Very interesting aspect after driving several cars, to have this cleared: There are several Philosophies as for the recuperation and one-pedal-driving or not. VW e-Golf: Free Sailing possible (like in neutral gear), four different recuperation modes, recuperation possible via the brakes (until max. recuperation is achieved, then normal brakes apply) Kia Soul EV: D-Mode just slight recuperation, harder recuperation mode, recuperation possible via the brakes (until max. recuperation is achieved, then normal brakes apply) BMW i3 & Tesla (Model X / S): Always recuperation when leaving the throttle, different modes available, but braking system separately without any effect on recuperation!
Excellent review. Really impressed with the VW e-Golf. Your reviews are the best because you talk about the driving experience in a thoughtful way rather than trying to be a clever personality that many reviewers of cars try to make themselves more important than the car.
VW has done a good job for the future. e-Golf looks way beautiful than other electric vehicles. Now range is +200KM. This will be my next car in 2018. Thanks Thomas to reviewing this car.
James yea but with electric cars you won’t have to worry about their extremely over engineered over complicated engines breaking down, so with that out of the way you just need to worry about chassis and interior stuff but volkswagens usually hold up pretty well. It’s just their crazy engines that get a temper tantrum and something goes wrong. Induction motors/permanent magnet motors are pretty damn reliable since there’s not much that can go wrong
Thank you Thomas! This was your best review for quite a while! Really liked your ramblings during the the driving part. You did a great comparison with the i3 and the different driving modes and philosophies. I have been driving the i3 for about a year now and I wondered how the Golf would compare to it.
Excellent review. The information you have been providing regarding electric cars has made me start considering them much more seriously as a future purchase. Thanks for all your reviews.
Better overview. I've seen a lot. You are the first who show how VW sound works. This is a very interesting option. Thanks. Everything is detailed and understandable.
Great Review, Thomas! Regarding D and B mode: I drive Passat GTE since one year now and 80% I do in E-mode without combustion engige. For me D mode is more eficient than B mode. I can just let the car "sail" and if I have to reduce speed I just can start recuperating using brake pedal. B mode makes sense if you drive downhill or the traffic light just turns red and you want to get instant full recuperation. VW did great job here. As a driver you can decide what is better supporing driving style. I think that BMW i3 has around 10% less range exactly because of the difference you mentioned (only B mode as default setting, sailing possible only if you keep your foot on a throttle pedal a Little bit). Would be great if you cold soon review Opel Ampera 2017. By the way, e-cars are so fun to drive!
I own a Gen 1 e-Golf and in every day driving I use the B mode. The main reason is I find it comfortable in traffic (one foot driving), as well as it activates the break light during deceleration. The recuperation modes don't do that and I believe that can be a security issue as deceleration can be very abrupt. D mode is good for highway driving, especially using cruise control, as the car doesn't decelerate hard if the system deactivates.
In this case my Passat GTE has different setting, maybe because of the 6 speed DSG. When I drive in D mode and press break pedal only a little bit, the breaking light would not illuminate, simulating engine break. If I press break pedal more, the light would illuminate. In B mode it would always illuminate because of max recuperation. I agree that having break light only in B mode in e-Golf is a kind of dangerous.
Thanks for a great review! I would love to have this new version with very good improvements compared to our current e-Golf. That said the e-Golf is the best car we have ever had. You are right in the review that the d-mode with "free rolling" is very good and my favorite mode. The other alternatives are also very useful in various traffic situations so I hope that VW will keep them in in upcoming versions as well.
tuberman2010 hello there. Since you own one, I’d like to ask you if I could take this vehicle camping to a family park and have it there for 2-3 days fully charged, but without plugging it in in the campground, as most in New England simply don’t have chargers. Or does this car have to be plugged in at all times when it isn’t being driven? I love to camp on the weekends and this is a BIG question I have. Sure would appreciate your comments-thank you.
Great video. The vehicle's attributes were clearly outlined and a really in-depth appreciation of the e-golf could be attained. I personally love the idea of such a quiet car with all the usual features that the mark 7 offers. For city driving the range is great. Cheers
The part about recuperation modes I watched like a thriller, so much I love such details from such tests, not only electrical cars related. And I also like your driving style, when waching I feel like I driving for myself, because they are very identical :)
Excellent comprehensive review , its appreciated ! I agree with most of your findings .I like the braking regenerative modes , where you can make a choice with your driving styles. Range is always important but built quality also important and reliability long term . Thanks Joe
I know it's a bit late in the day, but thanks for this comprehensive review. I have a 48 hour test drive in an eGolf next week - watching this has given me a real head start to make the best use of the time. Your explanation of the regen and B mode is very clear. It will be interesting to try, I think for me I will probably like free sailing mode most of the time and regen 1 or 2 in built up areas. Good that I have plenty of things to try out now.
Great detail. I enjoyed the through windscreen view and view of the instruments. And the countryside. We can enjoy your driving. I like the way you use the steering wheel smoothly, with very minimum movements on the straights. At 38:05 "...the Freedom of Sailing!", poetic. I prefer this mode too. I much prefer the comfier ride and nice interior of the e-Golf versus the 'sportier' i3. We drove an i3 for a fortnight last year and the ride was too firm for me. Kind regards to Katharina.
This was the ONLY pure EV I've wanted. It looks like a Golf but but blue accents and different set of wheels. To me, it was a nice, discrete ev to buy. Too bad VW have stopped making this lovely eGolf but thankfully SAIC MG now have MG 4. Otherwise I would've missed the eGolf massively. Back when eGolf was launched, I strongly prefer this over BMW i3 - a "Storm trooper wannabe". To me in a styling department the eGolf was the real deal.
It is interesting start, but i do hear wind and road noise unless it is me. I cannot hear myself think while watching your drive reviews with road/wind noise happening at at the same time. NVH is great on Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro where you don't hear wind/road noises at all.
Update, new info: The Active Info Display is only standard equipment for the Golf GTI Performance (at least in Germany), it may differ from market to market though.
