Golf V vs. Astra II Options

[David33488]

Golf V vs. Astra II

Care e parerea voastra in legatura cu acest duel?Ambele sunt noi,ambele arata senzational,ambele sunt "omenesti" ca pret,ambele sunt produse de firme nemtzesti renumite,ambele sunt sport,ambele ar sta bine pe niste jenti de 16-17",ambele dau bine la gagici!

Ca sa imi dau si eu cu parerea,eu as alege Golf,fara alte comentarii (am vazut unul preparat putintel si era de vis!)

[kill24595]

Clash of the Titans

Added 29 June 2004

This is the clash you have all been waiting for. It is the one we have been waiting for too.

There has been so much talk in various media about the new Volkswagen Golf. Some commentators are under-whelmed with the new car, saying that although it might drive well, it has not changed enough for a totally new model. But whatever you say, people are buying the Golf in Ireland and abroad. Last month Golf sales across Europe rose to 13.7% to 56,200 vehicles compared to the same month a year ago. Volkswagen offered incentives in Germany such as free air-conditioning after sales of the redesigned car were slower than the company expected. Buying the Golf has always been a financially astute buy, because there are few cars better at holding their value better. But with the arrival of the new Astra, and the forthcoming new Focus, has VW done enough to keep us in love with Golf? Lets see how it fares against the new Astra. The Astra is a big improvement on the old model and it is part of Opel’s strategy of creating more ‘interesting’ cars. The styling is quite bold and the new chassis is good. So lets make it a clean fight, no hitting below the bumper, and may the best car win.

Reliability and Quality

Opel Astra XXXX
Volkswagen Golf XXX

It is a little too early to comment on the reliability of these individual models as they are both brand new, but we can look at their track record. Looking at the JD Power Survey ratings for 2004, in the USA Volkswagen figure way down the list, with 164 problems per hundred vehicles. The previous Golfs haven’t been trouble-free. Volkswagen tells us that they have spent more time with this model and it should be trouble-free. However, the materials in our test car did not feel as solid and sturdy as in years gone by, and some of the many people that approached us during our photo-shoot said the same thing. With the extensive reworking of the chassis, it seems that not all that much time was spent on the interior. The Astra on the other hand feels substantially more special on the inside. There are more interesting materials used and a chunkier feel to the various controls. Both cars have the same sort of reassuring clunk and thud to the door and boot, but on the quality of the interior materials, the Astra feels better.

Image

Opel Astra XXX
Volkswagen Golf XXXX


It wouldn’t matter if we told you that every other car in the market was having its price cut in half, you guys would still buy the Golf because it has something that no other rival in its class can match and that is its image. The Golf is a car people want and aspire to, pure and simple and no amount of finance deals and special equipment will change that in people’s minds. With this great image comes high resale values, making the Golf a really astute buy for someone spending their own money. This is hard, if not impossible to ignore. The Astra has some image building to do, because the last car was seen as somewhat dull. This, dare I say it, ‘exciting’ new model will change that, but it will probably take another generation of Astra before it becomes as desirable. And it may never achieve this. The Astra is unlikely to retain as much of its initial purchase price as the Golf, but it will be better than average. The Astra is the prettier car here; the Golfs looks have merely evolved slightly.


Performance

Opel Astra XXXX
Volkswagen Golf XXX


We picked the two 1.4-litre models for this test. The Golf comes with a rather weedy 75bhp, but it does have a rather useful 126Nm of torque. It takes 14,7 seconds to get to 62mph and has a top speed of just 102mph. Opel manage some 15bhp more from their Astra 1.4, with 90bhp, but the torque figure is just a fraction under at 125Nm. Top speed is 111mph and the 0-62mph figure is a second faster at 13.7 seconds. You notice the difference when you overtake, as there is less pick-up in the Golf. The Astra feels peppier. Both cars would benefit from bigger engines, as these are both heavier machines, so go for 1.6s or diesels in both if possible.


Safety and Security

Opel Astra XXXX
Volkswagen Golf XXXX

Both cars are well sorted in terms of safety equipment, with both models featuring driver and passenger airbags and ABS brakes. You get traction control in the Golf as standard, but it is an option on the Astra at 1.4-level. Both cars get central locking an immobiliser. Both cars are likely to score well in Euro NCAP safety tests and you can expect a five-star Euro NCAP score for each of these. They both have increased torsional rigidity over their outgoing models and this ensures a stiffer, stronger structure. Honours even therefore.

