2011 Volkswagen Golf Reviews

The 2011 VW Golf has a powerful engines and a near-luxury cabin that reviewers say is worth the Golf’s high price. The 2011 Golf also has a diesel option that gets great fuel economy.



The Volkswagen Golf has cruised American streets since 1974. Along with the name change, VW gave the 2010 Golf a makeover. The Golf stands out within the class for its available diesel engine.



The Honda Fit will save you around $2,500 compared to the Volkswagen Golf, and averages 28 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, which beats the base Golf's fuel economy rating. In the name of going green, the Honda Civic Hybrid beats the Golf’s fuel economy, but matches its price. Details: 2011 Volkswagen Golf



The Golf is largely unchanged for 2011. Volkswagen hasn’t released the 2011 Golf’s pricing, but the 2010 Golf starts at $17,620 for the 2-door, 2.5-liter engine, and the four-door TDI starts at $22,959.



Outside of a few features being shuffled around, the Volkswagen Golf remains unchanged for 2011.



Compared to other vehicles in its class, the Volkswagen Golf feels positively upscale. With either trim level, four-door models gain power-reclining front seats.



The TDI models can be equipped with adaptive xenon headlights, a premium Dynaudio sound system, and a navigation system and (on four-door models) rear seat airbags.



The base 2011 Volkswagen Golf 2.5L is powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder that produces 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 23 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined for the automatic and 22/30/25 mpg for the manual.



Safety

The 2011 VW Golf's standard safety features include antilock disc brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length head curtain airbags. Rear-seat side airbags are unavailable on two-door models, but are optional on four-door models.



Interior Design and Special Features

The Golf is actually much nicer than the new 2011 VW Jetta sedan.

Whether you choose the two- or four-door route, the Golf's interior passenger space remains the same. Access to the two-door Golf's rear seats is made relatively painless thanks to front seats that slide easily out of the way. The split-folding rear seats bump that figure up to 46 cubes.



The 2011 Volkswagen Golf's high level of interior refinement is echoed in its composed, solid feel on the road. At highway speeds, the Volkswagen Golf is significantly quieter than other hatchbacks. The Golf's gasoline engine provides smooth power throughout the rev range.



The Volkswagen Golf can't really be called sexy, but there are some classy details baked into its three- and five-door bodies--particularly around the rear door cuts. Stacked up against the dashing new Elentra, the Volkswagen Golf doesn't necessarily look dated, just conservative. The interior's solidly designed and built, more so than VW's own Jetta sedan that shares the Golf's assembly line.



Front passenger space is ample, but the three-door's rear seats might seem a little cramped. The turbocharged Volkswagen GTI is reviewed separately.

VW to unveil Single-Seat Electric Car

Volkswagen is poised to unveil a single-seat, ultra-frugal, zero-emission electric car. The German carmaker also plans to offer a “full-service package” for customers of its electric cars by selling them power from renewable sources, Jürgen Leohold, head of research, told the Financial Times.

VW’s one-seat concept or experimental car will showcase the carmaker’s ambition to build vehicles that generate no carbon dioxide, even on a “well-to-wheel” calculation that takes into account the carbon dioxide generated by power plants.

“It’s a new kind of mobility – a new vehicle concept,” Mr Leohold said. “Also, it’s physics. If you limit a car to one person, you can make it smaller, less weight, you need less energy to transport the person, and then obviously … it can be better on CO2 and fuel efficiency”.

Mr Leohold said that the single-seater concept car, to be unveiled within weeks, was designed for limited purposes, such as commuting, and that most drivers would want a larger vehicle for longer trips.

He declined to reveal the car’s range, top speed or other details ahead of its unveiling.

VW’s research head said that the one-seater would be “even better” than the XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle, a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid capable of 313 miles per gallon which the company unveiled in January.

Mr Leohold said that the car’s CO2 count “depends on what kind of electricity you put in the battery”, but if powered from renewable sources it would be “zero”.

Single-passenger vehicles are a rarity in the car industry apart from niche products such as the Segway scooter – which is prohibited from roads in many countries – or the ill-fated Sinclair C5, a British-designed electric tricycle launched in 1985 that flopped because of safety and other concerns.