Autogefühl , they actually changed standards and options for different markets. Discover pro (big screen) now comes standard for the e-Golf in Germany and active info display is an option.
In The Netherlands we would have to pay 40,000 euros for an e-golf! You really need to stand strongly for enviromental principles in order to buy one. It's a small car with very limited range. Great work Thomas!
You spent a lot of time putting this together. Thanks for all the hard work. Very good production value. Katrina deserves an award for putting up with all this.
Bravo Thomas. That was a great review on the e-Golf. But is was also a great education about electric cars in general. Everybody should watch this one. Many thanks and best wishes
hi thanks for this really excellent review! I did like particularly the comparison with the i3 around regenerative braking. You explained very well, the driver is in command and he/she decides when/how much to regenerate....not the car!
A really excellent review. I learnt a lot. Many, many thanks! (Hate heated windscreens - they optically distort...not clear enough) Switch to you a bit if possible....sorry about the extra work involved ! You've got a great personality and way of explaining stuff.
Great car, great review. All the technical features are very well explained. In general Golf is Golf, still relatively compact from the outside, space enough for four tall adults and their luggage, comfortable, nice handling. I like your statement about the silent electric drive in the housing area. I don't agree however about your conclusion comparing the Zoe and the Golf. Yes, the Golf is bigger, has a little more space, a bit more comfort, is (maybe or should be) of better build quality and has a more extensive equipment from zero production. But it has a lower range (as you said) and is about 14.000 Euros more expensive on the German market. Sorry, the Golf is not 14.000 Euros better than the Zoe. So the Golf is very premium from the prize and that's it. I would go for the Zoe. It's even easier to park, looks much better, not so serious and "premium". More sympathic. While I am driving the Zoe I can dream of what I can do with 14.000 Euros I have saved not buying the Golf.
Great review! B mode is fantastic, so smooth, and almost like having auto braking -- but it's not as efficient as coasting, as you pointed out. Around 32:00 when you are switching between D and B did you know you can toggle between these? It took me about nine months in my 2016 e-Golf before I discovered this. By "toggle", I mean you just pull back on the stick and release and it switches to B from D (or vice versa). This may sound trivial but it is actually quite different from having to move the stick back and forth: more convenient, intuitive, and precise. This car is well thought out in general and I can highly recommend it. It actually has more elbow room than i3 and far more trunk space. VW's EV future looks quite bright.
Iam going to get this in this months. Colour may be different with telephone premium, outside sound, app connect, dyna subwoofer and much more equipments. 😍
Apparently they had to make the driving sections front-view only, so that you couldn't see the tears on Thomas's face as he drove this knowing that he had to give the sports car review to Holger
Autogefühl I will. But currently it doesnt seem available here in Denmark. Im trying out the GTE tomorrow, but will only do that to test the same sort of vehicle. I have definitely settled for the eGolf
Autogefühl - CONGRATULATIONS Thomas - I wish ALL reviews of cars was this pleasant and complete to watch. REALLY GOOD JOB ! I was lucky enough to try the recent E Golf here in Canada and I can agree with your findings 100%! It is a really fabulous car! I agree also that how one perceives the styling of a car is quite personal, but I find the BMW i3 a little too shall we say "avant grade" to be polite, for my taste. I DO like "different" but "different" also has to be beautiful : ) ONE example of "beautiful" (IMHO) is the new I-Pace Concept all Electric Crossover from Jaguar - whose styling was guided by Ian Callum. In terms of "range anxiety", depending on the FREQUENCY of LONG distance drives one does in a year, then if it is only two or three long distance trips, then one only need RENT an ICE car for those excursions - so no excuse to say "no" to electric! : ))) I look forward to seeing more of your tests - keep up the great work! P.S. A wee little bit more of YOU in the video would be nice and if at all possible in an ELECTRIC CAR, close ups of the regenerative modes on the display panels would be nice too!
I will Thomas - I just hit the "Subscribe" key! Yes, I plan to LEASE the E-Golf and by the time the lease expires, perhaps the Volkswagen ID will then be available. That would be a little more in my price range than the I-Pace. CHEERS and thanks for this and the ID presentations!
Thanks Thomas, I like the philosophical balance that VW have struck here. I'll be looking to change from a Kia Soul EV in a couple of years. The Golf has always been a great car for small families. It will be on my list. I hope that with the rate of battery development that by then they'll have en even better range by then, who knows? These are exciting times in the EV world. Keep up the good work!
I had a test drive with the eGolf a couple of days ago....to be honest I did no expect much....actually thought it might be quite a lame car....but hey, was I wrong...I was blown away by the acceleration on the motorway and uphill a mountain road....felt like driving a sportscar....in regard to recuperation, I think it is absolutely desireable for a car under 300 km range all the time......pricepoint here in Austria with around 37 000 € is far too high.....but overall a surprisingly nice experience.....damn, now back in my boring stinker car ;-)
I really want an e-Golf myself, but I think the price is just way too high for this type of car. I live in Norway where the benefits of driving an electric car is really high. The starting price is just €30 cheaper than a regular Golf and that's without VAT or any of the other really high taxes you have on regular cars. Of course you pay way less in total, because you have lower running costs through-out the lifetime + you get plenty of other benefits like free parking, (sometimes) you don't pay for toll roads, free ferry-transport, lower yearly road-tax and you save time as you can ride in the bus lane. But when the price for the e-Golf, which has the minimum required range for me, costs that much, what is stopping me from just buying a cheaper fossil fueled car? It takes a long time driving with an e-Golf to save in what I spend in a cheaper ICE-powered car. With technology moving so fast, the depreciation of the car will be quite large aswell. The e-Up is cheaper and looks cool, but it's way too small for me and has too low range. I wish VW would make a e-Polo, which would be perfect in terms of size and probably also price.
