Compared to the Legacy | |
Handling |
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This car is really fun to drive. The handling is great, the manual transmission is great, and the ride is comfortable.
Fuel economy |
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I average 43mpg in a little over half highway driving. I get 55mpg on the highway and about 35mpg in city driving. This is very impressive considering this car's performance.
Powertrain performance |
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I love the diesel engine. Its torque is amazing. It pulls strong from 1400rpm to 4500rpm. You never need to downshift to pass on the highway, because at 65mph in 6th gear it's right at the peak torque. The transmission is also smooth and has great gearing for fuel economy and performance. It's doing less than 2000rpm at 70mph, but still accelerates effortlessly. It's also quiet and smooth.
Materials & workmanship |
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The materials in this car are top notch. I am shocked by the number of $50000 luxury cars that have cheaper feeling interiors than this car (the latest BMW 3-Series for example).
Cargo capacity |
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Worse
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It's amazing how much stuff you can fit in this little car. I've moved adult size bikes, huge boxes, and most of my garage in this car. I haven't towed with it, but unlike other compact cars I actually can tow and with the diesel's torque I would expect to to be pretty good at towing. It's also worth mentioning that the Golf has lots of passenger space and the TDI model's front sport seats are really comfortable.