2012 Volkswagen CC Reviews

2012 Volkswagen CC Reviews-The six speed dual clutch automated manual transmission is standard. Lux Limited- Adds adaptive xenon headlights, and different 18 inch wheels. All other engine, transmission, and standard safety equipment remain the same.



The 2012 Volkswagen CC is a four-passenger sedan available in six trims: 2.0T Sport, 2.0T R-Line, 2.0T Lux, 2.0T Lux Plus, 2.0T Lux Limited and VR6 4Motion Executive. The Sport comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, automatic wipers, heated mirrors, cruise control, automatic climate control, heated eight-way power front seats with lumbar adjustment, premium vinyl "leatherette" upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth and an eight-speaker sound system with a touch screen interface, HD radio, auxiliary audio jack, an iPod interface and satellite radio.



The Volkswagen CC Lux adds to the Sport different 18-inch wheels, fog lamps, heated washer nozzles, dual-zone automatic climate control, a navigation system (deletes HD radio) and brushed-aluminum interior trim. Lux Limited gets different 18-inch wheels and adaptive xenon headlights.



Stepping up to the VR6 4Motion Executive adds to the Lux Limited's equipment a V6 engine, all-wheel drive, headlamp washers, parking sensors, steering wheel shifter paddles, a power rear sunshade, driver memory functions, leather upholstery and a 10-speaker Dynaudio sound system.



The 2012 Volkswagen CC 2.0T models are front-wheel drive and powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined with the automatic. A conventional six-speed automatic is standard. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 17/25/20.



All Volkswagen CCs come standard with antilock disc brakes (with brake assist), stability and traction control, hill-hold assist, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags. The VR6 stopped in 124 feet.



From the base Sport model to the top-of-the-line Executive trim, the 2012 Volkswagen CC shows off the luxury amenities and workmanship normally associated with premium luxury brands. The front seats offer a plethora of adjustments to fit nearly any body type.



The Volkswagen CC Sport, R-Line and Lux models feature a peppy four-cylinder engine that delivers a respectable 200 horsepower. The Volkswagen CC Lux also includes the RNS 315 navigation system as a standard feature as well as an available technology package that includes a DVD player, upgraded navigation screen and rearview camera.



The sports-tuned suspension of the 2012 Volkswagen CC ensures a smooth, comfortable ride even on bumpy terrain.

2011 Volkswagen CC sedans come very well-equipped

2011 Volkswagen CC -The top-end model is powered by VW's VR6 3.6-liter, only available with 4Motion all-wheel drive and good for 280 horsepower. It pays for the power with a thirst 17/25 mpg city/highway and 20 mpg combined. Some will find even the front seating position a bit awkward because they're positioned low relative to the high door line. Raising the seats just compromises headroom.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Volkswagen CC is a four-passenger sedan that is offered in five trim levels. Starting with the base 2.0T Sport, standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing windshield wipers, full power accessories, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, cruise control, air-conditioning, a trip computer, hill-hold assist, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with multifunction controls, leatherette premium vinyl upholstery, 12-way adjustable front seats and split-folding rear seats. The 2.0T Lux trim augments the Sport model by adding 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, dual-zone climate control, brushed aluminum interior trim and a navigation system. The VR6 4Motion Executive trim features a more powerful V6 engine and all-wheel drive, along with polished 18-inch wheels, headlight washers, heated outside mirrors, steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles, a power rear sunshade, parking sensors, driver seat memory, leather sport seats and a premium 10-speaker audio system.

The 2011 Volkswagen CC offers buyers the choice of two powertrains: front-wheel drive with a turbocharged inline-4 and all-wheel drive with a V6. Sport trim models come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while a six-speed automated manual transmission (DSG) is available as an option. Other trim levels featuring the 2.0-liter turbo are only offered with the DSG automatic. The 3.6-liter V6 engine is only available on the all-wheel-drive VR6 4Motion Executive. The EPA estimates fuel economy for the DSG automatic at 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway and 25 mpg in combined driving.