For the daily use the e-Golf isn`t a bad solution. But for longer trips u still need a car with combustion-engine! But I think the new I.D. will be a new benchmark for this segment in 2020 ! 💪 The concept is very expectant !! 👍
I see... its a reupload! I wondered why I didn't find it yesterday night when I wanted to watch it. btw: at around 6:13 you guys forgot to cut something :P great review as always, Thomas! love your Reviews the most
Great review! It's hard to find good information on the e-golf. Of course I have to guess witch option we will get here in Canada but I'm so excited we are suppose to get it. If it all works out with the Canadian buy-back of the TDI's I could have a e-Golf for under 20K CND. I wonder if it is possible to put 15inch wheels on on the e-golf for winter wheels. Speaking of tiers the I3 has some weird sizes only available at bmw witch is a turn off for me. Price wise at lest for now the I3 price range in Canada is more comparable to the Bolt your Ampera-e so might as well got for the Bolt with better range and the e-Golf is more comparable to the leaf price wise. I'm happy you put your review back up I only viewed 10 minutes of it last night before it was taken off I was very happy to see it was back up.
6:20 i cant understand why VW put in an 2-Phase!! (7,4kW) Charger ?! (Cleary to see L1, L2 but no L3) Why not 3-Phase 11kW or better 22kW (In Germany almost every Charging Station offers 22kW AC 3-Phase...) Maybe they will upgrade on the next Facelift to 11kW and then on the next golf 22kW... a bit silly isnt it?.... The Prototype Golf e-bluemotion had 11kW! 3-phase... But nice review as always. :)
Agree. All e-cars with Type-2 inlet should have 3-phase charger on board. In USA we have J1772 inlet, so 7.2kW single phase is good enough. Of course, Tesla has 11.5kW single phase or 11kW 3-phase depending on market.
The dealership here in the US today told me that it had all 3 chargers: 110v, 220v and the DC fast charger. But are you saying it doesn’t come with a fast charger?
Thanks Thomas. This has been helpful, because i did test drive after E Golf with bmw i3, and was completely convinced that E Golf is much better allaround car. Bmw was not practical, with rather strange rear door design and much smaller lagguage, plus what i found inconvenient is the car hight in BMW, much higher, not comfortable for kids at all.
What I'm really missing from manufacturers is choice. for VW it should not be hard to offer a VW e-Golf Variant. Ofcourse the i3 doesn't really have that choice, but you can still hold them responsible. For D and B, there is no one fits all mode. I drive D on open roads and B in the city, use the lever, it's there for a reason :) The Zoe with 40kWh had 260km range around freezing when I drove it, that's still quite a large amount further over the e-Golf, but the car itself is hardly comparable to the e-Golf. You would not compare the Clio against a Golf either. As far as the Zoe goes, no Zoe Break either, whilst the Clio Break exists. It irks me.
The Renault Zoe has medium strength regen where you can't one pedal drive but it does slow you down more than a regular automatic I've driven. It's a nice compromise of coasting and regen. But it would be nice to have it be adjustable with paddles in the next version.
Those seats are not from Highline... but form Comfortline... and as they are quite comfortable (the best part is long sitting area) they do not offer proper support during cornering... :)
I own one and always drive it in B and use cruise control as often as possible. Then it's just a matter of modulating the right pedal, which is quite easy to do with a little habit :) The only situation where I use the brakes is when I need to come to a full stop. Also, I wish VW hadn't tuned regen down at lower speeds (Tesla, for instance, doesn't do that) since it intereferes with accelerator control. Too bad.
It's lovely - however only I would change is put some 17" alloys on (as prefer 45 profile tyres) wondering how that would change things or if that would upset how the e-golf works.
I've just ordered an golf through our work salary sacrifice scheme which from next year is 0% BIK and only 1% the year after an 2% the year after that, having looked at a few different electric cars i kept going back to the golf mainly because it looks like a normal car not like a space ship, sadly the e golf isn't going to be made after next year as VW have a new platform and they have also made a spaceship looking car, why can't manufacturers just make electric cars to look like conventional cars like the e golf?
Having no problems with seeing thru the heated windscreen on my gen.1 e-golf. Love it here in the cold winters in Scandinavia. 30 sec. and a ice free windscreen. Best car I ever had. Top review as always. Thanks a lot.!
Since you asked for input, here's my experience with the first gen (24.2 kWh) e-Golf: software-wise it's a frustrating experience, I'd like my last settings to be always saved: I always use B as it's the closest to one pedal driving, due the precision of the accelerator pedal it's easy to simulate coasting as well. I'd like eco+ to be selected at all times but it defaults back to normal which reduces range... Also, the ac setting defaults to 22°C , read a lot about it but I disagree with VW, they shouldn't assume everyone is better off at 22°C, if so then why bother adding a temperature knob? Finally maps no matter how many updates you apply, it takes you through places that are one way (no entry) or forest paths that are restricted to pedestrians and cyclists. The sound system sometimes has sound distortions, that can be fixed with a media system reset. The ACC sometimes turns off with the fault sign visible on dashboard, cannot reactivate unless I turn the car off and back on. I sincerely hope they sorted out all these problems with the refresh, however I am stuck with the old one till my lease ends next year. So VW, if you're listening, fix this car's software or you'll definitely lose a loyal customer. Strongly considering turning my Model 3 reservation into an actual order as Tesla at least updates their software and do so over the air....
In the US model e-Golf there is an Adaptation that can be applied by the dealer service department that will allow the climate control to keep your last setting. If it bothers you still, you can ask your service center to do it. I always use the Normal drive mode, so I don't notice that resetting.
I hate the new display. I think the 8" was a perfect balance of touch and knobs. If they make it bigger I'm ok I'd like it to still retain the basic knobs.
Great review as always Thomas! One thing though, please can you not lean on the cars while talking. Your jeans have brass studs and they scratch the paint. Cars are for driving and not leaning against. By the way, is it your car or a loan car? Loan car I bet.
Mark Dovale -While I agree with Marcus Aurelius when he said: "Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life." In your case I have to make an exception. And simply tell you: Get a life will you!
