2017 Volkswagen e-Golf EV

What It Is: The battery-powered version of the Volkswagen Golf. Its late-2014 arrival was during the heyday of the TDI era, and the e-Golf occupied a wallflower position in the lineup (it was sold in just 10 states). With diesel now a dirty word at VW, the brand is suddenly all about EVs. While it has rolled out a bunch of EV concepts intended for production, the only battery-powered VW you can buy today is the e-Golf. Fittingly, Volkswagen has lavished some attention on it. For 2017, VW swapped out its 24.2-kWh battery pack in favor of one with nearly half again more energy capacity, 35.8 kWh, giving the electric VW a commensurate boost in EPA-rated range—to 125 miles from only 83 before. The 2017 e-Golf also received the modest facelift (new headlights, taillights, and slightly modified styling, along with a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen and new infotainment system) that’s making its way to the rest of the Golf lineup for 2018.

The e-Golf’s range now puts it ahead of the Fiat 500e (84 miles), the Kia Soul EV (111 miles), and the Ford Focus Electric (115 miles) while effectively tying the Hyundai Ioniq Electric (124 miles). However, it falls short of the redesigned Nissan Leaf (150 miles) and the Chevrolet Bolt EV (238 miles), although the latter is significantly more expensive.

When it comes time to recharge, an available onboard DC fast charger enables one to fully refuel with electrons in as little as four hours, although it requires a 240-volt source of juice to do so, and wiring such a charging dock into your home brings additional expense. The DC fast charger is a $995 option on the base SE ($31,345) and standard on the SEL Premium ($37,845). The SEL also can be upgraded with a Driver Assistance package ($1395), which includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring, among other items.

Why We Tested It and How It Performed: In addition to the new battery pack, the e-Golf also got a more powerful motor for 2017, with 134 horsepower (up from 115) and 214 lb-ft of torque (versus 199). At the track, the additional thrust manifested itself in brisker acceleration: The sprint to 60 mph took 8.5 seconds, down from 9.4; surging from 50 to 70 mph took 5.4 seconds, chopping 0.9 second off the previous time; and the quarter-mile passed in 16.6 seconds at 83 mph (versus 17.2 at 79 mph). Those numbers are nearly spot-on the results turned in by the Ioniq Electric. In efficiency, our measurement of 121 MPGe overall bettered the EPA combined figure of 119, while our 75-mph highway test came in at 106, short of the official 111-MPGe highway rating.

The e-Golf offers three driving modes: Normal (the default), Eco, and Eco+. The thriftiest mode comes with a warning: “Convenience functions and vehicle performance very limited.” In any mode, one can slap the gearshift to the left once, twice, or three times in a user-friendly and intuitive way to access increasing levels of regenerative braking.

What We Like: What we like about the e-Golf is everything we like about the Golf. Skillful chassis tuning makes for engaging handling and a composed ride. Decades of experience with this same basic shape has enabled VW to carve out a roomy interior for four (five is a squeeze) and a large, practical luggage compartment within a compact, urban-friendly overall package. The e-Golf also doesn’t lose any cargo capacity compared with the regular model. The classy interior has been upgraded with a large, easy-to-use touchscreen that’s standard on all models. The SEL can be further fancified with an Audi-like, screen-based instrument cluster, part of the aforementioned Driver Assistance package.

What We Don’t Like: The previous version of the e-Golf shimmied in just under the $30K bar, but this one starts at $31,345 (all prices are before the federal $7500 tax rebate and any local incentives). The least expensive gasoline-powered Golf stickers for nearly $10,000 less—and that gas-engined car would be quicker, stop shorter, and grip the road better. Compared with other EVs, the e-Golf’s range, even with its new powertrain, falls short of the similarly priced 2018 Leaf, while the Bolt (for another $6K or so) has nearly double the range. Finally, despite VW’s EV proselytizing, the battery-powered Golf remains on offer only in the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) states.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $39,240 (base price: $31,345)

MOTOR TYPE: permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor, 134 hp, 214 lb-ft; 35.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack

TRANSMISSION: 1-speed direct drive

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 103.6 in
Length: 168.1 in
Width: 70.8 in Height: 57.1 in
Passenger volume: 93 cu ft
Cargo volume: 23 cu ft
Curb weight: 3430 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 8.5 sec
Zero to 80 mph: 15.1 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 8.4 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 5.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.6 sec @ 83 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 85 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 181 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.82 g

*stability-control-inhibited

C/D FUEL ECONOMY:
Observed: 121 MPGe
75-mph highway driving: 106 MPGe
Highway range: 103 miles

EPA FUEL ECONOMY:
Combined/city/highway: 119/126/111 MPGe
Range: 125 miles