Roominess

Opel Astra XXXX
Volkswagen Golf XXXX

Both cars are bigger than their predecessors, and although thought the Astra is 45mm longer than the Golf and has a 36mm longer wheelbase, the Golf seems to make more use of the available space, beating the Astra in rear headroom. The Golf is 57mm longer overall than the old model and despite this addition length; the design is such that you almost don’t notice the increased size and many of our foreign visitors passing asked if it was the new Polo. Both cars have the same sized boot, which are easy to access.

Running costs

Opel Astra XXX
Volkswagen Golf XXXX

Because running costs are so affected by resale value, you only have to flick through the classifieds to see that the Volkswagen will hold its value better than the Astra. But this is true of nearly every other car too. Golfs have an incredible ability to retain a large proportion of their purchase price, so they make a wise buy. Astras have trailed off slightly in that regard, but with the addition of this new, more desirable model, then things may change. The Golf 1.4 will return 41.8 mpg on average and this is pretty good, but the 1.4 has to work quite hard in hauling about such a meaty car. The Astra does a little bit better, managing 45.1 on the same cycle, benefiting no doubt from the extra horsepower. Despite this, the cost of ownership of the Golf is likely to be less, due mainly to your guarantee of a good trade-in value.


Comfort

Opel Astra XXXX
Volkswagen Golf XXXX
The Golf has a much better ride than its predecessor, even with the big alloys fitted to the Sport model here. There is little of the wallowing and pitching that used to be so prevalent in the old model. Thanks to the addition of the extra space at the rear, even tall adults will be comfortable in the back seats. The Astra feels like it has a slightly more ‘sporty’ ride, but it too is a supremely comfortable machine. In these categories it is extremely difficult to tell between the cars.

Fun to Drive

Opel Astra XXXX
Volkswagen Golf XXX

The Golf has improved. The previous model used to wallow and wade a little on the road and the steering was somewhat imprecise. Things have changed with the new car and the electric power steering still manages to give you plenty of feel. The gear change is a little disappointing though, feeling slightly sloppy. The handling is now, pretty good, but just not as tight as say, a Ford Focus. But owners of non-GTi Golfs are not generally boy-racers, so this might not be an issue. The Astra has a wonderful chassis. It is a truly entertaining car to drive and is more thrilling than the Golf if you are into that sort of thing. The gear change is slicker than the Golf and you the brakes are a little less sharp. In terms of sheer amusement, the Astra feels better sorted.

Equipment

Opel Astra XXXX
Volkswagen Golf XXX

It has been something of a tradition to slag off Volkswagen for their lack of standard equipment, but in fairness to them they are getting better. A little better anyway. The model we tested was a Sport model for €22,105 and it has a CD player and very smart alloy wheels, but the Astra Club model we tested had air conditioning and Steering wheel mounted audio controls. Go further up the range and the Astra will beat the Golf for standard equipment.

Value for Money

Opel Astra XXXX
Volkswagen Golf XXX

Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Sure, Golfs are slightly more than others in terms of price and you get a little less standard equipment, but there is no doubting that you will retain more of the value of the Golf over the years. However it is wrong to get too bogged down with this, as you don’t buy a car in order to sell it again. You get more equipment and to be honest, a nicer car with the Astra, for less money, so we will have to go with the Astra here again.

The Verdict:

There has been a lot of Volkswagen bashing in the press and most of this has been towards the Golf. This is not what we are here for. But quite simply, for us, the Astra feels like a better overall package than that offered by Volkswagen with the Golf. The Astra looks really good, while the Golf has a design that is just too discreet, too safe in comparison. For those of you about to buy a Golf, you wont be put off by this, because you will be getting a fine car and one that will more than likely be worth more at trade in time than the Astra. There is no risk in buying the Golf. But if you want the nicest car, then in our humble view, we recommend the Astra. It has a quality feel, more entertaining handling, good safety features and it hopefully signals the rejuvenation of what was becoming a very dull Opel range. Opel wins this test, but both VW and Opel are waiting to see what the Blue Oval of Ford come up with when their new Focus, Ireland’s best selling car for a number of years, arrives before year-end.