What are the Golf GTEs like?
Discussion
I am looking at getting a 2018 Golf GTE and was wondering if anyone could recommend it.
My commute is about 25 miles to work, and I get free car charging at work which is why the hybrid appeals to me. I enjoy drivers cars, and have had a BMW M140i in the past and currently drive a Hyundai I30N. Will I be disappointed or do they drive alright?
Are they reliable? Whats the interior quality like?
Thanks!
My commute is about 25 miles to work, and I get free car charging at work which is why the hybrid appeals to me. I enjoy drivers cars, and have had a BMW M140i in the past and currently drive a Hyundai I30N. Will I be disappointed or do they drive alright?
Are they reliable? Whats the interior quality like?
Thanks!
I had a 2016 one for 4 years and just under 100k miles.
Personally, I loved it. It was great fun to drive and went very well. You can feel a bit more weight over a GTI, but I’d argue that you could still have fun in a GTI with a couple of your mates onboard…
You won’t get all the way to work on EV but charging at both ends, you won’t use much petrol.
Interior quality was good IMO, leagues ahead of previous generations of Golfs.
My only gripe was a slight lack of boot space but we managed weekend breaks away with 5 people on a few occasions!!
Feel free to fire me a message if you have any specific questions.
Personally, I loved it. It was great fun to drive and went very well. You can feel a bit more weight over a GTI, but I’d argue that you could still have fun in a GTI with a couple of your mates onboard…
You won’t get all the way to work on EV but charging at both ends, you won’t use much petrol.
Interior quality was good IMO, leagues ahead of previous generations of Golfs.
My only gripe was a slight lack of boot space but we managed weekend breaks away with 5 people on a few occasions!!
Feel free to fire me a message if you have any specific questions.
I have an Audi A3 e-tron, which is essentially the same thing.
Electric range is 25-30 miles in summer, under 20 in winter. Getting around 20-25 this time of year on a 7 year old, 86,000 mile example.
To be honest, I wouldn't really say it's a driver's car - it's too heavy, it has an auto gearbox and not much in the way of steering feel or handling, which is quite "safe", i.e. nose-heavy and understeery. It's still a lovely thing to daily drive though, but in a different way. I think of it as a super economical warm hatch. It's dead quiet and very responsive with the electric motor. You can make rapid yet comfortable progress and it comes into it's own in stop-start city traffic. Keep the battery topped up and it'll do 0-60 in 6.5 seconds.
I have had mine a year and a half now, reliability has been fine, mainly wear and tear items like brakes and tyres. It actually threw a CEL the other day for "oil temperature sensor performance", whatever that is, so I'm going to get that sorted at an independent in a few days, shouldn't cost too much hopefully. I saw one for sale with 190,000 miles on it, so they can do the miles.
Interior quality on the Audi can be quite sensitive depending on spec - mine has the milano leather, heated seats, storage pack and a few other bits and bobs, but more stingily specced ones can be a bit depressing. I imagine it's a similar deal with the Golf, it'll be standard mk7 fare, which will make it a nice place to be.
I'm not sure if the Golf GTEs had the same recalls as the A3 e-trons, but there were a couple of key recalls around the battery and charging socket waterproofing. On my Audi, these were called 93D2 and 93E8, so well worth checking service history receipts that this has been done.
Electric range is 25-30 miles in summer, under 20 in winter. Getting around 20-25 this time of year on a 7 year old, 86,000 mile example.
To be honest, I wouldn't really say it's a driver's car - it's too heavy, it has an auto gearbox and not much in the way of steering feel or handling, which is quite "safe", i.e. nose-heavy and understeery. It's still a lovely thing to daily drive though, but in a different way. I think of it as a super economical warm hatch. It's dead quiet and very responsive with the electric motor. You can make rapid yet comfortable progress and it comes into it's own in stop-start city traffic. Keep the battery topped up and it'll do 0-60 in 6.5 seconds.
I have had mine a year and a half now, reliability has been fine, mainly wear and tear items like brakes and tyres. It actually threw a CEL the other day for "oil temperature sensor performance", whatever that is, so I'm going to get that sorted at an independent in a few days, shouldn't cost too much hopefully. I saw one for sale with 190,000 miles on it, so they can do the miles.
Interior quality on the Audi can be quite sensitive depending on spec - mine has the milano leather, heated seats, storage pack and a few other bits and bobs, but more stingily specced ones can be a bit depressing. I imagine it's a similar deal with the Golf, it'll be standard mk7 fare, which will make it a nice place to be.
I'm not sure if the Golf GTEs had the same recalls as the A3 e-trons, but there were a couple of key recalls around the battery and charging socket waterproofing. On my Audi, these were called 93D2 and 93E8, so well worth checking service history receipts that this has been done.
I would test drive one
It's a lot sharper than the ID3
Hybrid system is very good with EV drive which is nippy up to 80mph but anything with a gearbox is an anachronism
Check the "chrome" gear surround these can split (and they bite)
VW warranty is very good value at just over £200 p.a.
It's a lot sharper than the ID3
Hybrid system is very good with EV drive which is nippy up to 80mph but anything with a gearbox is an anachronism
Check the "chrome" gear surround these can split (and they bite)
VW warranty is very good value at just over £200 p.a.
Good car.
We had a GTE Advanced for 2 years and enjoyed it with no issues. It's a Golf, so you know what you're getting in terms of practicality and driving style. If you go for the 'Advanced' you get digital dash and extras which are probably worth it.
We didn't get over 15 miles on battery in winter. The max I squeezed out in summer with HVAC off and feathering it was 27 miles. Interior and infotainment is better that BMW's, slightly ( I ran a 530e at the same time)
Although it's a plug-in hybrid, I found it works well as an electric car, or as a warm hatch in GTE mode. In GTE mode its quick, feeling faster than the numbers suggest mostly down to the torque provided from the motor.
Things to consider.
Boot is smaller than normal golf - Still ok.
Hard ride (heavier than GTI / GTD)
Eats front tyres.
We had a GTE Advanced for 2 years and enjoyed it with no issues. It's a Golf, so you know what you're getting in terms of practicality and driving style. If you go for the 'Advanced' you get digital dash and extras which are probably worth it.
We didn't get over 15 miles on battery in winter. The max I squeezed out in summer with HVAC off and feathering it was 27 miles. Interior and infotainment is better that BMW's, slightly ( I ran a 530e at the same time)
Although it's a plug-in hybrid, I found it works well as an electric car, or as a warm hatch in GTE mode. In GTE mode its quick, feeling faster than the numbers suggest mostly down to the torque provided from the motor.
Things to consider.
Boot is smaller than normal golf - Still ok.
Hard ride (heavier than GTI / GTD)
Eats front tyres.
I had one brand new, owned it for 3 years and did circa 75,000 miles in it.
It was absolutely brilliant! Great fun, well built, comfy - It did most things very well and I am pretty sure it was at least as fast as a GTI.
My spec was
GTE Advance (2018)
White Silver
Pan roof
Electric memory leather seats (Vienna I think) - Very nice
Rear camera
Larger infotainment screen
I think that's about it options wise, I remember it being the thick end of 40 grand....
Honestly, if it's the type of car you need I cannot recommend it highly enough
It was absolutely brilliant! Great fun, well built, comfy - It did most things very well and I am pretty sure it was at least as fast as a GTI.
My spec was
GTE Advance (2018)
White Silver
Pan roof
Electric memory leather seats (Vienna I think) - Very nice
Rear camera
Larger infotainment screen
I think that's about it options wise, I remember it being the thick end of 40 grand....
Honestly, if it's the type of car you need I cannot recommend it highly enough
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