Who doesn’t like a Q-ship? I have always liked a good sleeper and Wolfie (2018 Golf) certainly fulfills that role. Yes, he is not a GTI, but he is a stealth GTI- A GTSI as it were. I wonder if anyone will ever get what that means?
When I bought my VW three and a half years ago, I was well aware of what was under the hood-the fabled EA888. This motor is capable of some serious power with its grey iron block, six bolt main bearings and girdle. At the time, I really wanted a GTI, but I couldn’t justify spending an extra $7000+ for an extra gear, extra power and cool plaid seats. I fully intended to add a performance tune, and as a Christmas present to myself, now I have it. It transforms the car and really changes its character.
Here is the nitty-gritty:
Firstly, it’s well known that VW underrated the EA888 1.8 litre. It started with 191 hp and the tune increases it to 238 HP. The torque stock is 204 lb/ft at 1500 RPM. Now it is 283 lb/ft at 2460 RPM. In a car that weighs 1500 kg with the driver in it, it makes for a pretty fun drive.
Here is a little disclaimer: I am not rich. Teachers don’t get rich. Wolfie is the most powerful car I have ever owned. To me, he seems fast, because I can’t afford, or want, a 400 HP car. The new tune transforms the way the car drives. The power after 2000 RPM is simply ferocious. The big torque rating gives very strong acceleration but also the ability to shred the front tires. Wheel spin limits the 0-100 km/h times so off the line acceleration isn’t any faster than the stock tune. Get up to 30 km/h or so and it really takes off. This table is off APR’s website:
| 2014 JETTA 5MT | 0-60 MPH |
0-62 MPH |
0-100 KPH |
0-100 MPH |
60-120 MPH |
62-124 MPH |
100-200 KPH |
60-130 MPH |
30-130 MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | 7.445 | 7.983 | 8.011 | 18.575 | 24.001 | 27.314 | 28.130 | ||
| APR Stage 1 (93 AKI) | 6.789 | 7.280 | 7.311 | 14.942 | 16.507 | 18.180 | 18.294 | 22.158 | 25.554 |
| Seconds Faster | 0.657 | 0.702 | 0.700 | 3.633 | 7.494 | 9.134 | 9.845 | ||
| Percent Faster | 8.82% | 8.80% | 8.74% | 19.56% | 31.22% | 33.44% |
Of course, numbers don’t tell the real story, how the car feels when driving it-and it is really fun. Yes, the extra power is not necessary and there is only like one time a year I will use it, on my annual Rocky Mountain Romp. I just wanted it. I am going to turn 58 this year and not a single Peters man has lasted past 63 and most don’t even get there. It is all about me having what I want now. APR includes a powertrain warranty on the tune because the VW powertrain warranty is now void. There have been no problems with the car whatsoever so I am willing to take the risk. In fact, I don’t remotely care.
The cost of this tune was C$840 taxes in, which I consider a screaming deal for the extra power it delivers. Fuel economy seems the same or a bit less, although may factors are in play. The latest tank in 100% horrible Vancouver traffic driving shows 8.2L/100km. The car now requires at least 91 octane but I have always used Chevron 94 Supreme.
There is another reason for the APR tune. Anyone who has read any of my COAL series will know how I can’t stand success and tend to sell cars that are really cool. I was actually thinking of replacing Wolfie with an EV since used car prices are so high at the moment. Doing so would cost me an extra $20,000 to save $1000 a year of fuel. Doing little upgrades to Wolfie keeps me interested. Next is window tinting.
The Golf VII is a really nice car and the reviews I am seeing state it is better than the Golf VIII. I am certainly happy I bought Wolfie when I did. He’ll most probably be my last car.
Congratulations on your car–nicely done.
I hope you enjoy for a good long time!
I also hope it holds up, because as you noted, the gen 8 is not as nice as the gen 7. And in general, fun to drive, USEFUL cars with a manual trans have become a thing of the past.
I cannot think of a single new car that excites me. I checked out a Subaru BRZ a couple of years ago, and I just didn’t like it. I think that’s the only game in town now..
Well done, good luck!
I am quite bummed that VW has discontinued the standard Golf in North America and now sells the new Mk8 Golf only as high-performance GTI and R models. The standard Mk7 Golf was such a nice, practical car especially with the last drivetrains it had in the U.S., the 1.4T four with either a 6MT or 8AT – decent power, a roomy, comfortable, Audi-like interior, and great fuel economy (up a whopping 11mpg from my Mk5 with the 2.5L five and 5MT). And yes, the Mk8 looks and feels cheaper inside, has worse ergonomics, and the infotainment is a mess.
I have driven the 1.4 with the 8 speed transmission in a Jetta. In fact, that’s what I intended to buy when I went to the VW store. The 1.4 is very torquey and most people wouldn’t feel the difference from an EA888. The fuel economy is also better.
