All posts by Macfivenews

Motoring and travel journalist, opinionated gob on a stick
Motoring

Iconic Golf still a winner at 50

Leave a comment

Volkswagen Golf Style eTSI

By Bill McCarthy

AT more than 50 years old, what can be said about VW’s iconic Golf? Quite a lot actually. Since its debut in 1974, this remarkable car has captured the hearts of drivers, achieving huge success in becoming a legend on the roads.

It has endured for decades thanks to its combination of quality, practicality, and reliability, along with a number of technical advancements. The Golf continues to thrive, even as VW expands its electric ID range.

In fact, it is VW’s best-selling model for 2024, with 32,370 registrations that place it sixth in the overall market.

This achievement comes as the model celebrates its 50th anniversary. Even amidst the push for electric cars, the Golf still offers various options: petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and, in this instance, the mild hybrid 1.5-litre eTSI petrol unit.

It remains a desirable vehicle, providing premium features in a mainstream market, such as a head-up display, adjustable ambient lighting, the ability to use a mobile phone as a vehicle key, and hatchback practicality in an era dominated by SUVs and crossovers.

The latest upgrade to the eighth generation includes design tweaks and introduces a first for the brand. It is unmistakably a Golf but features sharper styling.

 Notable improvements include LED headlights, a horizontal LED strip in the radiator grille, and, for the first time, an illuminated VW logo on the grille. The rear showcases the word “Golf” emblazoned on the boot, reflecting the company’s confidence in its product.

 The Style variant additionally offers 17-inch alloy wheels, (optional 18-inch on this model), front sports seats, high-end soft-touch interior trim, adaptive cruise control, climate control, door mirror puddle lights, and LED headlights with a cornering function and ‘Style’ exterior badging.

An upgraded infotainment system (MIB4) features a free-standing touchscreen and illuminated touch sliders for temperature and volume control.

 It also includes an enhanced multi-function steering wheel and an IDA voice assistant, which is ready to integrate with ChatGPT.

This mid-range model is powered by a 150PS TSI petrol engine paired with the excellent seven-speed DSG automatic transmission. It offers both strong performance and impressive fuel economy, achieving around 50 mpg.

 Acceleration is quick, hitting 60 mph in just over eight seconds and can reach a top speed of 139 mph. It also provides good levels of torque for smooth overtaking on the motorway or quick starts around town.

However, push the accelerator too hard and can be prone to front wheel spin. The suspension handles road conditions expertly, ensuring stability while cornering and the ride is comfortable as always.

Practicality is also a strong point, comfortably seating five passengers and offering 381 litres of luggage capacity, which increases to 1,237 litres with the rear seat backrest folded down.

While not the largest in its class, this capacity is adequate for most needs. Safety is a priority, with a full complement of active and passive measures, including a complete set of airbags.

Notably, it features Park Assist Pro, which allows the vehicle to be manoeuvred into and out of parking spaces using a smartphone operated from outside the car. 

The Area View option provides a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the vehicle and its surroundings for easier manoeuvering.

Other standard features include emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane and traffic jam assist, oncoming vehicle braking during turns with swerve support, and rear traffic alert. It also comes standard with front and rear cameras equipped with parking sensors

.After half a century, this is the best Golf yet. As Ralf Brandstätter, former CEO of VW Passenger Cars, stated not so long ago: “A Golf always remains a Golf because the underlying concept is timeless.” There is no reason to doubt him.

Factfile

  • Volkswagen Golf Style 1.5 TSI
  • Price: £32,150
  • Mechanical: 150PS, 1,498cc, four cylinder turbo charged mild hybrid petrol engine driving front wheels  via seven-speed DSG auto transmission
  • Max speed: 139mph
  • 0-62mph: 8.4 seconds
  • Combined mpg: 50.2
  • Insurance: 22E
  • CO2 emissions: 121g/km
  • BiK rating: 29%
  • Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles
AWD, Isuzu, Pick-up/4x4, SUV/4X4

Taking off-road to the Max

Leave a comment

Isuzu D-Max 2025

By Bill McCarthy

  • The 2025 D-Max pick-up combines on-road comfort and off-road capability, priced from £32,916 with a five-year, 250,000-mile warranty. 
  • It features a redesigned exterior, various trims (Utility, DL20, DL40, V-Cross), and a touchscreen infotainment system. 
  • Powered by a 162 bhp, 1.9-litre diesel engine with manual or auto transmission, it offers a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and a payload of over 1.2 tonnes. 
  • With enhanced safety features and a competitive price, the D-Max stands out in the pick-up market.

