Why isn't my new Volkswagen Golf as comfortable as my old one?
Dear Alex,
I replaced my 2015 Golf SE estate with a new Golf Style 115PS hatchback. The suspension of the new car doesn't cope with bumpy roads nearly as well, while it's noisier at higher speeds. The dealer blames the 17in wheels (compared with 16in rims). Is this correct? If so, is it feasible to replace the wheels with 16in items to rectify what is otherwise a lovely car? Would Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) improve matters if it could be retrofitted? If none of the above would work, does the more powerful version have better suspension?
– DR
Dear DR,
Two types of rear suspension have been fitted to the Golf in recent years. Lesser versions have a less sophisticated torsion bar rear suspension; the most powerful models have a more advanced, therefore more supple, multi-link design.
With the previous Mk7 Golf, the threshold for this change was 120bhp, so the 122bhp 1.4-litre and 128bhp 1.5-litre engines, plus everything above in terms of power, had the superior suspension.
On the current Mk8 model, however, the 128bhp 1.5 was discontinued, leaving only the 114bhp 1.5-litre engine you have and the 148bhp version thereof.
I'm guessing your old Golf has a 1.4 petrol or 2.0-litre diesel engine, as did most SE estates; if so, it would have had the multi-link suspension. Your new hatchback, however, won't.
Reducing the wheel size to 16in diameter will help with the ride quality, but I suspect it won't solve the problem completely. (Just remember to fit the right size tyres to keep the same rolling radius – and inform your insurer).
Retrofitting DCC – the adaptive suspension system fitted to pricier Golfs – is a non-starter as it would be prohibitively expensive. You would have to not only replace lots of hardware, including control units buried deep within the car, but also elements of the software.
So it would be cheaper to do as you suggest – to take the financial hit on your current car and upgrade to a more powerful Golf with the better suspension. I'd test-drive one first, however, just to be sure.
That probably won't help with the added noise though. I remain convinced that Volkswagen's bean counters have hacked away some of the sound deadening in the latest Golf, making it less serene than before.
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