The joy and ease of driving a hatchback
08 Apr 2025|3,415 views
Sure, I do need space for the family, but that does not mean I can't own a hatchback like the Volkswagen Golf. You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
Three kids, a helper, the occasional parents-ferrying, bags... Somehow a week with the Volkswagen Golf has proven that good things do come in small packages. I must say in a bustling cityscape like Singapore, where space is a premium and every inch of road is a battleground, the updated Golf could well be the perfect companion for Singapore's urban jungle.
The S210 Toyota Crown, with its 2.5-litre six-cylinder powerplant, is still my weapon of choice for now
It's not perfect, but it doesn't pretend to be
Of course, the car is not without its flaws. I mean, comparing this hatch to a full-on JDM sedan like the Toyota Crown, I would take the latter any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Again, I love my cars Japanese, but I do try not to be biased.
In that sense, giving the Volkswagen Golf a chance was a right choice. I find myself having no troubles whatsoever parking in tight spaces (my house carpark, for one), navigating through tight corners (my kids' school carpark, for another), and doing parallel parking at Cross Street (where my favourite makan place is).
It gives you the sort of confidence needed to drive around narrow and tight roads without second guessing. Of course, while it does sound perfect and all, this Mk 8.5 Golf (in Volkswagen speak for a facelifted model) isn't without flaws. Like most modern cars, the safety nannies can be a little bit of a pain in the butt. You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
Sure, the Volkswagen Golf isn't a perfect car, but it sure is an amicable machine that leaves a smile on your face
For instance, reverse the car into a lot, just as you regularly would with distant walls by the side, and it'll start beeping. And by beeping, I don't mean a friendly beep. It shouts and screams like I'm accelerating to the wall. Sure, these nannies do save lives and I do not contest that, but when the car beeps loud enough for the entire block to hear, it does give the driver (and passengers) quite a shock, especially when it comes quite suddenly.
Another flaw is the fact that the 1.5-litre powerplant now shoots out just a mere 114bhp and 220Nm of torque to the front wheels. It isn't slow by any chance, although it does sound more shaking than stirring when you extend the throttle. But as with any other "car guy", I do wish the Golf had more power.
Don't get me wrong. I don't need the car to go like a locomotive. For that, there's the Volkswagen Golf GTI or even the Golf R, but having enough zest to make every drive a spirited, fun one is key. I don't need it to be fast, since in my dictionary, fast doesn't equate to fun, and spacious doesn't mean luxurious... You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
The 1.5-litre mild hybrid engine may not be strong enough, but the Golf more than makes up for it with its lovely cabin
You can forgive all its shortcomings
Needless to say, I do genuinely like this car. It has been around for decades, I've been trying the different generations of the Golf for over a decade and I'm pretty darn sure this icon will go on for the next couple of decades. That says a lot about it, no? Apart from the Austin Mini, Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Volkswagen Beetle, what other cars in my generation could be a possible icon?
Hence, it's easy to forgive the Golf of all its shortcomings. Despite the lack of power or the overwhelming safety nannies that can irritate the bowels out of you, there's a lot to like about the car. 380 litres of boot space, a glowing emblem up front, physical buttons on the steering wheel (oh yeah!), chuckable size... You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
380 litres of boot space, emblem that lights up... What more can you ask of a Golf?
Is it on my To-Buy list?
Still, I won't deny it. The Volkswagen Golf that you see here on this very page will not be my weapon of choice - for the very fact I want something fiery for a hatchback. Otherwise, I'd just go for a towkay kind of car.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI, however, is something that I will seriously consider. Yes, I will admit. I came from a time when the iconic GTI cost $120k and the juicier Golf R was $160k, but times have changed. Now, the GTI Mk8.5 will set you back some $271k, which is to say an arm and a leg. But if I could afford to lose these limbs, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
Sure, I do need space for the family, but that does not mean I can't own a hatchback like the Volkswagen Golf. You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
Three kids, a helper, the occasional parents-ferrying, bags... Somehow a week with the Volkswagen Golf has proven that good things do come in small packages. I must say in a bustling cityscape like Singapore, where space is a premium and every inch of road is a battleground, the updated Golf could well be the perfect companion for Singapore's urban jungle.
The S210 Toyota Crown, with its 2.5-litre six-cylinder powerplant, is still my weapon of choice for now
It's not perfect, but it doesn't pretend to be
Of course, the car is not without its flaws. I mean, comparing this hatch to a full-on JDM sedan like the Toyota Crown, I would take the latter any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Again, I love my cars Japanese, but I do try not to be biased.
In that sense, giving the Volkswagen Golf a chance was a right choice. I find myself having no troubles whatsoever parking in tight spaces (my house carpark, for one), navigating through tight corners (my kids' school carpark, for another), and doing parallel parking at Cross Street (where my favourite makan place is).
It gives you the sort of confidence needed to drive around narrow and tight roads without second guessing. Of course, while it does sound perfect and all, this Mk 8.5 Golf (in Volkswagen speak for a facelifted model) isn't without flaws. Like most modern cars, the safety nannies can be a little bit of a pain in the butt. You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
Sure, the Volkswagen Golf isn't a perfect car, but it sure is an amicable machine that leaves a smile on your face
For instance, reverse the car into a lot, just as you regularly would with distant walls by the side, and it'll start beeping. And by beeping, I don't mean a friendly beep. It shouts and screams like I'm accelerating to the wall. Sure, these nannies do save lives and I do not contest that, but when the car beeps loud enough for the entire block to hear, it does give the driver (and passengers) quite a shock, especially when it comes quite suddenly.
Another flaw is the fact that the 1.5-litre powerplant now shoots out just a mere 114bhp and 220Nm of torque to the front wheels. It isn't slow by any chance, although it does sound more shaking than stirring when you extend the throttle. But as with any other "car guy", I do wish the Golf had more power.
Don't get me wrong. I don't need the car to go like a locomotive. For that, there's the Volkswagen Golf GTI or even the Golf R, but having enough zest to make every drive a spirited, fun one is key. I don't need it to be fast, since in my dictionary, fast doesn't equate to fun, and spacious doesn't mean luxurious... You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
The 1.5-litre mild hybrid engine may not be strong enough, but the Golf more than makes up for it with its lovely cabin
You can forgive all its shortcomings
Needless to say, I do genuinely like this car. It has been around for decades, I've been trying the different generations of the Golf for over a decade and I'm pretty darn sure this icon will go on for the next couple of decades. That says a lot about it, no? Apart from the Austin Mini, Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Volkswagen Beetle, what other cars in my generation could be a possible icon?
Hence, it's easy to forgive the Golf of all its shortcomings. Despite the lack of power or the overwhelming safety nannies that can irritate the bowels out of you, there's a lot to like about the car. 380 litres of boot space, a glowing emblem up front, physical buttons on the steering wheel (oh yeah!), chuckable size... You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
380 litres of boot space, emblem that lights up... What more can you ask of a Golf?
Is it on my To-Buy list?
Still, I won't deny it. The Volkswagen Golf that you see here on this very page will not be my weapon of choice - for the very fact I want something fiery for a hatchback. Otherwise, I'd just go for a towkay kind of car.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI, however, is something that I will seriously consider. Yes, I will admit. I came from a time when the iconic GTI cost $120k and the juicier Golf R was $160k, but times have changed. Now, the GTI Mk8.5 will set you back some $271k, which is to say an arm and a leg. But if I could afford to lose these limbs, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
You get where I'm coming from. Yes, you...
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