2014-03-13 19.46.05

Volkswagen Golf 7 Wagon 
Date Acquired 7th March 2014
Total KMs 24
KMs This Month 24
Service Cost This Month $0.00
L/100K Long Term 7.5

Getting a new car is always an exciting time no matter what you go for and when the lease on my ageing Mazda 6 wagon came to an end I began to get that feeling of a kid let loose with his birthday money in a toy store.

In an age where the small car is king and tech like ABS, climate control, Traction Control and Bluetooth are standard in pretty much everything, one could argue that there is no such thing as a truly bad car. However when you need a vehicle to be a mobile office with plenty of space for lugging around equipment, you will soon find the field narrows. Small SUV’s are too small on the inside, sedans lack the boot space for larger items and hatchbacks don’t really cry “professionalism”.

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What you need is a wagon. All the space of a Range Rover, the comfort and ride of a sedan and a look that means business.  So after weighing up the odds and balancing the books I made my pick. The car that offers, from my point of view, the best bang for my business bucks. 2013 car of the year, the Volkswagen Golf 7 TSI Wagon Highline Variant.

We have already taken a good look at the Golf 7 here on Auto Clique NZ so there is no need to go over all the same things here. However if you would like to get into those detail you can find our original Road Tested review here. What I will be highlighting are some of the differences in the Highline Wagon as well as updating you on what it is like to live with.

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The Golf Highline Wagon comes with the slightly more powerful 103Kw, 250Nm 1.4L engine than its Comfortline counterpart, which only has 90Kw, 200Nm 1.4L and though they share the same 7 speed DSG gearbox the Highline come with a slightly more aggressive mapping for a more sporty feel. The Highlines engine also includes cylinder deactivation, allowing the engine to disengage two of its four cylinders while traveling at constant cruising speeds thus aiding its already impressive fuel economy. Which is welcome news to my accountant due the amount of KM’s I tend to subject my work horses to and its subsequent fuel bills.

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So why didn’t I go for the Diesel? I hear you ask. Well in Wagon variant the only Diesel engine available is the 1.6L TDI. Unfortunately Volkswagen NZ have no plans to offer the 2.0L TDI so the difference in running cost and performance don’t warrant a move to diesel as they are more or less the same leaving me with the choice of how I like my motors to sound and petrol wins that test hands down.

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Other differences are in the form of options for the Comfortline that see their way in as standard in the Highline. These include Bolstered Global/Alcantara sports seats, as found in the GTI and Golf R, and dual zone climate control. Navigation and a reversing camera are also fitted as standard though the basic software remains consistent across both variants. You also get bigger wheels with 17” alloys on 225/45/17’s and a full size spare in the back.

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The biggest difference however is really in the way it drives. The Highline also rides slightly lower and firmer than the Comfortline and shift the DSG into Sport and it will tackle twisty roads like a hot hatch and it is easy to forget its a wagon until you hear the inevitable slide and clunk of boxes in the back.  Even though it feels like at hatch under foot you will never find yourself feeling cramp with 605L of space with the seats up and a total 1620L with the seats down, it even rivals its larger brother the Volkswagen Passat wagon.

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I am very much looking forward to my time with the Golf 7 Wagon and I will keep you up to date with how the 2013 car of the year variant ages in a competitive working environment.

Roger Baillie (@Rojn8r)

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Roger Baillie
Brought up in a world of Mini's, road trips, rallying and tinkering it is unsurprising that among my passions, since I can remember, cars have been something very special to me. The way they look, the way they smell and especially the way the sound. This passion has grown over the years from a spectator's seat at Formula 1 and WRC events to active participation in events such as the Cannonball Run NZ and Stance Off Events. My current love affair is with a slightly tuned Mk4 Golf GTI which brings me nothing but joy on the road. This love for driving and cars has led me start a Podcast dedicated to my love of driving called Drive Life NZ where I hope to share my story while exploring the varied stories of other enthusiasts. Dispelling the myths surrounding car people and celebrating our diversity.

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