2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen Tsi Limited Edition Review
| Long-Term Reviews
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen 1.8T Verdict
Day-to-day life with the SportWagen
That'southward a wrap on 22,000 plus miles of commuting, route tripping, and exploring the path less taken in the carriage version of Motor Trend's 2015 Car of the Twelvemonth. And yes, yous've heard it all before. Wagon sales in the U.S. make up a piddling market, i struggling to survive in the behemothic shadow cast by the endless rollout of new crossovers. Yet Volkswagen still has faith in wagons, and for many years information technology offered a unique and strong-selling production with their TDI SportWagen. Of grade, with the revelation in 2015 that VW was cheating its diesel emissions, the TDI engine was scrubbed from the lineup, leaving the SportWagen with only one engine to entice potential crossover buyers.
Before the diesel debacle, this red wagon was ordered with the now notorious TDI four-cylinder. With that order canceled, I instead opted for the gas-powered four-cylinder with a manual five-speed and cloth seats. This base of operations-model TSI, known as a 1.8T S, came equipped with heated and partially power-adapted front seats. Other notable standard features include black roof rails, heated side mirrors, and leather wrapped around the steering bike, shift knob, and eastward-brake lever. Besides included is a six.5-inch touchscreen that detects when your fingers are reaching for it and reacts by enlarging its digital buttons that are otherwise subconscious. What the base model doesn't offer is keyless entry/ignition, a 400-watt audio system, or dual-zone climate command. Total toll is a pocket-sized $22,715.
Day-to-day life with the SportWagen is decidedly affable. The seats are firmly cushioned and comfy on long drives, and the driver has access to lots of conveniences such every bit carved-out door pockets for big/tall bottles, a hidden phone/wallet drawer at the base of operations of the seat, and another subconscious storage bin in front of the shifter housing lined with grippy prophylactic to help go along your phone from flinging across the auto during fast cornering.
Although it took a while to get used to the manual transmission only having five forrard gears, the ratios are a expert friction match for the 1.8T's powerband, with second and third gears delivering the needed grunt to dart and dash through the lanes of city traffic. 5 speeds also ways longer gearing, allowing me to reach 60 mph with a single upshift. And although it's hard to imagine VW volition keep offering a five-speed for much longer, information technology still persists in 2017 SportWagens with FWD. AWD versions come up standard with vi-speed manual transmissions.
Think of this as an SUV for those who want to avoid a tall centre of gravity and unnecessary weight, or for those who only believe a wagon is a smarter alternative to a crossover.
Operating this transmission was not always smooth and seamless, though, because the sensitive clutch would require additional revs if the car was weighted downwards with back-seat passengers. This realization didn't occur to me until after falling victim to a few embarrassing stalls with a automobile full of passengers.
Our in-business firm Real MPG exam crew ran the SportWagen through their standardized protocol and cleared Real MPG numbers of 25.5/39.0 metropolis/highway. Although these numbers won't delight previous TDI owners, the combined RMPG of thirty.two is respectable amongst the competitive set up.
Ane of my favorite parts of this car is the rear cargo surface area. VW has paid a lot of attention to this expanse of the machine, drenching it in utility. The liftgate is easy to open, and although it's not power operated, the actuation is light and smooth, making it easy to fling open or swing airtight with one manus. Likewise, whereas most crossovers require yous to remove their retractable cargo covers, this cargo comprehend can be neatly stowed out of the manner under the load flooring. And dissimilar the sparse and flimsy offerings from much of the contest, this encompass is robust and sturdy.
Pry further into the design and packaging of the rear cargo expanse, and yous'll find a neatly hidden flooring jack behind a panel on the driver's sidewall, not stuffed under the load flooring, inside the spare wheel, as is typical. Lastly, VW has mounted 2 retractable hooks on either side of the wall that tin support heavy hauls of groceries.
While in fleet, the SportWagen did not suffer any major mechanical setbacks, and it only visited the VW dealer twice, both times for scheduled maintenance at a toll of approximately $140 per visit. Our 2015 Mazda CX-v, 2015 Honda CR-V, and 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander all came in at less than $120 per service, making the VW a noticeably pricier car to maintain. That beingness said, our 2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk cost a hefty $159 for each of its service visits. Only in that location was one unexplained incident in which the SportWagen'due south rear-seat bench randomly popped out of its clips. I was able to coax information technology back in with some elbow grease, and the problem never repeated. Also worth noting is the visible unraveling of the carpeted trunk liner, caused by the Velcro-like activeness the cargo-organizer blocks. These blocks ofttimes came in handy in keeping loads from sliding effectually, but the rapid clothing and tear to the carpet makes me 2nd-approximate their value.
