Volkswagen Golf 2.5L and TDI - The 19th Hole

Thankfully, it's not all bad news. The Mk6 Golf is a great car. In fact, fully-equipped its close to spectacular, particularly in its TDI guise.

On paper, the 170hp Golf 2.5 five-cylinder is the more promising option with its 0-60mph time of 7.8sec. But on the wide-open German autobahns (where we sampled both cars), the 140hp Golf TDI 2.0 had a mid-range advantage that gave better in-gear acceleration despite a 0-60 time of 8.6sec

That can be attributed to the TDI's 236 lb-ft of torque between 1750 and 2500rpm, compared to 177 lb-ft at 4250rpm for the 2.5. Throw in the TDI's frugal 30mpg city and 42mpg highway (DSG transmission) and you have a recipe for success. Especially since the 2.5L returns 23mpg city and 30mpg highway (six-speed auto), which seems rather ordinary in comparison.

The real strength of the new Golf 2.5 two-door five-speed manual is its starting price of $17490. This is a real bargain for such a competent car with an equipment list that includes a trip computer, eight-way adjustable seats, eight-speaker CD stereo, the wonderful four-link independent rear suspension, front, side and curtain airbags plus stability control. Admittedly, it comes on 15" steel wheels, but you were going to change them anyway!

Our choice, though, would be the two-door TDI with six-speed manual from $21990. It includes all the good stuff above plus an in-dash CD changer, Sirius, iPod cable, leather steering wheel, lower sports suspension and 17" Porto wheels. For $22590 you get a four-door manual, and DSG carries an $1100 premium however many doors you choose.

We spent time in a fully equipped four-door TDI six-speed manual because the diesel benefits from stirring it by hand. The DSG version we drove was an equal delight, but we fail to see the need for lightning-fast gear changes when the engine responds rather prosaically.

Regardless of transmission, the 140hp TDI motor carried over from the current Mk5 Jetta TDI is superb. You ride the wave of torque through the gears and then cruise at a relaxed RPM with the fuel gauge barely moving. Even when bouncing off the 120mph speed limiters on the autobahn, we were still seeing average consumption in the mid-thirties, and getting near its maximum 42mpg didn't require special skills.

Another reason we'd take the TDI over the 2.5 is its standard sports suspension, 17" wheels and 225/45 performance tires. These gave the car much greater poise, making it feel GTI-esque. It also gets a sporty three-spoke leather steering wheel with multi-function controls. And while both models get sports seats similar to the GTI with adjustable lumbar, you quickly forget you're in a base model Golf. Add the optional touchscreen nav package, xenon lights and you'll be wondering why you need a GTI at all. In fact, it starts to look much like the GTD model available in Europe (see panel), which we lusted after

Where previous Golf generations were heralded by the GTI and slightly embarrassed by the cooking versions, the Mk6 has made real progress in providing a sound alternative to the flagship model. In fact, the Golf has been voted World Car of the Year by an international panel, so it isn't just our biased opinion.

Thanks to a dynamic new nose section that includes the wide front grilles and large, squinting headlights, the Mk6 Golf looks great from almost every angle. And by using more vertical lines on the back, the car no longer looks so tall from the rear.