SecondhandSense:
Volkswagen Golf PlusA
There are few more bankable names in the motor
industry than that of the Volkswagen Golf, and deservedly so.
It has been around for more than 30 years and has proved itself to be a solid, stylish and economical car that somehow never really shows its true age. It is also a car that sells itself and its popularity never seems to wane. It was on the back of this popularity that Volkswagen decided to create a new niche market when it introduced the Golf Plus two years ago, a decision that baffled me at the time and continues to do so today.
The idea was to extend and heighten the standard Golf model to create more interior space and a bigger, heavier car. Better entry and egress and a more family-friendly alternative to the normal Golf seemed to be the received wisdom but when the result was a car that weighed 100kg more, and space was not all that dramatically different, one wondered even more.
Not surprisingly, the Golf Plus has not exactly been a runaway success. Most Golf owners seem happy with their lot and anyone else will have opted for the Touran or gone to the competition, which offers quite a few cars that top the Golf Plus in several respects.
The Plus has all the virtues of the standard car and, it has to be said, offers better seating options and a million and one cubby holes for storage. It does not drive as well as the Golf, however, because of all that extra weight and the higher centre of gravity. A lot has gone into trying to make it very different but, in fairness, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two cars. It is well finished inside, and is comfortable and solid. The entry level engine is a 1.4-litre petrol, which does struggle a bit to carry the load. The 1.6-litre would be a better option entirely and the 1.9-litre diesel would be a slight extravagance. However, as VW offers so many options in building cars to individual requirements, it is possible to wait and see exactly what might suit when it comes to a second-hand choice.
The car is well equipped with six airbags, electronic stability programme, ABS and other sensible items of equipment and has done very well with EuroNCAP crash tests. It has achieved a five-star rating with good results for adult and child safety. The Golf does not have any serious recall record, particularly since 2005 when the Golf Plus was introduced. It has a good reliability record and should deliver good service.
A 1.4-litre petrol 2005 Golf Plus with 20,000km on the clock and extras such as cruise control, alloys, electric windows and multiple airbags is on offer for €22,000. A 2006 version with similar mileage and a 1.4-litre petrol engine is on offer for €21,250.
FOR:Reputation and reliability
AGAINST:What exactly is the logic of the design?