Todays Drive - MK7 Golf 'S'

[MK6-Fan]

When my MK6 was in for a service today I was loaned a MK7 Golf 'S' 1.6 Bluemotion TDI for the morning.

My first thoughts were that it was a bit 'plasticy' with the interior (my opinion still stands on the interior) but other than that it was nice & everything you'd expect from a Golf.

I liked the auto-hold function & the electronic handbrake, very good features & I was surprised how quickly I got used to them.

I test drove a 1.6 MK7 Golf 'SE' last March & liked it but there's something I can't put my finger on that didn't sell it to me.

Anyway some photos of todays drive.

[JBirchy]

Looks like a nice car! However, I do feel that there is a big difference in the quality, and feel of the cars higher up the range. E.g, the leather steering wheel and nice carpets would make a huge difference to me.

Would be interesting to get your take on the GT or the GTI/D versions and compare the level of refinement/quality and the overall package of the car?

A small example, my previous car was a Passat CC, and the first one I looked at was a reasonably basic spec, standard with cloth seats and a manual gearbox. The car didn't impress me much and although I thought it was ok... I wasn't sold. I then turned to look at a different car but someone told me to try the GT spec with the DSG gearbox. The leather, DSG, Sat Nav, ACC, tinted windows etc... made a massive difference and it felt like a very executive car. I ended up loving it and bought it right away!

[dubber36]

Why why why don't they put mats in their courtesy cars?

I had a Mk6 Golf S as a courtesy car a couple of years ago. Plastic steering wheel and gear knob, basic radio and trip computer, manual lights etc. It felt extremely low rent, even compared to my not especially plush GT.

[mullermn]

It's probably a nice car in itself, but looking at that really makes me appreciate the styling and fitout on the GTI. The back end isn't that different but the xenon headlights and the interior really stand out.

[Sootchucker]

I don't think the shiny Airfix grey dash trims help the perceived quality levels of the lower specced cars. I know when I was first looking at a MK7, I sat in an SE and immediately disliked the "cheap" looking grey plastic panels.

Although the "quality" of the panels is probably the same as those fitted to the GTD / GTI, if think the "carbon" effect black panels certainly help lift the feeling of quality.

Also as mentioned above, as the steering wheel is one of the few actual tactile bit's of the car you touch all the time, it again (being a basic plastic version), just lower the quality perception that the leather one from the upper models give you.

As a courtesy car though, it gets you from A to B and very safely !

[Exonian]

To be honest with you I think unless you're buying an old Golf to run as a sh!tter because you'd have a bit more faith in an old Golf then an old Renault your money is better off elsewhere if you're not buying in at GT level and above.
The Leon offers far better value for money and on lower spec models the plasticky interior of either car is pretty similar in feel.
Once you get to the higher spec Golfs with leather steering wheel and nicer trim in the dash and seats it feels a bit more premium but boggo 'poverty' spec Golfs aren't any better than anything else with a VW Group chassis.