|
|
CAP Blog > CAP Blog > Martin's Blog
|
|
Sep
16
Written by:
Martin Ward
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
 The badging of green cars is getting very complicated. There are just so many and keeping track of them is becoming very difficult. Do the public really understand what it all means? Some are very green and possess advances in technology that do make a difference to MPG and CO2 emissions but some just get a badge because they are slightly greener than the previous engine. Now Volkswagen has introduced BlueMotion into the latest Golf and it is not called BlueMotion or BlueMotion 2 like the Passat, but is badged as BlueMotion technology.
 The new Golf with BlueMotion technology has stop/start as standard and as far as this system goes, it is probably one of the best so far. There are some really good stop/start systems out there, some are average and one or two are not so good, but the Golf is very quick to start up and it is quiet, refined and effortless. The system works when you come to a complete standstill, release the clutch and if conditions allow (conditions being that the heater or air conditioning are not on at full, the outside temperature is not too hot or cold and the battery is nearly fully charged), then the engine shuts down until you press the clutch. After pressing the clutch pedal, a fraction of a second later the engine fires up and off you go. On shutdown there is hardly any vibration and this makes it a very pleasant experience; you don’t encounter the harsh vibration that can be found on some other stop/start systems.
 The Golf BlueMotion is powered by the new 1.6 litre TDI diesel engine that produces 105ps and goes from 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds, so it is not too slow off the mark. It has a combined fuel figure of 68.9 mpg but on our test car it easily achieved 42 mpg on short journeys around town and 63.4 mpg at a constant 70mph on the motorway. According to the on-board computer, it averaged at 49.8 mpg during the time we drove it. The all important CO2 figure for the BlueMotion is 107g/km.
 The Golf BlueMotion has not been designed to look like a green machine; it has some very stylish alloy wheels and generally looks like a standard Golf. It has lowered suspension to help with its aerodynamics and for a green car it does not have any silly design features; it looks like a normal car. Like all new Golf models, the BlueMotion is an exceptionally quiet car with hardly any engine, wind or road noise. The cost of the BlueMotion SE is £17,731 on the road but it comes with a long list of standard equipment including 16” Atlanta alloy wheels, auto hill hold, automatic dimming rear view mirror, rain sensor and automatic headlights, coming home lights, cruise control and front seats with lumbar and height adjustment.
This car is a good choice for those who cover a lot of miles or want to be seen to be green. You can save money on fuel, it is comfortable and up to the usual high standard that is now associated with Volkswagen.
Tags:
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