Unfortunately the pricing of the e-golf is quite high, i think the high price is really holding back potential customers like myself. Considering dieselgate VW should have an aggressive pricing on their EV's to really show that they mean business as an eco friendly car maker.
so far they are not even earning money with this car, so the price is indeed already subsidized. They can only be cheaper if they sell more cars, which they would if the car would be cheaper ... ;-)
Hello Thomas, thank you for the great review, as always. Do you know if VW might have FULLY electric Passat, or Jetta soon? Are they going to make an electric Golf Estate (or Variant, as you call it in German)? It would be great to have a larger car with a larger battery (and longer range) ...
good review. i hope you can test the Hyundai Ioniq EV, as this is is the closest competitor (range vice and normal car look). A comparison of Comfort (seat and lumbar support) and road noise (maybe a interior db meter, This app will use the phone microphone to measure environmental noise decibels (dB) and show a value for reference).A comparison of audio quality from the speakers would also be great.
I found another review that was horrible about the actual range while cold condition, reviewer claims that the range will drastically drop to 90km! at around zero temperature. Also Eco plus doesn't support seat heater and some other functions. What is your comment? Thanks
Interior shots/ video is just superb, backgrounds for video shooting is just gorgeous! Thank you team Autogefuhl! So the VAG don't see this EV bring in profit , if they didn't put the blue checkered aka GTI seats?like you showed us from Auto show...
Would love to see that option in e golf , as well as sport mode (even as extra $$ option as upload like for a new civic sport)drive with acceleration 0-70 mph in at least 8 second), I know with 36kWh battery it's not sport car but also when paying $35-36 before rebates I want to know I can pass most of SUVs on ramp or when jumping on highway, hey?
It's a great car. They only thing standing in its way is range. I still can't figure out why manufacturers are still using the 12volt system. They could get so much more out of a 54volt system.
just because the german wannebe premuim cars are so overpriced doesn't make cars like LEAF a budget car. It's not hard to notice that you are from germany and you are proud of you great automobile industry. This unreflected loyalty to german automobile brands gives me headache.
That's not true. I have no interest in promoting german cars, please dont judge me that way just because I am from Germany. But it is clear that you would not buy a Nissan Leaf after you have driven a VW e-Golf - unless your only decision factor is price/range ratio.
Very interesting aspect after driving several cars, to have this cleared: There are several Philosophies as for the recuperation and one-pedal-driving or not.
VW e-Golf: Free Sailing possible (like in neutral gear), four different recuperation modes, recuperation possible via the brakes (until max. recuperation is achieved, then normal brakes apply)
Kia Soul EV: D-Mode just slight recuperation, harder recuperation mode, recuperation possible via the brakes (until max. recuperation is achieved, then normal brakes apply)
BMW i3 & Tesla (Model X / S): Always recuperation when leaving the throttle, different modes available, but braking system separately without any effect on recuperation!
Nothing so far, but i ll try to find out
Excellent review. Really impressed with the VW e-Golf. Your reviews are the best because you talk about the driving experience in a thoughtful way rather than trying to be a clever personality that many reviewers of cars try to make themselves more important than the car.
thanks spread the word for us!
@@autogefuehl subbed!
VW has done a good job for the future. e-Golf looks way beautiful than other electric vehicles. Now range is +200KM. This will be my next car in 2018. Thanks Thomas to reviewing this car.
nice enjoy!
Nice until you have problems with it and they completely ignore you.
James But electric cars are very reliable.
I meant more Volkswagen
James yea but with electric cars you won’t have to worry about their extremely over engineered over complicated engines breaking down, so with that out of the way you just need to worry about chassis and interior stuff but volkswagens usually hold up pretty well. It’s just their crazy engines that get a temper tantrum and something goes wrong. Induction motors/permanent magnet motors are pretty damn reliable since there’s not much that can go wrong
Finally a review where they specifically call out the artificial engine noise! Thank you :)
😊
Your Videos are best Car reviews on the net by far! You don't leave out the essential details that so often make the difference.
Thank you Thomas! This was your best review for quite a while! Really liked your ramblings during the the driving part. You did a great comparison with the i3 and the different driving modes and philosophies. I have been driving the i3 for about a year now and I wondered how the Golf would compare to it.
+ToLo love to hear that!
Keep Rollin’, Rollin’ in Full HD, Full Screen, and Full Length! Great review(s) as always! 🙌🏻
👌
Excellent review. The information you have been providing regarding electric cars has made me start considering them much more seriously as a future purchase.
Thanks for all your reviews.
highly appreciated!
John G same here! They seem to be so much fun to drive!
Beautifully designed and a nice beginning to VW's electric future.
Better overview. I've seen a lot. You are the first who show how VW sound works. This is a very interesting option. Thanks. Everything is detailed and understandable.
Great Review, Thomas!
Regarding D and B mode: I drive Passat GTE since one year now and 80% I do in E-mode without combustion engige.
For me D mode is more eficient than B mode. I can just let the car "sail" and if I have to reduce speed I just can start recuperating using brake pedal.
B mode makes sense if you drive downhill or the traffic light just turns red and you want to get instant full recuperation. VW did great job here. As a driver you can decide what is better supporing driving style.
I think that BMW i3 has around 10% less range exactly because of the difference you mentioned (only B mode as default setting, sailing possible only if you keep your foot on a throttle pedal a Little bit).
Would be great if you cold soon review Opel Ampera 2017.
By the way, e-cars are so fun to drive!
+Miro Tesic great thx 4 Feedback!
I own a Gen 1 e-Golf and in every day driving I use the B mode. The main reason is I find it comfortable in traffic (one foot driving), as well as it activates the break light during deceleration. The recuperation modes don't do that and I believe that can be a security issue as deceleration can be very abrupt.
D mode is good for highway driving, especially using cruise control, as the car doesn't decelerate hard if the system deactivates.
excellent point, very interesting with the brake light!
