A MORE AFFORDABLE VOLTSWAGEN (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Volkswagen's Plug-in Golf gets more affordable in Golf eHybrid form. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 70

If you want a PHEV Volkswagen Golf, but you want it slightly more affordably, then you want this car, the Golf eHybrid. It gets an only slightly lesser-powered version of the PHEV powertrain we know from the Golf GTE, but clothes this 204PS package in more conservative bodywork. At an asking price that'll make this variant a very reasonable alternative to a Golf 2.0 TDI diesel for many forward-thinking folk.

Backgroundword count: 135

For years, Volkswagen offered just one Plug-in hybrid Golf variant and we knew it as the GTE. At the end of 2020, a new generation version of that model arrived on the market, based on the eighth generation Golf and powered by a 245PS version of the usual 1.4-litre TSI-based powerplant. But it was a touch pricey for some folk, hence the arrival of this de-tuned 204PS version of the same powertrain, slightly less sportily-packed in this model, the Golf eHybrid. Adding this variant to the range made sense: the identically engineered SEAT Leon/CUPRA Leon and Skoda Octavia models also offer their customers PHEV motoring with a choice of 204 and 245PS power outputs. And it gets you a substantial price saving over the alternative Golf GTE. Let's take a closer look at this car.

Driving Experienceword count: 260

As with the Golf GTE, the combustion element of this Golf eHybrid model's drivetrain uses a 150PS 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine and a 6-speed DSG auto gearbox. What's changed here is that total output falls from 245 to 204PS but there's still 350Nm of torque, enough to propel this model from rest to 62 mph in only 7.4 seconds, before going on to a top speed of 137mph. Around town, practically all short-distance trips are possible in the Golf eHybrid with zero tailpipe emissions. The car's full electric range of 44 miles on a full charge, allied to the fact that the Golf eHybrid always starts journeys in all-electric E-MODE if the battery is sufficiently charged (except at battery temperatures of below -10°C), means that all-electric running will probably become the norm for many drivers. Moreover, since the Golf eHybrid can also be driven in all-electric mode at speeds of up to 80mph, motorways can also be covered under purely electric power. It is also possible to reserve electric energy during longer journeys in order to guarantee that it is possible to drive in E-MODE, with zero local tailpipe emissions, in a built-up area at your eventual destination. At the start of the journey, you simply enter the percentage of the battery capacity that must be reserved into the infotainment system. The battery doesn't have to be fully charged at the start of the journey for this to function effectively, since the lithium-ion unit can also be charged during the trip via both the TSI engine and brake energy recuperation.

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