Re: Ride and tyre noise in the Golf ?
Thought I would post an update on this, now that I've had a chance to test drive the following: an SE 1.6TDI, a GT 2.0TDI, and an SE 1.4TSI.
Starting with the SE diesel, it was immediately obvious that there was a huge improvement in both ride and tyre noise compared to my A3 SE, even over very badly pot-holed roads. To be fair, the Golf had 16" wheels whereas my A3 has 17" wheels. I then tried the GT diesel, which although was noticeably firmer than the SE, was still more comfortable and had lower tyre noise than my A3. It was as though the Golf suspension was able to smooth over the sharp edges of the road imperfections, whereas they cause a sharp jolt in my car. But here's the thing: the Golf GT had the exact same Pirelli tyres as my car, yet was quieter and more comfortable. This proves that VW have done something different to Audi in their suspension design. On a second visit, I also drove the Golf SE 1.4TSI, with very similar results to the diesel version, although it was perhaps marginally firmer.
So, the upshot of this is that I will be trading in my A3 for a Golf GT 1.4 ACT next month. With the benefit of hindsight, I actually prefer the Golf interior too, despite what the hacks say about the A3 having a 'classy' interior !
Re: Ride and tyre noise in the Golf ?
Great inside on the model types.
So in terms of road noise between the Golf SE and GT, would you say the difference was minimal between the two? Did you notice much more in the way of tyre roar on the GT?
Re: Ride and tyre noise in the Golf ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
icebun
Great inside on the model types.
So in terms of road noise between the Golf SE and GT, would you say the difference was minimal between the two? Did you notice much more in the way of tyre roar on the GT?
The tyre noise on the GT was higher than that on the SE, but still markedly less than my A3. However, this could be due to the 16" wheels on the SE, rather than the stiffer suspension.
One other thing I noticed about the Golf GT were the sports seats, which were absolutely superb. The combination of the alcantara centre panels and cloth side bolsters gave a perfect combination of lateral support and comfort IMO. I have also tested the sport version of the A3, which had alcantara seats but with leather bolsters. They were very uncomfortable I found.