In this case my Passat GTE has different setting, maybe because of the 6 speed DSG.
When I drive in D mode and press break pedal only a little bit, the breaking light would not illuminate, simulating engine break. If I press break pedal more, the light would illuminate. In B mode it would always illuminate because of max recuperation.
I agree that having break light only in B mode in e-Golf is a kind of dangerous.
Thanks for a great review! I would love to have this new version with very good improvements compared to our current e-Golf. That said the e-Golf is the best car we have ever had. You are right in the review that the d-mode with "free rolling" is very good and my favorite mode. The other alternatives are also very useful in various traffic situations so I hope that VW will keep them in in upcoming versions as well.
tuberman2010 hello there. Since you own one, I’d like to ask you if I could take this vehicle camping to a family park and have it there for 2-3 days fully charged, but without plugging it in in the campground, as most in New England simply don’t have chargers. Or does this car have to be plugged in at all times when it isn’t being driven? I love to camp on the weekends and this is a BIG question I have. Sure would appreciate your comments-thank you.
Thanks for doing the review in English. A really good review thank you.
thanks keep joining us!
Great video. The vehicle's attributes were clearly outlined and a really in-depth appreciation of the e-golf could be attained. I personally love the idea of such a quiet car with all the usual features that the mark 7 offers. For city driving the range is great.
Cheers
thanks! Keep following our EV coverage, Opel Ampera-e next.
The part about recuperation modes I watched like a thriller, so much I love such details from such tests, not only electrical cars related. And I also like your driving style, when waching I feel like I driving for myself, because they are very identical :)
awesome :-)
Excellent comprehensive review , its appreciated ! I agree with most of your findings .I like the braking regenerative modes , where you can make a choice with your driving styles. Range is always important but built quality also important and reliability long term .
Thanks
Joe
thanks as always joe!
I know it's a bit late in the day, but thanks for this comprehensive review. I have a 48 hour test drive in an eGolf next week - watching this has given me a real head start to make the best use of the time. Your explanation of the regen and B mode is very clear. It will be interesting to try, I think for me I will probably like free sailing mode most of the time and regen 1 or 2 in built up areas. Good that I have plenty of things to try out now.
Thanks and have fun trying :)
keep rollin' rollin'.... Another gem, just like "pump it up yo" :D Keep up the great work, nice reviews :)
+Ferenc Varjú ✌️
Great detail. I enjoyed the through windscreen view and view of the instruments. And the countryside. We can enjoy your driving. I like the way you use the steering wheel smoothly, with very minimum movements on the straights. At 38:05 "...the Freedom of Sailing!", poetic. I prefer this mode too. I much prefer the comfier ride and nice interior of the e-Golf versus the 'sportier' i3. We drove an i3 for a fortnight last year and the ride was too firm for me. Kind regards to Katharina.
+gordon bennett 👌
This was the ONLY pure EV I've wanted. It looks like a Golf but but blue accents and different set of wheels. To me, it was a nice, discrete ev to buy. Too bad VW have stopped making this lovely eGolf but thankfully SAIC MG now have MG 4. Otherwise I would've missed the eGolf massively. Back when eGolf was launched, I strongly prefer this over BMW i3 - a "Storm trooper wannabe". To me in a styling department the eGolf was the real deal.
How do you like that the driving part is front-view only? Do you prefer this or rather like the switching to me-perspective sometimes?
Shahnewaz Ahmed I'm with this also, I started feeling car sick while driving through the housing development..haha
I think we prefer to also see you sometimes. You are so expressive :)
I like this front view... when you were going over the speed bump, I felt like I was also going over the speed bump sitting on my chair.. hehe :)
It is interesting start, but i do hear wind and road noise unless it is me. I cannot hear myself think while watching your drive reviews with road/wind noise happening at at the same time. NVH is great on Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro where you don't hear wind/road noises at all.
+Malik Brother did u check this reupload? Everything left of the noise are the road surface which was rather rough
Update, new info: The Active Info Display is only standard equipment for the Golf GTI Performance (at least in Germany), it may differ from market to market though.
Autogefühl , they actually changed standards and options for different markets. Discover pro (big screen) now comes standard for the e-Golf in Germany and active info display is an option.
HerrRiebmann do you know by chance which is the one they use in the US?
In The Netherlands we would have to pay 40,000 euros for an e-golf! You really need to stand strongly for enviromental principles in order to buy one. It's a small car with very limited range.
Great work Thomas!
+carlos fernandez no benefits?
Found a sound issue in the driving part, fixed now - please enjoy again for full length :)
Such an AWESOME review! Thank you so much! Very thorough and informative!
+Marlon Mendez 🙏🙏
telling the story like a friend would. priceless! excellent presentation.
welcome! Hope you ve subbed :)
You spent a lot of time putting this together. Thanks for all the hard work. Very good production value. Katrina deserves an award for putting up with all this.
+Paul C thank you very much
Nice job as usual. Thanks for all the detail and perspective.
👌
Another awesome review. Thank you:)
in your service!
Bravo Thomas. That was a great review on the e-Golf. But is was also a great education about electric cars in general. Everybody should watch this one. Many thanks and best wishes
thanks m8 !
Danke für das ausführliche und sehr interessante Video. Der Wagen gefällt mir nach dem Review noch besser als zuvor.
hi thanks for this really excellent review! I did like particularly the comparison with the i3 around regenerative braking. You explained very well, the driver is in command and he/she decides when/how much to regenerate....not the car!
glad u liked it!
The digital dash display isn’t standard !!
It's not
I Love your german english, it is nice to understand. 👍🏻💡
=)
A really excellent review. I learnt a lot. Many, many thanks!
(Hate heated windscreens - they optically distort...not clear enough)
Switch to you a bit if possible....sorry about the extra work involved !
You've got a great personality and way of explaining stuff.
Great car, great review. All the technical features are very well explained. In general Golf is Golf, still relatively compact from the outside, space enough for four tall adults and their luggage, comfortable, nice handling.
