VW Golf Sportsvan 2.0 TDI, road test (engine, performance, handling and consumption)

These days at Highmotor we have spent time with one of the most well-known cars in the world. We are talking about the Volkswagen Golf, but not a “traditional” Golf.

Our companion has been a Golf Sportsvan, the family-oriented variant which, in this seventh generation of the Golf, replaces the former Golf Plus.

Engine

Our test unit is equipped with a 2.0 TDI engine which, in its latest evolution, produces 150 CV. In fact, it is currently the most powerful option on the Spanish market. More performance-oriented options may be added later, although I can tell you in advance that the Sportsvan doesn’t really need them.

Turbocharged by a variable-geometry turbo, the 2.0 TDI produces 150 CV and 340 Nm. It comes as standard with a 6-speed manual gearbox, although a 6-speed DSG is available as an option. Overall, this 2.0 TDI is a modern engine, with noise and vibration levels that are a far cry from the rough TDIs of old. In fact, it is practically impossible to detect any vibration with the engine running, unless we have just started it from cold.

Performance

The 2.0 TDI is one of the most popular engines in the VW Group, fitted to a multitude of models and brands, from Seat to Audi, passing through Skoda and, of course, Volkswagen. Thus, an A4 uses the same engine as a Seat León, always delivering excellent results. The Sportsvan offers more than adequate performance with this engine, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds, while its top speed is rated at 212 km/h.

The engine has strength from 1,800 rpm, the point at which it wakes up and pushes hard. It is not comparable to the famous “TDI kick” of those pump-injector days, but this common rail still retains some of that very personal character… for better and for worse. Because below that 1,800 rpm threshold, the engine lacks sufficient power, and if we lose focus when changing gears we can run into a very unpleasant lack of power.

In those circumstances, the engine simply shudders and complains, asking us to “drop a gear.” On the other hand, diesel engines keep pulling harder and harder, and this one is no exception. It delivers maximum power between 3,500 and 4,000 rpm, although beyond 4,500 rpm the engine runs out of breath and gives no more, making it more efficient to shift up a gear.

Recoveries once rolling pose no problem for the Sportsvan, offering a wide safety margin and enough push to overtake with complete confidence. Furthermore, it can maintain high cruising speeds without strain, thanks to very well-chosen gear ratios.

Handling

The Sportsvan that accompanied us these days is fitted with the Sport trim, the most expensive and also the most sporty-focused. Built on the new MQB modular platform, the Sportsvan positions itself as one of the best compact MPVs of the moment in terms of handling, directly rivalling the BMW Serie 2 Active Tourer, the other benchmark in the segment.

The car’s response when we have to tackle corners is truly surprising. The suspension (MacPherson at the front and multi-link at the rear) contains body roll admirably without feeling particularly harsh, and the brakes, more than sufficient, bring the car to a stop promptly. We are less fond of the steering feel, which is overly assisted and does not provide all the feedback we would like when we want to enjoy ourselves behind the wheel.

However, as I mentioned, the Sportsvan delivers a more than surprising response when driving along a stretch of bends. Clearly the Golf Sportsvan is not a Golf GTI, nor does it aim to be, but it can certainly be described as “the Golf GTI among compact MPVs.”

Our unit includes the Driving Mode Selection option, which lets us vary several vehicle settings such as steering assistance and throttle response, and, if fitted with the DCC adaptive damping system, the firmness of the suspension as well. In ECO mode, the Sportsvan becomes a true touring car, capable of covering enormous distances with total ease.

There is also a Normal mode and a Sport mode, intended for the more “spirited” moments. It also offers a customisable mode called “Individual.”

Consumption

The Golf Sportsvan 2.0 TDI with manual gearbox has homologated really low consumption figures: 5.1 litres in the city, 4.0 on the extra-urban cycle and 4.4 litres combined. Although we did not manage to reach these figures, the final consumption over our test, 6.1 litres, seems to me sufficiently good. In urban driving consumption hovers around 6.5 litres, helped by the Start&Stop system, standard across the whole range, while on the road, at 120 km/h, consumption is around 5.5 litres per 100 km.

What has worsened compared with its predecessor is the range, for the simple reason that the fuel tank capacity has been reduced to exactly 50 litres, including the reserve.

Photography | Daniel Valdivielso