Volkswagen has chosen New York Auto Show
to introduce its facelifted 2018 Golf family to US buyers.
The updated versions of the regular hatch and
Sportwagen, the sporty GTI and R, and the high-riding Alltrack will go on sale
in the States this fall.
Most changes for the 2018 Golf lineup are common,
starting with some very subtle styling revisions. On the outside, VW gave their
compact car full-LED taillights and Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), with available
full-LED headlights replacing the optional Bi-Xenon headlamps. Tweaked bumper
designs together with new wheels and colors complete the exterior updates.
Inside, there are new trim panels and materials in
the dashboard, door panels and lower console, new
infotainment systems with a larger standard 6.5-inch touchscreen as standard on
base models, and 8-inch on SE and SEL trims.
Other key changes involve the driver assistance
systems with Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front
Assist) now available on most SE trims and above, along with Blind Spot Monitor
with Rear Traffic Alert.
The 2018 Golf hatch, Sportwagen and Alltrack come
with a 170 Hp 1.8-liter TSI, while the GTI that is now offered only as a five-door,
gets a small boost to 220 Hp from a 2.0L TSI engine. VW chose to retain the
previous Golf R’s 292 Hp and 280 lb-ft 2.0L TSI instead of using the facelifted
European model’s improved 306 Hp 2.0L TSI, but it does get a new and
exclusive to this model, seven-speed DSG dual clutch automatic in addition to
the 6-speed manual.