I like your statement about the silent electric drive in the housing area. I don't agree however about your conclusion comparing the Zoe and the Golf. Yes, the Golf is bigger, has a little more space, a bit more comfort, is (maybe or should be) of better build quality and has a more extensive equipment from zero production.
But it has a lower range (as you said) and is about 14.000 Euros more expensive on the German market. Sorry, the Golf is not 14.000 Euros better than the Zoe.
So the Golf is very premium from the prize and that's it. I would go for the Zoe. It's even easier to park, looks much better, not so serious and "premium". More sympathic. While I am driving the Zoe I can dream of what I can do with 14.000 Euros I have saved not buying the Golf.
+Christian Schumacher interesting aspects!
Great review! B mode is fantastic, so smooth, and almost like having auto braking -- but it's not as efficient as coasting, as you pointed out. Around 32:00 when you are switching between D and B did you know you can toggle between these? It took me about nine months in my 2016 e-Golf before I discovered this. By "toggle", I mean you just pull back on the stick and release and it switches to B from D (or vice versa). This may sound trivial but it is actually quite different from having to move the stick back and forth: more convenient, intuitive, and precise. This car is well thought out in general and I can highly recommend it. It actually has more elbow room than i3 and far more trunk space. VW's EV future looks quite bright.
thanks for the feedback!
Iam going to get this in this months. Colour may be different with telephone premium, outside sound, app connect, dyna subwoofer and much more equipments. 😍
+Prince_Khan awesome!
Apparently they had to make the driving sections front-view only, so that you couldn't see the tears on Thomas's face as he drove this knowing that he had to give the sports car review to Holger
+TChighbury i really enjoy e cars
You guys make very useful and very nicely detailed videos. Great job!
thanks stick with us!
Awesome review Thomas. I think I'll pick this car up this fall. It looks just plain awesome!
+awwyeah tell us when you got it :)
Autogefühl I will. But currently it doesnt seem available here in Denmark. Im trying out the GTE tomorrow, but will only do that to test the same sort of vehicle. I have definitely settled for the eGolf
+awwyeah not available in denmark? Wat er det? Det jeg ikke forstar
+awwyeah maybe they are awaiting those facelift models
Autogefühl that they are. I spoke with them today, and they expected to receive the cars in 1-2 months
Autogefühl - CONGRATULATIONS Thomas - I wish ALL reviews of cars was this pleasant and complete to watch. REALLY GOOD JOB ! I was lucky enough to try the recent E Golf here in Canada and I can agree with your findings 100%! It is a really fabulous car!
I agree also that how one perceives the styling of a car is quite personal, but I find the BMW i3 a little too shall we say "avant grade" to be polite, for my taste. I DO like "different" but "different" also has to be beautiful : ) ONE example of "beautiful" (IMHO) is the new I-Pace Concept all Electric Crossover from Jaguar - whose styling was guided by Ian Callum. In terms of "range anxiety", depending on the FREQUENCY of LONG distance drives one does in a year, then if it is only two or three long distance trips, then one only need RENT an ICE car for those excursions - so no excuse to say "no" to electric! : ))) I look forward to seeing more of your tests - keep up the great work!
P.S. A wee little bit more of YOU in the video would be nice and if at all possible in an ELECTRIC CAR, close ups of the regenerative modes on the display panels would be nice too!
thanks David stick with us! Will u get an e-Golf ?
I will Thomas - I just hit the "Subscribe" key! Yes, I plan to LEASE the E-Golf and by the time the lease expires, perhaps the Volkswagen ID will then be available. That would be a little more in my price range than the I-Pace. CHEERS and thanks for this and the ID presentations!
great to have u here now!
Thanks so much Thomas . . . great to be here! : )
I prefer the switching of perspective Thomas, great reviews always thanks
thanks keep joining us!
Thanks Thomas,
I like the philosophical balance that VW have struck here. I'll be looking to change from a Kia Soul EV in a couple of years. The Golf has always been a great car for small families. It will be on my list. I hope that with the rate of battery development that by then they'll have en even better range by then, who knows? These are exciting times in the EV world. Keep up the good work!
+Ben Galvin 👏👏
In Norway, the e-Golf is cheaper than the regular Golf due to lower taxes on electric vehicles.
I had a test drive with the eGolf a couple of days ago....to be honest I did no expect much....actually thought it might be quite a lame car....but hey, was I wrong...I was blown away by the acceleration on the motorway and uphill a mountain road....felt like driving a sportscar....in regard to recuperation, I think it is absolutely desireable for a car under 300 km range all the time......pricepoint here in Austria with around 37 000 € is far too high.....but overall a surprisingly nice experience.....damn, now back in my boring stinker car ;-)
yeah its really fun :)
I really want an e-Golf myself, but I think the price is just way too high for this type of car. I live in Norway where the benefits of driving an electric car is really high. The starting price is just €30 cheaper than a regular Golf and that's without VAT or any of the other really high taxes you have on regular cars. Of course you pay way less in total, because you have lower running costs through-out the lifetime + you get plenty of other benefits like free parking, (sometimes) you don't pay for toll roads, free ferry-transport, lower yearly road-tax and you save time as you can ride in the bus lane.
But when the price for the e-Golf, which has the minimum required range for me, costs that much, what is stopping me from just buying a cheaper fossil fueled car? It takes a long time driving with an e-Golf to save in what I spend in a cheaper ICE-powered car. With technology moving so fast, the depreciation of the car will be quite large aswell.
The e-Up is cheaper and looks cool, but it's way too small for me and has too low range. I wish VW would make a e-Polo, which would be perfect in terms of size and probably also price.
B mode turns on the brake lights so it's best to only use it when you want to brake to a complete stop..
For the daily use the e-Golf isn`t a bad solution. But for longer trips u still need a car with combustion-engine! But I think the new I.D. will be a new benchmark for this segment in 2020 ! 💪 The concept is very expectant !! 👍
indeed
I see... its a reupload! I wondered why I didn't find it yesterday night when I wanted to watch it. btw: at around 6:13 you guys forgot to cut something :P great review as always, Thomas! love your Reviews the most
+Zarg thanks :) fixed sound
Another excellent review!
