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The editors at TheCarConnection.com have driven the 2010 Volkswagen Golf to bring you this hands-on review of its styling, performance, features, safety and comfort. Along with the road test, editors researched opinions from other respected Web sites to bring you a comprehensive full review of the new Golf for 2010.
Likes:
- Built solidly
- Cabin feels rich and upscale
- Well-damped ride in most conditions
- Newly available diesel option
- Great visibility
Dislikes:
- Frumpy styling
- Gas engine's fuel economy isn't great
- Less passenger and cargo room than expected
The 2010 Volkswagen Golf returns with some styling changes and a name change. For the last few years, Volkswagen experimented with the old Rabbit nameplate in the United States, but it's abandoned that badge with the new model, reverting to Golf for both the three-door and five-door hatchbacks. The compact Golf comes in either body style, and with a choice of four-cylinder gas and diesel engines. Manual and automatic gearboxes are offered, along with a dual-clutch transmission in the TDI diesel. The new Golf starts from $17,490 for the two-door, with the four-door starting at $19,190, and the TDI diesel beginning at $21,990. Its primary competition? The Honda Civic, Kia Forte and Kia Soul, Mazda3, and Ford Focus.Performance enthusiasts will instead want to check out the 2010 Volkswagen GTI, which pairs the Golf's hatchback body style with more satisfying hardware and extroverted cues. TheCarConnection.com reviews the 2010 VW GTI separately.
It's a bit difficult to tell the difference between this sixth-generation Golf and the car it replaces. There are plenty of small design variations, but the overall mechanical package and the general shape of the car remain unchanged. It is conservative and boxy-but not unappealing in its own German way. There's the traditional shape, a legacy of 30 years, but it's now crisper with some interesting creases on the hood, a new front end with a wider grille and halogen headlamps, and a small spoiler at the hatchback hinge. Diesel TDI Golf hatchbacks also get oval fog lamps and optional xenon headlamps. The overall look is a little wider, a little more balanced, and mostly evolutionary. The Golf's cabin bears more of a modern imprint, thanks to a new dash with even better textures and looks than the outgoing car.
