

On the other hand, the Golf is a very rich, slick little subcompact, and even though it's a little expensive, you'll feel where the money went every time you step inside. If image, refinement, and sophistication are worth the increased risk of mechanical hassles to you, and you're not picky about having the most responsive car on the block, then I suppose the Golf is worth a look. But I wouldn't recommend one to a friend--sticking to the best Japanese rivals will net you more driving fun and a lower likelihood of breakdowns.




Feel free to check out my reviews of some of the Golf's competitors:
Chevrolet Cavalier
Chevrolet Cobalt
Dodge Neon
Honda Civic
Hyundai Elantra
Kia Spectra
2004.5 Kia Spectra
Mazda 3
Mitsubishi Lancer
Nissan Sentra
Saturn Ion
Suzuki Aerio
Suzuki Forenza
Suzuki Reno
Toyota Corolla


Amount Paid (US$): 15,495