Golf GTE ordered

K

Kugaman1

Member
 North East Scotland
About to collect an E89 as a weekend toy.

Also ordered a new Golf GTE as a daily run around. My wife and I both live close to our workplaces so I reckon a single charge will do us most of the week!!

After a lot of thought, it seemed a good idea to source a Z4 for occasional use during the week and weekend fun with the Golf giving 5 door versatility and tiny running costs!

Test drive the Golf and its a very impressive machine. Swaps from electric to petrol almost imperceptibly and can do 30 miles on a charge.

We were both very impressed by the test drive and have ordered a white GTE advantage, well specced as standard so no need to waste money on options.

Anyone else tried the GTE?
 
Tried the GTE last year when I was looking for a replacement company car and was very impressed, I ended up with a merc C350e as I got a bigger discount with merc than VW

The acceleration in sport mode for both cars is epic
 
My wife has a GTE. This is our 21st Golf (!)
You will not be disappointed. It is a fantastic car, especially if your driving needs fit with its abilities.
After 43,000 miles, we have learnt a lot about maximising the benefits of this car - but a change of motoring-mind-set is required to really put it into practice.
Realistic range on a full charge is closer to 20/22 miles. The display does tell you how to do better (turn off lights/aircon etc or close the roof).
This car is almost perfect for us as my wife does two 22-mile round trips a day plus a few other jaunts in between. In the early days, when we were disciplined about charging, it was giving 80+mpg.
Nowadays, especially with all the wet weather, the faff of plugging-in all the time is less appealing and 40-42mpg has become the norm.
Once electricity has run-out you really are driving a petrol car.
Best middle-ground results are gained by driving in hybrid mode, with 7 miles or more of electricity left in the batteries. But you have to select Hybrid for each journey and it's easy to forget.
After a diesel Bluemotion, this car is a joy - choosing to move the planet-saver back into GTi world was a VW stroke of genius. Quality is up, it feels so much better with the sports seats and added details. This gearbox is so much better than the previous version too (oddly, I believe it is the 'old' gearbox revisited)
As Herbie33 says, in 'GTE' mode acceleration is sharp (plenty of torque with electric motors). It does feel good but you'll be in the thirties (mpg) very quickly too.
Bootspace is significantly reduced in the GTE - we thought it wouldn't matter but it does.
Service intervals are short by modern standards at 10,000 miles. We opted for long-life at first service but you cannot do that with these cars so they (VW) changed it back again.
We would recommend these cars to virtually anyone who has parking and easy access to an electricity socket at home and work. If you park on the street, prepare for 'normal' consumption or save money and have a GTi.
Hope this is useful. Good luck with a great choice.
 
How's much are they?

Is there any great saving to be had?

Is there any real point if real world mpg is low/ mid 40's and you have to pay for 2 sources of fuel ?
 
I'm a logical person and am seriously bemused as to how the industry have been allowed to market these massively over-engineered and consequently over-priced vehicles as in any way 'green' or 'planet saving' :?

Just read through the numbers, the manufacturing materials used (with batteries containing rare earth compounds etc), resultant miserable MPG "in the 40's", a 20-22 miles real-world range! The cost, it's madness. The ONLY green benefit is the localised reduction of emissions in urban areas, transferred to emissions elsewhere when the electricity is produced (a a lower efficiency than the conversion of petrol to energy in an engine). Why? It's a sales gimmick to add £10k to a ticket price IMHO
 
I've got one for a week while my co car is repaired. Got to say I am well impressed. The tiny 1.4 litre engine is remarkably gutsy but when combined with the electric there’s enough power to throw you back in your seat whilst accelerating very strongly indeed. I believe in combined "GTE" mode it kicks out around 200 bhp even though the actual combined powers are in theory circa 230 bhp. The electric only mode brings on the power in a linear manner and just keeps increasing, again by itself it pulls like a goodun. I haven't "plugged" it in so I am using the engine to charge. Have to say I suspect you'd need a very long journey to achieve a full battery. Braking also charges the battery but again sooner or later you'll need to plug it in.
All in all I'm very impressed by this car albeit I do have one or two criticisms and most notably you can feel the weight of the car and it seems to body roll more than I would have expected.
One positive bonus is that in electric mode you cannot hear the car on "tick over". Frankly living close to what is now an extremely noisy road I'd be very grateful if every car was electric.