Isuzu’s impressive off-roader has just got even better. On road and most certainly off road as a challenging off-road course on a particularly wet winter day proved. Revamped for 2025, the iconic pick-up comes with several improvements to exterior and interior design and enhanced ability to tackle the really rough stuff.

Not to mention a five-year, 250,000 mile warranty and a VAT inclusive starting price of £32,916. The range is structured into two segments: Business and All-Purpose with four variations: Utility, DL20, DL40 and V-Cross and a choice of angle, extended or double cab configurations. 

For the even more lifestyle-conscious, there is the blinged up, but seriously capable Arctic Truck versions.

A favourite for builders, on a farm or families looking for a lifestyle choice, it is bucking the trend with increasing sales in the segment. Primarily designed to tackle rough terrain, it offers 250mm of ground clearance and solid stability. 

Already stylish looking in the competitive pick-up truck glamour stakes, it now looks even more muscular with a new radiator grille, bonnet and bumper and smart 18-inch alloy wheels. Also new are Bi-LED headlamps, automatic windscreen wiper, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, keyless entry, and dark side steps for easy access. 

Primarily a commercial vehicle, there is no shortage of creature comforts to keep the driver happy on the farm, in the Amazon rain forest or even on the school run.

The days of bog basic commercial vehicles are gone and interior features include a new touchscreen.

It controls features like navigation and an updated, wireless infotainment system with DAB, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a new digital seven-inch driver display – higher spec models have uprated, larger screens.

It offers premium features like cloth or leather heated seats, a new multi-function steering wheel and upgraded door trims.

Extra for the DL40 and V-Cross are an eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support and larger info screens.Under the bonnet, the 1.9-litre diesel engine has been retained and paired with a six-speed manual or upgraded auto transmission.

It delivers 162 bhp and 371Nm of torque for tackling the toughest of conditions. Traditionally not the quietest of power units, this latest version has better sound proofing to quieten engine noise. 

A definite improvement on the road where the ride is surprisingly stable for a vehicle sitting so high off the ground. It does not bounce around when unladen like some competitors and the upmarket interior keeps other occupants in decent comfort.

It’s no cheap runabout, with economy depending, on model, hovering around 31-33 mpg with high CO2 emissions at between 220 and 236 g/km.

Equipped with a 4WD Shift-On-The-Fly system, and wading depth of up to 800mm, it’s all built on a sturdy ladder chassis with underbody protection coverings.  With a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and a loading bay payload over a 1.2 tonnes that accepts a full pallet, the D-Max can handle heavy loads.

The tailgate has been redesigned with triple shield taillights and a damper for smooth load bed opening. 

Added sensors detect trailer swing and lower the speed if any sway is identified, while the refined suspension improves ride quality without compromising the payload.

Each model features the latest generation of Rough Terrain Mode (RTM), an off-road traction control system which works in conjunction with the rear differential lock to maximise torque transfer and keep going through the most difficult terrains. 

It controls brake force to individual wheels when slippage is detected and directs torque to the wheels with the most grip. While new displays show the angle of steering and side incline to help the driver decide what’s feasible over rough terrain.

On a particularly muddy and difficult off-road course, the pick-up dealt with the challenges with ease. One impressive manoeuvre came when the vehicle was stopped, deliberately, on a steep muddy slope and then started again with little or no wheel slip.

Upgraded safety  kit includes a full complement of airbags, reversing camera, traffic sign recognition, tyre pressure alerts and dual-zone climate control. Emergency braking has been improved together wth new intelligent adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitor and emergency lane keeping.

The Utility starts at under £33k  while the  range-topping V-Cross with all the bells and whistles has a price tag of £47,916.

A significant improvement on its predecessor, the latest D-Max undercuts its rivals in price, while offering an impressive range of standard kit and there’s the five-year 125,000 mile warranty, not to mention customer loyalty, no wonder its bucking pick-up trend with increased sales.