After 4 months of waiting I took delivery on Tuesday so thought I'd share my first impressions of the car for anyone on the waiting list or thinking of buying.
Absolutely fantastic! Way above my expectations, which were high, the first few miles have been everything I could have hoped.
Previous cars owned include Audi TT 225 coupe, Seat Leon Cupra Turbo, Subaru Impreza Turbo, Clio Williams, Saxo VTR and I also own a Honda CBR600 motorbike so I know a little about speed and handling. [
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Don't worry about running in, it will do 110mph quite comfortably at 4k revs in 6th. Keeping it below 4k is as much performance as you will normally need, though the temptation is almost too much to mash the go faster pedal whilst running in.
The 18 inch alloys appear to offer no compromise to ride or handling though i haven't driven one fitted with the 17 inch wheels. Ride is firm but with no crashing or tramlining to speak of. While you can easily feel the painted white lines and change of road surfaces through your backside the damping is as cosseting as an egyptian quilt of goose down. VW have hit the jackpot to get this balance right and is something i've searched for in previous cars.
The interior is welcoming yet huge with plenty of space for my family of three, though stepping from my previous car (TT) it was bound to feel like the Tardis. A perfect driving position was easy to find thanks to the many variations available on wheel and seat.
Gadgets abound like the automatic wipers, but my favourite is the coming home / leaving automatic headlights. When unlocking the car at night the headlights come on which was quite dramatic in the local pub car park (We will get gas and electric one day up North too!). If I was ordering today though I would spec the highline computer so that the time delay could be altered on swiching off, they stay on slightly too long - "you've left your lights on mate" was said as I entered pub!
A trip booked in to deepest, darkest Scotland at Easter will see it run in properly and I will be able to better report on performance and twisty bit handling - if anyone's interested [8)].
To summarise, if anyone's got this far, i'm a seriously happy customer and wish you all as much happiness with whatever Golf you own.
Regards,
Ken
Absolutely fantastic! Way above my expectations, which were high, the first few miles have been everything I could have hoped.
Previous cars owned include Audi TT 225 coupe, Seat Leon Cupra Turbo, Subaru Impreza Turbo, Clio Williams, Saxo VTR and I also own a Honda CBR600 motorbike so I know a little about speed and handling. [
]Don't worry about running in, it will do 110mph quite comfortably at 4k revs in 6th. Keeping it below 4k is as much performance as you will normally need, though the temptation is almost too much to mash the go faster pedal whilst running in.
The 18 inch alloys appear to offer no compromise to ride or handling though i haven't driven one fitted with the 17 inch wheels. Ride is firm but with no crashing or tramlining to speak of. While you can easily feel the painted white lines and change of road surfaces through your backside the damping is as cosseting as an egyptian quilt of goose down. VW have hit the jackpot to get this balance right and is something i've searched for in previous cars.
The interior is welcoming yet huge with plenty of space for my family of three, though stepping from my previous car (TT) it was bound to feel like the Tardis. A perfect driving position was easy to find thanks to the many variations available on wheel and seat.
Gadgets abound like the automatic wipers, but my favourite is the coming home / leaving automatic headlights. When unlocking the car at night the headlights come on which was quite dramatic in the local pub car park (We will get gas and electric one day up North too!). If I was ordering today though I would spec the highline computer so that the time delay could be altered on swiching off, they stay on slightly too long - "you've left your lights on mate" was said as I entered pub!
A trip booked in to deepest, darkest Scotland at Easter will see it run in properly and I will be able to better report on performance and twisty bit handling - if anyone's interested [8)].
To summarise, if anyone's got this far, i'm a seriously happy customer and wish you all as much happiness with whatever Golf you own.
Regards,
Ken