I am glad I have a Golf VII. It is a superb car for the money.
Those are mighty impressive gain especially down low in the rev range for everyday driving.
Good write up! I totally get it. My last daily drive to work was 2008 GTI DSG and it was a blast to drive. The GTI was “the peak” of technology for me for a daily driver. The only improvements I could have asked for was AWD and electronically adjustable suspension. There were a few days when a little smoother ride would have been nice and times in Minnesota when AWD would have been handy.
i’m a lot like you, i make continuous improvements/upgrades/changes to my cars to keep them fresh for me and keep me still interested in them. If you’ll read back through my COALs, it’s about every 18-24 months that I feel the need to mix things up again. The cost of the upgrades usually is far less than the financial outlay to get a new(er) car (even though that does happen sometimes).
Another happy Golf VII TSI owner here; 2015 with 1.8T and 5 speed manual. I’m surprised at the reference to 191 bhp as our US model is rated at 170. Honestly, whether 170 or 191 or tuned to over 200, this is the most amazing powertrain I’ve owned in nearly 50 years. Almost as good highway mpg as our Prius and almost as good acceleration, and far more refinement, than our 2.5 Turbo Forester … which also sucked premium gas. Plus, the easiest oil and filter changes I’ve done in those 50 years. But despite all its goodness, I haven’t really bonded with this car, and when I mention eventually replacing it with an EV, my wife – whose daily driver it is – doesn’t seem to agree.
O thank you for this. I dd a 2017 Golf 1.8L 5spd manual and I find that car to be a hoot. I have been curious what a tune can do for it and you have provided the type of answer I was looking for.
An earlier commenter mentioned the US spec version is listed at 170hp and that’s what I understand too. However, you mentioned in your essay that VW underrated the EA888 and then mention 191 hp in stock form. Did you mean that it was listed at 170hp by VW when it actually produces 191hp? Or something else? Of course I will always wonder if US and Canadian spec vehicles are different but 21hp seems a lot between countries.
@redlines is your 2017 a 2 door or 4 door, and does it have 15 or 16” wheels? Just curious, as our 2015 1.8T does have the five speed (not six) but is 2 door with 15” rims and I have never noticed another Golf VII on the streets with that setup. We bought it used and it may be a Launch Edition aka Loss Leader strippo.
@dman iirc the 2015 launch edition had 2 doors and 5spd and available in 1 trim only. I think that trim equated to an S trim. My 2017 is a 4 door Wolfsburg edition so somewhere between S and SE. I have heated vinyl seats a sunroof and 5 spoke alloy wheels and I cannot recall what I do not have that the SE does. I wish the sunroof was gone as there’s not much call for it in Minnesota.
Not sure when VWoA stopped importing 2 door gas models but it would not surprise me if the MarkVII launch edition was the last of them.
Look around on the interwebs and you’ll find the 191 HP rating. All EA888 1.8 cars in North America were the same. Only the trim levels were different.
2017 Golf TSI in the US is 170HP according to Car and Driver. The torque rating differs between manual and auto, with the automatic (curiously) getting a higher one, perhaps due to limits putting the torque to the ground with the manual. (The Golf AllTrack was the same HP as well in 2017)
https://www.caranddriver.com/volkswagen/golf-2017
2017 Golf TSI Sportwagen in Canada was also 170HP according to the Canadian brochure for it.
http://owascovolkswagen.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/2017-Sportwagon.pdf
EA888 denotes a huge engine family originally developed by Audi and introduced in 1997, so it’s been around for over a decade, there are variants with vastly different power levels. However one needs to be careful as the EA888 is not anywhere near the same for all years, there have been many changes over the years. In addition, VW also (as they and Audi do) generally uprate the mechanical engine internals as you go up the power ladder. They do not use the exact same internal components for the relatively lower power levels vs the relatively higher power levels, i.e. Golf vs GTI vs Golf R. It’s well possible that there is/was in fact a variant of the EA888 that produces 191hp but not apparently the regular 2017 Golf and Golf wagons line, or at least not according to VW’s own documentation/marketing in Canada and the popular press in the US.
And yes at the 9:50 mark stock condition with 91 octane whp is 163. Given the used condition of the car and the expected losses in whp over time and age it seems the EA888 came to our shores at 170 whp.
To summarize with 91 octane:
Stock: 163whp / 191wtq
APR Stage 1 Tune: 216whp / 272wtq
APR ISO20 tune + improved downpipe: 265whp / 302wtq
As a side note the fellow in the video discovered what we knew all along – 3rd gear in these is the ‘fun’ gear. 🙂
Third gear is good for anything between 30 km/h and 130 km/h.
Looking at the chart you posted above is interesting.
From what I understand, VW claims HP of 170 at 4500rpm. Interestingly that is exactly what the chart does show, 170 at 4500. However it then shows it increasing a further 20 or so until peaking at around 5,400rpm.
