Volkswagen in Malaysia has a new Golf coming to showrooms this month (March) – with a major selection of updates. Final details will be shared at launch date but meanwhile we are guessing a high specification Golf TSI to hit the Mercedes A-Class at a lower price point and the iconic GTI to bring back VW lovers to their showrooms.
The main focus of this 2018 model Golf is to regain its ‘lost’ hot hatch crown which the VW Golf held for years before all the after sales and reliability issues reduced the brand image in Malaysia.
Now comes the Golf Mk7.5 with new engines, sharper design and new assistance systems with a completely new generation of infotainment systems. As a world first in the compact class, the top-of-the-range “Discover Pro” system can be operated by gesture control. With its 9.2-inch screen it forms a conceptual and visual entity with the Active Info Display, which is also new to the Golf. In parallel to this, the range of online services and apps has also been enlarged. The update to the Golf, of which over 33 million have been sold to date, also reflects a new standard for assistance systems in the compact class: technologies such as City Emergency Braking with new Pedestrian Monitoring function, the new Traffic Jam Assist (partially automated driving at speeds of up to 60 km/h) and Emergency Assist, which is also new in this segment, significantly improve safety.
New TSI engines and a new 7-speed DSG
The enhanced EA211 TSI engine family is the biggest news. Volkswagen has enhanced the EA211 TSI engine family; the new turbocharged petrol direct-injection engines celebrate its debut in the Golf. It’s roll-out begins with the “1.5 TSI Evo” – a 110 kW/150 PS four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with Active Cylinder Management (ACT) and efficient common rail direct injection technology. The new TSI is particularly agile and refined; it develops its maximum torque of 250 Nm at low revs of just 1,500 rpm. NEDC fuel consumption: 4.9 l/100 km (equating to 110 g/km CO2).
This 1.5 TSI Evo with 130 PS also offers an extended coasting function when the engine is deactivated – completely shutting down the TSI when the driver releases the accelerator. Such engine deactivation has only been seen in conjunction with hybrid vehicles up to now, as systems like the electromechanical power steering and the brake servo still need to be supplied with energy even when the Evo motor is switched off.
GTI models with improved performance
Volkswagen has also improved performance of the Golf GTI models with this update. With 169 kW/230 PS (an increase of 7 kW/10 PS), the standard version is now as powerful as the previous Performance version, while the power output of the new Golf GTI Performance has risen to 180 kW/245 PS.
New 7-speed DSG
Volkswagen has also developed a new 7-speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG). The new DSG will gradually replace all of the 6-speed DSGs used in the Golf to date.
