Volkswagen Golf

By Craig Cheetham

May 2004

In the meantime, VW is hoping to keep fans of the racy badge happy with this - the sportiest new Golf yet. Dubbed the GT FSI, it is intended to replace the old 150bhp 1.8-litre GTI.

It is missing the final magic initial as the firm wants to reserve that for its edgier performance models. So, variants that are not sporty, but are swift yet subtle, will now simply be called GT.

This 2.0 FSI is also joined by a 140bhp TDI version using VW's new 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine. But it's the petrol car that's the fastest Golf to date, and Auto Express is the first magazine to climb behind the wheel.

From the outside, the newcomer gets slightly lower suspension than the standard model, plus front foglights and 16-inch alloys to distinguish it from the lesser Golf SE. Inside, the theme is equally restrained, although the leather three-spoke steering wheel and bolstered sports seats do at least hint at performance promise.

This is the first time we've driven the three-door, and it's evident that VW has heeded criticisms of the old model. Access to the MkV's rear is much more simple, with a taller, wider door opening making it easy even for larger adults to get in. Where the three-door Golf does fall down, though, is in terms of legroom. With the front seats as far back as possible, there is virtually no kneeroom, while the high window can give a claustrophobic feel.

Those looking for extra driver appeal would do well to wait for the arrival of the GTI, as the GT is no sports car. It is dynamically able and the chassis is among the best in the sector, but there is a fair amount of body roll and the suspension is a touch soft for those who want thrills behind the wheel.

It's swift, though, with a substantially faster 0-60mph time than that of the old 2.0-litre GTI, plus a slick-shifting six-speed manual box. And where it really does score is in its refinement. The car is smooth, responsive and well insulated when cruising, while the high-speed ride quality is supple and incred- ibly stable. Economy is exceptional, too, with the clever FSI lean-burn technology ensuring that the most is squeezed out of every drop of unleaded.

So the Golf GT FSI is a very pleasant car - especially for mile munching on long journeys. Yet while we are impressed, we do have our reservations about the price - at ΂£17,685, the three-door version isn't cheap.

If you add in the 17-inch alloys, sat-nav system and xenon headlamps fitted to the car we drove, you're looking at paying more than ΂£21,000. That's a lot of money when you consider there are some true performance machines available for considerably less.

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