VW: Bit short of breath at the main event

The Volkswagen GTD has the looks but not the performance sparkle you'd expect from a hot hatch. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

There's nothing like filling the car up in Britain to make one appreciate New Zealand's relatively low fuel costs. In England you'll pay around $2.75 a litre, and the congested roads do little for economy. Sometimes it seems most of the holiday budget goes just on getting around.

Perhaps that's why VW decided its warmed-up Golf GTI hatch needed a diesel sibling. But does a diesel hatch with performance aspirations stack up, and would it be accepted here?

What's new

Like the GTI, the GTD received a number of dynamic, cosmetic and cabin changes - although the two are not identical. The GTD's sports suspension drops it 15mm not 22, for example, and chrome replaces red on the grille trim.

This car has a 2.0-litre common rail turbo diesel powerplant, with piezo injectors and a high 1800 bar of pressure to deliver 128kW and 350Nm of torque via the six-speed DSG transmission.

That's less power and more grunt than the petrol variant.

The company line

GTI is the hero car, however, in the present climate buyers may want boosted performance without paying the fuel penalty.

But is New Zealand ready for a diesel version of the GTI? VW New Zealand is not convinced, and this car has not yet been confirmed.

What we say

Our test car was the three-door variant, and it looked the part with its twin pipes and honeycomb grille.

The wide-opening doors ease access to the rear seats, while the cabin is as smart and well set out as any GTI.

But the main event should be this engine, and I was looking forward to that torque surge.

On the road

My only chance to hurl her about came during a very early Sunday drive.

That delivered empty roads for the too-short stretches between villages, but my favourable impressions soon faded - this diesel is more than a second slower than the petrol GTI in the 0-100 sprint, and it doesn't feel as intuitive either. That surge of diesel grunt is pleasurable enough, especially with the DSG in sport. Once in the powerband it's an unstoppable force.

However, it does run out of breath, and never delivers the instant response of the petrol car.

And it's not as nimble either, despite the optional adaptive chassis. Sport firmed the suspension at the cost of hard ride, while comfort's a plush cruising mode.

On these lumpy roads "normal" was our default setting. We found earlier-than-expected understeer, and the drive experience was never rewarding enough that you'd head out for a drive for the fun of it.

The GTD delivers more performance and better looks than the standard car, but it falls short of the GTI in every area but thirst.

One long day trip on often traffic-choked motorways returned a 5.4l/100km thirst, with the average closer to 6.5 - despite some valiant attempts at hoonery.

Why you'd buy one

You like the image, the torque surge and the cost at the pump.

Why you wouldn't

GTD doesn't deliver the performance sparkle expected from a hottish hatch, yet will cost more to buy than standard Golfs. You'd prefer a Scirocco diesel, or will buy the 1.4 twincharger GT for its great mix of performance punch and economy.