Subcompact Cars

Turbo Driven: 2016 Volkswagen Golf R

November 1, 2016 by admin 10 Comments

Few models can match the Golf R’s fun factor.

Hot hatchbacks remain prized commodities. And this segment has only become hotter since Volkswagen introduced the current Golf R in 2015.

As one of just three small sport models with all-wheel drive — the Subaru WRX STI and the Ford Focus RS are the other two — the Golf R has a distinct handling advantage over most other comers. Add nearly 300 horsepower to its lightweight frame and the Golf R moves with near boundless fury, matching the 0-to-60 mph times of such laudable models as the Ford Mustang GT. Yes, THAT Mustang.

Model Year Updates

One year removed from its introduction, the current-generation VW Golf R gains several important updates. This year, a six-speed manual transmission joined the product line, providing a much-desired option to the worthy six-speed automated manual (dual-clutch). The DSG is faster, but if you prefer to row your own, the manual is a must.

Other changes bring in a larger infotainment system display and updated software, a USB port, and smartphone integration. That integration comes via any one of three sources: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink.

For customers who desire driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, a package is now available. The Golf R is essentially a one trim level model with package enhancements available.

Exterior Overview

Four-door hatchbacks are an ideal body style, providing both superior interior room and ease of access to the rear compartment than do three-door variants.

This model sits 0.2 inches lower than the Golf GTI and offers a handful of differences from the standard model. For one, you’ll note distinct U-shaped LED daytime running lights gracing the front fascia. You’ll also find a set of handsome 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels expressly designed for this edition. Other embellishments include “R” logo badging on the grille as well as on the dark brake calipers.

From the rear, the U-shaped lighting design is incorporated within the LED combination lamps. A liftgate spoiler and the expected quad-port exhaust system are among the other standout features observed from the back side.

Interior Highlights

Sit behind the wheel of the 2016 Golf R and you’ll quickly drink in the environment. Flat bottom and leather-wrapped steering wheel? Check. Easy-to-decipher instrument panel gauges? Check. Medal pedals? Check. Wonderfully bolstered seats? Check. Manual gear shift or paddle shifters? Check.

Soft touch materials, leather seats, and quality trim abounds, giving this model a polished, but sporty look. Check out the “R” logos on the front seats, both equipped with high hip and side bolsters.

The Golf R’s interior combines function with simplicity to deliver a pleasant in-cabin environment. Oversized door pockets with drink holders, a colorful center display, easy to discern controls, and a generally uncluttered environment await you. That’s in contrast to some performance models that rely on extra dazzle to draw you in. Here, the emphasis is on the driving experience, exactly where it should be. Exterior noise intrusion is about average for this class — you’ll take in every note from the exhaust system and it is a pleasant sound at that.

With room for five, the Golf R is best suited for four, although it will most likely be enjoyed by one or two individuals most of the time. Yes, it could do double duty as your family’s second car. That the rear seat folds down is a given, expanding the 22.8 cubic feet of storage standard space to 52.7 cubic feet.

Cutting-Edge Technologies

Smartphone compatibility is a big deal for many car owners today, individuals who prize connectivity and may make their purchase decision based largely on the tech features available.

Not only does the Golf R provide Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, but it also offers MirrorLink, a system popular with European vehicles. Add in the available Car-Net package and you’ll enjoy a six-month trial of a comprehensive software program that ties in vehicle diagnostic, remote vehicle access, and connected apps. Once the trial period ends, you’ll have the option of subscribing for $199 per year.

Choose the available DCC (dynamic chassis control) suspension package ($2,345 option) and you’ll gain the available Fender Premium audio system. This 400-watt system brings in eight speakers and one subwoofer, easily matching the clarity of the pricey systems found on various Porsche, Cadillac, and Genesis models.

Key Safety Features

The 2016 Volkswagen GTI is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ recipient. By extension, the untested Golf R should match that score.

Working in the Golf R’s favor is the all-wheel-drive system, what adds an extra measure of control, especially on slippery roads. Driver assistance features are available as well, including adaptive cruise control ($1,295 package). Add it up and you have a vehicle that gets high marks for all things safety.

