Volkswagen Golf Hybrid: more than 100 miles without using a drop of gasoline
Still in good shape, the market benchmark compact sedan is back in particularly high-performance plug-in hybrid versions.
Skip the ad Skip the adThe Golf 8 (already since 1974) has not been lucky. Arriving at the beginning of the Covid crisis , the model that best personifies the Wolfsburg brand has gone to the ace. Volkswagen has given it a new start and has taken the opportunity to iron out some flaws but also to improve performance. Thus, the plug-in hybrid versions - e-Hybrid and GTE - accommodate a battery with doubled gross capacity, in the same footprint, to 25.7 kWh (19.7 kWh useful). Admittedly, the trunk volume is still reduced by a few liters (40 l) compared to the other models in the range, but the electric range now easily exceeds 100 kilometers. That of the e-Hybrid version is increased to 138 km according to the WLTP homologation standard; that of the GTE is close to 130 km. Without any particular effort, we were able to reproduce the figures announced by the manufacturer in real life. The result: it is possible to travel daily without using a single drop of gasoline and even to drive all week on the power of the 116 hp electric motor alone.
If, as always with the plug-in hybrid engine, it is essential to recharge the battery as often as possible to get the most out of the technology, the Golf has a major advantage with its on-board charger allowing a charging power of 50 kW in direct current, which reduces the time to go from 10 to 80% to 26 minutes. Thanks to a very frugal 1.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder, the cumulative autonomy varies from 886 to 944 km depending on the model. The question remains to separate the two models? The GTE displays performances close to a GTI, but the e-Hybrid seems more consistent, avoiding the transmission jolts of its sister and a high addition.
Technical sheet
Engines: 4-cylinder turbo, 1,498 cm³, 150/177 hp + electric 116 hp (combined power: 204/272 hp)
Transmission: Front-wheel drive, automatic. 6-speed DSG
Dimensions: L. 4.28, W. 1.78, H. 1.48 m Consumption: 0.3 l/100 km Emissions : CO 2 6/7 g/km Speed: 220/230 km/h Price: From €44,340
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