Volkswagen brings its new-generation Golf wagon to the New Zealand market this week with two levels of trim and three Euro5 engines.
The entry-level Comfortline is available with either a boosted 1.4-litre petrol unit or 1.6-litre diesel. The better equipped Highline gets a more potent version of the 1.4-litre engine.
All three engines are mated to seven-speed, double-clutch (DSG) gearboxes. There is nothing new about the drivetrains – they are Golf family, the TSI petrols delivering 90kW/200Nm and 103kW/250Nm and the TDI diesel 77kW/250Nm.
Claimed town-and-around fuel use is 5.0 litres/100km (55mpg) for the 90kW and 103kW petrol units and 4.0 litres (77mpg) for the diesel. C02 ratings are between 104gr/km (diesel) and 116-118gr/km (petrols).
Like the hatchback, the wagon is built on the VW Group’s lightweight ‘MQB’ architecture, a flexible platform that in this case delivers a longer, lower and wider Golf carry-all.
The cargo space can handle 1620 litres of whatever – with the rear 60:40 seats flolded flat. Upright and with five people on board, there’s 605 litres of room in the rear. In order that’s 135 litres and 100 litres more than outgoing Golf wagon.
The Comfortline models get 15-inch alloys and the Highline 17s. Each gets a full-sized spare. Braked towing is rated at 1400kg for the 90kW model, and 1500kg for the remaining two.
Standard equipment includes a multi-collision braking system, seven airbags, electronic stability control, Bluetooth phone and audio, and iPhone adapter cable. Sat-nav is standard on the Highline and a $1000 option on the Comfortline models.
Optional at $350 on all three wagons is ‘proactive passenger protection’, VW-speak for an electronic system that warns of an impending collision.
The second-most expensive item on the options list is a sunroof, at $3500. The first is so-called ‘Vienna’ leather upholstery with heated and push-button-operated front seats, at $3750.