Overall, this Golf game variant is competent, handy, and versatile. Even in bare-basic trim, it'south rich in content and features. In improver, equipped with a five-speed and a torquey turbocharged engine, it'due south fun to drive on nigh any road. My fourth dimension with the SportWagen was hassle- and drama-gratuitous. Perhaps without intentionally trying to be so, this VW offering is an affordable and genuine culling to a crossover, one that many potential SUV buyers will notice is a better match.
Looks good! More details?
More ON OUR LONG-TERM 2016 VOLKSWAGEN Golf SPORTWAGEN:
- Arrival
- Update 1: Shaming Crossovers With So Much Infinite
- Update 2: A Very Big Surfboard Fits Inside
- Update 3: Peeling Dorsum the Logical Layers
- Update four: Rethinking Shift Habits
- Update 5: A Golf game to Ski With
- Update 6: vii Delightful Interior Details on Our Long-Term 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen
| Our Car | |
| SERVICE LIFE | 14 mo / 22,187 mi |
| BASE PRICE | $22,445 |
| OPTIONS | Monster Mats ($235); Beginning assist kit ($35) |
| PRICE As TESTED | $22,715 |
| AVG ECON/CO2 | 28.eight mpg / 0.67 lb/mi |
| PROBLEM AREAS | None |
| MAINTENANCE Toll | $276.71 (ii-oil change, inspection; 1-tire rotation, air motel filter) |
| NORMAL-Wearable COST | $0 |
| 3-Year Remainder VALUE* | $15,500 |
| RECALLS | None |
| *Automotive Lease Guide information | |
| 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI (Due south) | |
| POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS | |
| DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT | Front-engine, FWD |
| ENGINE Type | Turbocharged I-4, iron cake/alum heads |
| VALVETRAIN | DOHC, 4 valves/cyl |
| Deportation | 109.7 cu in/ane,798 cc |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 9.6:1 |
| Ability (SAE NET) | 170 hp @ 4,500 rpm |
| TORQUE (SAE NET) | 184 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm |
| REDLINE | half-dozen,000 rpm |
| WEIGHT TO Power | 17.9 lb/hp |
| TRANSMISSION | v-speed manual |
| AXLE/Last-Bulldoze RATIO | iii.39:1/ii.24:1 |
| SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR | Struts, coil springs, anti-gyre bar; multilink, roll springs, anti-roll bar |
| STEERING RATIO | 13.half-dozen:1 |
| TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK | 2.8 |
| BRAKES, F; R | xi.three-in vented disc; 10.7-in disc, ABS |
| WHEELS, F;R | six.0 x xv in bandage aluminum |
| TIRES, F;R | 195/65R15 (91H) M+S Continental ProContact TX |
| DIMENSIONS | |
| WHEELBASE | 103.5 in |
| Track, F/R | 61.0/59.8 in |
| LENGTH ten WIDTH x HEIGHT | 179.half dozen x lxx.8 x 58.3 in |
| TURNING CIRCLE | 35.8 ft |
| Curb WEIGHT | 3,040 lb |
| WEIGHT DIST, F/R | 56/44 % |
| SEATING CAPACITY | 5 |
| HEADROOM, F/R | 38.6/38.6 in |
| LEGROOM, F/R | 41.ii/35.6 in |
| SHOULDER ROOM, F/R | 55.9/53.9 in |
| CARGO Book BEH, F/R | 66.5/30.iv cu ft |
| TEST Information | |
| ACCELERATION TO MPH | |
| 0-30 | 2.7 sec |
| 0-twoscore | 4.0 |
| 0-l | 5.6 |
| 0-60 | 7.3 |
| 0-70 | nine.ix |
| 0-80 | 12.7 |
| 0-90 | 15.9 |
| PASSING, 45-65 MPH | 3.viii |
| QUARTER MILE | 15.8 sec @ 89.half dozen mph |
| BRAKING, sixty-0 MPH | 117 ft |
| LATERAL ACCELERATION | 0.80 one thousand (avg) |
| MT FIGURE Viii | 27.3 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) |
| TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH | 1,900 rpm |
| CONSUMER INFO | |
| Base of operations PRICE | $22,445 |
| Cost Equally TESTED | $22,715 |
| STABILITY/TRACTION Control | Yes/Yes |
| AIRBAGS | Dual front, front end side, f/r pall |
| Basic WARRANTY | 3 yrs/36,000 miles |
| POWERTRAIN WARRANTY | 5 yrs/60,000 miles |
| ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE | iii yrs/36,000 miles |
| FUEL Chapters | 13.2 gal |
| EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON | 25/36/29 mpg |
| Energy CONS, Urban center/HWY | 135/94 kW-hrs/100 miles |
| CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB | 0.67 lb/mile |
| REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB | 25.5/39.0/30.two mpg |
| RECOMMENDED FUEL | Unleaded regular |
Source: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2016-volkswagen-golf-sportwagen-s-18t-review-verdict/
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