Volkswagen Golf Plus: First Look

By Feann Torr - 3/12/2004

What happens when you take one of Volkswagen's new Golfs, raise the roof and add a ream of new styling cues?

You get the Golf Plus, that's what.

The tall bodied Golf is the German carmaker's attempt to broaden its small car range - which it does - and build on the Golf's impressive popularity - which is yet to be proven.

Unveiled recently at the 2004 Bologna Motor Show, the Golf Plus gets a raft of new styling cues, giving the roomier Golf a slightly different personality to its sibling.

It does keep a number of the original car's bits and bobs (the radiator grille, the C-pillars and the large hatchback design) but all-new head lights and techno-chic LED tail lights give it fresh appeal, plus new doors and a roof were required to integrate with the taller body.

In addition to the contemporary new look and increased 1.58 metre height (up by 95mm over the Golf), Volkswagen is very chuffed with its new interior seating arrangement.

In the rear, the seating 'system' can be moved lengthways (fore and aft) 16cm by way of a 'folding kinematic system'.

The German marque reckons some 43 seating arrangements are possible, while the middle rear seat can be toyed with as well, making room for a table with cup holders, an armrest or simply giving users more storage space.

Furthermore, range-topping versions of the Golf Plus incorporate a mini fridge into the console between the front seats, and if you don't mind forking over for optional items, a CD-changer or even a DVD player can be integrated.

Other changes to the versatile interior include higher seating positions for all occupants (front seats are 75mm higher, rears by 85mm), as the extended roof allows for more commanding views, without sacrificing head room.

The boot offers between 395 and 505 litres of storage space thanks to the 'folding kinematic system' rear seats, and can be increased to 1450 litres when the rear the seats are folded away.

As far as the safety features go, Volkswagen has pulled out quite a few stops, adding ESP, multiple airbags (as per Golf), LED brake lights that react much quicker than conventional brake light bulbs and even active curve lights, whose beams illuminate round corners at night.

Power for the new Golf Plus model comes from four engines, two petrol, two diesel:

1.4-litre petrol - 55kW (75hp), 126Nm
1.6-litre FSI petrol - 85kW (115hp), 155Nm

1.6-litre diesel - 75kW (102hp), 250Nm
2.0-litre FSI diesel - 110kW (150hp), 320Nm

Four gearboxes will be offered with the tall-body Golf, including 5- and 6-speed manuals, plus a traditional 6-speed automatic with tiptronic function is available on petrol models, and the company's twin clutch DSG system is saved for the diesel engined models.

Though the new Golf Plus has a rather charming and more rounded look when compared to its donor car, the biggest differences between the two vehicles are their interiors.

While the Golf has occupants sitting relatively low, the Golf Plus gives drivers a more commanding view of the road ahead, and the versatile rear seats give the new VeeDub dramatically increased flexibility. Whether the new model sinks or swims however, is not quite as clear cut. Time will tell.

The Golf Plus will be sold in Germany at the end of January 2005, with the rest of Europe to follow. At this stage VW Australia can neither confirm nor deny its arrival in Australia.