Volkswagen

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Friday – Estate That Thinks It’s An SUV

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The Passat estate is the surprise car of the year so far. Last time I drove one of these it was a poor second to the Ford Mondeo – now Volkswagen’s family mover is a seriously refined machine.

Okay, that may be because this is the top-of-the-range Alltrack version that costs as much as a decent SUV. However, with 4Motion four-wheel drive it is equally as capable and sports a much bigger load area in the boot.

In fact, it’s hard to see why anybody would want a cumbersome 4×4 when you could opt for the Alltrack. It may lack a little extra ground clearance but let’s face it, how many SUV owners really put their cars to the test in anything more than a muddy field?

It also drives in a more car-like manner – which means no body roll on the corners and better handling all round. What’s not to like about this Passat, apart from the high price?

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Thursday – VW Passat Alltrack

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The Alltrack is one of those cars that slips under the radar. Typical Volkswagen styling means that it looks like a ‘normal’ Passat estate and hasn’t been overcooked by the design department.

What’s the betting that any other manufacturer building a four-wheel drive estate car would have opted for plastic side mouldings and a rash of 4×4 stickers to emphasis the off-road ability?

As such, the Alltrack blends in with the rest of the Passat family when it really does have a good deal more to shout about.  It isn’t cheap at £32,000 but it drives beautifully, especially on corners where most SUVs wallow and moan.

While the bodywork has been raised 3cm to give better ground clearance and it boasts 4Motion all-wheel drive, this is really an estate car build for the road. Join us this week to see how week get on…

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Thursday – One of the Pack

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Crazy wind out there today but the Mazda sat perfectly on the motorway in a rather wicked cross wind. If you doubt the build quality of this car, that just reinforces how good it has been screwed together.

We also just about about managed to empty the tank, after 600 miles and some pretty harsh driving. The 6 is a big motor, so that represents impressive fuel consumption figures.

Will we miss the 6? Well, as already explained, it has done everything we have asked of it, minus a DAB radio. It looks every inch a slicker vehicle than the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Octavia and VW Passat, all backed up by the the reliability of a Mazda.

If you are content to drive a car that blends in with the pack and does nothing out of the ordinary, then it certainly offers an alternative to the rest of the big family saloons out there.

For us, we like something that makes a bit more of a statement and makes us smile when we see our car on the driveway in the morning…

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Saturday – Difficult Second Album

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I have to say, I never really know which cars Jessica is going to like and which ones she isn’t. I didn’t hold out much hope for the 208 but it appears to be a surprise hit, in a ‘difficult second album’ type way.

I’m still not sure myself. While the GTi is an absolute joy to drive, with a sweet six-speed gearbox and taut handling, the styling of the car is not completely in proportion. It looks top heavy and a little ‘heavy’ to be endearing.

I suppose my taste is coloured by the looks and feel of the original Peugeot 205 GTI. Small, compact and in perfect proportion, it made the Golf GTI look like an ugly duckling at the time.

Our test car is in my perfect colour – grey. So the fact it doesn’t make me swoon with envy when I see it every morning might speak volumes.

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Sunday – Bride Or Prejudice

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There are still a surprising number of  people who don’t know how to get in the back of a Giulietta. Sometimes you can see it coming… These are the people who opt to sit in the back, then open the front door and get cross because the driver’s seat doesn’t  roll forward enough!

There was a wedding at the White Lion in Aldeburgh last night and this morning, one of the guests tracked me down. Not because I had flirted with the bride but because he was on the verge of buying a VW Golf GTI and wanted to check out the competition. Naturally, I obliged.

While I complimented him on his choice of car, I was also keen to see what he thought of the Alfa, in a non prejudicial way. I think it was fair to say he was blown away. Once he had checked out the back seats, I took him for a drive for a few miles up the Suffolk coastline.

He played with all the buttons, loved the optional Bose sound system, cooed at the outrageously alternative dash and then gave me his verdict.

Class-leading hatchback with rock solid residuals (Golf) versus cool-looking Italian rock star car (Giulietta)? Naturally, he’s off to his Alfa dealer tomorrow…

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Saturday – The Sensible Choice

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Jeremy – A chap at the newsagents this morning asked me what word would best sum up the Sportback. He had driven Audis since 2002 and was thinking about downsizing from his company A6.

