The Mk.4 Golf may not be among the most revered cars to emerge from Wolfsburg, but it may well deserve a second chance. Peter Jackson investigates.
Sluggish, underpowered and dull to drive: in the eyes of many, this would be an accurate description of the fourth-generation Golf. And, as harsh as it may seem, there’s a fair bit of truth behind those scathing comments.
A mere glance at the spec sheet of the Mk.4 GTi is enough to leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth of any car enthusiast; not only did the Mk.4’s kerb weight increase by 100kg over the previous model, but the 2.0 8v powerplant also went completely unaltered. 113 bhp may have given adequate performance in the Mk.3’s lighter body, but with the additional weight of the larger Mk.4 shell acceleration suffered big time. 11.2 seconds slipped by before the Mk.4 hit 62 mph - 1.4 seconds more than the Mk.3 and over three seconds off the pace of the much-loved Mk.2 16v. Not good.
The issues didn’t stop there, either: a heavy front end and soft suspension meant that the Mk.4 lacked the handling prowess that had won its forefathers so many fans. Instead of playful helpings of lift-off oversteer, all you got with the Mk.4 was dollop after dollop of miserable understeer. All of these traits combined to produce a car which was widely regarded as being undeserving of the GTi badge - never mind a hot hatch, the Mk.4 GTi was barely lukewarm.
Performance-wise, then, the Mk.4 was a bit of a let-down - even in GTi trim. If you were left disappointed by the 2.0’s performance, then you’ll likely cry at the thought of driving the lowly 1.4 S you see here. Its 73 bhp four-banger is hardly going to set the world alight - but then it doesn’t need to. Only minus the GTi badge - and the expectations of agility and speed that go with it - can the Mk.4 Golf truly shine.
A mere glance at the spec sheet of the Mk.4 GTi is enough to leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth of any car enthusiast; not only did the Mk.4’s kerb weight increase by 100kg over the previous model, but the 2.0 8v powerplant also went completely unaltered. 113 bhp may have given adequate performance in the Mk.3’s lighter body, but with the additional weight of the larger Mk.4 shell acceleration suffered big time. 11.2 seconds slipped by before the Mk.4 hit 62 mph - 1.4 seconds more than the Mk.3 and over three seconds off the pace of the much-loved Mk.2 16v. Not good.
The issues didn’t stop there, either: a heavy front end and soft suspension meant that the Mk.4 lacked the handling prowess that had won its forefathers so many fans. Instead of playful helpings of lift-off oversteer, all you got with the Mk.4 was dollop after dollop of miserable understeer. All of these traits combined to produce a car which was widely regarded as being undeserving of the GTi badge - never mind a hot hatch, the Mk.4 GTi was barely lukewarm.
Performance-wise, then, the Mk.4 was a bit of a let-down - even in GTi trim. If you were left disappointed by the 2.0’s performance, then you’ll likely cry at the thought of driving the lowly 1.4 S you see here. Its 73 bhp four-banger is hardly going to set the world alight - but then it doesn’t need to. Only minus the GTi badge - and the expectations of agility and speed that go with it - can the Mk.4 Golf truly shine.
And shine it does. First off, let’s talk about the design. Unveiled to the world in October of 1997, the Mk.4’s design was beautifully restrained and unmistakably Volkswagen. While it may have looked somewhat pedestrian compared to its arch rival - Ford’s Focus - its clean, fuss-free exterior really has stood the test of time. With all of the badges and number plates removed, the average person would probably be hard pushed to tell it was a two decade-old design. Plus, the fact that the fourth-gen Golf is still such an established part of Europe’s landscape only serves to reinforce how well it has endured over the years.
Similar complements can be paid to the interior, too. Although it’s perhaps aged less gracefully than the exterior, sitting inside the Mk.4 Golf is a thoroughly pleasant experience. Even in mid-range S trim - complete with modest cloth seats - it’s evident that a lot of thought was put into the Golf’s cabin design. The dash is an ergonomic delight; from the heating and ventilation controls right through to the headlight switch, everything is laid out with typically German levels of logic and reason. Not only is the layout spot-on, but the feel of the switchgear immediately betrays the Golf’s premium aspirations. The chunky buttons may be a far cry from the swanky touchscreens and electronic gizmos we’ve come to expect from modern cars, but there’s a lot to be said for making do without such fripperies - and the Mk.4 gives you everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Another thing this car has going for it is build quality; toughness. The Mk.4’s contemporaries may have been able to give it a run for its money (or, indeed, beat it) in other areas, but no Ford, Vauxhall or Peugeot could match the feeling of sheer quality offered by the Golf. Inside or out, fit and finish is where the Golf really gets into its stride. Swing shut those surprisingly heavy doors and your ears are rewarded with a beautiful, heart-warming clunk - the sort you might expect from a rather more expensive machine.
