VW Golf Mk6 Wheels Car of the Year

[Lima]

Hahaha knobhead ACA journo talking about the Benz;

"E series" - it's an E Class. Made it sound like a HSV.

"6.3 litre engine" - 6.2 litres actually.

It's a shame that Wheels have to be associated with the clowns at the Packer camp.

Well done VW.

+1

Wheels do themselves a great disservice being associated with ACA.

[Dave8878]

Does this mean VW will very kindly send us some freebie copies of the February edition Wheels Magazine????

Watch this space

[midlifecrisis]

Does this mean VW will very kindly send us some freebie copies of the February edition Wheels Magazine????

Watch this space

That would be nice.

[Nath]

So finally found a copy of Wheels in Coles, all the servos and the local news agent had none, and havent read through the whole mag yet but of course jumped ahead to the Golf piece.

Seems that there were very few issues with the whole range and they were very impressed with the lower end models, even referred to the 103TDI as the 'Greenies GTI'

Overall pretty good write up, not too much on the GTI, which is disappointing, but they did seem to love it overall, scary thought that one of the Jouro's who was there in 1976 when the Golf won COTY is still there for the second coming.....

[Shane Zieck]

Does this mean VW will very kindly send us some freebie copies of the February edition Wheels Magazine????

Watch this space

I shall let you know if we (WANGARA VOLKSWAGEN) get a batch of them. Usually we see a box or two arrive within a couple of weeks of publication.
Needless to say we are all very, very proud of this award. About time!
Cheers...

[cktsi]

I'll preface my post by saying that I love the Golf and have owned both Mark 5 and Mark 6 (currently).

Whilst we may all celebrate in the Golf's success I am cynical about the Mark 6 getting the gong. Was it the right incaranation of Golf to give the award to?

In my mind, the Mk6 is not a great leap over Mk5. I've driven the bargain basement & comfortline equivalent of the Mk4 and the Mk5 was a MAJOR leap over Mk4 in all areas... quality of interior (mk4 had outdated looking boxy controls), engine, structural rigidity, quietness.

The Mk5 introduced a direct injection engine to the car market for <$30k. I think it's still the only car in the aussie market with such a value for money engine.

In it's heyday the Mk5 was the first of the small cars to come standard with 6 airbags & all the safety features such as ABS, anti-skid. Even the trendline came with it.

The road bump absorption & sound of the Mk6 feels very close to Mk5. Admitedly at higher speeds it is definitely quieter and handles corners much better... but that could be down to additional tyre width at the comfortline spec.

I think the Mk5 should have got the gong in the first place. Why didn't it... i suppose the GTI was not around as a halo model to influence judge's thinking.

I also think they're getting a huge st1ffy from having every engine in the range with direct injection and a turbo. Add to the fact the GTI was released in the same year and suddenly bingo it's a great range of cars... when in reality it always was in Mk5 form.

My logic is if they didn't award the Mk5, why bother awarding the Mk6... or is this belated recognition that VW have a fantastic car?

Having said that, I've put my money where my mouth is and come to the same conclusion at both purchase times that the Golf is the best car in the market for what I want (namely a quality hatch).

[Corey_R]

When the MKV came out, we didn't have the 'fuel price issues' or 'global economic crisis' yet. The other thing is, although I agree that the MK6 is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, the fact is, it still IS a decent amount better in interior design and quality, and I personsonally think that the look of the MK6 90TSI and 118TSI etc are much nicer than the equivalent MKV's.

So in other words, I think that it's a combination of the times have changed and the 'mass market' are now willing to accept a 'hatchback' as a 'primary car' along with the fact that the MK6 has just raised the Golf to the 'next level' in style and quality to make it a stand out in ALL models in the series, not just with the GTI.

Remember, the MKV GTI has won every award it can get in Australia... now the rest of the Golf mdoels are too

[MaccaTSI]

I liked the MKV. But until the GT came out, the only one I wanted was the GTI (and R32 of course, but that's a bit pricey for me ATM!) and if the GTI wasn't out for the previous COTY I can see why they didn't pick the golf (just my opinion).

To me the MKVI has just gone up another level and is what the MKV should have been. Every car in the range has a premium feel to it (90TSI without the comfort pack not AS much as the others, but still) I think as a complete range it is far better. In the MKV the cheaper cars look cheaper. Small wheels, bump strips and door handles not colour coded etc and almost every review I read on a MKV said interior quality had diminished since the MKIV.

Now with the MKVI, even the cheapest model feels like a car that should cost more than what you are paying for it, in every way.

Also, another thought.. while the car may be evolutionary, the TSI engine is revolutionary. These would be the first TSI cars in a Wheels COTY (I'm assuming?? as the GT came out after the GTI) and to get the power and response from an engine that is so frugal at the price it is, matched with the better interior, better looks (IMO) is incredible.

Oh and LOL at the comments on the Wheels website. So many haters that have probably never even driven the Golf. Oh well!

[Corey_R]

Exactly MaccaTSI. The Golf would have last been eligible in 2004 or 2005, the year that the first MKV models actually came out. There is a BIG difference between those original MKV standard models and the MK6 models out now

[Highlander]

I couldn't agree more. My daughter was in the market for a new car Feb/March 2009 and we drove most offerings in the medium size car market. Finally came down to a choice between a MK V petrol or diesel or a Honda Accord Luxury. We noted that the MK VI was due at the end of Feb 2009 and decided to wait and have a look at it.

Glad we did. Drove the Honda and the Mk VI back to back and decided the Golf was much better to "drive". About $500 more than the equivalent Mk V but it had the "feel" of a much more expensive car. The interior materials were much nicer and it was definitely much quieter. Even the exterior looks IMO more expensive.

She now has 16000km up after six months from delivery and the car looks and feels like new. No hassles and nothing but a $350 oil change (aka 15000km service). I recently purchased a CC TDI and lovely vehicle that it is, my first comments on driving it with my daughter were that you could see what a good job VW had done with the MK VI Golf in terms of quietness, ride quality and the quality feel of the interior and at what we consider to be a very acceptable price. Not sure whether my CC has quite a few Golf parts or if her Golf has quite a few CC parts.

I liked the MKV. But until the GT came out, the only one I wanted was the GTI (and R32 of course, but that's a bit pricey for me ATM!) and if the GTI wasn't out for the previous COTY I can see why they didn't pick the golf (just my opinion).

To me the MKVI has just gone up another level and is what the MKV should have been. Every car in the range has a premium feel to it (90TSI without the comfort pack not AS much as the others, but still) I think as a complete range it is far better. In the MKV the cheaper cars look cheaper. Small wheels, bump strips and door handles not colour coded etc and almost every review I read on a MKV said interior quality had diminished since the MKIV.

Now with the MKVI, even the cheapest model feels like a car that should cost more than what you are paying for it, in every way.

Also, another thought.. while the car may be evolutionary, the TSI engine is revolutionary. These would be the first TSI cars in a Wheels COTY (I'm assuming?? as the GT came out after the GTI) and to get the power and response from an engine that is so frugal at the price it is, matched with the better interior, better looks (IMO) is incredible.

Oh and LOL at the comments on the Wheels website. So many haters that have probably never even driven the Golf. Oh well!