Cool Matrix size vehicle with VW refinement, or beating a dead horse with the same old rounded form vocabulary just puffed up a bit? My jury is out still, any opinions?
http://www.cardesignnews.com/news/2004/041201whats-new/index.html
I’m still kind of up in the air about vehicles like this in general, but I think there are some nice developments here from the plain Golf (Golf Minus?) and in general.
I think its nice to see a car in this segment take itself seriously. There’s a lot of understatement here. There isn’t any of the forced edginess/sportiness that you see in the Matrix/xA/Focus 5-doors, but I guess that’s been true of the Golf (and VW’s in general) for a while.
Anyway, I don’t think that I like the hood treatment this gets compared to the new Golf minus, but with the increased scale of the vehicle, its probably more appropriate. I think the thing that bugs me about it is the extra wedginess that it gets from its smooth connection with the A-pillars. The more vertical grille (at least based on the pictures, maybe it isn’t more vertical) also seems like the way to go for this car.
I dig the crease coming off of the headlights, with the requisite alignment with the door handles. This integration of the headlights with a feature on the side of the car isn’t something that I’ve noticed with VW’s before. I know that crease through the beltline is everywhere now, but I appreciate the restraint here. I also think the plain Golf could use this extra line.
The things that bother me the most about this and the regular Golf, though, is the roofline and the c-pillar. The roofline is way too Civic for my taste. I thought the old flatter roof was more distinctive and kind of rebellious toward all of the swoopy kiddy cars that it shares its segment with. I also thought the c-pillar on the most recent generation Golf was great, especially on the 4-door. It allowed for a really nice transition from hatch to rear door that was clearly very deliberate. I don’t feel like there’s much of a relationship between anything going on at the back of this car and what’s going on anywhere else.
Overall, though, I think its a pretty successful design. Its expressive enough to not be stodgy, but not so overt that it becomes a parody of itself. There’s enough that is good about it (proportions, clarity) that I don’t mind its relative blandness or the fact that it is very close to being a dead and beaten horse.
I guess I’ll leave it at that for now. Sorry about the length, but I did have to procrastinate for as long as possible.
I definitely like this better. The proportion looks more full and I love the increase in interior space. However, since the car is now taller, the sitting height may be raised too, not so much of my taste.
I dunno. It seems as thought VW is just playing follow the leader.
Check out the new design for the Jetta.
http://www.cardesignnews.com/news/2004/041105whats-new/index.html
Is it just me or does that look like a Toyota Corrolla?
I’m not saying that Volkswagen is a design leader, but when the '99 Jettas started to roll out, they were a breath of fresh air. They stood out from the crouded class of mid-size cars, which is why they are one of the most popular models in the US right now. This new Golf and Jetta makes me think that VW is falling asleep at the wheel.
I agree, it’s definately playing follow the leader. Besides I thought the golf was more targeted towards a male audience. Let the women have the bug, I want a golf, but not no bubbly round matrix/bug. I want the lower profile, chop that top, and give me a meaner and wider wheel base. Chunk it out a little more. Give me one line or plane my eyes can agree with. Give me meaner looking wheel space than what looks like 15" rims. Flatten that top out… Lose the martian transport front. I don’t know, but I know I don’t like it!
First, I find it ironic it one topic everyone complains about the big 3 and uses VW as an example of great design, in the next they complain about how VW is falling apart. Oh well.
New Golf + is old news. Renault invented the mini-mini-van with the Scénic years ago, and they just released a more significant vehicle with the Modus. Unfortunately La Régie bought Nissan and so will probably never bring any of these to the US.
As for the current trend in VW design, I think it is evolution over revolution. We were heading into the boxes a few years ago, and I think GM has excercised them to their extreme with Cadillac…now the trend will reverse. VW has increased the radiuses between the surfaces on their models to recognise this.
