From the 2009 New York Auto Show, Cars.com's Joe Wiesenfelder takes a look at the 2010 Volkswagen Golf and 2010 Volkswagen GTI.
Transcript
<v Announcer>Cars.com auto reviews. Okay. Hi, I'm Joe Wiesenfelder of cars.com. Getting our first look at the 2010 Volkswagen Golf and GTI. We're gonna start with the GTI. The problem that GTI always had was that it was too cute looking.
It wasn't very aggressive for a sport oriented, compact. They've made some changes. I like it a lot. Broad, the red is a special touch that's not on the regular Golf. It's also a lot more aggressive, more grills down low, and the headlights are really interesting. They're doing neat three-dimensional stuff. Under clear plastic they've got these little visors over the projector beam headlights. Again, it gives another dimension where it used to just be, you know, a piece of glass. And then they went to a piece of glass over, you know, a simpler setup. Now it's three dimensional. Now the 18 inch wheels haven't changed. They're still the hufeisen type, which is German for horseshoe. I also know how to ask for the library and where's the bathroom. Now there's some changes around the back too. Taillights are interesting, also a little bit three-dimensional. You'll see the dual exhausts. A different look, but the engine is basically the same as it was. Most of what we're seeing here is a styling change. And I also think it's interesting how the, a diffuser here is kind of separate. This gap here is intentional. An interesting look. It's not the only place I've seen it though. To be fair, I saw it on a Pontiac G8. There's some styling changes on the inside too. You'll notice the flat bottom steering wheel. This was in the 2009, but the style is still a little bit different and it has the red accent stitching that's also on the shift boot here. Overall, the materials are really good. I mean, this is what Volkswagen has done well for virtually forever. They always use either real metal or just really, really convincing stuff instead of that plastic, trying to look like metal. When it comes to using new materials, they tend to do always something unique, something that we haven't seen before. This is a pretty interesting stuff here. It is, it's ribbed. It has an interesting feel to it. It's kind of like the piano black we've seen with a little bit of aluminum trim, but again, they tend to do things right. Now it's a similar story with the 2010 Golf, which used to be called the Golf and then it was called the Rabbit and now it's called the Golf again. It's the more modest version that the GTI is based on. Different model with different front end, still the same idea of horizontal, not as much aggressive grill on the bottom and the headlights, even though it's roughly the same model, they are different. Interesting stuff going on. Three-dimensional and you got the little VW right in the middle of the headlight. We showed you a four-door of the GTI. This is a two-door hatchback of the Golf. Pyramid is optional equipment. Now it's a similar story here. A redesigned new dashboard, next generation of navigation system, the steering wheel's a different one, not the same flat on the bottom, not as sporty, but generally speaking it's about the materials in this thing. People are typically willing to pay a little bit more for a Volkswagen than they would other things in the class and that's part of the reason. We were just the 2010 Mazda Three, and they've gone from a really nice Ebony, you know, lacquered black look to the fake, you know, plastic looking like metal thing and, oh Volkswagen, what have you gone and done? <v Announcer>For more car related news, go to cars.com. or our blog, KickingTires.net.
