21 Sep 04
We tested both in mixed conditions, mostly dry and wet roads, with some gravel and a spot of icy slush near a convenient glacier. Most of the time, the Golf 4Motion feels exactly like a Golf non-4Motion. Visually on both the outside and inside, and in the way it drives, you'd think it was a conventional car if it weren't for some subtle 4Motion badges. It has the same well-designed and built interior, while its 4WD drivetrain is smooth, without the shunt and obstruction that sometimes blights robust four-wheel-drive transmissions. The steering is linear, engines are refined, performance is strong and economy is good. All very Golf-ish, in fact. Even the rear suspension is unchanged, save for slotting in a drive-shaft, differential and rear axles. Honestly, you won't know the difference 99 percent of the time.
The 4WD system only makes its presence felt when the front wheels lose traction, which rarely happens in normal conditions. However, when the going does get slippery, you'll appreciate the 4Motion system. The Golf gets its four-wheel-drive via a Haldex clutch, located between the front and rear axles. Sensors detect slip between the front and rear wheels and apply power to the back pair if the powered front-wheels are spinning, until the two axles are moving at the same speed. It's possible to put almost 100 percent of power to the rear, but extremely unlikely, unless you've parked with your front wheels on Teflon and the rears on sandpaper.
It's a system which comes into its own on loose surfaces like snow and slush, where it limits power-understeer and gives good traction at low speeds. Wet grass, loose tracks and coastal slipways are also where the system's likely to see some action in the UK, and we expect it to prove really useful there, too, helping the 4Motion get out of places that a normal Golf would get stuck - which is all you can ask for, really, and certainly all that most owners would ask of an SUV. And if you do need a bit of extra ruggedness, a rough-road package will be offered, which raises ground clearance by 20mm and includes an engine protection plate.
