I grab a couple of seconds to scope out the interior while Arun is busy changing lenses and cursing the sun for being in the wrong place. The sleek, almost sculpted effect of the exterior is once again plain to see, the retro-style switches for the door locks and fog lights (for some reason housed on the centre console) are a very neat touch. A rather archaic radio and a minimalist layout for the climate control rotary dials means there’s little to flummox you, though the multifunction steering wheel is also an option. I’m also pretty keen on the dark brushed aluminium trim and the red leather seats, while the Alfa emblem embossed on the pedals is very cheeky. What does rather disappoint though is both head and legroom, both of which could use some improvement down the line, and some of the interior panels do feel a little built to budget.
The rain is starting to come down a bit harder now. With shirts that are already fairly sodden and with our British stiff upper lips drooping by the second, we decide now is a good time to go for a spin through Al Quoz and onto Dubai’s outskirts, perhaps catching a puddle or two en-route. James is keen to have a play around in the Alfa so I take point in the Golf.
Inside there’s less of the flair and panache that I had been greeted with in the Alfa, and you could quite reasonably call VW’s latest model understated. Rather than leather seats for instance the German Volkswagen Golf has cloth, whilst artistically impressive switches and dials are replaced with functional buttons and a five-inch touchscreen interface, all of which make navigating the system pretty easy. And that’s just it. Volkswagen’s boys and girls on the design easel have decided against going mad with the crayons and have instead been working behind the scenes in ways that are not immediately apparent. The thermoplastic foam used in the ‘understated’ dashboard means the unit weighs 20 percent less than the Mk6 version, a small albeit important step towards that hallowed 100kg total weight saving. Perhaps the most significant figure though is the 4255mm vehicle length, which in turn offers 56mm more legroom than the Golf’s predecessor. There’s no sat-nav but you will find Bluetooth connectivity, as well as a multifunction steering wheel that now houses the cruise control buttons, a significant improvement over the spindle on the steering column as used in the Mk 6.
So far so practical then, and there’s a similar philosophy on the outside too, the design of which – in keeping with the Golf’s DNA – is a subtle upgrade than a complete overhaul. The headlights are sharper, the bonnet grooves softened and the front air intake in the bumper more streamlined for optimised engine cooling. Afficionados will know at a glance that this is a seventh gen model, but slighter tighter rear quarters – dotted with the occasional TSI badge in deference to the engine – and a slightly tweaked taillight design are unlikely to have bystanders keeling over with horror nor applauding their encouragement.
A good start for the Alfa then, but it’s after we’ve finished up the beauty shots – the cars, not us – that the Golf starts to crawl back the Italian’s advantage, aided immensely by our need to get out of the way of speeding taxis and Toyota pickup trucks who are unfamiliar it seems with the prospect of driving in the wet: yep, they’ve got their hazards on but are still 20kph above the speed limit.
Feel for the steering in the Golf for example is beautiful, and though you can feel new progressive power steering playing a big role, there’s still plenty of heft to keep you connected with the front wheels.
Solid grip through the front tyres means there’s little chance of the front end snapping away from you either, a comfort as I blast the Golf through several surprisingly deep puddles in succession. There’s no body roll to speak of either, a sign that the new 1452mm height (28mm down on the Mk 6), 2637mm width (59mm up) and a stiffer chassis have lowered the centre of gravity and kept the weight nicely balanced. A low seating position and reach and rake adjustable steering also mean finding a comfortable driving position is a breeze.
Then there’s the acceleration. The little 1.4-litre turbocharged TSI four-cylinder produces 138bhp and 184lb of torque, the latter of which is at its strongest throughout the lower revs. Off the line the power is thrown nicely through the front wheels with little resistance, and a solid amount of grunt means the 100kph mark can be hit in a little of six seconds. The 1395cc unit won’t propel you back into your seat, but when mated with solid gear changes through the seven-speed gearbox (especially in the box’s Sport setting which reconfigures the ratios for a sharper power output), it may surprise you how quickly you get up to speed.
Of course, seven gears in a small hatchback and a fuel economy rating of 4.9l/100km mean the automatic transmission can sometimes be in a bit of a hurry to change up well below the power figure’s 4500rpm optimisation level. On occasion this can prove a little frustrating but hardly an issue that will have you pulling your hair out. Stopping power through the brakes meanwhile is impressive.
