Is VW Golf MK 8 Life, the Best Hatch on the Market?

Is 2021 Golf Life the Best Hatchback on the Market?

When we drove Volkswagen’s MK 8 Golf GTI, we were beside ourselves. Not only was it a punchy little performer, but the classy cabin captured a cornucopia of comments. So, is VW Golf LIFE as good?

Download Brochure and Spec Sheets HERE: 2021 Mark 8 Golf brochure specifications MY2021

The Cabin:

Naysayers nixed our plastic praise. They said the dashboard’s plentiful piano finish was folly. I’ll bet my last penny that they’d then bitch about the dullness of the unreflective matte had it been used instead.

There isn’t a cheap Golf, resulting in the quality of the fixtures and fittings looking as expensive AF.

There are currently a gaggle of only three Golfs to gawk at, GTI, Life, and R-Line. The base model Golf, called the Golf, has since gone missing from the original family photo. VW says it is still available, but the base model Golf isn’t currently list on the company’s website. Curiouser and curiouser.

Only the most earnest onlooker is going to notice the differences between trims. In fact, I’d prefer Life’s luscious semi-quilted fabric, to the artificial feel of the sporty R-Line seats.

Our Golf Life added the comfort and style package which brought a large glass sunshine roof and nicer seats. Most exciting of all was the multi-coloured ambient lighting which disco-fied an otherwise sombre affair.

Unless you’re using a magnifying glass, all the interiors look positivity resplendent. I admit to being a trifle disappointed at the cut-price carpet. Were it not for the luscious floor mats, I fear the atmosphere would be somewhat less fabulous.

The drive:

Above: This Week – 2021 Golf LIFE REVIEW

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ABOVE: 2021 VW Golf Life

There is no fancy dial-up-your-level-of-discomfort nonsense here. Macpherson Struts and multilinks keep things tidy in turns, without shattering bones at the first sight imperfection.

Steering is uber-light, and I’ve no doubt some will think it far too ethereal. I love it. Golf switches direction like a cat on carpet, and after driving SUVs for so long, a beautifully balanced body is a revelation.

The VW group is slowly ditching the DSG in favour of an automatic. DSG automatics have snappy changes, but there seems to be a limit to the number of cogs they can cope with. Golf has a gorgeous 8 speed unit with a Sport setting. That gets the first tick.

Then there is the 1.4L 4-pot. What an absolute delight it is, even under duress. The smoothness of a Swiss watch belies the 110kw output. Instead of a brutal blast, Golf Life gently conveys its passengers with the charm and sophistication of an elegant coach.

The limo-like ride doesn’t translate to limo-like space. Four tallish lads will need to be mighty good mates, especially those in the back, where knee room is snug.

Ambience is that of a club, aided by oodles of sound-proofing.

Highway stints are regal and wafting, and the driver is helped along by able technology. Smart systems take care of steering, braking, and should the need arise, ample accident prevention. IQ.Drive is an extensive suite of safety and driver aids. Travel assistant couples with safety gadgets. There is fancy emergency braking, and a Blind Spot Monitor that stops lane changes, or passenger exit, if there is errant traffic unseen by those inside. Obviously, the latter is only needed when parked.

Download Brochure and Spec Sheets HERE: 2021 Mark 8 Golf brochure specifications MY2021

Conclusion:

I’ve been a Golf fan for many moons, and MK8 continues a long and illustrious line of clever, well-designed conveyances. Golf is of its time, even if is a new passenger car in the twilight of a dying segment. I fear this may well be the last of the humble hatch, as more buyers beat path to roomier SUVs.

Even I have succumbed to the comfort afforded by the easy access and high driving position of the off-road-aspired. The older I get, the lower passenger cars seem to feel, but I’ll never abandon the love of the way they behave under foot.

I am yet to encounter an SUV that is as sure and certain as its passenger rival, regardless of size. Now that I’ve stuck my pennant in the sod, prove me wrong. You may well find a savvy SUV, but riddle me one that handles as well as the passenger car on which it is based.

Golf Life Price: $34,250

Engine: 1.4L 4cyl Petrol

Power: 110kw/250Nm

Trans: 8-Sp Auto

Econ: 5.8L/100k

CO2: 132gk/

0-100: 8.5 second

IQ.Drive