 | Volkswagen Golf Plus Luna |
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LUNA TICKS THE RIGHT BOXES
If you like the Volkswagen Golf but need a shade more space for a shade less money, the Golf Plus Luna models could have been designed just for you. Steve Walker reports...
Volkswagen's opening gambit for the Golf Plus was that; "it's a Golf, just a little bit bigger" and that just about said it all. It's not the sort of tag line that's likely to provoke a mad stampede of prospective buyers in the direction of the nearest VW dealership but maybe Volkswagen saw this car as more of a slow burner. The Golf Plus offers the impressive qualities of the standard Golf with more space, improved access and without going the whole hog to becoming a mini-MPV. It isn't the most inspiring concept but it's practical and in entry-level Luna form, there's also a powerful value proposition.
The Luna models form the base of the Golf Plus range but they feel a good deal plusher than some other entry-level Volkswagens we could mention. Climatic semi-automatic air-conditioning and a radio CD player are standard, while 15" Misano alloy wheels, body-coloured bumper strips and body-coloured door handles smarten-up the exterior. You'd only bother with a Golf Plus if you valued the extra practicality it offers over the Golf ? itself a reasonably capacious family hatchback ? so the Luna models play up to this market with a number of functional features.
The clever double-height boot floor is equipped with a cargo net and there's an extended roof console for additional storage. A front centre armrest features, along with a multi-function storage box for rear seat passengers to get their teeth into. Then there's the convenience pack which endows the car with automatic headlights that stay on after you've locked the car, guiding you to your door. You also get an auto-dimming rear view mirror, rain sensing wipers and footwell illumination so owners can verify that their Jimmy Choos remain in tiptop condition, even in the dead of night.
The rear seats can be shifted fore and aft by 160mm and folded by means of a system which means that they are automatically lowered when folded down. This results in a virtually level load space with a 1,450-litre volume, making the Golf Plus a very practical option indeed. The seats do the usual 60:40 split and the middle seat can also be folded down to form a drinks table. Numerous additional stowage spaces around the cabin will prove useful but for many, the Golf Plus will still throw up more questions than answers. All of the above features could, after all, easily have been engineered into the standard Golf.
"A standard Golf with more space and improved access that doesn't need to consider itself a mini-MPV...."
The interior keeps the Golf Plus at the top of the family hatch tree. It uses a fascia design reminiscent of the Phaeton luxury saloon, although the centre console is lifted from the Touran mini-MPV. With the possible exception of its pricier Volkswagen Group cousin, the Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything in the sector as regards ambience. The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars plus blue instrument backlighting with red needles, a signature of the fourth generation model. In addition, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), no fewer than six airbags and anti-lock brakes are fitted as standard, even on these Luna models.
Golf Plus Luna buyers get to choose between four engine options, two of which are petrol. The diesel option is the 1.9-litre TDI unit that has popped up in numerous Volkswagen Group products down the years. It is some way off the pace set by the latest oil-burning engines when it comes to refinement but performance and economy are hard to fault. Buyers can specify the unit in 90PS or 105PS form with the former costing from £15,012 and the later commanding a premium of just over £1,000. Buyers can expect something in the region of 50mpg from both units but the 105PS model is a bit quicker. It can do the 0-60mph sprint in 11.9s compared to the 90PS engine's 13.5. Top speeds are 107 and 114mph respectively.
Pick a petrol and it'll either be a standard 1.4 or the turbocharged 1.4-litre TSI. The entry-level 80PS 1.4-litre unit costs from £13,162, can average 38mpg and sprint to 60mph in a lethargic 16s. The 1.4-litre TSI is the most powerful engine available with Luna trim. Packing 122PS, it has a healthy turn of pace. Prices start at £15,302 and it's also available with a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox.
The Golf Plus is 100kg heavier than an equivalent Golf model, largely because of the extra metal involved in its raised roofline, and this has an impact on performance. The main purpose of the entry-level 1.4-litre unit is to deliver an eye-catching low starting price for the vehicle and this engine should be avoided by all those who can afford to. The 1.6-litre is a comfortable and refined cruiser but if you can put up with the extra noise, the torquey, economical diesels seem to make most sense in a car like this. The Luna models are softly sprung and more comfortable than sportier derivatives from further up the range while all the Golf Plus models handle adeptly, despite a slight increase in body roll caused by the increased height.
Most family buyers have just about got their heads around the concept of family hatchbacks like the Golf and mini-MPVs like the Touran but the very existence of the Golf Plus suggests that Volkswagen sees a further niche for vehicles that offer a compromise between the two. The Golf Plus does give a little extra over a standard Golf but it's patently not as family-friendly as a proper mini-MPV. This blend of qualities will undoubtedly be exactly what some people are looking for but it's hard to imagine the car becoming a monster sales success. The Luna trim level makes plenty of sense as, despite it not giving access to the cream of the Golf Plus engine range, it provides a strong package of equipment and good fuel economy at an attractive price. Which, of course, is exactly what many family buyers are looking for.
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