I too will miss the pretty panel gaps of the previous Golf…especially on that 5-door. goose bumps But, VW is evolving with the times…at least their interior is still the best quality, exterior gaps are razor thin and they have (hopefully) increased the reliability of their engines.
With regards to Jetta…it always looks like a Golf with a hunch back…because it is one! [/i]
I think it is UGLY!!! It looks super cheap. It kind of seems like a poor mix of a corolla, matrix, echo and some euro economy car. I’m disappointed to see VW lose thier unique, ultra cool styling. I gotta agree with Dow about wanting a lower profile and wider wheel base. I’m sure glad my VW doesn’t look like this one!!
I’m with you 914, but I also think the glory days of Audi/VW iconic design is behind us. The back of the new A4 looks like a civic sedan. This Golf+ is really good, but greatness seems to elude it, the new Jetta smacks a bit of the Altima proportion wise (I don’t see any Corolla), the Passat will continue to move up market.
What began with the really with the origional A6 and quattro coupe back in like 1994 and was followed by the Bettle, TT, JettaIII, Golf and origional A4 with a bang seems to have ended at the Tourag. They had to move the aesthetic somewhere and there was really no place to go but down.
Relative to the rest of the market, they are still up there in my book though. It’s not like I’m going to be buying a Pontiac G6 anytime this centry, even if Oprah gave me one for free.
No one likes the new MKV styling yet, and when the new 'dubs do come to North America it will be the GTI that breaks first due aftermarket parts. Check VWVortex.com to see what the VW enthusiasts are saying in the Volkswagen MKV forum.
This was also posted on Vortex about the Golf+. Contains a press release and some more pics:
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/volkswagen_news/article_1094.shtml
VW’s problem isn’t only in styling: the new platform was reworked extensivly and updated with a much better suspension set-up, nevermind the new engines. So for a car that’s new inside and out, they at least got one part right. (hint: not the styling 
) The idea for the Golf+ isn’t all that bad either, but I wouldn’t be looking for that particular car design style for myself.
Now that I think about it, I’d like to have VW let their designers cut the Golf+ as a 2-seat sports car 
Thumbs down for me. Hide the VW emblem and it looks like another Japanese import. I also am disappointed with the new Jetta 
Just my opinion, but I like the golfs from a couple of years ago. They actually look fast, and I agree that the lower, wider, racing look better suits the golf.
This new one looks too much like a cross between ford focus and old honda crx.
I do like the crease coming off the headlights though. and the expanded interior. What I always liked about the golf was that it felt like you were sitting on the road when driving it ( the stability of being low was comforting when weaving through cali traffic) I don’t know what they were going for here in terms of the overall aesthetic. This and the phaeton are VW’s worst choices. IMO
the body shape is old news.
The Honda FIT has (and newish civic) has had the same general shape for some time now.
(though I recall the new civic being referred to as looking 'golf-like)(the civic designed in the UK)
so I guess it’s all evolutionary and influence.
This is the sort of euro design out right now that makes me realy sad, no honesty, sad, like if you found out that your chilod was doing drugs; deep in the gut disapointment that just makes you so sad. Having recently driven a new Fiat not unlike this, I can affirm that its not fun sitting so far in front of the car, and the whole driving experience is bastardized, so aside from the aesthetic, I dont buy the driving, just like nowbody wants to drive a minivan. Look at the Renault LeCar, economy should = minimal.
and the Honda Fit itself has been on the market for the past 7 yrs (just not in North America).
It is disappointed to see VW brand moving back on forth on their brand style.
Check out their concepts (“New Small Familyâ€)
UP!( 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.)
Space-UP!( 2007 Tokyo Motor Show)
Space-Up! Blue concept (2007 Los Angeles Auto Show)
All of them share the design language, the rear-engine layout/ fuel cell &lithium-ion batteries and a concept oriented towards minimizing dimensions and optimizing interior space.
But with new brand language which is visible in their concept cars …soon will catch up their production cars… (Let’s hope for it)