The rear torsion beam doesn’t seem to make a big difference in the ride and handling. In theory, independently sprung rear wheels can improve ride quality and handling stability by independently absorbing road shocks, such as potholes. But in our test drive, we found the suspension absorbed potholes well and the car felt solid and composed. With a wider track and 17-inch low-profile winter tires, our Golf TDI felt very stable with minimal body lean when cornering. Cornering prowess is enhanced by the Golf’s standard Cross Differential system (XDS) that automatically sends more torque to the outside front wheel to reduce understeer and improve grip. Our car was equipped with Continental ExtremeContact 225/45R17-inch winter tires that kept a steady grip on Vancouver’s wet roads and plowed through the occasional road flooding without hydroplaning.

With its tall roof and large windows, the Golf TDI offers the driver good outward visibility and there’s a rearview camera to help when backing into or out of a parking space, not to mention the standard rear wiper and washer. The Golf’s electro-hydraulic steering offers just the right amount of steering response for confident city and highway driving, but it lacks the immediacy of the GTI’s steering response – that’s probably a good thing for the majority of TDI buyers. Standard four-wheel disc brakes provide a firm pedal feel and short, straight stops in panic braking situations. Unique among small cars is the Golf’s Automatic Post-Collision braking system, which automatically applies the brakes after a collision to help prevent a secondary collision. Our Highline trim also had the optional Forward Collision Warning system that warns the driver of impending collisions, but it doesn’t provide automatic braking. We were surprised to see that blind spot warnings and lane change warnings are not offered on the Golf TDI.

Getting in and out of the four-door Golf TDI is easy: the doors open wide and the roof is tall. The front seats have generous thigh and torso bolsters and the seats are very comfortable. In the Highline, the driver has power height, fore-aft, recline and lumbar adjustments while the front passenger has manual height, power recline but no lumbar adjustment. In the rear seat, the two outboard passengers have plenty of headroom and knee room and lots of foot room under the front seats, but the middle seat is best left unoccupied: a rear centre floor tunnel and protruding centre console restrict passenger space. The rear centre armrest folds down to reveal two cupholders and a pass-through to the trunk.

You can’t help but be impressed by the quality of the Golf’s interior materials, and the dash layout is simple and conservative. Our Highline tester had the cream-coloured “Shetland Vienna” leather seats, black leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, soft-touch dash plastics, piano black trim on the centre dash accented by chrome trim, and aluminum door handles. Small touches emphasize attention to detail: flock-lined door pockets, spring-loaded cup grippers, large door grab handles, padded armrests, thumb grips on the steering wheel, and a coin drawer near the driver’s door. Unsurprisingly, it’s all very Audi-like.

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