2015 Volkswagon Golf TDI

So after some serious testing, driving and deliberating, RPM Weekly selected the Volkswagen Golf TDI as our official fun car of the year - yes, it's our spinoff from the very prestigious award, Car of the Year. The seventh-generation version of Volkswagen’s best-selling model is bigger, lighter, more fuel-efficient, and even more versatile than the previous Golf model. After a few minutes behind the wheel, you too will find yourself wanting to have a German accent! Handling was just outstanding, acceleration amazing, and finally the thrill of being at center stage; priceless.

The Golf is a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injection diesel engine, a thorough update from the powerplant in the previous Golf. Despite being close in specs, the only aspect that carries over from the previous model is the cylinder bore spacing. The new engine produces 150 horsepower—10 more than before—at 3,500 rpm, as well as 236 lb-ft of torque at 1,750 rpm.

The 2015 Golf is available with two or four doors and with two powertrains: one that is 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder TSI® engine mated to a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission; and the one we tested, 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder TDI®. This new-generation Golf has grown in size yet dropped in weight by up to 79 pounds (depending on model), despite a plethora of new and upscale features.

The new generation introduces Volkswagen’s versatile MQB (modular transverse matrix) vehicle platform to the U.S. market—a significant step in standardizing, simplifying, and improving the design and creation of products across the entire Volkswagen Group portfolio. The MQB architecture allows for a more cab-backward design, which gives the new Golf a more upscale appearance while retaining classic design cues from the Mk 1 and Mk 4 Golf models.

You see, it's cars like the Golf that make us dream about bouncing off clouds and gliding through the galaxies. Okay, so maybe we've gone too far. But in all seriousness, the Golf TDI is thrilling in every way you look at it: gas - check; acceleration and handling - check; comfort and fun - check. It's all there. We found ourselves turning off the stereo system and just enjoying the car for what it was meant for; exhilirating the spirit and testing your skills. The 2015 Volkswagon Golf has come a long way kids.