5 Reasons Why My Golf Rocks My Face

December 18, 2005 – 10:48 pm by Matt Radel
Filed under Volkswagen Golf

That’s right. It rocks my face. Generally speaking, you don’t find too many folks out there that will make that kind of statement. Sifting through VW forums or just glancing about the parking lot at your local grocery will indicate that the Golf’s sibling (the GTI) and cousin (the Jetta) get the bulk of the attention from the American market. Sometimes these are the recipients of lavish aftermarket additions and were generally the vehicles of choice for the young up and coming socialites I went to college with. And, about 70% of the time, the other Golf drivers I notice on the road are about 20 years my senior. So why on earth would a 24-year-old guy make such a bold statements about such an overlooked and underappreciated vehicle? Here’s 5 reasons why:

1. Versatility. Probably my biggest reason. My previous car was a Toyota Corolla that I often struggled to fit my personal items in. I’ve moved 6 times in the past 3 years. The most recent 2 were with the Golf, and it made my life significantly easier both times. 3 months ago I packed 5 adults (2 where rather large, not to mention that I myself am 6′4″, 225) into it for a trip from Kent State to Cincinnati. The 3+ hour trek was surprisingly comfortable. Lastly- for my Halloween party in October I was stuck as the guy who got the beer. Better than 10 people told me I was out of my head when I planned to pick up 5 kegs with the Golf. Well, I’ve got pictures.

2. Design. Ok, so I’m a designer. That means I see examples of good and bad design EVERYWHERE. Billboards. TV commercials. My Mac. Mud flaps. The car I spend an hour and a half in each day. When you stare at the same things long enough, you sometimes ignore them. However, I always take note of the attention to detail that VW put into the interior of the Golf. There’s a harmony and air of consistency. Much of the interior is extremely symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing. I love the usability of the instrument cluster. Sorry for the rash of designer speak.

3. Stability. When I visited one of the 3 dealers that wanted to sell me my car, I was given the grand tour of the Golf. Generally, I’m not one to be taken in by a sales pitch. In this case, the guy was kinda high pressure, which was a minus for me. But one thing he did amazed me about the Golf itself. This guy (who was a smaller fella, maybe 130 - 150 pounds), without warning, jumped on the driver side door and bounced on it several times. He had his feet off the ground and kept saying, “See if they’ll do this at Toyota or Honda!” The car barely moved as he rocked on it. Despite how dumb it seemed, he was right. My family has leased 10 cars from Toyota, and I’ve never seen a dealer so much as lean on the car. The demonstration didn’t make me feel much safer in the car (almost needless to say, I didn’t buy from him), but it did make me take note of the nice, wide stance and sturdy frame the Golf has. Not to mention the solid crash test ratings.

4. Uniqueness. As stated before, Golf’s in America aren’t that plentiful. Whatever the reason is, I enjoy not driving a Camry. Or a Corolla. Or a Civic. And I love that hatch. The Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe, Mazda 3 and Civic hatchback can’t hold a candle to the Golf. Not to mention when I actually went to look at a Civic, they told me air and floor mats were an option.

5. Decent Gas Mileage. So it’s not quite as great as the Civic or Corolla in this category. Given everything stated above, I’m delighted with my 26-28mpg. At this rate, I still feel justified in flipping off Hummer owners.

So, there you have it. In case you were curious, there is a Golf owner out there who digs his ride enough to sit and write a post about it. My goal is not to get you to consider a Golf when buying your next VW, but just for you to appreciate the little guy some more. And when the guys with the GTI’s laugh at the size of my wheels (stock 15”, thank you), I laugh at them when they’re stuck in the snow.

5 Reasons Why My Golf Rocks My Face
December 18, 2005 – 10:48 pm by Matt Radel