Volkswagen Golf 4: specifications, photos and reviews

For the first time Volkswagen Golf 4th generation was introduced to the public in 1997 as part of the Frankfurt Motor Show. In general, this model of the car is one of the most famous and is produced at the facilities of the German concern for several decades. Today's article will be devoted specifically to the fourth generation of the Volkswagen Golf 4. Overview of the car - later in this article.

Design

The external appearance of the compact German hatchback remained unchanged for years. And once again, the Bavarian designers decided to go the familiar way - without experiments and extra innovations, it's good to refresh the look of the car.

Interestingly, the Germans manage even with minimal changes to modernize the design and make it relevant for at least the next 5-6 years. The Volkswagen Golf 4 was not an exception. The owners' comments also note the versatility of the exterior appearance of the car. Today it is a purely female compact car, and tomorrow it will be transformed into a real men's sports car. At the same time, it is enough to equip the "Golf" with new disks and a pair of three aerodynamic skirts. In support of this, we upload photos for comparison. It would seem that such different machines. But they were assembled on one conveyor. So with the design of the Germans accurately guessed. Volkswagen Golf 4 is a kind of designer, which everyone can transform into his own style and character.

By the way, the 5-door hatchback is not the only version of the body for the "Golf". In the 99th year in the "Volkswagen" developed two new versions of the car with a body type "station wagon" and a 3-door hatchback. Due to this the company expanded its circle of customers by another order. Now the "Golf" is a large family car with a capacious luggage compartment, a small women's compact car or a formidable sports "hatch" (by the way, there were bodies for the "Golf" type "cabriolet" on the German domestic market). But for the most part Volkswagen Golf 4 was suitable for young people who love speed and compactness. "Volkswagen" looked like a kind of little animal, a predator, conquering the night streets and wide autobahns. Finally, we note the fact that the body of the "Golf" was completely made of galvanized steel. And this meant that even under the harshest climatic conditions the car was 100 percent protected from rust. Until then, German manufacturers only covered the metal body with a layer of galvanizing. With the fourth generation of "Foltz" it began to be made entirely of galvanized steel. To make sure that the hatchback is immune to corrosion, it's enough just to see firsthand the state of the metal of the machine (good, such "Golf" in Russia is not for one generation). Even since 1997, not a single machine has yet become rusted, and this is without post-sale anti-corrosion treatment.

Reviews, dimensions and capacity

Volkswagen Golf 4 has quite standard for its "golf-class" dimensions. The length of the body of the car is 4150 millimeters, the width is 1735 millimeters, the height is 1440 millimeters (for the hatchback Volkswagen Golf 4). Reviews note that thanks to such small dimensions the machine is able to maneuver easily even in the narrowest streets. This is a big plus. But with road clearance there are small problems - car owners say. The total ground clearance is 13 centimeters. With regard to the volume of the trunk, then, despite its small body, the hatchback can accommodate up to 330 liters of load (almost like some full-size sedans). With the rear row of seats folded, the volume increased to a record 1180 liters. For the station wagon, this figure was 460 and 1470 liters, respectively. Judging by the reviews of motorists, the "Golf" in the body of the "station wagon" could serve as a real cargo and passenger minivan, since it can accommodate up to 4 passengers and at the same time has one of the largest trunks.

Volkswagen Golf 4 - photo and interior review

The interior of the car is very comfortable and ergonomic. A compact 4-spoke steering wheel fits comfortably in the hands, on the center console there is a cassette player and buttons for controlling the stove and climate control. The front panel is not overloaded with extra buttons, the dashboard is very simple and understandable in perception. By the way, here already in the "base" there is a black and white digital computer (like the one that was installed on the "top ten" at the time). For its years the car has a quite bright and interesting salon. True, by today's standards, it would seem very old. In the top-end equipment, the "Golf" was lined inside the skin and equipped with electric mirrors heating and electric windows. True, there was one drawback in the cabin, which concerned a different level of the location of the gas pedals and the brake. However, over time, you quickly get used to this feature.

Volkswagen Golf 4 - specifications

The line of engines for the fourth generation of the Volkswagen Golf was more than diverse. In total, the buyer was asked to make a choice between five petrol or three diesel units. The range of capacities was also different. The weakest motor developed power of 68 horsepower, the most powerful - up to 130 "horses". The choice among the gear boxes was also provided. In total, the European market "Golf" was supplied in 4 versions of the checkpoint. Among them are two automatic (for 4 and five speeds), as well as two mechanical (5 and 6 gears) transmissions. As practice shows, the resource of exploitation of each of them is about 200 thousand kilometers. Only after this run the transmission is subjected to its first repair.

By the way, oil change in the transmission was also often not required. On the "mechanics" oil went up to 60 thousand, on the "automatic machine" - up to 40 thousand kilometers. Relatively speaking, the replacement of the lubricating material was required every 1.5-2 years. The mechanical boxes were completed with a very reliable clutch system, which also ran without problems for 150-200 thousand miles.

Acceleration Dynamics

A wide range of engines made it possible to pick up to each buyer exactly the car that will best meet its requirements. So, "Golf" with the weakest engine made a jerk to "hundreds" in 18 seconds and accelerated the car to 169 kilometers per hour of maximum speed. The hatchback with the top 130-horsepower engine scored "hundred" in just 10 seconds. At the same time, the "maximum speed" of the VW Golf 4 was 190 kilometers per hour.

Fuel consumption

It should be noted that even the most powerful engine was characterized by low fuel consumption. On average, on 100 kilometers of the road, he spent about 8 liters of gasoline. The most economical and low-power engine consumed no more than 6.5 liters per "hundred".

Cost in the Russian market

The serial production of the 4th generation "Volkswagen Golf" was officially discontinued in 2004. Since the new year, he was replaced by a newer hatchback, the Volkswagen Golf 5. So you can get the fourth "Golf" only in the secondary market. Its average cost ranges from 6 to 10 thousand dollars. It is noteworthy, even at its considerable age (10-17 years), this car is able to compete in terms of longevity of parts and components, even a new "Priora" or "Grant". What is most appreciated in the "German" is the body and the motor - they are practically eternal and will serve until the odometer shows an arrow of 1 million kilometers. And it's not for nothing that the Germans make the most high-quality cars in the world.