√2020 Volkswagen Golf Highline wagon: owner review

Our adult kids joke at us now buying ‘family’ wagons, but with the seats down you can fit in an enormous amount.
Owner: Tony Sullivan

What we love

Comfort

What we don’t

Tailgate is not powered

Our Mark 7.5 2020 Volkswagen Golf Highline wagon replaced a 2015 Golf Alltrak wagon.

Our adult kids joke at us now buying ‘family’ wagons, but with the seats down you can fit in an enormous amount, and the clever storage space under the floor for the rear seat lock-in bar and two blinds make it so easy.

We looked at another Alltrak but decided we did not need the part-time, four-wheel drive and extra service costs, but did like the slightly extra height.

By the end of 2020, choice was becoming limited, and the Mark 8 in a wagon was at least six months away. We found a fully specced wagon in Canberra and did a deal. It is a Highline model with the options of the Sound and Vision package, ie fully digital dash and Dynaudio 10GB sound system, Driver Assistance package, and the R Line pack.

My wife is not so keen on the lowered ride height, sports suspension and 18-inch wheels, but agrees that it handles well.

We both like the instruments and the sound system, but had to spend time figuring out that it only loaded via SD card.

Covid has meant limited longer drives, but the excellent auto-dipping high beam and radar cruise control make M1 driving easy.

Neither of us wanted the big sunroof, but it is now standard. We would happily prefer to save the cost. It has been opened only a few times, but it does have a blind unlike some cars.

Fuel economy is good and averages out at about 2L/100km better than the Alltrak. It is bad luck that fuel has risen so high, as it requires 95-octane at a minimum.

We just had the first service at 15,000km and had no issues to solve apart from a failing battery in one key, and now three weeks later the same one has failed again. VW does not warranty these and charges for the battery. This issue was our only gripe with the Alltrak, so we had hoped to not go through it again, even though the dealer and VW came to the party with two new keys.

It is a pity that VW does not fit the more modern 1.5-litre engine, and I must admit some longing for the eight-speed auto ‘box in the new model, as we have the seven-speed DSG. I am well used to its foibles, but still dread hill parking and would have been happy to not have it. The Alltrak had the six-speed DSG and it felt more robust and less sensitive.

All up, we are very happy with the car and enjoy its features, even if some might be overkill, as one can get by with fewer fancy bits.

The only thing we both would like is a powered tailgate, as many cars in this bracket do have this feature. My daughter’s Subaru Forester does indeed have this and it is useful.

Owner: Tony Sullivan