Golf Replacement ??

[Sootchucker]

Over the Christmas holidays, we went into the local dealership just "browsing" for potential replacements for the GTD which will be changed towards the end of this year (just because we were in town and I was bored  )

I had already known that the next car would 100% be petrol after having 4 diesel VW's on the trot. I also wanted a change from a Golf as I've had 3 out of the last 4 cars as a Golf (and the 4th was a Scirocco).

Don't really need anything that sporty to be fair, so wasn't looking at performance models and I really like the new VW Tiguan, so had a look at that, but the trim I would have wanted (SEL or R-Line Spec), isn't available with the 1.4 TSI 150ps engine, (only the entry level models get this), so to get a petrol in these trim levels (and DSG) your are forced to have the 2.0l TSI 180ps variant (which according to what I've read can get a bit thirsty ?)

I then looked at the new T-Roc. To be honest I was quite surprised at how good it looked in the flesh (the model they had was the SEL in white with the Sport pack - so red calipers and optional alloys). It looked really good in the flesh but when I sat inside, for the first time since I can remember, I was really disappointed with the interior. Not the design which looks quite good, but the materials. The whole dash (including the upper surfaces) and the whole door cards are in nasty hard plastic. There are no soft touch materials anywhere and it looks cheap. It's really surprising then when the new VW Polo they had next to it, like the Golf has all the soft touch plastics on the dash etc. I think VW have really dropped the ball on this, and TBH, think it might affect sales, as the sales guy (who I've known for years) said a number of people who came in to look at the T-Roc left, disappointed with the interior.

I then sat in the MK7.5 GTI they had next to the T-Roc, and despite me having had (have) 2 MK7 GTD's, I have to be honest and say from a satisfied feeling point of view and the general levels of equipment, it still is a very hard act to beat, and even 5 years on from launch, the MK7 Golf still feels very fresh and of the moment (the latest changes have certainly updated the feel of the cabin - and I love the exterior lights).

So I think the next car is shortlisted as either an R-Line Tiguan (preferred choice), just so long as the promised new 1.5l 150ps TSI ACT engine materializes (along with DSG) as my salesman promised (slated for spring this year), or it will most probably be yet another MK7 Golf (a GTI). Price wise when the pano sunroof and a few other nice extras are added to the GTI top get to a similar spec as the Tiguan models, it's not a million miles away from the list price of the Tiguan (maybe 2.5k).

Choices are good, but it's just a shame about the T-Roc as I really wanted to like that and externally it did look good, but such a disappointment.

[fredgroves]

I read some reviews on the T-Roc over Christmas (having seen TV adverts etc) and all of them say the interior is cheap and nasty.

The main thing that keeps me away from a VW T-anything is that having come from ever larger repmobiles the last thing I want to go back to is something that I can't fit into ever smaller car park spaces.

Additionally these "SUV style" vehicles such as the T-Roc are effectively just an exterior bulked up version of the original donor car which don't give you anything other than an oversized exterior and extra weight which sucks performance and (more importantly) fuel economy.

With the drive for cleaner, greener cars, I don't understand this surge in much needlessly less efficient designs at all.

I understand what a Toyota Land Cruiser or a Landrover Disco is all about. I don't understand what the wannabees is all about.

Anyway, back to the "what do I buy now" question.... I keep pondering it. I ponder it last year when I replaced my GTD...with another GTD.

The Golf Mk7.x is a tough act to follow.

[JoeGTI]

Does it have to be a VW? You said it yourself you’ve had 4 in a row and fancy a change but you’re 2 choices are another Golf... or a Tiguan - which is heavily based on a Golf 

My Dad has a new Tiguan on the way. I tagged along with him when he was buying and I too was a bit surprised at the interior space versus the exterior bulk. It didn’t feel that much bigger inside than the Golf to me. I also felt that the dashboard materials weren’t up to the Golf’s standard. That said I do think they’re a very good looking car especially in R Line trim. A huge improvement on the old model imo, which never looked right to me.

[Exonian]

The reason most SUV's have been Diesels is the fact they're heavy and un-aerodynamic so a high torque and low revving Diesel engine is much better suited. They're not the sort of cars you can punt along country lanes bouncing off the red line as the centre of gravity is too high and if you're bouncing off the red line then you're also injecting an awful lot of fuel which kills economy dead.

I'd personally think a 1.5 TSI is far too small an engine for an SUV and won't be that economical unless you drive like a nun. And if you're going to drive like a nun then a Diesel will still give you much better economy and have better torque characteristics if using a DSG box.

Why does nearly everyone think an SUV is the answer these days? On the one hand there's all this fuss about CO2 emissions and various other nasties coming out of the exhaust pipes which is kind of ironic when an SUV contains more raw materials, weighs loads and has crap aerodynamics meaning they're horrendously uneconomical next to their hatchback donor unless you're just steady state cruising on flat roads.


I'd think a Polo GTI or if you don't need the space an UP GTI would be the answer.
A decently torquey engine that will be good on fuel as it will be completely under stressed in the lightweight (compared to an SUV) body shell and still have a bit of character with the ability to put a smile on your face when in the mood.
Plus you don't have to stand on a ladder to wash the roof 

[Daz Auto]

Why does nearly everyone think an SUV is the answer these days?