Great review! It's hard to find good information on the e-golf. Of course I have to guess witch option we will get here in Canada but I'm so excited we are suppose to get it. If it all works out with the Canadian buy-back of the TDI's I could have a e-Golf for under 20K CND. I wonder if it is possible to put 15inch wheels on on the e-golf for winter wheels. Speaking of tiers the I3 has some weird sizes only available at bmw witch is a turn off for me. Price wise at lest for now the I3 price range in Canada is more comparable to the Bolt your Ampera-e so might as well got for the Bolt with better range and the e-Golf is more comparable to the leaf price wise.
I'm happy you put your review back up I only viewed 10 minutes of it last night before it was taken off I was very happy to see it was back up.
thanks Louis! Yea I had to fix a sound issue all fine now :)
Fantastic and really helpful review. Thank you!
been looking for a review on this vehicle thanks great job
+Street Runner 👏👏👏
6:20 i cant understand why VW put in an 2-Phase!! (7,4kW) Charger ?! (Cleary to see L1, L2 but no L3) Why not 3-Phase 11kW or better 22kW (In Germany almost every Charging Station offers 22kW AC 3-Phase...) Maybe they will upgrade on the next Facelift to 11kW and then on the next golf 22kW... a bit silly isnt it?....
The Prototype Golf e-bluemotion had 11kW! 3-phase...
But nice review as always. :)
Agree. All e-cars with Type-2 inlet should have 3-phase charger on board. In USA we have J1772 inlet, so 7.2kW single phase is good enough. Of course, Tesla has 11.5kW single phase or 11kW 3-phase depending on market.
In Germany it's actually a 3-Phase charger, limited to 11Kw. No idea why it's not the case in this version.
The dealership here in the US today told me that it had all 3 chargers: 110v, 220v and the DC fast charger. But are you saying it doesn’t come with a fast charger?
Best review I've seen
Thanks! Please recommend :)
Thanks Thomas. This has been helpful, because i did test drive after E Golf with bmw i3, and was completely convinced that E Golf is much better allaround car. Bmw was not practical, with rather strange rear door design and much smaller lagguage, plus what i found inconvenient is the car hight in BMW, much higher, not comfortable for kids at all.
😊 enjoy
C'mon Thomas.Due end of March? Golf R test!! (If possible Lapiz,5dr,DSG.Prets). I could still cancel mine if it's rubbish! haha!
OK got it, Majorca again, tough job, guess someone has to do it!!
Love this car, it looks like a regular Golf so no one is calling me hippie. Wish the new replacement batteries would come with 250+ range.
Please test the Hyundai Ioniq EV and compare it with the e golf ! It's such a amazing e car.
+Markus T. Yes indeed I will try to get one
If only they’d sell it in their dealerships.
What I'm really missing from manufacturers is choice. for VW it should not be hard to offer a VW e-Golf Variant. Ofcourse the i3 doesn't really have that choice, but you can still hold them responsible.
For D and B, there is no one fits all mode. I drive D on open roads and B in the city, use the lever, it's there for a reason :)
The Zoe with 40kWh had 260km range around freezing when I drove it, that's still quite a large amount further over the e-Golf, but the car itself is hardly comparable to the e-Golf. You would not compare the Clio against a Golf either.
As far as the Zoe goes, no Zoe Break either, whilst the Clio Break exists. It irks me.
So you like the golf better, does it have a thermally cooled battery ?
Hi Thomas! What watch are you wearing here?
The Renault Zoe has medium strength regen where you can't one pedal drive but it does slow you down more than a regular automatic I've driven. It's a nice compromise of coasting and regen. But it would be nice to have it be adjustable with paddles in the next version.
+Chris Till yeah i think they have a good solution with the golf that u can freely adjust it
It does not come with full digital dials as standard. That is an optional extra
Those seats are not from Highline... but form Comfortline... and as they are quite comfortable (the best part is long sitting area) they do not offer proper support during cornering... :)
Very nice review and recap. Only one point in my view if you Could instal camera on opposite side. I mean window of passenger.
cheers! We usually switch that around in the driving part
Hello, Thomas. What the real difference between Level 1, 2, 3, B recuperating and braking pedal recuperating?
Dat bad-ass sound
I own one and always drive it in B and use cruise control as often as possible. Then it's just a matter of modulating the right pedal, which is quite easy to do with a little habit :)
The only situation where I use the brakes is when I need to come to a full stop. Also, I wish VW hadn't tuned regen down at lower speeds (Tesla, for instance, doesn't do that) since it intereferes with accelerator control. Too bad.
Thx for the feedback!
It's lovely - however only I would change is put some 17" alloys on (as prefer 45 profile tyres) wondering how that would change things or if that would upset how the e-golf works.
I've just ordered an golf through our work salary sacrifice scheme which from next year is 0% BIK and only 1% the year after an 2% the year after that, having looked at a few different electric cars i kept going back to the golf mainly because it looks like a normal car not like a space ship, sadly the e golf isn't going to be made after next year as VW have a new platform and they have also made a spaceship looking car, why can't manufacturers just make electric cars to look like conventional cars like the e golf?
Having no problems with seeing thru the heated windscreen on my gen.1 e-golf. Love it here in the cold winters in Scandinavia. 30 sec. and a ice free windscreen. Best car I ever had.
Top review as always. Thanks a lot.!
