C ar S cene I nvestigation: Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

Once a prominent stubby convertible featured in multiple movies by the coasts, the original Golf Cabriolet died out in 2002—replaced by VW’s, such as the Beetle and the Eos. Now with a heap of plastic surgery and a new wardrobe designer, the Golf Cabriolet makes its comeback.

· Design & Engineering:

Indeed, the cabriolet bears the usual Golf styling cues, though there are significant differences. Take this for a start. The Golf Cabriolet is shorter than the hatchback, with its cute and stubby rear end the result of the reduced length. From the front, the variant bears the same face as its older brother, bar the detailing with the light use of chrome. From the side, the cabriolet has an oddly feminine, sexy look, due to the two graceful doors, extended for that slinky feel. Standard rims come with the vehicle, remaining that slightly immature look. Nevertheless, with the top down, the cabriolet transports one back into the day, with the use of a classic, black soft top, easing snugly over the vehicle. Keep in mind though, that the classic ‘basket handle’ feature is absent from the 2011 Golf Cabriolet. From the rear, nothing much changes, apart from revised LED rear lights.

· Interior

Following in the footsteps of its brother, the Golf Cabriolet sticks to two key words: practical, and versatile. Stepping into the cabriolet, the only main change is the deletion of a rear middle seat, due to the stringent cabriolet tradition. Therefore, four can fit relatively comfortably in the cabin, be it top down or up. Unlike many other cabriolets, the Golf retains decent leg space, allowing one to stay comfortable throughout his/her journey. Stepping into the interior, one is presented with… the exact same interior as the standard Golf, which includes a good quality, German build for the masses. Nevertheless, two things will catch one’s eye—the use of faux carbon fiber trim, along with an additional gizmo. This particular lever is taken directly from the Golf’s relative, the Eos. Made out of stainless steel, this lever which operates the soft-top in 9-seconds, and up to speeds of 30km/h, feels incredibly solid to the touch, opening up to summer fun. Personally, I feel as if brushed aluminum, Audi style would connect perfectly with the cabriolet, compared to faux carbon fiber. With boot space, the charm about the soft-top is that boot space is unaffected with the soft-top folded neatly into the rear compartment. This provides for a note-worthy 250 liters of boot capacity, considering the vehicle’s petit size.

· Ride & Handling

If nothing seems to win one over, the drive of the new Golf Cabriolet very well should. Packaged with Volkswagen’s latest twin-charged 1.4-liter TSI engine, which produces 160BHP, and 240Nm of torque. Due to the additional weight (despite the shorter length compared to the standard hatch variant) from strengthening the roofless Golf, the cabriolet is by no means a rocket. That being said, it does a respectable job of getting one round town, and even an occasional drive by the coast. The front-wheel drive vehicle handles corners well, due to its short and sweet dimensions. Ride quality is improved, due to a well-made suspension set up. Really, a lovely vehicle to drive, top up or down. In essence, the new Golf Cabriolet defines the quality of a good quality, German built car for the masses. Truly, Das Auto.

· Verdict

A well-sorted car, with true versatility all around. With tradition and heritage built into the Golf Cabriolet, a certain classic aura is emitted through 21^st century styles. In essence, the new Golf Cabriolet defines the meanings of a good quality, German built car for the masses. Truly, Das Auto.