Comfort!

We had an Audi Q2 as a loan car for a week. We both loved it. Primarily because of the ride comfort and ride height. I had to drive over the mountain roads to reach a job I was doing. It was a much more comfortable drive with the Q2 Sline than my new GTI with the adjustable suspension set to comfort. It's the first genuinely comfortable Sline spec car I have driven! Both cars had 18 inch alloys. Though the Q2s tyres had a slightly higher side walls. The Q2 suspension just seemed to soaked up the bumps at faster speeds than were comfortable in the GTI. Even about town the Q2 handled speed bumps, sleeping policemen, potholes, manhole covers, road repairs much better. There was a part of the road which had sunk, going into the local town. This created a natural speed bump in the road. Even though it was inside the 40mph zone I would still slow down for it. With higher suspension in the Q2 there was no need to slow down. It just breezed over it.

Our elderly relatives found it much easier to get in and out of the higher seats. They didn't have to lower themselves into them as they do with normal cars. Or pull themselves up out of them.

Also, at night time, the higher seating level meant that other car lights were often less dazzling. 

It is disappointing to hear what people are saying about the interior of the Troc. I did quite like the style of it in the adverts. Though I think the Q2 has the edge on style and the interior is very similar to the quality of A3. When my wife was driving the Q3 she, it got a lot of complements. We are keeping the A3 for a few more years and a lot could change in that time. However, a mini SUV, compact SUV, crossover, whatever you want to call it - is probably going to be our next purchase. Hopefully, the more economical 1.5 petrol engine and new 7 speed DSG will be standard by then.

[Guzzle]

I was interested in the T-Roc and contemplated waiting for it when the lease on my Octy was due to finish. However after seeing the reviews of the cheap nasty interior plastics i'm now glad I didn't hold on. This seems a strange error of judgment from VW. Although i'm sure it will still sell by the bucketful if it's sensibly priced. It's a good looking car and will appeal to the fashion conscious, but with those horrible hard plastics it just isn't for me.

I did also contemplate a Tiguan SEL or R Line, but they're expensive cars now compared to a Golf, and I doubt it benefit from the extra outlay. Running costs would also be a fair bit more, even tyres alone given the huge wheels that come as standard on the R Line.

I've ended up in a GTD for the next couple of years. It gives me time to see what will happen to diesel residuals without having to worry about them. It also allows me to see if electric or hybrid development advances much before I make the leap.

If you're thinking about about Tiguan with the 1.5TSi, you'll certainly notice the drop in performance coming from a performance Golf. I'd advise trying the same engine in the Skoda Karoq to see if it's worth waiting for. In fact if there's a Skoda Karoq in Sportline trim available in a couple of years time, that may well be the ideal replacement for the GTD. Similar virtues to a Tiguan R Line, only (hopefully) without the hefty price tag. 

[mcmaddy]

You don't get the same standard kit in a Skoda as you do with a VW so once you've ticked a couple of extras boxes the cheap Skoda isn't that cheap any more.

[dubber36]

Why does nearly everyone think an SUV is the answer these days?

Comfort!

Without a doubt. The vast majority of people couldn't give two hoots about emissions and handling dynamics.

Since having my Amarok, I hate our Golf with a passion. Not just because it's a 1.6 diesel Match, I don't even like getting in it to move it on the drive to clean it. Once you have become accustomed to the high up driving position, the space, comfort and practicalities of a SUV type vehicle, going back takes some doing. 

[fredgroves]

Surely if you want comfort and ease of access then anything but a performance whatever is where you want to be?

Something like a non-sport Mondeo or equivalent would give you big barge comfort both in terms of weight and body roll and non low profile tyres.

All this trend for huge cars is getting laughable. Near one of my sites there is a new shopping complex. They've jammed the parking spaces so tight that even my Golf barely fits into them. All of the SUV's park in the disabled spaces because they can't actually fit into the "normal" spaces.

[Sootchucker]

Yeah, part of the reason is that my brother last November purchased a Nissan Quasqui. Whilst it's a nice enough car (although woefully underpowered with a 1.2 115ps engine), it was a bit of a revelation how comfortable it was and I loved the high driving position - not just for getting in an out, but visibility. That's why I went looking at the T-Roc in the first place.

The reason I stay (currently) with the VAG brand is the DSG gearbox. With a dodgy knee my wife can't drive a manual anymore for anything over 10 minutes, so about 7 years ago, we swapped both our cars to DSG versions (mainly for her) but I loved it.

I've since tried a Merc with the Auto box and hated it, and the performance Focus's (petrol) don't come with any auto options at all. To be fair I've heard the BMW autos are supposed to be the best in the business, but I just can't seem to bring myself to climb into a BMW (as a personally owned car). Plus, with options they get very expensive, very quickly.

I really do like the Audi A3 Saloon (really classy) in S-Line trim, but after a horrendous experience with 3 Audi dealerships (up their own ars*s) I swore I'd never step foot inside one of their dealerships again - however these days,  I suppose we always have orange wheels, drive the deal etc. which not only give you great competitive prices, but means you don't have to deal with the Audi dealership w*nkers.