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VW Golf 2.0 TDi

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The past few years have seen incredible development in diesel technology to the point where diesel is often synonymous with performance. Oil burners such as the Golf V 2.0 TDi Sportline offer buyers decent performance and practicality, but without an exorbitant fuel bill each month.

Styling

VW simply aced the timeless hatchback design right from the word go with the MK1 Golf. The Golf V is styled more in line with the rest of the VW range, but has a distinct character of its own. The rounded front lights, large wheel arches and sculpted rear leave it looking sporty, but not over-the-top. Like each generation before it, the Golf V will definitely age well.

Accommodation

The Golf V is one of the most comfortable hatchbacks around. The leather seats in this model are superbly comfortable and there is more than enough room to seat four adults comfortably. Rear legroom is better than most vehicles in this class. It's also got a fair amount of boot space making it ideal for any long trip.

Ergonomics

The Golf V's cabin design is Clean and simple. The dials and buttons on the matt black centre console are large and well spaced. Everything is intuitive. The matt black centre console and chrome-surround dials give the cabin an understated sporty feel. Some may find the styling a little dull, but there's nothing finicky about it and once again it will age well.

Quality

VW deserves its reputation for good quality. This vehicle has 43 000 km on the clock and it's in excellent condition. There are no scratches on the harder plastics and the leather seats aren't showing any signs of wear and tear. The vehicle has no noticeable rattles and all the dials and buttons are still in good working order. In other words, it really looks like a much newer car and is easily the one of the best we've seen.

Safety

The Golf V Sport is well-equipped in terms of safety and features pre-tensioning seatbelts, ABS, as well as front, side and driver's airbags. It also has an alarm and immobiliser. Most vehicles, especially new, in this price range are fitted with a driver's airbag only and the Golf V really is well specced.

Performance

Excellent! Once again, if you're looking for affordable performance then a diesel hatch certainly is the way to go. With 103 kW and 320 Nm under the hood the Golf V Sport is a pleasure to drive. The car feels solid on the road and it's a treat on long trips.

Summary

The Volkswagen Golf V Sport is a fantastic all-rounder. It offers great driving dynamics and good performance, but without costing a fortune in fuel. The styling is clean and timeless while the interior is one of the most comfortable in the business. This specific vehicle is in excellent condition and extremely well specified. If you have to look for a drawback it would have to be that nearly every second person owns one. On the other hand, there's a good reason for that.

Vital Specifications

LAYOUT In-line, transversely mounted
CYLINDERS/CAPACITY 4/1 968 cc
BORE/STROKE 31,0 x 95,5 mm
VALVE GEAR DOHC, 16-valve
POWER 103 kW @ 4 000 r/min
SPECIFIC POWER 52,3 kW/litre
TORQUE 320 Nm @ 1 750 r/min
FUEL SYSTEM Direct diesel injection, turbocharged
GEARBOX six-speed manual
COMPRESSION RATIO 19,0:1
DRIVE WHEELS Front
FRONT BRAKES 280 mm vented discs
REAR BRAKES 255 mm Solid discs
Performance
0-100 KM/H 9,3 sec
TOP SPEED 203 km/h
FUEL CONSUMPTION 5,4 litres/100 km

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