To answer another question they are (depending on exact model) 28 to 35K in price without the options.

I'd honestly have no problem if I ended up with this car as my daily driver for both business and personal use, it's a very worthy machine.
 
Thanks English68.

My wife works approx 2 miles away and Im about 3 miles from work.
If the weathers fine, I cycle in, so a great fuel saving to be had there!

Seriously, a single charge should last all week, and thats where the car will excel. Also, love the idea of when shopping, can charge for free in shopping centre car parks (pay for parking but all cars do anyway).

We sat down and reviewed the type of driving/mileage we do and decided that the Golf would be perfect. We drive 400 miles down to Hull 3 or 4 times a year to watch the (not so mighty this year) Hull City, but apart from that almost all running is local with the odd 30 mile shopping trip in Aberdeen.

Our daughter lives out in the country, so the Z4 will be perfect for visiting her in the summertime.

All in all, I think weve got the bases covered, bar having a 4x4 for winter, but snow tyres will do the job no doubt.

So we collect the z4 on Sunday and then the Golf at the end of October.....
 
I had to do a road test on a Polo GT about a month ago...

Over a 75 mile run it achieved 72mpg..

1.4tsi turbo petrol engine, very impressed
 
I get 60-70 MPG out of my daily golf mk5 1.9 TDi so I really don't see the point of these E models currently, they need to do more to make these more efficient, 40 ish MPG is terrible by todays standard.

Sorry to down a downer on your thread OP and I really do hope you enjoy the car, golf's drive pretty well it the current MK7.5 format, I had a new GTi a few weeks ago for a few days and really enjoyed the car nice interior and practical too but 40 odd MPG out of an e model is crazy low the GTi did 46 MPG with a steady right foot on a run!
 
I think quoting petrol or diesel cars' overall mpg is missing the point a bit.
(and don't forget, we got 80+mpg when using this car properly)
It looks like Kugaman1 is a perfect case for the GTE.
It won't work for everyone, but if your lifestyle suits it...
One car fits all.
Commuting = electricity
Long runs = Hybrid all the way, (but with some electricity stored for best results)
Journeys out to 'the country' = GTE mode. Use some fuel, stay comfortable, have some fun but no need for another car unless you want to.

Basically, have your cake and eat it.
(At a price)

Remembering this is a Z4 forum, I'm not saying there's no need for such a thing!
I just sold mine and already wish I hadn't.
Already sniffing around for another one.
 
A friend manages my local VW dealer and we were driving one when they first came out. Firstly, it's a bloody heavy car with all those batteries added, it makes for an understeering mess when pushing on.....secondly, do not keep one beyond the warranty....the batteries are £15k to replace and life expectancy is only put at 100k miles.

Unless you drive in central London then I cannot think of one single reason why you would buy one over a cheaper golf...
 
Driven the GTE. It's OK, compromised in many ways to the GTD and miles from a GTi.
I have a Merc C350 Sport Premium Plus as my company car. On paper is amazing. On the road is a mess. Gearbox, and drivetrain are shocking. The performance is only seen when going in a straight line. The weight is enormous, handles like a dead whale, shreds a full set of tyres every 10k miles, across 27,500 miles I have averaged 29.4 mpg. Only plus points are the air suspension is a thing of wonder, and the cabin is really nice. Long motorway cruise 7/10, short run across country 4/10.
The SOLE reason I got it is the fuel tax is 50 quid a month for free personal fuel @ 40%. And the car tax is 120 / month all in. You can't get a 43k car for so little it was a mega bargain.
 
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