Updated Volkswagen Golf in Israel: How much will it cost this time?
Since its launch in 1974 as a replacement for the legendary Beetle, the Golf has acquired a no less significant historical status, becoming the benchmark against which the competition is measured over eight generations. Its commercial success (37 million units sold) came quickly, along with the conservatism that became an integral part of this car’s automotive DNA. Now the latest version of the car arrives in Israel, which can be called Generation 8.5 and which, perhaps more importantly, will probably be the last before this car switches to fully electric versions.
The exterior design retains the familiar look. The most noticeable changes are the lighting units, now Matrix LED (the light beam consists of dozens of LEDs that allow selective illumination of the road), a light strip across the front and an illuminated manufacturer logo. The bigger changes are in the passenger compartment. The 10.25-inch dashboard keeps its size but gets new graphics, and the multimedia screen has grown from 8 to 12.9 inches and offers connectivity to Apple and Android. After criticism, Volkswagen has returned to physical buttons on the steering wheel instead of touchpads and added lighting for the climate and volume controls.
The car is marketed in two trim levels:
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“Life” (from NIS 170,000): Compared to the previous entry-level version, it adds keyless entry and start, the larger multimedia screen, matrix LED lighting, three-zone climate control and heated front seats. It also includes 16-inch alloy wheels.
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“Style” (NIS 178,000): Adds 360-degree cameras, a power driver’s seat, a Harman Kardon sound system, a head-up display, and 17-inch wheels.
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“Life Plus” (from NIS 190,000): Increases the wheel size to 18 inches and adds a sunroof and tinted rear windows.
Advanced safety systems include automatic braking, lane departure warning, blind spot detection with lane keeping, rear cross traffic alert with braking, adaptive cruise control and more.
As for the powertrain, the 1.0-liter engine is no longer sold in Israel, and the plug-in hybrid version with 204 hp and an electric range of about 100 km remains abroad.
In Israel, the 1.5-liter turbo engine will be available, now paired with a mild hybrid system and in two power levels: 116 hp with 22.4 kgm of torque or 150 hp with 25.5 kgm of torque. The more powerful version is paired with the higher trim level. As before, the transmission is a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Performance is 9.9 seconds to 100 km/h for the weaker version and 8.4 seconds for the more powerful one. Claimed fuel consumption is a respectable 19.2 km/l for the 116 hp engine, 18.5 km/l for the 150 hp engine with 17-inch wheels and 18.2 km/l with 18-inch wheels.
The Golf, which was never considered a cheap car, continues this tradition, and with diminishing competition in the compact family car segment, there is little incentive to change that. However, its price is similar to that of family cars such as the Hyundai Elantra (from NIS 175,000), but more expensive than the Skoda Octavia, with which it shares many components (from NIS 161,000) and which is due to be launched in Israel soon after a similar facelift.
