The 2018 Volkswagen Golf GTS: The handsome sports wagon

IF YOU like the new Volkswagen Golf, there is no reason not to like the new Golf GTS.

In Europe, they call it the sports wagon, trying to veer away from the boxy and the not so good image of the station wagon in the United States and in Asia.

Stations wagons in the past were boxy, boring and often time reside in funeral homes.

But that was then. The GTS is anything but ugly and boring. Having been built on the Golf platform, the GTS, even with its longer dimensions, inherits the Golf’s rather fun and nimble driving characteristics.

Design

The Golf GTS is for those people who are looking to buy a sedan but would like a cargo loading capacity and practicality of an SUV, but finds an SUV tall and too big for them.

Do not be fooled by its long dimension. In the metal, the size is actually very manageable. It can fit in most carparks and normal garages just fine. And parking it is as easy as parking a midsize sedan.

It is a handsome sports wagon to start with, so do not be scared if your neighbors will play an Addams family joke on you.

The GTS basically looks like a stretch Golf hatchback except that it has a nice looking tailgate and rear tail lights.

While it is a handsome piece of machine, it maybe a case of an acquired preference since Filipinos are not really into wagons these days, but that perception may change with the GTS because the exterior design is just a good cover to even better pages of good motoring.

My test unit was a color called Blue Silk, Business Edition Plus Golf GTS unit.

This means that the GTS is the top of the line spec and came basically loaded with almost all the luxury, safety and tech package and features one could ever ask for in this price point.

Engine

The Golf GTS is powered by a tried and tested 2.0 TDi (turbo diesel) engine at is used in the Tiguan and other VW vehicles and is also the engine platform for Audi and other car brands under the VW brand.

This engine churns out 150 hp and a powerful 340 Nm of torque. It’s mated to a very capable and fast acting DSG (dual sequential gear) transmission.

While this is a very reliable transmission especially on high speed driving, it’s a bit fiddly and shift transitions seemed very evident with stop and go lurch in between gears at slow speeds.

Overtaking and climbing hills is very easy for the GTS thanks in part to its health torque output.

My dad found the engine, by default setting on Eco mode, to be a bit slow to react and less powerful as he is used to bigger cars with bigger engine displacements.

However, I found it to be sufficient for daily driving and sips diesel quite slow.

If the default drive setting is slow to react, then one can always shift down the gear to engage S, for sports.

The Sports setting livens up the engine and throttle response and gives the engine a totally different character and sound.

It also holds gears longer to give you that sporty driving characteristic.

Ride and Driving Dynamics

What I like about German cars is the ride quality. It feels big and solid on the road.

The suspension gives you this reassuring feedback but is never unsettled or too soft. It’s a good balance of comfort and firmness.

Cabin insulation of NVH rating is also very good for a car of this price.

On a good stretch of pavements, the GTS handles straight line speeds with confidence and corners flat and with confidence.

On uneven and choppy roads, the suspension with a good amount travel, gives a good cushy and well dumped feedback and is never unsettled even for a front drive vehicle.

For a German brand with excellent building quality, fit and finish, the asking price of P1,694,000.00 seems too good not to consider especially that it’s fitted with a lot of standard safety and luxury features found on higher end and more expensive cars.