VW eGolf Reviews

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Feb 27, 2014
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Autoweek - Volkswagen e-Golf drive review

"Volkswagen's second dedicated electric car feels terrifically well engineered, imparts the same premium feel as other seventh-generation Golf models and boasts the sort of every day practicality that is expected from a modern day hatchback. The clincher, however, is its ease of operation. Despite boasting a vast array of drive modes, it is very straightforward to drive. With its gutsy low-end acceleration, it is also a fun steer in the cut and thrust of city driving."
 
The only thing I didn't get in the review was their statement about VW's intensive use of aluminum in the MQB architecture. The only aluminum I'm aware of is the wheels and the battery holder

http://autoweek.com/article/car-reviews/2015-volkswagen-e-golf-sel-premium-review-notes

It’s hard to accurately judge the merits of the 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf as an EV simply because the new seventh-generation Golf platform itself is so darn good. Really, you could put a steam engine or Cadillac V8-6-4 in this thing and it’d still probably be a better driver than half the compacts on the market. The aluminum-intensive MQB architecture used here (and on the Audi A3, etc.) really is that good.
 
Overall it was been fun adapting to our new e-golf. We don't mind walking a bit to charge up at public plugs, I think you have to enjoy the adventure of this part of it. From the limited time I have been in a Leaf and Prius, I think the interior is far and away superior on the e-golf, it feels like a little luxury hatchback, I love the different lighting and details like the stitching throughout the cabin. I have actually come to enjoy its overall quietness also, we still own our previous gas powered vehicles, they are becoming more and more noisy as I spend more time in the golf. Not having gear changes is a nice feel also, I feel like I am hyper sensitive to it now, even in modern 8 speed automatics that are supposed to be relatively seamless. I love that I can sit behind my wife (who is 5'10") and have plenty of room (I am 6'2").

I'd say at this point our only major complaints are still adjusting to the range anxiety. This feeling is exasperated by the lack of ability to truly judge the miles left. For example, I need to make a stop in an out of town office 24 miles away, this drive is almost entirely freeway, if I have 65 miles of range, I am not certain I can make it due to the unknown conditions (in this circumstance I find myself almost hoping for traffic... odd feeling indeed). I get the regenerative breaking and cruising speed will always use the battery differently, but it does suck not knowing for sure how much range you truly have. I find myself unable to relax on what the charge is, even if its 70 miles or something, if I am home I want to plug it in so it is "full".

And secondly, my more minor complaint, I wish there was a way for the car to remember what brake regenerative mode it was in. We almost always use mode 3 for braking, but every time we make a quick stop it takes us our first stop sign to realize we are back to mode 1. I don't think this is asking for much more in terms of tech, but would really be helpful if you have a similar commute or driving conditions and would like the baseline setting to be different.

Obviously the Car-Net app will need some updating, I was told by the dealer I can't set the timer unless I have the Bosch system or am using an actual charge station. This is kind of annoying but not a big deal since it does looks like the car stops charging once it is fully charged, so no harm to leave it plugged in overnight even if it doesn't take all night to fully charge. Navigation could be better as well, but honestly I like using my phone for this still anyway (Waze).

Cool little car, you just have to know what you are getting and probably more important, what you're not.
 
<<<I wish there was a way for the car to remember what brake regenerative mode it was in. We almost always use mode 3 for braking>>

Why don't you just put the shift into B and go with Level 4 regen?

As regards range, I also am having trouble determining how range is computed. The computer appears to take into account your mode setting, regen setting, and driving history etc, but the user manual (which is full of errors) is difficult to crawl though with all the warnings overhead and doesn't really cover how the range is computed.

The fuel gauge shows red marks rather than kwh or % remaining. I assume as I start driving more, I'll start to get more comfortable with how much range I have left

Ron
 
"Why don't you just put the shift into B and go with Level 4 regen?"

Ron, I drive through a lot of hills and hit some trafficked red lights going to work, so I like to let it idle brake with 2 and 3, B seems to brake too hard for this type of driving.
 
I find myself using B most of the time and I'm liking the almost one-pedal driving it enables. There's less clicks to get to that than D2 or D3 too, but I can see how remembering the mode would be useful. Does it remember Normal / Eco / Eco+..?

As far as range anxiety goes, I look at it from the point of view that I never left the house with a full tank of gas every day when I had an ICE Golf, but now I do. Yes, it's a smaller 'tank' but it's sufficient for most of my daily drives. I never found the range estimate in the ICE Golf to be particularly accurate either, so I don't take this one too seriously. I think range anxiety is a bit of a misnomer too - it's more refill anxiety. Until there are widespread networks of DC Fast Charging stations, it will always be easier to extend the range of an ICE car by pumping gas than it will be to extend EV range by recharging.
 
