Her + His Car Reviews
2018 Volkswagen Golf SE
There are two sides to everything, right? To keep our car reviews innovative and interesting, we provide an animated, insightful, detailed and sometimes uncouth two points of view on the same car from - Her + His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate, women-drivers.com
His: Don Hammonds, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| HER | HIS |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| $24,755 | $24,755 |
| Performance | |
| Exceptional handling driving this 2018 Volkswagen Golf SE TSI. It's got its own power and intuition with a 1.8-liter turbocharged 4 cylinder that makes 170 horsepower. Just so much get up and go and hugs the road. The 5 speed manual comes standard, and a six-speed automatic is available. | Power--and there's plenty of it--comes from a 170 horsepower, turbocharged 1.8 liter four-cylinder engine. Cornering, handling, braking are all phenomenal on the Golf--and that is true no matter which model you pick. |
| Fuel Economy | |
| 33 highway miles and 24 city, for 27 overall. | Fuel economy for the automatic equipped 2018 Golf is 24 overall, 33 on the highway and 27 miles per gallon in city driving. |
| The Car | |
| One of our favorite cars to drive. Ever. The 2018 has some design updates and it starts with a more athletic front and combination LED lighting. The seats conform to your body for a most comfortable ride - the power leather front seats have a multi-position for optimized position. Steering wheel can be adjusted too. We see that new trim panels and finishing materials are used in the cabin of the Golf SE. | Getting a Volkswagen Anything is always good news in our household. Why? Because we know what to expect from Volkswagen products. And the Golf continues that tradition. Fantastic road performance. Sumptuous, well-done, comfortable interior. Really, really good mileage. Understated and classic styling that ages very well. And good resale value too. So you can imagine how my family felt when a 2018 Volkswagen Golf SE four door sedan with a 1.8 liter TSI four-cylinder engine. It's just such an iconic, fun to drive compact--way more so than anything else except the Honda Civic--that you just can't help falling in love with it. |
| Safety | |
| Sure the car is fitted with many, many airbags, but where it impresses is in the care and safety connectivity systems. We like the driver assistance offerings like Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking which help warn you about what's ahead or behind, or even sideways - oncoming cars or pedestrians. Included in the new 2018 is the Post Collision Braking System which helps decrease accidents and collisions. All customers receive the "Volkswagen Car-Net Security & Service" for a 6 month trial. The cool things included in this are Roadside Assistance for 24/7 care, Automatic Crash Notification that, in the event of an accident, connects you quickly with first responders, and a Manual Emergency Call that allows you to connect with customer specialists with the push of a button, if needed. |
Customers purchasing new Volkswagen models equipped with VW Car-Net Security & Service will receive a no-charge, six-month trial subscription from Verizon Telematics. To extend the benefits of this system after the trial, customers can choose from a number of payment options: One year for $199, two years for $378, and three years for $540, or month-to-month for $17.99, plus applicable taxes and fees. App-Connect can be used with no additional charge and is not included as part of the subscription-based services. Available VW Car-Net Security & Service features include Automatic Crash Notification, which can automatically notify an operator who can quickly contact first responders in the event of a collision; Manual Emergency Call, a feature that allows for quick access to customer specialists at the touch of a button; Roadside Assistance, for added peace-of-mind in the event of trouble on the road; and Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance, which uses VW Car-Net Security & Service to assist law enforcement with locating your vehicle in the event that it is stolen. |
| Technology | |
| Upgrades to the 2018 include new available features including Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, Pedestrian Monitoring, Autonomous Emergency Braking, High Beam Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Park Distance Control and Park Assist. Also Departure Warning and Park Distance Control. Satellite Radio for 3-month trial basis, HD Radio, an 8" infotainment screens project crisper graphics in this year's model. The Volkswagen Digital Cockpit is a very cool feature as it allows drivers to customize the display to prioritize certain information and details. Equipped on Golf SE models, VW Car-Net Security & Service is a suite of elements that provides security features and also allows owners to access their VW remotely through vw.com/carnet as well as a smartphone app. |