Not an easy question to answer because at first glance, this latest Sportback appears very similar to the last model – and not that unlike the three-door A3. On closer inspection, it has more angular lines and looks more dynamic from the rear but is otherwise, very much a standard issue Audi.

I told him the steering is light and very accurate, it sits well on the road, both at motorway speed and around corners. He was impressed that I’ve also been averaging 51mpg without even trying – in all manner of conditions. It has lowly emissions of 108 k/km too, meaning low road tax.

The A3 reminds me in so many ways of the VW Golf. It’s not the most exciting car to look at but the Sportback is proficient at just about everything you ask it to do. It’s even roomy inside, with a decent boot and quality fittings.

Standing on the road with my weekend FT in hand, I finally come up with the answer. Sensible.

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Thursday – Platform For Success

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Jeremy Let’s get one thing clear from the start – the latest Sportback looks pretty much the same as the last. I’ve just been wandering around the A3 on the driveway and it screams ‘Audi’ from every angle.

It also ticks all the boxes for space, safety and practicality – just what you would expect from the German design team in Ingolstaft. So what makes this car so damn good?

Well, to start with it is based on the VW Group MQB platform, which will be used across the brand’s entire manufacturing line up, from the SEAT Leon to the Skoda Octavia. Same platform, different car on top.

Which means this platform has to be good because it will be incorporated into so many different cars. The A3 is the pinnacle of this particular platform and after just a day behind the wheel, I can tell you that it drives exceptionally well, with high levels of comfort and handling.

The 2.0 TDI we have on test is remarkably quiet on the motorway too, which is probably where it will spend a lot of its life with many company buyers. I’ve driven about 50 miles and the fuel gauge hasn’t even flickered yet!

The styling leaves me cold but the Sportback may well deserve its many plaudits…

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Wednesday – Beetle Drive

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Jeremy – It’s our last day with the Beetle, VW‘s answer to the retro Mini. But while the Mini has morphed into a variety of oddities, the Bug now looks better than ever.

The masculine, squat shape make the VW more purposeful than ever and there’s an exceptional interior that’s not only a pleasure to sit in but fairly practical too.

Sitting on the latest Golf platform, the Beetle is a better drive than the previous model, even though I would opt for the more refined 2.0-litre engine rather than the 1.4 we tried, which has to be worked exceptionally hard to prove enjoyable.

There’s just enough performance to make the high revving 1.4 fun. The steering is more precise and there is a surprising amount of grip on twisty roads. That said, somehow it doesn’t have the precision of the Golf through the bends.

If you want a roomy, practical hatchback for the family buy a Golf. For those who want something that turns a few heads and stands out from the crowd, the Beetle remains almost as cool as it was 40 years ago.

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Monday – Cabin Fever

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Jeremy Another sunshiny day – just wish the sunroof in the Beetle would open a little bit further! At least when it gets too hot there is an electric blind to keep the heat down in the cabin.

For anybody who remembers sitting in the rear of the last generation Beetle, this one does seem to have more leg and headroom, despite the lower roof line. You can also lower the two back seats for a bigger boot space.

The Beetle cabin is very lovely place to be. There’s a neat centre armrest that just seems to sit at the right height, lots of cubbyholes and a trendy, drop down glovebox that looks very retro indeed.

I’m off to London today – tomorrow’s report will reveal how well the VW copes with the hustle and bustle of the Kings Road….

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Friday – Tough As Old Boots

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Jeremy  It’s Friday – surely we are due another Bank Holiday? No, well, I’ll have to make do with driving the toughened up, all-new Beetle to the coast instead.

On the way down to Poole I passed a gem of a ‘proper’ Beetle, which naturally gives us the opportunity to print the picture about. How did VW manage to design a car back then that really was so classless, iconic and timeless too?

They carried on making the classic-shaped Beetle in central America for years after it stopped in Germany  – in fact, they may well still make them in Mexico now. But the point is, VW could have just as easily stuck a new engine in the old car, beefed up the brakes and added some modern technology to the old car. It would have been a huge hit and outsold new Mini for sure!

That said, the low, squat shape of the newest Beetle model is brilliant. I love the styling from every angle, the little spoiler on the rear of our Sport model and the chrome trim along the bottom of the doors.

I’m not so excited about the 1.4 engine. The 2.0 petrol of the 2.0 TDI are definitely the way to go, even though that does drive the price up. Buy your new Beetle wisely…