Review of the year - January 09
Our road test year kicks off with a look at the new version of a big favourite, plus a dash of nostalgia...
To start the year with a bang, we needed a really special test... and Volkswagen duly delivered a major new model in the shape of the Golf MkVI. It’s not every day a fresh version of VW’s most famous machine comes along, especially one charged with replacing a predecessor that’s still at the top of its game.
To see if the newcomer really was a New Year marvel, we put together a gruelling two-day marathon test, which would see it go under the spotlight in a studio, before facing three competitors on an extended road test route right into the heart of deepest Wales. It was one of the most memorable shoot-outs of 2009.
As if that wasn’t enough, our bound-in special supplement in Issue 1,047 took an in-depth look at six generations of the Golf GTI, lining up every generation of the hot hatch legend for the first time – including the MkVI model.
With so much going on, January proved to be one of the busiest months of the year. Next up was our Living Legends feature, which saw modern remakes of classics meet up with the cars that inspired their design.
With the help of several owners, we set about bringing together a unique group to look at whether nostalgia really has a place in today’s design.
January was soon over in the blink of an eye, and set the pace for Auto Express’s 2009 road testing year.
Used - available now
2025 Volkswagen
T-Roc
58,290 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £18,400
2024 Nissan
X-Trail
60,388 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £18,200
2024 Volkswagen
Golf
34,122 milesManualPetrol1.5L
Cash £15,200
2023 Tesla
Model Y
40,206 milesAutomaticElectric
Cash £21,000Click any of the links below to catch up with all the rest of the year's most exciting stories.
December
Verdict
Tester's notes
The test team always tries to bring you the latest new cars. But every now and then we come up with a wacky idea that incorporates some older models.
Our Living Legends mega test in January was just such a feature. Pitching new motors against their classic counterparts sounds simple enough, and getting hold of the modern cars was pretty straightforward. But the same couldn’t be said of their older relations.
As the person charged with tracking them all down, I contacted as many owners’ clubs as possible. Most owners are real enthusiasts, and very happy to help, but organising a photoshoot of 11 oldies in two weeks was still a personal best for me.
We only had to cope with two hiccups on the day. First, the lovely little 1969 Fiat 500 broke down about 10 miles away, but one of our transporter drivers kindly collected it for us. And then the cherry picker we used for the main shot got stuck in the mud and had to be pulled out. All in a day’s work...
Lesley Harris
Road tester