Things are much the same when you get behind the wheel. You soon start to realise that all of the perceived negatives of the GTi - its soft suspension, poor handling balance and lardy kerb weight - are actually anything but. In something sporting a GTi badge, faults such as those are hard to forgive - but if you’re looking for a comfortable cruiser those issues soon become major plus points. Let’s start with the suspension: man it’s soft. Unsurprisingly, it rolls around through the bends like an intoxicated hippo, the front axle simply refusing to grip no matter how hard you try to make it. In a hot hatch, that’s an issue - but in a normal family car, it’s perfect. The squidgy suspension may blunt the handling, but it also gives the Golf Godlike composure over even the most intrusive and jagged of bumps. The chassis’ complete lack of playfulness reaffirms the Mk.4’s extremely surefooted nature, too, giving you complete confidence in the car regardless of the conditions.
The controls are slightly too light for my liking, although all are well-weighted in comparison to one another; the steering, while almost entirely devoid of feel, weights up nicely through the corners and its slow ratio makes motorway drives that little bit more soothing. Meanwhile, although the 5-speed's shift action is a touch notchy, the ratios are nicely judged - the lack of a sixth gear being my only major gripe.
All in all, then, is the Mk.4 Golf worthy of your attention? The answer to that question very much depends on what you’re looking for in a car. If you’re after something that can offer you an engaging driving experience, you’re almost certainly going to be disappointed. If, on the other hand, you’re happy to compromise on handling in return for a cossetting ride and bombproof build quality, go for it. Many miles of comfort, refinement - and understeer - await you.
Similar complements can be paid to the interior, too. Although it’s perhaps aged less gracefully than the exterior, sitting inside the Mk.4 Golf is a thoroughly pleasant experience. Even in mid-range S trim - complete with modest cloth seats - it’s evident that a lot of thought was put into the Golf’s cabin design. The dash is an ergonomic delight; from the heating and ventilation controls right through to the headlight switch, everything is laid out with typically German levels of logic and reason. Not only is the layout spot-on, but the feel of the switchgear immediately betrays the Golf’s premium aspirations. The chunky buttons may be a far cry from the swanky touchscreens and electronic gizmos we’ve come to expect from modern cars, but there’s a lot to be said for making do without such fripperies - and the Mk.4 gives you everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Another thing this car has going for it is build quality; toughness. The Mk.4’s contemporaries may have been able to give it a run for its money (or, indeed, beat it) in other areas, but no Ford, Vauxhall or Peugeot could match the feeling of sheer quality offered by the Golf. Inside or out, fit and finish is where the Golf really gets into its stride. Swing shut those surprisingly heavy doors and your ears are rewarded with a beautiful, heart-warming clunk - the sort you might expect from a rather more expensive machine.
Things are much the same when you get behind the wheel. You soon start to realise that all of the perceived negatives of the GTi - its soft suspension, poor handling balance and lardy kerb weight - are actually anything but. In something sporting a GTi badge, faults such as those are hard to forgive - but if you’re looking for a comfortable cruiser those issues soon become major plus points. Let’s start with the suspension: man it’s soft. Unsurprisingly, it rolls around through the bends like an intoxicated hippo, the front axle simply refusing to grip no matter how hard you try to make it. In a hot hatch, that’s an issue - but in a normal family car, it’s perfect. The squidgy suspension may blunt the handling, but it also gives the Golf Godlike composure over even the most intrusive and jagged of bumps. The chassis’ complete lack of playfulness reaffirms the Mk.4’s extremely surefooted nature, too, giving you complete confidence in the car regardless of the conditions.
The controls are slightly too light for my liking, although all are well-weighted in comparison to one another; the steering, while almost entirely devoid of feel, weights up nicely through the corners and its slow ratio makes motorway drives that little bit more soothing. Meanwhile, although the 5-speed's shift action is a touch notchy, the ratios are nicely judged - the lack of a sixth gear being my only major gripe.
All in all, then, is the Mk.4 Golf worthy of your attention? The answer to that question very much depends on what you’re looking for in a car. If you’re after something that can offer you an engaging driving experience, you’re almost certainly going to be disappointed. If, on the other hand, you’re happy to compromise on handling in return for a cossetting ride and bombproof build quality, go for it. Many miles of comfort, refinement - and understeer - await you.
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