Fifty years on, Volkswagen continues to produce the Golf, with one goal in mind – to create a hatchback that masters the balance between everyday practicality and a sporty attitude. The 2025 version is no exception.
Tested here in its 110TSI R-Line trim – the economical choice in the line-up – the Volkswagen Golf recognises your proximity and automatically unlocks, with a quick flash of the hazard lights and a swiping animation that travels across the front end.
It’s a nice touch for a ride that sits on 18-inch (Leeds) alloy wheels, wrapped in 225/40 R18 Bridgestone tyres designed with fuel efficiency in mind. According to Volkswagen its 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre 4-cylinder engine is good for 6.3-litres/100km.
In real world testing that was more like 8.0-litres, in a mix of everything from spirited valley driving to Sydney’s horrendous bumper-to-bumper traffic. The lesser fuel figure is possible if you drive tamely, but it’s hard to deny the Golf’s sporty agility.
Inside, you’ll find a vibrant and responsive 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that provides access to everything from driving modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual), to driver assistance and safety features.
Here you’ll find the ability to tweak lane assist, the driver attention monitor, drowsiness detection, emergency braking assist and blind spot monitoring. It takes some getting used to and there are some odd options.
For instance, the haptic button to access the controls for the air conditioning is labelled ‘Clima’ and once pressed, the infotainment system promptly displays all the climate settings for the driver and passenger, including standard, recycled or purified air.
In the centre console you will find a couple of neat features, including a fixed size cup holder which can hold a 250ml can comfortably, a larger drink bottle holder which can sit a Stanley mug, a simple switch style gear selector, and a park button.
An electronic parking brake also features, as well as a small cubby for things like a wallet of some tissues. The reverse and 360-degree cameras also take a little time to get the hang of, offering average quality visibility when backing your vehicle into a space.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and once you start playing music, the Harman Kardon sound system does not disappoint. It offers a nice mix of bass, treble and vocals, making the commute a lot more pleasurable.
Rear legroom is tight, but you can fit two adults back there. It isn’t super comfortable, but it is adequate. It’s clear the front seat occupants are the focus though, as the front half of the cabin feels quite spacious, with a large glasshouse, and minimal blind spots.
The boot space is reasonably spacious at 381-litres, with the second row in place, or 1237-litres when you drop it down. The back seats lay flat too, making it a breeze for loading things in and out of the boot.
An intuitive instrument cluster provides access a plethora of options and information. Like most typical German vehicles the layout is familiar, with a tachometer on the left and speedometer on the right. In the centre of both is the information display.
This highlights average fuel consumption, navigation, operating temperatures, total distance travelled and if you prefer a much cleaner look, you can even show nothing at all. All that detail comes in handy too.
That’s especially so as you switch between different drive modes. Jumping from Eco to Sport, we took the Golf through the winding roads near Mulgoa (Penrith, NSW), where the 110TSI made light work of bends, making for a fun and nimble driving experience.
Even with the three zone climate setup running, and the heated and ventilated front seats operational to keep us toasty, the Golf managed to remain relatively fuel efficient, leaving us with a big grin.
With its sporty suspension, the ride quality of the Volkswagen hatch is quite pleasurable, and is stiff enough to handle road surfaces in a sharp yet compliant fashion. Smoothing out Sydney’s roads is an achievement in and of itself.
Complemented by a nicely weighted steering wheel which supports the feeling of quality and enhances the journey, the 2025 Volkswagen Golf 110TSI R-Line is pleasant to drive, especially when you activate adaptive cruise control and kick back.
The system keeps the vehicle centered on the road and does a good job of maintaining speed. The 8-speed automatic serves this vehicle well too. Our test vehicle came with Moonstone Grey Premium paint, 18-inch alloys and a panoramic sunroof.
It was also optioned with the Sound and Vision package, which adds the surround view setup, the audio package, a head-up display, ID voice assistant and a larger infotainment screen, all for $56,400 drive away.
It’s the perfect car for anyone looking to comfortably and reliably commute to work, or for young thrill seekers who don’t want something too quick as they hit the gym or their next shopping trip. It’s probably not right though if you have a family who need rear seat room.
You can find out more about the 2025 Golf 110TSI R-Line on the Volkswagen Australia website, or by talking to your local dealership. To get a low rate finance quote, talk to Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker; Credit One.
To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was supplied by Volkswagen Australia for independent review purposes. Exhaust Notes Australia has not been paid to review this vehicle.
Good take Alec!
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