Car Showroom has always liked the good-looking Volkswagen EOS, but now the $49,990 open-top EOS has company with Volkswagen launching the superb all-new Golf Cabriolet.
The Golf Cabriolet is a soft-top to the EOS’ folding hard-top, but the newcomer’s $36,990 price tag ($39,490 for the automatic) certainly commands attention. A surprising take of the tape: the all-new Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet is actually quite a bit shorter than the EOS.
As you would expect from the company from Wolfsburg, Germany, every detail has been scrutinized in the all-new Golf Cabriolet, including safety and the open-top Golf scored the maximum five-star rating in EuroNCAP barrier testing (96 per cent for occupant protection). The level of engineering required to achieve that result in a soft-top convertible is staggering and makes the Golf Cabrio’s $36,990 sticker even more impressive.
It’s been over 30 years since a soft-top version first graced the Volkswagen Golf lineup and the latest edition is sure to attract massive interest, particularly from young buyers seeking a European convertible.
Styling is typically Volkswagen impressive. Most noticeable is the extra rake for the windscreen, the clever execution of the boot (250-litre capacity) and of course the soft-top itself with a nice look where the C-pillar would normally be.
The Golf Cabriolet sits on 17-inch alloy wheels.
The interior exudes typical Volkswagen Golf style – trimmed in black with matt chrome highlights. Like the EOS, Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet’s windscreen trim is pleasingly thin (not the bulky look often associated with open-top vehicles).
Volkswagen engineers worked hard to provide good sound insulation and of course there are roll bars for safety. The roof can be activated at speeds up to 30km/h.
Power comes from Volkswagen’s supercharged and turbocharged 1.4-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, delivering 118kW/240Nm and driving through either a six-speed manual transmission or Volkswagen’s seven-speed DSG automatic.
The full range is:
Golf Cabriolet 118TSI 6-speed manual $36,990
Golf Cabriolet 118TSI 7-speed DSG $39,490
Check back soon to read our full review from the launch programme that Carshowroom attended.