+Mrbokario 🎬✌️
Since you asked for input, here's my experience with the first gen (24.2 kWh) e-Golf: software-wise it's a frustrating experience, I'd like my last settings to be always saved: I always use B as it's the closest to one pedal driving, due the precision of the accelerator pedal it's easy to simulate coasting as well. I'd like eco+ to be selected at all times but it defaults back to normal which reduces range... Also, the ac setting defaults to 22°C , read a lot about it but I disagree with VW, they shouldn't assume everyone is better off at 22°C, if so then why bother adding a temperature knob? Finally maps no matter how many updates you apply, it takes you through places that are one way (no entry) or forest paths that are restricted to pedestrians and cyclists. The sound system sometimes has sound distortions, that can be fixed with a media system reset. The ACC sometimes turns off with the fault sign visible on dashboard, cannot reactivate unless I turn the car off and back on.
I sincerely hope they sorted out all these problems with the refresh, however I am stuck with the old one till my lease ends next year. So VW, if you're listening, fix this car's software or you'll definitely lose a loyal customer. Strongly considering turning my Model 3 reservation into an actual order as Tesla at least updates their software and do so over the air....
In the US model e-Golf there is an Adaptation that can be applied by the dealer service department that will allow the climate control to keep your last setting. If it bothers you still, you can ask your service center to do it. I always use the Normal drive mode, so I don't notice that resetting.
I drive the Soul EV. This car seems nicer, but at the same time it's less spacious.
Hi Thomas, crisp video as usual, do you know if this car can tow a trailer?
thanks marius! Afaik not.
I like it better than the i3, a bit more range would be good..
excellent review Thomas. Does it also exist in manual? or is it incompatible with electric cars?
+Raphael Reiter thx! There is only 1 gear in electric cars :)
ah ok. thanks :)
Although the upfront cost is ore than an ICE vehicle, I think in the the long-term the running costs of the EV will be much less.
I hate the new display. I think the 8" was a perfect balance of touch and knobs. If they make it bigger I'm ok I'd like it to still retain the basic knobs.
Great review as always Thomas! One thing though, please can you not lean on the cars while talking. Your jeans have brass studs and they scratch the paint. Cars are for driving and not leaning against. By the way, is it your car or a loan car? Loan car I bet.
i never damaged the car so far =)
Mark Dovale -While I agree with Marcus Aurelius when he said: "Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life."
In your case I have to make an exception.
And simply tell you: Get a life will you!
What about Ioniq, it is cheaper but more importantly, it can load on 100kw, twice as quick. But Golf is better build though.
Great review, thank you.
thanks pal, feel free to recommend us!
Hey VW, e-Golf Alltrack in AWD please.
Unfortunately the pricing of the e-golf is quite high, i think the high price is really holding back potential customers like myself.
Considering dieselgate VW should have an aggressive pricing on their EV's to really show that they mean business as an eco friendly car maker.
so far they are not even earning money with this car, so the price is indeed already subsidized. They can only be cheaper if they sell more cars, which they would if the car would be cheaper ... ;-)
Hello Thomas, thank you for the great review, as always.
Do you know if VW might have FULLY electric Passat, or Jetta soon? Are they going to make an electric Golf Estate (or Variant, as you call it in German)? It would be great to have a larger car with a larger battery (and longer range) ...
hey, no they wont. They will bring all-new all-electric models
ruclips.net/video/DETZNTPml7M/видео.html
so do the seats fold flat? Is there an adjustable lumbar? Never do in an 20 minutes what can be down in an hour. lol
Why the re-upload?
I notice it is about 8 mins shorter
Found a sound issue in the driving part, fixed now - please enjoy again for full length :)
If you re-upload again, you can fix the false start at 6:10.
And why would I re-upload again?
good review. i hope you can test the Hyundai Ioniq EV, as this is is the closest competitor (range vice and normal car look). A comparison of Comfort (seat and lumbar support) and road noise (maybe a interior db meter, This app will use the phone microphone to measure environmental noise decibels (dB) and show a value for reference).A comparison of audio quality from the speakers would also be great.
thanks! lets see what we can do
Thanks for the good review! I have never seen a woman that quiet for so long ... chapeau lol
Amazing car, i have test it myself just one problem, it's very expensive, when the price fall many will buy it.
I found another review that was horrible about the actual range while cold condition, reviewer claims that the range will drastically drop to 90km! at around zero temperature. Also Eco plus doesn't support seat heater and some other functions. What is your comment? Thanks
Is this car electric or a hybrid?If it is electric?
Interior shots/ video is just superb, backgrounds for video shooting is just gorgeous! Thank you team Autogefuhl!
So the VAG don't see this EV bring in profit , if they didn't put the blue checkered aka GTI seats?like you showed us from Auto show...
glad u enjoyed! thats in the GTE afaik, and was placed in that e-Golf concept. Not sure if you can spec them for the e-Golf
Would love to see that option in e golf , as well as sport mode (even as extra $$ option as upload like for a new civic sport)drive with acceleration 0-70 mph in at least 8 second), I know with 36kWh battery it's not sport car but also when paying $35-36 before rebates I want to know I can pass most of SUVs on ramp or when jumping on highway, hey?
yeah a sports suspension like in the GTE would also be a nice option
It's a great car. They only thing standing in its way is range. I still can't figure out why manufacturers are still using the 12volt system. They could get so much more out of a 54volt system.
The cost to change everything from 12V to 48V or 54V is cost prohibitive and the benefit would not be that much.
what they need to do is make an e golf with tesla model *S* specs..i think that would be a superb car
Does recuperation, without pressing the brake pedal, trigger the braking lights?
+A-nov D modes no, B yes
Is this a re-upload or did I mix up my pills again?
Found a sound issue in the driving part, fixed now - please enjoy again for full length :)
Hello how is recuperation khw 30kwh or more? thanks.
just because the german wannebe premuim cars are so overpriced doesn't make cars like LEAF a budget car. It's not hard to notice that you are from germany and you are proud of you great automobile industry. This unreflected loyalty to german automobile brands gives me headache.
That's not true. I have no interest in promoting german cars, please dont judge me that way just because I am from Germany. But it is clear that you would not buy a Nissan Leaf after you have driven a VW e-Golf - unless your only decision factor is price/range ratio.
let me guess: gap dimensions?
Take a seat in both cars directly after each other, drive them, and you ll see