• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • Tesla Owners Stung by Capitalism
  • Mercedes Updates GLE Models for 2024 Model Year
  • First Look: Mazda’s Bigger, More Luxurious New CX-90
  • GM Net Income Rises for Q4 But Falls for Full Year 2022
  • GMC Launches Production of Hummer SUV; Needs Until 2024 to Fill Outstanding Orders
  • Vehicle Sales Up for January Despite Ongoing Challenges
  • Bidding Adieu to Bugatti’s W16 Engine
  • Ford “Significantly” Raising Production of Mustang Mach-E While Reducing Prices “Across the Board”
  • Week Ahead: Numbers, Numbers and More Numbers
  • The Rearview Mirror: All That the Name Implies
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
      • Feeder
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R 4x4 Super Crew
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8
    • First Drive: 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport
    • A Week With: 2023 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe
    • A Week With: 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance
    • A Week With: 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Z71
    • A Week With: 2023 Lexus UX 250h F Sport
    • A Week With: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 4Matic
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > reviews > First Drive: 2019 Volkswagen Golf 1.4T S

        First Drive: 2019 Volkswagen Golf 1.4T S

        Small, but mighty and continuing to evolve.

        Joseph Szczesny
        Joseph Szczesny , Executive Editor
        June 07, 2019
        The 2019 Volkswagen Golf continues the little car's big legacy of being small, but mighty.

        In automotive years, the Volkswagen Golf seems to have been around forever.

        But its survived because, while the Golf is a compact, it also offers solid performance and an impressive array of technology for less than $25,000, which makes it a relative bargain when sport-utility vehicles routinely roll into showrooms with price tags in excess of $50,000 and current generation of road-worthy pickup trucks can exceed $60,000.

        Reviews You Can Trust!

        The Golf rides on a 103.8 inch wheelbase, stands a shade over 58 inches tall and weighs a bit less than 3,000 pounds when it is equipped with an automatic transmission as the model I tested was.

        The 2019 Golf S also was equipped with a stop start system that, while you could hear it, had no impact on the car’s driving dynamics while coming off a standing stop. The Golf also is one of the few cars available with a manual transmission.

        I also found the interior to be comfortable, especially the seat, and while I never felt like the cabin was closing in on me the essential controls were close at hand.

        (Volkswagen’s new ad campaign automaker into the light. Click Here for the story.)

        The new Golf offers plenty of performance in a small package.

        In addition, I liked the extra touches such as the leather-wrapped steering wheel, which also was adjustable, and the center console with its useable cupholders. The visibility in all directions from the driver’s seat, a critical feature in a vehicle of any size, also was also very good and I think helps ease driver stress.

        Moreover, the Golf is great fun to drive. As I mentioned, the car weighs a little less than 3,000 pounds. However, the 1.4-liter engine with turbocharging and direct injection, which migrated to the Golf from the larger Jetta, produces 147 horsepower and 184 foot-pounds of torque, giving the car an impressive power-to-weight ratio, which is deployed to the car’s advantage.

        The car also has excellent driving dynamics with very nice feel for the road, solid steering, excellent stability and ample stopping power. The stubby wheelbase gives the Golf an excellent turning radius and four-wheel independent suspension underpinning the car gives a relatively smooth ride on a variety road surface. It is also equipped with paddle shifters just behind the steering wheel, adding another dimension to the sporty flavor of the Golf.

        The Golf also gets 37 miles per gallon on the highway and 29 mpg in the city for a combined EPA rating of 32 mpg.

        The exterior design of the Golf is a compact, five-door configuration with a rear hatch for storing a suitcase, duffle bag or light cargo. The design also features relatively short overhangs that tend to emphasize the front face and rear aspect of the car.

        (Click Here for more about VW’s 10-year plan to comeback.)

        The Volkswagen Golf has been around for 45 years.

        Volkswagen has equipped the Golf with LED headlights and 15-inch wheels, which help elevate the appearance of the exterior. The 2019 Golf S also is equipped with an impressive array of driver assistance features that can help protect the driver and passenger while out on the road.

        Standard driver-assistance and safety features including blind spot monitor, rear-traffic alert, forward collision warning and autonomous emergency and front assist to warn of pedestrians or bicyclists

        Every Volkswagen Golf comes with the People First Warranty, which the German automaker describes as “America’s Best Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty.” The warranty provides coverage for six-years or 72,000-miles (whichever occurs first), and can be transferred to a subsequent owner throughout the remainder of its duration.

        Pricing for the 2019 Volkswagen Golf with a standard six-speed manual transmission starts at $21,845. The eight-speed automatic transmission starts at $22,945. The destination charge for all Golf models is an additional $895.

        The Golf has survived for 45 years because it has satisfied the demands of customers all over the world and the 2019 Golf is quite capable of challenging the dominance of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, which tend to be the vehicles of choice for customers in the U.S. now that Ford Motor Co. and General Motors are pulling out of the segment.

        (To see more about VW’s seven Southern Worthersee concepts, Click Here.)

        The Golf is affordable, well equipped and fun to drive, which is an impressive mixture and makes it worth a look from anyone willing to acknowledge that a small vehicle will suit day-to-day needs.

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published
        2023 F-150 Raptor R Antimatter Blue nose REL

        A Week With: 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R 4×4 Super Crew

        Jan. 27, 2023

        A Week With: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 AWD

        Jan. 26, 2023
        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 best front

        A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8

        Jan. 25, 2023

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        What Are You Looking For?

        See More
        Close
        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: