Volkswagen Golf Plus spotted in the United States

"jkm7680" (jkm7680) 05/11/2014 at 11:08 • Filed to: VW Golf Plus

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Not sure of the year, Diplomat plates. Spotted in DC. It even had the old mounting point for the European licence plate and the Elf sticker in the back window. 6Mt, Interesting little car. I'm not too sure of the market that these were introduced in.

Sorry for the shitty Ipotato pictures. I was attempting to not be later than I already was for something.

hollanddjw 1 > jkm7680 05/11/2014 at 11:11

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These aren't cool. They're the minivans of Europe, commonly used as taxis. I will rage very hard if these make it to the States.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > jkm7680 05/11/2014 at 11:12

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Had them over here to rival the MPV market, basically tall hatchbacks like the Renault Scenic. The Golf Plus was overpriced and barely any more roomy than a normal golf, it didn't sell too well I don't think. My girlfriends parents had one and didn't really like it, they had a rav 4 before it and have a rav 4 again now. Crossover's replaced these things a few years ago when the Qashqai got big.

jkm7680 > hollanddjw 1 05/11/2014 at 11:12

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I don't especially mind it. This was a Diplomat's car meaning that he/she could just bring it over from any other market without having to go through the 25 year import ban, and all that nonsense.

jkm7680 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/11/2014 at 11:13

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Yeah, In America I could see it competing well with the Mazda 5 and the compact "Van" class. But then again, it would probably not offer the same benefits as the Mazda, and I'm guessing at least that they price would probably be hiked up.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > jkm7680 05/11/2014 at 11:17

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The mazda 5 is a class up from the golf plus, not sure what you have in the US similar to a golf plus. It basically rivalled the normal golf over here since other MPVs were much cheaper and roomier, that's why it didn't sell.

KnowsAboutCars > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/11/2014 at 11:23

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Scenic and Zafira are bigger than Golf Plus. I see Modus and Meriva as more direct competitors to it.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KnowsAboutCars 05/11/2014 at 11:46

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I was thinking more in chassis terms since the meriva and modus are based on superminis and the golf plus is based an a more mid sized chassis. It definitely out sizes the modus and previous gen meriva.

WagonsEast! > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/11/2014 at 11:52

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closest I can think of in North America is the 2006-2012 kia rondo. The car equivalent of a potato:

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > WagonsEast! 05/11/2014 at 11:53

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Yeah we got those over here as the Carens I think. They were a huge amount cheaper than the Golf but are pretty comparable size wise.

cabarne4 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/11/2014 at 11:57

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I would think the VW Tiguan is about the size of a Golf Plus. We also recently got the Ford C-Max (only in hybrid variant with an automatic), which is roughly a similar size...

...basically a hatchback on stilts.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > cabarne4 05/11/2014 at 11:59

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The C Max is actually pretty close, that's probably the best example of a similar car. Essentially a stretched focus. The Tiguan indirectly replaced the golf plus I think.

cabarne4 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/11/2014 at 12:09

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One of my friend's dads bought a Tiguan — he wanted to replace his Chevy S10 (small pickup truck) with a VW hatchback. The catch was that it had to be AWD. I keep reminding my friend he missed his chance at convincing his dad to get a Golf R.

I want to like the C Max, but I wish we got a range of engine and transmission choices here. I mean, you can get a Fusion (basically a Mondeo) with a manual, but the C Max is hybrid-only with a terrible slushbox. Also, Ford is only giving us the 1.0 Liter EcoBoost in the lowest trim form, so you can barely get any options with what's arguably the best motor in the Fiesta (asides from the ST, of course).

Somewhere on here was an article about a guy buying a grey market Mercedes A Class, and successfully getting it registered. Yet another underpowered, tall hatchback. Yeah, it's cool to drive something in the US that literally nobody else has... But at least bring over something cool! (I would kill for a 3 door Fiesta ST, or 3 door Audi S3).

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > cabarne4 05/11/2014 at 12:14

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Yeah I didn't get the A class too much, I'm all for having something different but it'd be like me bringing a camry over to the UK. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Frank Grimes > jkm7680 05/11/2014 at 12:38

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this brings up an interesting to me topic. how would one get this thing serviced. I assume its close to cars VW sells here but what if some fancy guy brought over a renault or dacia or something?

just send over a set of gaskets and parts in a diplomatic pouch?

jkm7680 > Frank Grimes 05/11/2014 at 12:41

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Ah-Ha, I saw a Dacia around here also!

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/dacia-spotted-…

I've heard that the Nissan Versa is related to the Renault Clio, and Renault is related to Dacia, so Nissan people may know a thing or two about Dacia?

I'm guessing that since VAG (Giggles) HQ is close to DC that there probably are a couple of technicians that service it from Europe or something like that.

jkm7680 > KnowsAboutCars 05/11/2014 at 12:44

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That Vauxhaul or Opel Meriva thing has a strange rear window line. In fact, It's rather hard to see where the rear door even is, Haha.

Alex B > jkm7680 05/11/2014 at 13:06

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Very cool!

Klaus Schmoll > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/11/2014 at 14:36

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The old #golf Plus was never really here nor there. I was wedged between the normal Golf and Golf wagon and the Touran, the proper Golf-based Mini-van.

VW is aware of that and they named the new one Golf Sportsvan.

Let's see how that works out for them.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Klaus Schmoll 05/11/2014 at 14:43

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Woah they're making another one. Surprised they're bothering with it when they have the Tiguan, Touran and Golf estate.

cabarne4 > Klaus Schmoll 05/11/2014 at 18:48

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Is a Sportsvan anything like a Sportstrain?