Volkswagen Golf Match BlueMotion 1.9 TDI 5-door

“Volkswagen’s BlueMotion variants
for ‘greener’ motoring are, quite
literally, tonnes better. And when
VW’s ‘gold-standard’ fuel- and CO2-
efficient technology is fitted to the
already desirable Golf, it makes it an
even harder car to say ‘no’ to...”

VOLKSWAGEN IN THE UK has said that their Polo BlueMotion 1.4 TDI emits 3.86 tonnes less CO2 than a standard Polo 1.4 TDI over a year's (12,000 miles) motoring. With CO2 emission of 99g/km, the Polo BlueMotion is also exempt from road tax.

The term 'BlueMotion' denotes the most fuel- and CO2-efficient model in each of Volkswagen's passenger car ranges. But unlike BMW, who has employed their EfficientDynamics fuel and CO2 saving technologies for virtually all their petrol and diesel cars, VW has specifically introduced 1.4 and 1.9-litre diesel BlueMotion variants of their current models. The availability of engine size depends on which model range is chosen.

In the USA, Volkswagen has just announced BlueTDI — a low CO2 emission and low nitrogen oxide (NOx) version of their new 2.0-litre common-rail TDI diesel engine for their American market Jetta range. A European version of this Euro V 140PS unit is already on sale in the UK in the new VW Tiguan compact SUV, and shortly joins the Passat model line-up. The new Audi A4 range also uses this new four-cylinder turbodiesel engine.

Volkswagen BlueMotion models use existing but modified 'Pumpe Duse' diesel engines and feature changes to gearing, aerodynamics and tyres to produce low-cost vehicles that match or beat hybrids currently available in the UK. Especially noteworthy is that Blue-Motion models are conventional to service and repair.

Of the 197,000 passenger cars VW expect to sell in the UK this year, 7,155 of them will be BlueMotion vehicles, with fleet and business users accounting for an expected 65 per cent of UK BlueMotion sales.

The main selling BlueMotion VW models will be the Polo BlueMotion (with 2,049 sales), Golf BlueMotion (2,380 registrations), Passat BlueMotion Saloon (1,233 sales) and Passat Blue-Motion Estate with 881 customers. There are also BlueMotion versions of the Golf Plus, Golf Estate, Jetta, Touran and Sharan.

The average cost of a BlueMotion model over a standard version is Ł500, of which Ł420 is for the added diesel particulate filter. BlueMotion models also gain a sports suspension that lowers the car to improve aerodynamics, longer third, fourth and fifth gear ratios, revisions to the bodywork to further improve aerodynamics and low-rolling resistance tyres. In fact, the most visual styling change is the addition of the BlueMotion badge.

As an example of the savings a BlueMotion model can bring to the customer in terms of
fuel savings and lower CO2 emissions, the standard Polo 1.4 TDI has CO2 emissions of 119g/km, combined cycle fuel economy of 62.8mpg and an annual road tax cost of Ł35 a year. A Polo BlueMotion 1.4 TDI emits 99g/km of CO2, has a combined cycle fuel economy of 74.3mpg and no road tax bill because sub-100g/km vehicles are exempt. From October 27 this year (2008), both engines will be exempt of the proposed London Congestion Charge.

In terms of CO2 emissions saved each year (12,000 miles on average), Volkswagen says the Polo BlueMotion emits 3,864kg less CO2 (3.8 metric tonnes) than a standard Polo 1.4 TDI.

Although BlueMotion models currently are only available with diesel engines, Volkswagen
UK said there is no stipulation that BlueMotion has to be based solely on diesel engines.
If market conditions dictate it — such as the increasing price of diesel fuel over petrol as experienced in the UK — then the technology can also be applied to models with the latest direct injection petrol engines.

The Polo BlueMotion range of three- and five-door models with Polo 1 and Polo 2 specification levels are available at prices starting from Ł12,125 and rising to Ł13,540.