Safety
All Volkswagen CCs come standard with antilock disc brakes (with brake assist), stability and traction control, hill-hold assist, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags. Last year's optional rear-seat side airbags have been discontinued.
It received five stars for front-passenger side crash protection and four stars for rear-passenger side protection.

Interior Design and Special Features
Rear seat headroom is limited by the sloping roof line, so taller rear passengers will find themselves slouching to fit, but average-sized adults should find these seats supportive and comfortable, with ample legroom.

While the strong, sleek appearance of the 2011 Volkswagen CC might suggest sport sedan, it's not quite that. Most of the lineup—especially the four-cylinder models—ride quite well, and lavish interior trims feel luxury-car caliber; the interior is tight and serene, too.
Backseat space isn't passable for adults, for head room reasons, while the front-seat position is, for lack of terse terms, a bit odd.

Volkswagen hasn't skimped on features in the Volkswagen CC sedans; all of them, even the base Sport, come very well-equipped. The Volkswagen CC is available in Sport, Lux, and Executive models, with Sport and Lux models getting the four-cylinder engine and the Executive upgrading to the VR6 and 4Motionn all-wheel drive.

The navigation system in the Volkswagen CC is an all-new unit this year, while the top Dynaudio sound system is now only offered on the top Executive VR6

2011 VW Polo GTI Overviews

VW Polo GTI is back. The list of high-tech features runs through the new Polo GTI like a common theme.

It ensures that the Polo GTI’s power is cleanly transferred to the road, even in tight serpentine curves. Serving the same purpose are the low-profile tyres (215/40 R17 87V) on alloy wheels in GTI-typical 5-hole Denver styling (7Jx17), whose look the new top Polo shares with the Golf GTI.

This system, standard equipment on the Polo GTI, accesses existing sensor data such as steering wheel angle, yaw rate and wheel speeds. The effect: more safety and driving fun, because the Polo GTI steers even more precisely with XDS.

I really want someone to explain the premium between Volkswagen's Mark VI Golf GTI five-door and its new Polo GTI and -- more to the point -- why I should pay it. I remain firmly of the opinion there's only one car under $100,000 that does so much better, and that's a Mark VI Golf GTI.

There's the same tactile VW GTI steering wheel, the red stitching, the standard tartan upholstery. Similarly lowered, and with its own suspension settings, the Polo shares the Golf's XDL (extended electronic differential lock), which all but arrests understeer when the car is tipped hard into a corner.With the Polo version, you get the seven-speed version of the twin-clutch automatic DSG or nothing.

The VW GTI badge alone gives this car loads of street cred. Transmission choices include a standard six-speed manual or a more finicky six-speed dual clutch unit. Unfortunately there’s no all-wheel drive option, which means this model is limited to front-wheel drive. Buyers considering the sporty Honda Civic Si or the MazdaSpeed3, or possibly even the MINI Cooper, should definitely book a test drive of the 2011 VW GTI.

The MINI also can’t match the "VW GTI" on performance; a similar performing turbocharged Cooper S is around $7,000 more than the Volkswagen.

It’s 13 years since Volkswagen first attempted to sprinkle the magic of its GTI badge over a model other than the Golf. For starters, the most powerful Polo – until the arrival of a rumoured flagship R model – again mimics its upsized sibling with signature GTI touches. There’s the black honeycomb grille with red horizontal strips, red brake callipers and even identical 17-inch alloy wheels. Even if you opt for the $28,990 five-door, the value looks outstanding when you consider the Polo GTI’s natural rivals: Renault Sport Clio, $36,490; Mini Cooper S, $40,500; Alfa Romeo MiTo QV, $34,990.

Keen drivers may be disappointed the Polo GTI comes with only brake and accelerator pedals – the only transmission being a DSG dual-clutch auto. Employing both a supercharger – for lowspeed response – and a turbocharger – for shove at medium to high engine speeds – makes the Polo GTI both fast and frugal. There’s agile balance, enthusiastic corner turn-in and tenacious tyre grip when exiting tighter bends.

In terms of practicality – still important in hot hatches – the GTI, as with all Polos, offers good rearseat legroom for its class size. However, a repositioned battery – to improve weight distribution – reduces boot space from 280 litres to 204 litres.