It’s hard not to feel sorry for Volkswagen golf. The opposite power to GPI GTI is more sportier, more interesting, “regular” cars do not have hard performance or indeed cachet badges, but hang the reverse value. When TSI Golf 2021 prepares to close the books about MK7 production, it turns out it is still a convincing argument unexpectedly.
The new MK8 2022 golf brings with new styles, GTI and Golf R models with up to 315 horsepower, and increased large technology for the cabin. Meanwhile, it is difficult to not feel like the lion part of Attention VW has shifted to its electrification strategy, with ID.4 Crossover EV already on the American coast and the next zero-emission model is not far behind.
Where, then, did it leave this TSI Golf 2021? SOLE the remaining non-GTI trim for North America, Volkswagen is upfront about the fact that it is the value of the game. $ 23,195 (plus $ 995 destination) gives you a six-speed manual version, while the eight-speed automatic trim that you see here starts at $ 23,995 (plus purpose).
Apart from the gearbox, you get a four-cylinder turbocharged VW gas engine, with 147 horsepower and 184 lb-ft torque. No, just to say, the most powerful machine in a hatchback, but it doesn’t need to get out of the gate. In fact, considering how well the golf chassis and tuning suspension is, it becomes a new reminder that the horse is not everything.
It’s not as strong as GTI, because Volkswagen doesn’t expect you to take the road Canyon as if you are a rally driver, and the quality of the trip and the use of day to day is getting better for it. There are no shortcomings for urban tasks, and things become more spriteli when you pull back the shifter again and into sports mode. It massages a little more urgent into the throttle tip, while also holding the gear a little longer.
We speak exercise with degrees, here, but tsi golf winds and there is potential for fun. Handling can be more than keeping power in tap, which means you are likely to run out of hike before reaching another limit, while the steering wheel is very important. The peak torque arrives at 1,600 low-rpm, stick to 3,500 rpm, and means you usually find yourself a slap in the middle of the Sweet Spot Golf.
Bring it all together, and there are more than the amount on paper may suggest. The same applies to common cabin nuances, where VW has simplified things until basically there is one configuration in a choice of two colors.
This means you get imitation leather chairs, key without key and start push-button, sunroof panorama, heated front seats, and manual climate control as standard, along with blind spots, continue warnings collisions with emergency braking and pedestrian detection, and detection pedestrian. Then again, it also means you cannot update the cruise ship control to an adaptive cruise ship, or the front seat shear manually to the full power version.
Also, there is also a way to change a standard 6.5-inch touch screen with a 6-speaker audio system, a single USB-C input, and support for Apple Carplay and Android Auto cars. This is not a big look, and there is a shortage of ports in general, while audio will not blow anyone. However, it is easier to stomach than the appearance of a small monochrome driver that is sandwiched between analog gauges, which feels ancient positive in 2021.
Everything is done, at least, feel sturdy and built well. Honestly, I hope VW chooses some more interesting fabrics instead of imitation skin for seating, but everything is comfortable and mostly where your fingers will come into contact using a soft touch plastic. It has a distinctive, semi-hard feeling that Volkswagen seems to really enjoy: approach to anti-design that teases with boundary maskism.