GadgetGav said:
... Until there are widespread networks of DC Fast Charging stations, it will always be easier to extend the range of an ICE car by pumping gas than it will be to extend EV range by recharging.

I haven't yet seen discussion regarding how much effect long trips, using only multiple fast charges to extend range, have on battery life/condition. VW warns against consecutive/frequent fast charging.

I'm sure I'll find information if I search, or as I continue to browse, just thought I'd add a comment here.
 
http://www.myvwegolf.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=205
http://www.plugincars.com/eight-tips-ex ... 07938.html
http://www.cartrade.com/blog/2014/car-t ... r-550.html
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/05/eigh ... tery-life/
 
"Obviously the Car-Net app will need some updating, I was told by the dealer I can't set the timer unless I have the Bosch system or am using an actual charge station."

Your dealer couldn't be more wrong about the Bosch charger. It's about as "dumb" as they get, with little more than an On/Off switch. We have the Bosch charger and we're as screwed as everyone else with regard to Delayed charging.
 
I've had my e-Golf since Dec.16, 2014- I just went in to see it and ended up driving home the only one the dealer had! I am 60, had 32 cars, 15 VW's and a 1991 Golf A2, which was my beater Vt winter car. Before VW got really good with rustproofing, you had to have a winter beater. No more! I also have a 2010 Jetta TDI, that now sits for the most part b/c the e-Golf is just too much fun to drive! The big problem with a car like this is that I make an effort to find excuses to run some kind of errand and spend more time in the car.

It does really well in Vermont, and I keep it in an insulated non-heated garage- typically never gets below 30 when it's in the sub-zero temps outside. It stays plugged in until I call up Car-Net on my phone, and pre-warm it for whatever errand I have made up for the day. I love that you can do that with the overhead door down! I get out there and it's all nice wand warm. I haven't taken it out in deep snow, b/c it doesn't have real snows on it, but they do say M&S on the sidewall. I am told it does well b/c of the 700lb battery on the bottom.

One day it was a nippy 7 degrees out, and I had to take my wife to the dentist. My TDI would never have warmed up by the time we got there. We did lose about 10 miles having it sit there for 30 minutes, but still lots of miles to get home. It made it so easy. I do not suffer from range anxiety.

I drive it in Recupe mode 2 for the most part, and pull back for B when I need to stop- I hardly ever use the brakes!

My record so far this winter is 4.4m/kw, (=105 mile range) and I expect that will improve as it warms up outside. Right now there are only 2 or 3 CCS fast chargers in VT., but I am hopeful they put some in on the I-87 and I-89. I really didn't buy it for long trips, but I'd love to try doing just that.

Next is a level 2 charger and I found a 30 amp GE Durastation on ebay for $375 delivered. Just bought it- not here yet. It is spec'd for the 7.2kw on-board charger in the e-Golf.

I absolutely love the way it handles and drives- the roomy cabin, and normal car like feel. I don't like giant insect EV's- very unappealing to me. I beat just about anyone off the line at lights. Instant torque! I am a VW person for sure- started with one and doubtless will end with one.
 
You say you keep it plugged in. Are you able to set it to not charge over 80%? VW recommends not keeping the car fully charged for extended periods. The only thing I've read is there's a setting in car-net but I've not tried to see if it turns off charging at 80%. 40-80% seems to be optimal for battery life/capacity. Of course, when going on a long trip, one can do a full charge if the car is going to be used the next day

Ron
 
cove3 said:
<<<I wish there was a way for the car to remember what brake regenerative mode it was in. We almost always use mode 3 for braking>>

Why don't you just put the shift into B and go with Level 4 regen?

As regards range, I also am having trouble determining how range is computed. The computer appears to take into account your mode setting, regen setting, and driving history etc, but the user manual (which is full of errors) is difficult to crawl though with all the warnings overhead and doesn't really cover how the range is computed.

The fuel gauge shows red marks rather than kwh or % remaining. I assume as I start driving more, I'll start to get more comfortable with how much range I have left

Ron

I have mastered the range and now i have total confidence in it. To get the range displayed, you have drive in B mode, and in super econ mode and Turn AC off with AC button. Any deviation from this will reduce milage. So, if I have 25 miles left, and my destination is 20 miles away.....i drive super econ, in B mode, with AC off. When im within 5 miles, i turn AC back on and sometimes toggle the econ back and forth if its really hot out, and i need AC.

