2011 Volkswagen Golf Consumer Reviews

Volkswagen have long been associated (perhaps through their own aggressive marketing agenda) with durability and reliability. Perhaps, then, this is why the 2011 Volkswagen Golf is priced so far out of the range of its hatchback competitors - namely the hugely successful everyman car - the KIA. A cursory glance at the $18,000 price tag may not align with the average consumers expectations for a car in this ballpark, however, the reliability of a hatchback is within the top 3 consumer concerns for an A to B car - this is where that extra $5,000 goes. Aside from the classy finish of the interior and the heavy-weight doors, the real clues as to what sets this above its competitors is the fluid power steering and smooth acceleration that you just don't get with your average runaround car. If you've ever got inside one of those cheap two-door rental cars that a budget insurance company loans you, you'll know only too well that they often cater to a younger desire for speed, weight and fuel economy. Thankfully, and at the risk of sounding condescending, the 2011 Golf is a car made for grown-ups - you can feel the power but there's also a more subtle approach to the overall engineering that gives the drive an authentic feel; a certain something that goes beneath the surface, if you will. It's not all roses and sunshine, however: the fuel economy of the 2011 Golf is an unfortunate downside to this workhorse, at 30 (city) miles per gallon, a competing car such as the Toyota Prius will run close to 50 MPG in the city - that's almost 20% more bang for your buck. Still, it can be easy to pick holes in the 2011 Golf, but until you've spent some quality time inside it, you can't begin to love it's little quirks and perfections that will crystalize those foggy thoughts of "where did that extra money go?"