All models use 1.4-litre, three-cylinder TDI turbodiesel engines with a five-speed manual transmission. Power output is 79bhp with maximum torque of 144lb ft from 1,800rpm. Top speed is 109mph with 0-62mph taking a reasonable 12.8 seconds. The official combined fuel economy figure is 74.3mpg, with 99g/km of CO2 emissions. The hilly and traffic congested roads around Bath — typical motoring conditions — saw my test car return 58.4mpg. Pretty good for real-life driving, and the car is sure to do better on a longer journey.

Although the ratios are longer for all BlueMotion models in third, fourth and fifth gears, the relatively high torque (or 'grunt') from these turbodiesel engines means there's no lack of power for acceleration or reduction in flexibility at low, in-traffic speeds. Less visits to the expensive fuel pumps and no road tax to pay for makes the compact Polo BlueMotion an ideal commuting car: easy on the pocket, easy to drive and easy to park.

Standard equipment includes anti-lock braking, central locking, front and front-side air-bags, front electric windows and alloy road wheels. BlueMotion '2' equipment includes air conditioning, remote central locking, alarm and a leather covered steering wheel.

If a larger car is needed the Golf BlueMotion 1.9-litre TDI range could be the choice, with three- and five-door hatchbacks, the slightly more roomy Golf Plus or the load carrying
Golf Estate to choose from. By far the main sellers are the Golf Hatchbacks, and these range in price from Ł15,570 to Ł16,750.

Around 65 per cent of Golf BlueMotion buyers will opt for the Match trim and my five-door 1.9-litre TDI with diesel particulate filter weighed in at Ł16,750.

For that price the specification is pretty high with anti-lock braking, stability and traction control, lots of airbags and alloy road wheels with low-rolling resistance tyres.

The 1.9-litre TDI engine has 104bhp of power with 184lb ft of torque from 1,900rpm. Top speed is 116mph, 0-62mph takes 11.3 seconds and the combined cycle fuel economy is officially 62.8mpg. My test car, again driving on Bath's busy and hilly roads, returned an acceptable 46.9mpg. CO2 emissions are 119g/km, with a road tax bill of just Ł35.

The Golf is a very popular car in the family-sized hatchback market. It has the up-market status missing with other volume selling models and the Golf's handling capabilities are legendary in its class. So the image and looks are right and, with BlueMotion technology, so too are the running costs.

Moving further up the BlueMotion family tree are the much larger Passat models, a large four-door saloon and a big load carrying estate. Both models use the same design 1.9-litre TDI 104bhp turbodiesel engine as the Golf BlueMotion models. The Passat BlueMotion saloon costs Ł17,270 and the estate Ł18,405. For conventional non-BlueMotion Passat models, three out of four customers go for the saloon body option because it is a popular fleet and business car rather than a retail purchase.

The power output and torque are the same as the Golf BlueMotion models. However, the top speed is 117mph but because of its extra size and weight the acceleration time for
0-62mph takes a little longer, at 12.1 seconds. The combined official fuel economy is 55.4mpg (43.4mpg in real-life for my test car), with CO2 emissions of 136g/km. Weight takes its toll in the emissions area and pushes the Vehicle Excise Duty road tax up to Ł120.

The specification of the Passat BlueMotion saloon is pretty good as it needs to be in the fleet and company car market. The level of safety equipment is first rate and only the Ł1,465 extra-cost navigation system might be on the company car user's wish-list.

I would have expected that giving the quite large Passat saloon the BlueMotion treatment with only a 1.9-litre TDI engine would make it slow and sluggish. Not so. The high torque and long gearing gives this car ample power and makes it a relaxed motorway cruiser — where most of its occupants spend their time. And on our congested roads, it can hold its own for acceleration as well. And as a roomy, tax- and fuel-efficient company car, for the money (an attractive Ł17,270), it is a bit of a bargain.

About all you can say against the Golf Blue Motion when compared to the Passat Blue Motion is that the Golf looks expensive against the much larger saloon. However, the Golf's low fuel consumption, low CO2 emissions, low road tax, good driving performance with superb handling, low insurance rating and its towering must-have image together ensure that the Golf is a very hard car to say 'no' to. — David Miles

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