I enjoy the "rush" of having to be aware of my miles....i feel like im getting away with something! One night I had to make it to a charger at a kia dealership before they closed for a quickcharge......it was an adventure. I now find the range on this car has greatly exceeded my expectations. I charge every 2 to 3 days. We drive 14 to 50 miles a day.
 
I beg to differ - coasting is always going to give you better range, than B mode. You accelerate less (which is when you save a lot of energy) and then you coast, and then if you need to slow down, then and only then use regen. Regen is available on the brake pedal, by the way.

The reason coasting is better, is that once you have invested energy in getting the car moving, the best way to use it is to continue moving the car forward. Regen is better than the friction brakes, but it still loses energy - so you can never regain all the energy you invested.
 
As this thread seemed to have a number of owner reviews on the e-Golf thought I would post mine here -- I'm both a long-term VW owner as well as EV owner (had a '12 Nissan LEAF for 5 years prior to the e-Golf); some acronyms used may be foreign to first-time EV buyers but prior LEAF owners should know and/or check the forum or ask if curious. I'm redLEAF over on MNL forum, chose PacBlue (for its great Pacific Blue color) here on the MVWEG forum ...

2015 VW e-Golf Limited; bought used with 1,234 miles – previous history says it was a 1-yr lease, perhaps a VW Exec?, not sure but was last registered in CT – traded in a ’12 LEAF SL that had 46K miles on it, my LEAF was down 1 battery capacity bar on the GOM and quickly getting ready to lose its 2nd bar as it would lose its first charged bar within a very few miles of driving; never did check it with LeafSpy but as it just passed its 5-year service anniversary, would NOT have been eligible for a capacity warranty replacement; needed to ‘upgrade’ to something else as even on my 40 mile R/T commuter trips with a full charge would still hit the ‘low battery’ warning even with VERY minimal use of the HVAC system and ECO mode on my way home; could NOT see it lasting until a Tesla M3 was out; while waiting for this e-Golf to come in, I was able to L2 charge it at a free charger near work but it wasn’t always available; it was simply a matter of time; I do have an ICE for bad weather, etc. but wanted to keep the mileage down on it as well.

The e-Golf (even in our extreme cold temps as of late) appears to still have its full capacity of EV range; it has 4 levels of regen that really allow it to quickly recoup range at minor loss of HVAC and speed, etc. – love the fact that at the highest regen levels, it will warn drivers behind you by turning on the brake lights (even though you aren’t pressing the brake) when you chose to use it, at night I was able to see where the ‘threshold’ (can see the reflection of the 3rd brake light in the back hatch window) – at the ‘B’ setting, you can easily single pedal it.

Some quick things I’ve noticed in the first week I’ve owned it –

Handling / suspension – power steering isn’t over boosted like my LEAF, responds well and very precise without feeling vague; even w/o a leather wrapped wheel, decent wheel position (although I do miss my heated steering wheel a bit!) – the car really shows its German precision on hwy ramps and S-turns; a real blast to drive, no wallowing in turns at all; it’s a smaller car but rides well, firm but not harsh, absorbs most bumps easily and suspension doesn’t bottom out – my son has a Golf R, the e-Golf is a bit softer of course but ‘feels’ much sportier than the LEAF ever was.

Acceleration – perhaps simply perception, but feels quicker off the line w/o really trying, even when using the regen settings; gets up to 70 MPH very quickly and wind and tire noise is minimal; its initial 0 to 30 MPH is quite quick like most EV’s

Brakes – BIG difference here with the 1st gen LEAF, the ‘B’ regen setting minimizes need to apply the brakes much, this will REALLY extend the brake life – when you do need them very responsive without grabbing or being too touchy (that last one happened a few times with the LEAF, seemed to be super-sensitive to even the slightest amount of pedal pressure at times w/o any warning).

Fit/finish & controls – all the switches (door locks, window lifts, etc.) are back-lit for quick reference at night, a big pet peeve with the LEAF; even though VW chose to use a ‘regular’ appearing shifter, it’s quite easy to know what regen (or not) ‘gear’ you’re in as well as adjust it quickly; the ‘feel’ of the shifter and the shift boot, etc. is great and materials used are top notch. The e-Golf is mfg in Germany and all seams, panel gaps, etc. line up great – sure we have some hard plastic surfaces but these are much less than what is used in the LEAF. Lastly, the back-up camera is simply better because it pops out from underneath the rear VW chrome badge when in use (which also doubles as the hatch release) so stays protected from road salt and grit – who remembers to clean that camera off when it’s really needed? Also, this one included the parking assist sensors; its a smaller car so perhaps not really necessary but does help to warn you before you hit something Nice touch VW!