On the Road

If you want power, the Golf R has it. This model is moved by an explosive 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine with direct injection, making 292 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.

But that’s not all: this pocket rocket features a Haldex 5 center differential, giving the VW a distinct quattro-like handling experience along the lines of Audi. Selectable driving modes bring in further changes to the powertrain, steering, and damping.

So, where to start with this awesome road hugger? On twisty, back roads. And, if you can find one, bring that experience to the track. Barring the availability of the latter, most any lightly traversed road will do.

This model hangs each curve with near effortless precision, requiring only a slight tug on the wheel at the sharpest angles. Not once did I find myself fighting to maintain control, the Golf R is poised, balanced, and the wheels are grippy.

Lag, the bane of turbo engines, was surprisingly minimal in this vehicle. The most fun comes when putting the transmission in sport mode and working with the paddle shifters. Immediately, the instrument panel adjusts to show what gear you’re in — watch those gears drop when you’re driving at highway speed and are looking for an extra kick. More than once I found the transmission automatically shifted into third gear, allowing for quick bursts of power followed by even quicker clicks of the paddle shifter to move back up through the gear range.

Not only is this model fast off the line, but overtake power is impressive. Perhaps the R’s signature feature is the ability to operate in stealth mode until full power is needed. Boom! When you desire to quickly push past other small models you can do so, leaving them in the dust.

Parting Thoughts

The Volkswagen Golf R has widespread appeal, but when it comes to affordability, only the most determined consumers will plunk down upwards of $40,000 to purchase one. Yes, there is a certain amount of exclusivity with owning this model, but that’s not a bad thing.

Others may opt for the Audi S3, powered by the same engine and offering similar handling characteristics of the Golf R. You’ll also pay $3,000 more for the compact Audi and come away with a smaller rear compartment and reduced storage capacity. That’s three factors to consider when weighing these two models.

Those that do choose to buy the Golf R will find it lives up to their expectations and should deliver the desired fun power when needed. This hot hatch also has the ability to serve as a daily driver and that’s not something every performance car can claim. All-wheel drive adds a wonderful handling element, enabling this model to stay planted on slippery roads as well as on track corners.

PSA Peugeot Citroën Promises Hybrid Air Technology by 2016

January 22, 2013 by admin 1 Comment

Innovative hybrid system uses gasoline and compressed air.

PSA Peugeot Citroën showcases its hybrid air system.

French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroën no longer sells its cars in the United States and Canada, an absence that may not be remedied anytime soon despite the company’s new alliance with the General Motors Company. The PSA Group has had some struggles as it seeks to reduce capacity, lay off some workers and set its financial house aright, with no immediate plans to return to the North American market.

Hybrid Air Technology

Despite its current challenges, PSA is moving forward with its business and is developing all-new technologies. Today, on its Innovation Day, PSA unveiled what it calls an innovative full hybrid gasoline system, one that runs on gasoline and compressed air. PSAs Hybrid Air system is expected to debut in 2016, fitted to subcompact or B-segment models.

PSA says that the technology will deliver a vehicle that can travel 21/100 km or 117.6 miles per gallon on the European cycle. In city driving, that accounts for a 45 percent fuel savings or a 35 percent boost overall. The numbers, though they might be considerably different in North America, would easily outpace conventional gasoline-electric hybrids. At present, the Toyota Prius c is the segment leader here it gets a combined 50 mpg.

See Also — Peugeot Prepares for its U.S. Return

Proposed Vehicle

The PSA Group is showcasing cut outs of its Hybrid Air technology on its website. This vehicle makes use of a gasoline engine and an automatic transmission up front along with a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor. In the forward section of the drivetrain is an energy storage system. At the rear, just before the axle is the fuel tank. A low-pressure storage compartment is located between the rear wheels.

Hybrid Air technology makes use of three driving modes: gasoline power, air power and combined power.

Gasoline power would kick in during road and highway driving with the gasoline engine operating at a slightly lower speed to yield fuel savings of up to 5 percent. At speeds below 20 mph or 70 kph air power would take over, drawing energy from the storage system. During air power mode the gasoline engine comes to a complete stop and the highest efficiencies would be achieved.

