Volkswagen Golf Mk V TDI 2003-2008

Class:           Small Hatch, Compact

Rivals:          Ford Focus, Citron C4, Nissan Almera, Opel/Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 207

Sister Cars:  Audi A3 MkII, Audi TT MkII, VW Jetta, VW Eos, Seat Leon, Skoda Octavia,

Variants:      3 Door Hatch, 5 Door Hatch, 5 Door Compact MPV (Golf Plus), Estate

Engines:      Petrol, 1.4i 16v, 1.4i FSI, 1.6i FSI, 2.0i FSI, 2.0i Turbo FSI (GTI), 2.5i 20v,

                                3.2 VR6 24v (R32)

                    Diesel, 1.4 TSi, 1.9TDi, 2.0 SDi, 2.0TDi,

Gearbox       5 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Tiptronic, 6 Speed DSG

Awards        Top Gear Car of the Year 2004

                    Fifth Gear Car of the Year 2004

                    What Car? Car of the Year and Best Family Small Car 2004

                    CNN Best Sporty Car (GTI/R32) 2008

To commemorate the launch of the MkV Golf in October 2003, Wolfsburg, where the Headquarters of the VW/Audi group are based, was named "Golfsburg" for the week following the launch.

Thanks to a wide variation of body styles and a great selection of engines to choose from,  VW have ensured that their is a Golf to suit everyone!

To counter act the criticisms of the average dynamics of the MkIV Golf, Volkswagen introduced a new multi-link control blade independent rear suspension system on the MkV.  Along with chassis refinements, the MkV Golf became the class leader for ride and handling!  However, this led to having to increase the body size even though the boot size is still down on the MkIV.  The interior quality of the MkV is well ahead of its rivals, its not on a par anymore with its Audi A3 cousin which is a step ahead of it again in refinement.   

The 1.9T TDi MkV is definitely the Golf of choice to go for for the average motorist.  It combines decent road handling, good performance and great fuel economy with a return of on average of 50mpg mixed driving.  With the new rear suspension system and longer wheel base over the MkIV, the road handling and cornering is much improved over the traditional rear happy Golf of the previous generations.  The only compromise is an increase in road noise inside the cabin but still much better than its rivals.

The MkV Golf proved to be expensive to build, mainly due to the 50 hours taken to build from start to finish which is why the MkVI was released a year early in 2008.  This lead to a high residual value and genuine parts being slightly more expensive than average.  Now you can do a full engine service on the MkV from €90. 

You will buy a 1.4i 16v MkV cheaper than a TDi version but the diesel version is the pick of the range.  Unless of course you can stretch to the 200bhp GTI or the 250bhp 3.2 V6 R32 which still are the benchmark in terms of performance and handling for the Hot Hatch class.

The Golf has always been a fun car to drive, very reliable and mostly economical and as we said before on this blog, most people who have owned the MkV will definately go on to own the new MkVI. 

Gary

 

Volkswagen Golf Mk IV 1.4i 16v 1999-2005

Class: Small Hatch
Rivals: Opel/Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Focus, Nissan Micra, Alfa Romeo 147, Peugeot 206
Sister Cars: Audi A3, Audi TT, Skoda Fabia, Seat Ibiza, VW Bora, New Beetle,
Variants: Hatchback, Cabriolet, Station Wagon, Van
Engines: Petrol 1.4 16v, 1.6, 1.8 20v, 2.0, 2.3 V5, 2.8VR6, 2.8VR6 24v, 3.2VR6 24v
Diesel: 1.9 tdi (80bhp-150bhp)
Gearbox: 5 speed manual, 5 speed automatic
Awards:
1998 What Car? Best Small Hatch
1998 Top Gear Magazine Best Small Family Car

I have decided to separate the Golf variants to talk about them because otherwise well be here all day! You will notice that we didn't put the Bora down as a variant, even though its often called the Golf saloon, it only shares the chassis and the front door panels with its Golf sister.
There is so much that car be said about the Golf through out its 33 year history, so we will start with the 1.4 16v.

In our opinion, this is the ideal starter car, its a car that crosses the generations as well as the sexes! it can never be called a girls car or never a lads car either! The spotty nosed teen or the old age pensioner never looks out of place in the drivers seat!
This car is so easy to drive with is neutral handling and comfortable driving position, it make the driver, no matter how nervous they are, feel in complete control of the vehicle.
It doesn't feel like a small car to sit in, there is ample room for 4 adults and the solid drive makes you feel like your in a car twice its size.

The CL spec is the definite car to go for with its all around electric windows, lighting kit and comfort line seats.

The 1.416v engine at 75bhp is no slouch. It will not scare the pants off you but is as good on a motorway as it is on the tight country lanes. On high mileage units you need to look out for a creamy discharge on the underside of the oil cap and the dip stick. They can also be difficult to pass the NCT emissions test but this is normally down to either a faulty Lambda sensor or the Catalytic Converter, both of which are easy to repair.

The 1.4 16v only cost €333 a year to put road tax on, about €70 to service and for a petrol car is very economical on fuel, averaging approximately 35-45mpg mixed driving.
It is very easy to source parts, and with all the on line forums dedicated to the Mk IV, it is very easy to access any information on the car.

The 1.4 16v is the cheapest of the model range to buy, you should be looking at between €1200 up to €2,500 and for a low mileage late model you can pay up to €4,000. There are bargains to be had to keep a good look out, if you have any mechanical experience you can even pick up a nice car for less than a thousand euros! Be careful of aftermarket extras as these don't add to the value of the car.

Most people who ever own a golf will never own anything else, this says a lot about this car!

Gary