ROAD TEST VOLKSWAGEN GOLF CABRIOLET: IN THE MOTORING world, engineers enjoy the limelight. Salesmen, accountants and designers are merely the annoying but necessary stagehands to their virtuoso performances. Like frustrated thespians, they routinely decry the piddling restrictions placed on their grandiose endeavours by number crunchers and doodlers who failed to make it in the art world. These bit-players get in the way of real innovation, or so the engineering creed goes.
Every now and then the boardrooms of the car giants give in to their cries for creative freedom. The results are often revolutionary. The modern car may operate on the same basic principles as the ones developed by Karl Benz 125 years ago, but even the most luddite among us would have to admit there have been some spectacular developments along the way. So full credit to the engineering community. They might not have overcome the car’s dependency on limited natural resources but they’ve made motoring life better and more exciting for owners.
Not every idea is worth pursuing, however. The folding metal hard-top roof is a case in point. On paper it makes great sense. Yet the hydraulics required to fold up all that metal added a level of complication that resulted in cars like the VW Eos having only a select group of dealerships in Ireland that could repair its roof if something went wrong. This exclusivity might work for Porsche, but not for a supposedly mainstream model like the Eos.
Then there was the impact on styling. All that metal didn’t suddenly vanish into thin air, so it had to be loaded into an extended boot that looked like a giant carbuncle on an otherwise gracious model. The Peugeot 308 CC and the old Ford Focus CC were examples of the mess it makes to the styling of a car. And finally, there was the weight: anything under two litres and you’d have to hitch a lift going up hills.
So with the greatest fanfare we can muster, we welcome back the rag-top Golf.
This iteration of the Golf was a symbol of 1980s success and optimism wherever you could find it, from the Yuppie haunts of London to the student digs of the US west coast college campuses. It was motoring chic, a premium model from a mainstream brand that didn’t break the bank. Now that’s a niche that gives car executives wet dreams.
The point is that with modern multi-layered cloth there’s no compromise required. The acoustics with the roof up are as good as you get in any car, you don’t feel like you’re out in the elements in a downpour, and yet with the pop of a lever you’ll have sunshine bouncing off your bald patch within 9.5 seconds.
Now it’s true that it’s worth asking whether there’s any point in owning a convertible in Ireland in the first place. How often would you ever get to use it, after all? Surprisingly, the answer is a lot more often than you think. The UK is one of the strongest soft-top markets and it hardly basks in any more glorious sunshine than we do. In the hotter climes, they want shade from the sun. In Ireland, however, you can kick on the air-con and enjoy a crisp autumn day of open-top motoring without any fear of heat stroke or frostbite. There’s something invigorating about meandering down the country roads with the roof down that harks back to the glory days of roadsters.
Three engines are on offer in Ireland, but the 1.6-litre diesel we tested is the most sensible buy and the best all-rounder. With emissions in the lowest tax band and relatively frugal fuel consumption, it meets the criteria of cash-conscious motorists. While a 0-100km/h time of 12.1 seconds is never really going to impress, in reality most owners of this car are as concerned with looks and comfort as they are with dynamic driving appeal. The fact that it’s arguably better to drive than many of its rivals is merely a bonus.
While some of the underpinnings do owe their development to the Eos, from behind the wheel this is your regulation Golf. That means solid if rather dull plastics, decent switchgear but, in general, nothing to set the world alight.
The steering is a little too light for our tastes, making the car easy to drive but a bit too imprecise and woolly on occasion. In keeping with a mass-market hatchback, this Golf tends towards understeer if you power into a corner too fast. This is no variant of the GTI, despite the smart alloys and LED lights.
Kick down and the diesel engine note is evident. But despite the relatively sedate acceleration time, the car is capable of smart overtaking manoeuvres and mid-range acceleration is commendable. The five-speed manual box is light and nimble.
The most annoying feature of this new Golf is the bootspace. It’s true that its 250 litres is at the upper end for such cars and isn’t compromised when the roof is either up or down. However, the opening is no bigger than on the overhead stowage of a small aircraft. It’s a glorified letterbox.
While it’s also a four-seater, the rear-seat legroom is still rather cramped, particularly on a longer journey, though headroom is ample for adults and it will do a competent turn on the school run.
Roof up, it drives like a regular Golf. Roof down and with a rather fiddly wind deflector in place, it’s got little or no scuttle shake that can occur when wind whistles around the backseats of some convertibles, making a mockery of their aerodynamics. Here, the angle of the windscreen keeps much of the wind out of the front of the cabin.
So to its rivals, and the first thing to note is that this Golf Cabriolet is not only more nimble and agile than its Eos predecessor, it’s also almost €5,000 cheaper.
For our money, the Mazda MX-5 is still the best little affordable roadster to drive and one that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. But the fact it only comes with a 1.8-litre petrol engine and an annual motor tax bill of €447 will put many off. As will the two-seater format and a boot that’s smaller than the average toilet bag.
Then there’s the Audi A3 convertible, with which this car shares much of its DNA. While motoring snobs will opt for the four rings, the simple truth is the Golf is a better car at a better price. The standard equipment for €27,995 is impressive, and adding a little detailing – such as 18-inch alloys – really sets off the look.
After these two, the rest of the open-topped cavalcade are largely of the folding metal big-bottomed variety. Despite several years of engineering evolution, we’re still not convinced by them and they ask for too much compromise. The Golf, then, is the fashionable choice, a welcome return to a car that looks as good on the driveway of a country estate or executive car park as it does in the student car park. It might not be the people’s car, but if you are the sort of person who likes others to see you behind the wheel then this is the one to choose.
FACTFILE
Engine1,598cc turbodiesel putting out 105bhp at 4,400rpm and 250Nm from 1,500rpm with a five-speed manual transmission
L/100km (mpg)urban – 5.2 (49.6); extra-urban – 4.1 (72.4); combined – 4.4 (62.8)
0-100km/h12.1 secs
Maximum speed188km/h
Bootspace250 litres
Emissions (motor tax)117g/km (€104)
Specificationsstandard features include 16-inch alloys; in-built automatic roll bars that deploy in the event of a roll over; LED lights; "climatic air-con"; cruise control; leather steering wheel; electric front and rear windows; radio/CD with six speakers; hill hold control; start/stop fuel saving; ESP stability control; ABS with brake assist; front, side and curtain airbags; space saver spare wheel.
Price€28,920
THE RIVALS
Audi A3 convertible 1.6 TDI
Bhp105
Torque250Nm
0-100km/h12.2 secs
Maximum speed190km/h
L/100km (mpg)4.3 (65.7)
Emissions (motor tax)114g/km (€104)
Bootspace260-674 litres
Price€30,795
Mazda MX-5
Bhp126
Torque167Nm
0-100km/h9.9 secs
Maximum speed200km/h
L/100km (mpg)7.1 (39.8)
Emissions (motor tax)167g/km (€447)
Bootspace150 litres
Price€27,995
Peugeot 308 CC 1.6 HDI
Bhp112
Torque270Nm
0-100km/h12.2 secs
Maximum speed192km/h
L/100km (mpg)5.3 (53.2)
Emissions (motor tax)138 g/km (€156)
Bootspace266-465 litres
Price€33,995