Range – VW chose to use a regular looking fuel gauge but it’s combined with a digital read out --- I found it MUCH better at real-time range estimate than my first-gen LEAF but then I’ve heard that later years (‘13’s and newer) are finally getting this better; my new e-Golf of course has a close to ‘new’ battery so expect some better range and it hasn’t disappointed yet --- heater use will effect range but not as near as much as the 1st-gen LEAF; VW heated seats (mine are cloth) get quite hot quickly along with a heated element windshield helps minimize its effect on range – I do toggle it on and off to see the difference – perhaps 6 miles it seems at most times, we had some days in single digits; driving at hwy speeds (65 to 70 MPH) and its done quite well --- range typically shows about 78 miles (at about 90% charged) which is more than enough for my 40 miles work commute; expect 100+ when we finally see springtime temps again but that would be a bonus.

Charging – this ’15 will indeed ‘lock’ the charge cord to it when charging, so on an occasion that I used a public charger station, I made sure to move the car once it was done charging (everyone should do this anyway!); perhaps an additional step but at least I was prepared for it – you’ll get about 24 miles/hour of range with the 7.2 kW it has for L2 charging (a bit more than the 2nd gen LEAF 6.6 kW); charging is very quiet, almost imperceptible when compared to the 1st gen LEAF (which charged at half that rate); charge port door is small as VW opted for CCS DC (which my car is capable of) and it shows a few lights that will indicate charging status right where you plug it in --- nice! My EVSE will need a higher amp control station circuit board (as mentioned elsewhere on MNL forum) but by NOT charging fully, I’ve been able to avoid any issues using my Schneider EVSE.

Comfort – most other VW’s have great seats; these are no exception, the black and grey cloth with blue stitching look nice and are quite comfortable, lots of adjustments for just about any size, no fatigue after a long drive, heated aspect much better than the LEAF (plus they don’t cycle off) with 3 settings – much better power windows as well as are capable to all roll down at the same time to release the daytime heat (haven’t used this yet of course) and don’t think they’ll have the same repeat issues we’ve had with LEAF needing attention just about at every service interval (constant need to lubricate the driver’s side power window, etc. as they always seem to run real slow).

Styling – of course this is up to the potential buyer; some love the unique aspect of the LEAF, the Golf series however would not ever be considered as ‘dorky’ as what many see as a negative with the LEAF; the e-Golf just adds a few accents (c-shaped LED DRL’s in the front bumper as well as a few blue accents) and trim pieces, I happen to like its stealth-mode; you would never know it’s an EV.

Overall package, value, etc. – although this was to be my ‘stop gap’ EV until we see the Tesla Model 3, I actually like it so much I may simply consider driving it until later on when Tesla offers their Model Y (compact SUV) that is expected to use the Model 3 chassis but we’ll see --- no question a 200+ mile range EV is much more desirable but I see this e-Golf as something the LEAF could have been in the first place – it still a shame that all ‘commuter’ EV’s continue to suffer BIG depreciation hits (that’s why I’m even driving this one in the first place) but at least I’ve been able to take advantage of it this time.

VW hasn’t sold a lot of these but definitely worth a 2nd look on the used market if you can find one – I did hear that the e-Golf should go to more dealers with the 2017 model with its 124 mile range; still not Tesla or Chevy Bolt range but getting better --- as we were already used to coming home on weekends to charge for a few hours in-between errands, until the 200+ range (along with a usable Supercharger or other DC network for longer trips) is more available this EV should fit the bill for a few years while we wait and see what comes next. I'm still working with VW's version of Nissan's CARWINGS (VW Car-Net) so I can check charging status and pre-condition the HVAC, etc. --- will post another update later -- by trading now I also avoided a few hundred bucks the LEAF needed to keep its CARWINGS (over from a 2G to a 3G telematics network) and its annual battery check (which of course still would have been all 5's even with diminished range!!) -- I was a little sorry to see it go, decent service for the 5 years we had it --- not exceptional but decent --- car still holds the record for the lowest running and maintenance costs but set a NEW record on depreciation!
 
Thank you for the well written review PacBlue. I just purchased a similar car to yours, CPO 2015 SEL Premium just off lease, only 1650 miles. This is my first week driving it and I think I put 500 miles on it already. I believe I can agree with everything you wrote. I have seen my range as high as 109 after a 25 minute SAE/DC fast charge at the mall. Drove 50 miles home after that and still had 51 range left. That will be my daily commute soon so that made me happy.
 
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