| 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Specs - Exterior and Interior Dimensions
| Body | 4dr Hatch |
| Wheelbase | 101.5 in |
| Length | 165.4 in |
| Width | 70.3 in |
| Height | 58.3 in |
| Curb Weight | 3025 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity | 14.5 gal. |
| Headroom, Row 1 | 39.3 in |
| Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 54.7 in |
| Legroom, Row 1 | 41.2 in |
| Headroom, Row 2 | 38.5 in |
| Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 52.8 in |
| Legroom, Row 2 | 35.5 in |
| Total Legroom | 76.7 in (over 2 rows) |
| Cargo Volume, Minimum | 15.0 ft3 |
| Cargo Volume, Maximum | 46.0 ft3 |
TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
| 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
| Year | Comment | |
| 2015 | The original Golf revolutionized the automotive world by demonstrating how practical a small car could be. Though the latest, seventh-generation Golf is much larger than the original, and every major auto maker now offers a Golf-like compact, the Volkswagen continues to impress with its practicality. Let's start with the front seat. The seat itself is shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The performance buckets in the GTI and R have firmer bolsters that provide more lateral support, but the regular Golf's buckets are cushier and more comfortably contoured. The e-Golf uses the same exemplary seats. In comparison, the seats in the Soul EV are merely okay. The view forward from the e-Golf's driver seat is also about as good as it gets in a current compact, with a reasonably-sized instrument panel and an expansive, comfortably raked windshield flanked by relatively thin pillars. This said, some people might prefer the higher driving position in the quasi-crossover Soul EV. For me, a conventional car's lower position continues to feel more natural, especially in turns. Battery packs take up space. Even with the (roughly) 1.5-kWh battery packs used by hybrids cargo capacity usually takes a hit. In the Soul EV, rear seat legroom suffers a three-inch reduction due to the underfloor location of the car's 27-kWh battery pack. But VW engineers managed to design and package a 24-kWh battery pack so cleverly that the e-Golf's passenger and cargo room are identical to those of a regular Golf. Adults will comfortably fit in the car's back seat. The same can't be said about most other EVs--the Soul being a second exception. Even with the three-inch cut, the Kia's back seat is about as roomy as the Golf's. The i3's back seat is far tighter. Which EV treats its passengers best depends on the season. The e-Golf includes rear air vents, while the Soul EV+ includes rear seat bun warmers. Moving to the cargo area, the Soul EV's battery pack eats up a dozen cubic feet, leaving just under 50. The uncompromised e-Golf can contain a couple more. But these figures don't convey the differing proportions of the cars' cargo holds. The e-Golf's is a few inches longer, while the Soul EV's is a few inches taller. Which is the better cargo hauler depends on the shape of your cargo. The much larger Tesla Model S can hold a few more cubic feet, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class about the same as the e-Golf. No other EV comes close, especially not the 12-cube BMW i3. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review | |
What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI.
