Volkswagen Golf Hatchback (2004 - 2008) 1.4 S FSI 5d (AC) Owner Review

First off the good, as soon as you touch the car and get in you get that wow quality feeling, really nice solid quality build, doors make a nice thunk when closed, interior materials are first class (well not quite, see later*). Seats are firm, well formed, generous and from fitting, very comfortable! All cabin equipment is intuitively laid out and a smart overall presentation (if just a little bland). Also the car is actually quite wide and this is reflected in the very poised confident handling without a touch of body roll. First wow factor out of the way, then a few details catch your eye....*the internal door handles/armrest and middle console have a layer of thin rubber which appears to scrape off as easily as the grey panel on a lottery scratch card, which visually show, so be careful to cut your nails when you touch anything or, there you go....another scratch appears, bar lottery win. Rear seating is exceptionally good, with plenty of leg room and headspace like the front. Boot space is really surprisingly big as is the entire car, deceptively so.. Unfortunately after a while of driving you notice that (at least on the 1.4 FSI 90p) the MPG is well a bit naff really around town, but it's really quite good on the motorway, if you live in Wales (like I do) then lots of valley driving up and down hills really drinks the petrol and that's because it's quite a heavy car, so all that lovely build quality and hidden ample size comes at a cost, at the pump :-(. Ok, it's not awful, but if you've been used to cheerful lightweight Japanese cars, your really gonna notice it. So I guess it's you get the excellent build quality with one hand, and pay with the other. However, you do have the reassurance of having a 5 star N-CAP review, so that's nice to know, I suppose (a tad boring). Overall, it's a smooth relaxing car with good German underpinnings, sturdy safe drive, a bit sluggish, quite stylish, a little underwhelming, and by many reviews a bit unreliable, although I wouldn't say it was a really unreliable car, just average or a little under what you'd expect seeing the VW badge and paying with your hard earned cash. It's an ok car, it has something special about it, it's actually quite nice, unlike your average ford, but it should be better in acceleration, and MPG. I guess you can't have it all. I'd give it 3.6 stars out of 5, ow ok 3.9 stars....Just like it annoys me slightly with the economy, acceleration, and scratchy panels (it could have been so much more) not quite 4 stars. VW, nice car, but could do better!