Visually refreshed front and rear, all Golf models feature newly-designed LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and striking LED taillights, along with new chrome highlights at the front and rear of the car. All models of the Golf feature a raft of comfort and convenience features often found on more expensive models. The Golf S has standard power windows (with one-touch up/down from all window switches) and exterior mirrors, Climatic air conditioning, cruise control, rearview camera, leather-wrapped handbrake and shifter knob, and partial power front seats. The SE model has keyless access with push-button start; heated front seats and Voice Control. The MIB II infotainment system not only creates the foundation for the next generation of Volkswagen's Car-Net connected vehicle services platform, but also offers one of the most comprehensive suites of connected vehicle services and features available in the automotive industry today. SE models are equipped with a glass-covered 8.0-inch Composition Media display with capacitive touchscreen. The new display is not only brighter than previous generations, it also offers better color reproduction, response time and improved viewing angles due to the switch to In-plane Switching (IPS) technology. Composition Media units feature one USB port, a JPEG viewer, SiriusXM Satellite Radio for a three-month trial period, HD Radio, support for lossless audio file format (Free Lossless Audio Codec FLAC). It also has the ability to send and receive SMS text messages with Bluetooth with compatible phones and pair two phones simultaneously. Volkswagen is committed to the development of more connected and intelligent vehicles, and the Volkswagen Car-Net connectivity system is a major element in achieving that goal. Features available through VW Car-Net are divided into three key areas: App-Connect, Security & Service, and Guide & Inform. VW Car-Net App-Connect smartphone integration for compatible devices is standard on all Golf models. App-Connect offers users the ability to run select smartphone apps directly on the vehicle's display through services like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link. |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| Already universally accepted as a winner, the updated more athletic 2018 model introduces automatic headlights and rain sensing wipers. New chrome accents border new front and rear bumpers. Supported by 18" alloy aluminum wheels. We echo the highlight regarding what the Golf so exceptionally offers as a performance vehicle at such a remarkably value-priced MSRP. It's simply outstanding what this vehicle provides - and it stands alone with little competition. | The Golf, which has been around for seven generations now, has been given an update to its exterior look that adds more precision and fine detail to its iconic profile, and it makes the whole car look contemporary, yet sporty and elegant looking. There's also a new front bumper and chrome-surround grille are flanked on either side by LED daytime running lights that provide the Golf a light signature, and meld into the character line that runs the length of the vehicle. At the rear, new full standard LED taillights complete the display without distracting from the strong C-pillar and overall grace of the Golf's lines. There's plenty of interior room--to be exact, there's 93.5 cubic feet of interior room, 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space up to the parcel shelf and 22.8 cu.-ft. to the roof. The versatility of the load space is enhanced by a trunk floor that can be moved up or down by 3.9 inches, while the 60:40 split backrest can be folded to give an almost flat cargo area that easily accommodates a full-size bicycle. With the rear seats folded, the Golf has 52.7 cu ft. of cargo capacity. The standard 3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel emphasizes the driver-centric nature of the Golf, and on models with the 6-speed automatic, includes paddle shifters for increased driver control. It also focuses on the center stack ---a trait frequently seen in premium luxury or performance vehicles. White backlighting for the controls further highlights this upscale ambience, as well as the use of premium materials throughout, such as soft-touch plastics and trim pieces available in chrome, aluminum, and piano-black finishes. |
| Warranty | |
| A New Very Attractive and Competitive "People First Warranty": 6 Year or 72,000 Mile Bumper - whichever comes first. Powertrain, Transmission and Optional 4Motions are included. Transferrable. | For the 2018 model year, Volkswagen Golf models in the United States will come with the People First Warranty, a six-year or 72,000-mile (whichever occurs first) bumper-to-bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty, which can be transferred to subsequent owners throughout its duration. The warranty includes powertrain coverage for engines, transmissions and optional 4Motion all-wheel-drive systems. Additionally, all the elements of the People First Warranty can be transferred to subsequent owners for up to six years or 72,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the date it was first sold new. Most mainstream competitors to the Volkswagen brand in the United States such as Honda, Toyota and Ford offer only a three-year/36,000 mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty on their cars and SUVs. While Hyundai and Kia offer a five-year/60,000 mile basic warranty and a higher time and mileage limit on their powertrain limited warranties, if the vehicle is sold to a second owner, the powertrain limited warranty is not transferable beyond five years or 60,000 miles from the date it was first sold new. |
