While Volkswagen is celebrating 45 years of production of the popular Golf, dating back to Wolfsburg, Germany, in 1974, I’m wondering if I can go back to the first one I drove and reviewed in February 1978. The first technology, Golf, carried Rabbit’s version, and I went with a ’78 Rabbit Diesel. Since then, I’ve driven 90 other VWs.
My latest outings behind a VW wheel were a Final Beetle in February and a Golf TSI SE four-door hatchback in front-wheel-pressure configuration 4 or 5 months ago.
That Rabbit Diesel manner back while posted an average of 47. Nine miles in keeping with a gallon, an incredible mark that held up as my first-rate for 15 years until a ’94 Honda Civic VX, not to be stressed with a CX or DX or EX, took three.Four gallons of gas to fill after 208 miles, an extraordinary 61.2 average. Of the seven generations of the VW model, the Golf I, known as the Rabbit, changed into manufacturing from 1975-1984, with 70 horsepower from a 1.5-liter gasoline engine.
Golf II, taking Golf’s version call, became from 1985 to 1992; its dimensions grew by 7 inches in the average period, and i. It was used as an elastolytic converter, antilock braking, and powerful guidance. Golf III, from 1993-1999, took on a wedge form, brought front and side airbags, and, for the first time, introduced a VR6 engine, Ecomatic transmission, and cruise management.
From ’99 to 2005, Golf IV showed a new design with a flatter windshield, delivered 4Motion all-wheel drive, DSG dual-snatch digital transmission, and navigation. Golf V, 2006-09, changed into sold as the Rabbit once more, used two hundred-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection engine for the GTI. Golf VI, 2010-14, returned to Golf’s call, and the base powertrain changed into two a five-liter with a hundred and seventy horsepower.
Golf VII, 2015 through these days, grew in size but dropped in weight despite a plethora of latest and upscale functions. Available driving force-assistance generation includes automatic publish-collision braking and forward-collision warning.
In November, the Golf I drove an ’18 TSI SE four-door hatchback with a 6-pace guide transmission and a 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine of a hundred and seventy horsepower. Early within the year, though (January), acting tons extra amazing, it changed into a low-slung, hot-hatch Golf GTI, timed flawlessly for the dry roads among snowstorms. Horsepower was boosted to 220 for its turbocharged, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and dual-grab DSG digital transmission. It’s a quick-shifting tranny, and in Sport mode, with the use of paddle shifters, a motive force won’t omit the 6-velocity manual.
Find a winding street with some little twists, replace regular braking with guide-mode shifting, and the 5-door hatchback will steal the display from instead appeared competitors Civic, Mazda3, or Elantra. Midrange torque response is robust for the quick-wheelbase Golf (103.6 inches), which has a famous minimal frame roll. For 2019, the Golf is available in two trims – S and SE- powered by a 147-horsepower, 1. A four-liter engine is paired with a 6-velocity manual eight-velocity automated system. Among trendy devices are forward-collision caution and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian monitoring. Pricing for the 2019 VW Golf S with guide tranny starts offevolved at $22,380; including automatic transmission increases the tab to $23,840.The value for that first one I drove, the ’78 Rabbit Diesel? $5,043.