The combined power mode means that the vehicle automatically and seamlessly switches between gasoline and air compression at certain times. Brake energy regeneration is also at work whenever the car is decelerating or when it is braking. Energy regeneration takes place during all three modes.

Range and Market

PSA says that its Hybrid Air system extends vehicle range by 90 percent over conventional gasoline engines. Moreover, it achieves zero emissions 60 to 80 percent of the time, and can also be fitted to compact or C-segment models as well as for light commercial vehicles.

Major technological partners for the Hybrid Air project were Bosch and Faurecia. The French government also lent its assistance.

Photo courtesy of PSA Peugeot Citroën.

Mercedes-Benz Goes on the Attack With Its A-Class

March 7, 2012 by admin 2 Comments

Mercedes-Benz builds cars of every size and covering nearly every class of vehicle. In the United States, the smallest model we see is the C-Class, the entry point by which most up and coming buyers enter the luxury segment. In Europe, Mercedes-Benz is also very much active in the smallest segments, selling A-Class and B-Class models, representing subcompact and compact vehicles that are not sold in North America. The thinking for many years is that American drivers would resist such vehicles, models that would ultimately diminish the M-B name.

U.S. Bound in 2014

Mercedes has resisted sending its smallest models across the Atlantic Ocean, but that will soon change when both its A-Class and its B-Class lines are shipped stateside. At the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland this month, Mercedes took the veil off of its next generation A-Class, giving the world a look at a vehicle that will ultimately find its way to the American highway.

The face of the subcompact Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said the following as the A-Class was introduced, “A is for Attack: the A-Class is a clear statement of the new dynamism of the Mercedes-Benz brand. It is completely new, down to the last detail. In automotive development, it’s not often you get the chance to start with a clean sheet of paper. Our engineers and designers have made the very most of that opportunity.”

Clean Start, Mercedes Face

That clean start is needed if the A-Class is to succeed in the U.S. Featuring a distinct Mercedes face helps to advance this vehicle’s design language, but as Rick Kranz of Automotive News noted, it is the size of Ford Fiesta. That makes for a small luxury car and no matter how you slice it, a different ride than what you’ll find in the typical M-B product. Mercedes won’t be introducing its 5-door hatchback to the U.S. market until 2014 and has pegged sales at about 15,000 units per year.

In Europe, the next generation A-Class will be sold as three- and five-door hatchbacks, as a wagon and will also include a crossover-like model. Only the 5-door hatchback is planned for the U.S. although one can see room for the crossover model down the line.

Safety and Power

Notably, M-B has been pushing safety with this model. Its “democratization of safety” mantra means that its smallest cars comes equipped with the same features found in its largest and most expensive models. These features include attention assist, brake hold, hill-start assist, adaptive highbeam assist, blind spot assist and lane keep assist, speed limit assist, active parking assist and a reversing camera. M-B is all about assisting drivers in a variety of road conditions…right?!

Under the hood, 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter gasoline engines are offered and are paired with a six-speed manual transmission or the optional 7G-DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission. Several diesel engines including a 2.2-liter turbodiesel will also be offered. It remains to be seen what engine choices will make it stateside.

Sporty and Detailed Interior

As the photos reveal, the interior of the A-Class is refined and beats out any subcompact model that is now available in the U.S. M-B defines that interior as “pure sportiness, newly interpreted,” which means that this model makes good use of limited space to offer a special look. Or at least that is what M-B contends. Specifically, the automaker describes the car’s air vents as “sparkling jewels” to illustrate the cabin’s quality level. Notably, the trim elements have been outfitted with an electroplated finish, resulting in what M-B says are “real metal surfaces with “cool touch” effect.” As the photos of the instrument panel show, much attention was given to make this part of the cabin stand out.

Given that this model is about two years away from shipping to North America, there is not much we can say about how the A-Class will be outfitted when it arrives in Mercedes showrooms. That will give M-B heads plenty of time to gauge customer reaction perhaps by showcasing a U.S.-spec model as early as next month at the New York International Auto Show or maybe this November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. In any case, M-B has a new A-Class for the European market with plenty of time to ready this car for the North American market.

Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz USA