- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0DT, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
125kW, 350Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 5.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2009)
Volkswagen Golf GTD Review
2010 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTD REVIEW
VEHICLE STYLE: Mid-size five-door hatch
PRICE: $41,790 (plus On Road Costs)
Engine: 2.0 litre, turbo-diesel, in-line four-cylinder.
Outputs: 125kW / 350NmӬ
Transmission: six-speed DSG, automated dual-clutch.
Official fuel efficiency: 5.8 L/100km
On test fuel efficiency: 7.3 L/100kmӬ
CO2 emissions: 152g/km
ӬOVERVIEW
The diesel-powered Golf GTD aims to be the sporty diesel to beat. It combines a sweet handling front-wheel drive chassis, quick-shifting DSG transmission and five-door versatility with a high-output turbo-diesel.
INTERIOR | RATING: 5/5
- Quality: From the logical controls to the supple surfacing of the touch points, there’s nothing the Golf doesn’t do well inside. The GTD also scores more liberal lashings of metallic surfaces across the dash and doors for a more upmarket feel.
- Comfort: Our test car came equipped with optional leather trim, which despite the extra bolstering were never uncomfortable for daily duties. A high rear roofline means headroom is plentiful and even legroom and width are quite generous.
- Equipment: Standard equipment includes lowered sports suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, a deeper body kit incorporating front fog lamps and larger air intakes, cruise control, a multifunction trip computer, automatic headlamps and wipers and a six-disc CD changer with MP3 playback, aux in, SD card slot and eight speakers.
- Storage: With the 60:40 split-folding rear seats in place there’s 350 litres of luggage volume on offer, expanding 1305 litres with the rear seats folded.
ON THE ROAD | RATING: 4/5
- Driveability: On a dry road the GTD is a barrel of laughs, the power delivery is smooth and strong and the handling is plenty of fun. In the wet, the strong torque can be a bit of a handful, but well-sorted stability and traction control keeps things in line.
- Refinement: Wind and engine noise are kept to a whisper. Our test car on optional 18-inch wheels let a little more road noise in, but never enough to be an annoyance.
- Suspension: The optional Adaptive Chassis Control suspension was fitted to out test car allowing the dampers to be firmed up over three stages for more spirited drives.
- Braking: Vented front and solid rear disc brakes provide solid stopping power. Smooth stop-start driving is a little hard to achieve, a combination of sensitive brakes and an occasionally jerky transmission.
SAFETY | RATING: 5/5
- ANCAP rating: 5-Star
-
Safety features: ABS brakes with Electronic Stability Program, Anti-Slip Regulation (traction control) Brake Assist and Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution.
All seating positions are fitted with three-point seatbelts and adjustable head restraints and front seats are equipped with load-limiting, pre-tensioning seatbelts. Seven airbags (front, front side, driver’s knee and curtain) are also fitted.
WARRANTY AND SERVICING
- Warranty: A 3 year, unlimited kilometre wartranty is provided, bodywork is covered by 12 years of anti-corrosion warranty. Additional warranty coverage is available at extra cost.
- Service costs: Service intervals are every 15,000km/12 months, with service costs between $400-$500 for the first 50,000km.
HOW IT COMPARES | VALUE FOR MONEY RATING: 4/5
- Skoda Octavia RS TDI DSG: Pricing is line-ball and the engine and gearbox identical. The handling is just as entertaining, but there’s more cargo space in the Octavia. (Click for Octavia RS reviews)
- Mini Cooper D: The Cooper D is cheaper at $36,100 (plus ORC) with a six-speed auto. Only available as a three-door and with a much tighter rear seat, the Cooper D however offers superior fuel economy. (Click for Cooper D reviews)
- Mazda6 Diesel Sports: More space, more power, more torque and not a lot more to spend at $42,815. The Mazda6 is available only as a six-speed manual and some extra noise insulation wouldn’t go astray. It offers superior value with just as much fun from the strong diesel. (Click for Mazda6 reviews)
TMR VERDICT | OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5
The Golf GTD keeps the competition on its toes by offering a well-tailored interior, frugal running and sharp handling.
There are cheaper and more frugal diesels available as well as superior hot-hatches, but none combine all of these attributes quite as well as the Golf GTD.