Looks can be deceiving. The latest generation of the venerable
Volkswagen Golf is a case in point. The Golf has always been a sturdy, solid, but not very stylish vehicle. And from that standpoint, not much has changed - even though
Volkswagen totally redesigned the Golf for 1999. Indeed, from a quick glance, one might think this is a carbon copy of the old car, save for minor modernizations, like the all new jewel-like headlamps.
But to borrow another clichT, beauty is only skin deep, and once you get past the Golf's plain vanilla styling, you quickly discover just how much soul the all new car has. Slip inside the surprisingly sumptuous interior, then take a test drive, and you're certain to come away with an upbeat impression.
The 1999 Golf is just one more reason why Volkswagen has earned a reputation as the comeback car company. Of course, the Golf was part of the problem in the first place. Volkswagen of America never really recovered from its decision, nearly three decades ago, to pull the plug on the original Beetle. By the early 1990s, VWoA was selling barely a tenth as many cars as it did in the days when the Beetle was America's hot import. It wasn't easy to get excited about VW's line-up, especially considering the carmaker's quality problems. Things got so bad that the automaker briefly pulled the Golf off the market in order to fix things at its Mexican assembly line.
The decision was costly, but effective. Studies show that once production resumed, the automaker's reliability began a steady rise, along with customer satisfaction and owner loyalty. In the latest Total Quality Index released by market research firm Strategic Visions, Volkswagen products won in the Small, Compact and Midsize Car categories. Golf owners, the report noted, were impressed not only with the value they got for their money, but by the Golf's durability.
The 1999 Golf is certain to increase the appeal. The car isn't for everyone, of course, certainly not those who place a high priority on styling. And hatchbacks are not an especially popular body style in the U.S. these days. But as we discovered during some extended seat time, this is a car worth considering.
The Golf starts at $15,425 for the GL. The GLS model starts at $16,875. (
Volkswagen considers the GTI a separate model line. The GTI GLS starts at $18,025, while the GLX starts at $22,675.)
Though the fourth-generation Golf may look a lot like its predecessor, there are some noteworthy changes. On the cosmetic side, the headlights are bigger and more attractively sculptured, smoothly flowing into the all new car's sheet metal. There's also a bigger badge. Although subtle, the changes make Golf IV a much more modern-looking automobile.
But what really matters are the changes you might not immediately notice. The new model is 3 inches longer, and rides a wheelbase that's been stretched 1.5 inches. It is 1.6 inches wider and 0.5 inches taller than the last generation. Add to that-in the five-door model-rear doors that makes full use of the changes to improve entry and exit.
The added space is not just for passengers. The Golf gets nearly another cubic foot of cargo space, easily accessible through the rear hatch. What is it about hatchbacks that Americans find so unattractive? In Europe, it's perhaps the most popular body style, and for simple, practical reasons. A hatch gives you many of the functional benefits of a station wagon, improving access, as well as adding more usable height to the cargo compartment. The Golf's rear seat splits, for passing through long items like lumber or skis or fly rods. Folding both rear seats down creates a cavernous space that can handle more luggage than many sport-utility cars. A cargo cover shields possessions from prying eyes.
The longer wheelbase and a much stiffer chassis reduces vibration on rough roads and the rigid chassis improves handling in tight corners.