VW also (for the automatic, not the manual) claims 199lb/ft at 1600rpm. The chart shows that at 1600rpm there’s a measured output of more like 189 or so with it going just over 200 lb/ft at around 2000rpm. (this is in the automatic as tested according to the chart, the manual is probably different due to gearing and the torque being limited from the factory for some reason in the manual. The also fwd GTI though gets to play with 258lbft of torque and doesn’t seem too adversely affected by it, or at least the one I drove on a track didn’t seem to be.
I can see VW underrating the HP, or rather, perhaps stating a particular number at a specific RPM for whatever (marketing?) reason. It doesn’t though produce more power at the same RPM, at least not according to this. BUT, if that’s all the case, then they are OVERrating the torque at the low RPM figure which is weird (and perhaps legally dangerous?).
I’m assuming that atmospheric conditions have a lot to do with the differences along with other varying parameters. VW’s dyno is probably not housed in a warehouse garage like APR’s seems to be which may account for that. They probably don’t use the same piece of equipment either. Different dynos and the conditions they are used in can, as you likely know, produce different data. I don’t claim to be any kind of dyno expert either or have any particular insight as to VW’s vs APR’s methodology and equipment.
I don’t doubt APR provides a good product, and it’s good that they replace VW’s warranty with their own for the same factory duration. VW of course would get crapped all over if they provided the same power levels in the smaller engine and it then didn’t last as long as people expect their VW to last.
But at least you know part of the reason why the Golf R likely has full time AWD. 🙂 Not every AWD vehicle has/needs it purely for adverse weather conditions.
It is so true that power ratings in even the most plebian cars are numbers that rich people would have bragged about 20 years ago. My 2012 Kia minivan is the most powerful car I have ever owned.
That is especially some impressive power in such a little lightweight car. And to think I found my 1985 GTI fun when it boasted of 100 bhp. Enjoy! And I hope you will be the first to beat the family longevity curse.
It’s not that light. Your GTI weighed 2100-2200 lbs with 100 hp.
This weighs a lot more–over 3,000, probably closer to 3100-3200 lbs.
The new Golf is relatively light, when compared to new vehicles. But in absolute terms, it is not so light.
Still, I can’t argue with the effects of modernity when it comes to the engine–the torque turbo is much quicker in any gear, and on the highway, I can see it getting 35 mpg or more at 70 mph. The 8.2 liters per 100 km is about 28mpg, which in mixed driving is outstanding for a car of this size, doubly so for given the power and comfort.
Exactly.
My car is like 1450 kg, so about 50% heavier than my 1986 Jetta, with 90 hp. The equivalent would be 135 HP.
With the APR tune, it is 238 HP.
I also lament that the standard Golf is no longer in the U.S., but I was able to snag a CPO 2018 Golf SE with only 24K miles this last October. I had to take the Amtrak from Newark to D.C., as the car was in MD, but it was well worth the trip.
On the way back on I-95, I had to watch myself a bit when I looked down and saw that I was cruising along at 89 mph! Surprisingly, traffic was light on this Saturday afternoon. These cars are seriously underrated, and they have a heft to them that you don’t get from most any other “economy” car.
All I know is that, regardless of the numbers, our 2015 1.8T has amazing flexibility … smooth low-end, nice on top, and overall much nicer than our previous 2001 1.8T VW, with 50% less highway fuel consumption. And that one was very nice for its time. Other than a broader availability of AWD, I can’t see what paying extra for a 4 cylinder Audi buys one vs the equivalent VW.
Another happy 2015 Golf Sportwagen owner here, 5 speed manual, base Canadian spec.
Len, thanks for your earlier tip that it seems to pick up a but quicker on 91 than 87 octane. I’ve toyed with the idea of a tune, but car is fast enough for me.
Window tint: considered it, but ordered “Sonniboy” shades from Windesa directly from Germany. Thought I saved some money over ordering same product from dealer, but then Canadian customs and duty nearly equalized the price. Anyway, advantage over tinting is shades are easily removable in winter. Would still like heat resistant tint on windshield for a trip south sometime.
I’ve been toying with the idea of replacing my boring 2005 Honda Civic with something more interesting. But lately I’ve had some health issues that reminded me of my mortality. It’s very early in the diagnostic process, and I’m a long way from concluding that I have 5 years or less to live. But if my prognosis becomes dire, I may conclude that hitting my travel bucket list and spending time with friends and family is a better use of what time I have left than car shopping. I hope you beat the family curse.
To me GTSi is closer to a Renault designation (GTS was a common one for many years) but a neat way of showing something has been done.
Interesting to hear your view on the Golf 8 and 7 – the 7 looked like the pinnacle of an evolution and the 8 (from my experience in a nicely trimmed but lower powered hire car) like something designed to appeal to those too conservative to adapt to an ID3. Just dull really, but contemporary in its fittings and fixtures.