2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI 4-door Hatch Specs - Powertrains and Tire Sizes
| Trim | 2.5L | TDI | GTI |
| Standard Engine | 2.5L I5 DOHC-4v 170 hp@5700 177 lb-ft@4250 | turbocharged 2.0L I4 Diesel DOHC-4v 140 hp@4000 236 lb-ft@1750 | turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 200 hp@5100 207 lb-ft@1700 |
| Standard Transmission | 6-speed manually-shiftable automatic | 6-speed manual | 6-speed manual |
| Optional Transmission(s) | 6-speed automated manual | 6-speed automated manual | |
| Standard Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | FWD |
| Standard Tires | 195/65HR15 tires | 225/45HR17 tires | 225/40HR18 tires |
TrueDelta Reviews the Powertrain of the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
| 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Powertrain: Pros | ||
| Year | Comment | |
| 2015 | With 72 more horsepower than the GTI and twice as much rubber transferring this power to the pavement, the Volkswagen Golf R is a very quick car. With a hard launch (facilitated by standard launch control) it can get from a dead stop to 60 MPH in under five seconds, perhaps a second quicker than a GTI with the optional Performance Package (which bumps horsepower from 210 to 220 and adds a limited-slip differential). Though it is a little more powerful, at least according to the spec sheet (305 vs. 292 horsepower), and also tips the scales at around 3,400 pounds, the Subaru WRX STI isn't quite as quick. Why not? Credit the lightning-quick shifts of the VW's six-speed dual-clutch automated transmission (DSG in VW parlance, DCT in generic). A human driver cannot shift the Subaru's six-speed manual transmission nearly as quickly as the DSG can shift itself. But what if you prefer the more thorough involvement provided by a manual transmission? The Golf R is available with one for 2016. Just expect your jollies to come at the expense of at least a few tenths. Beyond full-throttle acceleration, the Golf R's performance isn't much of an improvement over the GTI. The opposite, in fact. The way to get more power without increasing the size of the engine (still 2.0 liters) is to pump more air into the engine, which tends to require a larger turbo. Larger turbos take longer to spool up. As a result, in typical driving the Golf R engine's power delivery feels more laggy and less linear--like that of the non-STI 2.0-liter Subaru WRX, if not to the same degree. The WRX STI has a 2.5-liter engine, so it doesn't require nearly as much boost to yield its 305 horsepower. Then there's the sound made by the Golf R's engine, or by the audio system in an attempt to enhance the inherent sound of the engine. There's quite a bit of this sound in the Golf R, especially in sport mode, and it's not of an appealing quality. A deepish monotone drone, it sounds entirely synthetic even if it's not. The "whump" evoked each time the DSG makes one of its firm, lightning-quick shifts, though, I like. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review | |
What Our Members Are Saying about the Powertrain of the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
| 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Powertrain: Pros | ||
| Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
| 2013 | 4dr Hatch turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual FWD |
The TDI has gobs of torque down low and feels stronger than it is. Subjectively, it's a blast to drive. Of course the R has a lot more power, especially as the revs rise and at higher speeds. But at most speeds that matter, the TDI is great. It is something of a shock to look down and see that you are turning 1400 rpm. Keeping the revs down really pays off at the pump. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |
| 2013 | 4dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Automotive experts are rather harsh with the 5 cylinder 2.5L engine sound. Sure, after testing cars that cost 3 to 10 times as much as the golf does, almost all lesser cars are at a disadvantage. But considering all sub $20K car engines, this one is a jewel. Its gruffness and low end grunt suits the character of the car. Its a strong engine over its entire power-band and in the daily cut and thrust, its got ample power and can accelerate on on-ramps with a huge safety margin to spare. It can live within its normal envelop of daily duties without feeling strained.(the engine sounds better in the Golf than in the Jetta). A $650 AWE-tuning muffler would make this engine sound almost exotic. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |
What Our Members Are Saying about the Tires of the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
| 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Tires: Cons | ||
| Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
| 2013 | 4dr Hatch turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual FWD |
Golf TDI comes with low rolling resistance all-season tires. They are OK around corners, but not very good when braking, especially on wet roads. I wish I had insisted on performance tires (or winter snow tires) rather than "no-season" tires that I got. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |
| 2013 | 4dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
The 17 and 18 inch wheels look great but in this small a car, they tend to make the ride a bit harsh (totally livable on smooth roads, but realistically, these roads are few and far in-between). If maximum comfort is your requirement, resist the urge to splurge on the larger rim size as the little 15 inch wheels steel rims provide the cushiest most forgiving ride with least penalty. Decent 15 inch alloys can be purchased separately for under $500 rather than splurging to a higher equipped model or VW sourced $1800 alloy wheel kit. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |
2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI MSRP and Invoice Prices
| Body | Trim | Base Price | Invoice | Destination |
| 4dr Hatch | 2.5L | 19,995 | 19,195 | 820 |
| 4dr Hatch | TDI | 25,200 | 24,192 | 820 |
| 4dr Hatch | GTI | 25,095 | 24,091 | 820 |
See TrueDelta's information for all Volkswagen models.
