The Only 5 Things You Need to Know about Volkswagen: A Peek at The 2015 Models

2015 Vw
Volkswagen took over a resort in Virginia to show us the company’s full model line up for 2015

Design, fuel efficiency and fun to drive are the earmarks of the 2015 VW lineup

There are only five things you need to know about Volkswagen: The car’s interiors are nicely edited so controls and information don’t overwhelm you; the brand’s German engineering means there’s attention to detail in both the things you see and the things you don’t; this attention to detail is squarely focused on fuel efficiency, they are priced for comfort in your budget, and they are tons of fun to drive.

Within those five points is a whole world of fabulous to drive cars that run the spectrum of sophisticated elegance to perky personalities and everything in between. We recently—and yes I do mean we: Nicole Wakelin, Carissa Rogers (who fell in love with the car maker’s diesel models) and I— had a chance to drive the auto maker’s full line of 2015 models at the Salamander Resort in Virginia; here’s a rundown of what we saw and thought.

We took test drives in the 2015 Beetle, e-Golf, Jetta TDI, Golf TSI, Golf GTI, CC, Tiguan and Eos.

Beetle: Cute as a Bug

The iconic VW, this little bug has become sportier and is a driver spoiler: fun, colorful and pampering, with lots of sweet little touches. Even though back seat passengers have to push the front seat forward to get into the car, once in it’s comfortable due to the shape of the cabin. And, rear seats fold down to create flexible cargo space. Price of the model we saw: $27,015.

e-Golf: Putting the EEE in Wheeeee

Maybe the most popular car we drove, among everyone: This fully electric car has seating for five, flexible cargo space and VW’s engineers gave painful consideration to ways to maximize interior space–no compromising passenger space for battery needs. Add to that the fact that you’d never know it’s electric while driving: It’s peppy, zippy and as much fun as any gas guzzler and its navigation system finds all the local charging spots for you. Price of the model we saw: $34,445.

Jetta TDI: 45MPG, and that’s just for starters

It’s hard to find this much WOW in a small sedan. But there it is: The manual transmission we test drove might have been the most fun to drive car all day: it’s smallish and responsive, so it handled the road’s curves well; the engine is a turbo, which adds power for hills and passing, and a stick shift? Well, that’s just plain old fun. Add to that the clean diesel engine— TDI means turbo diesel —that gets 45MPG on the highway and I’m in love. The car was elegant, nicely appointed and quite comfortable, all for $24,895.

2015 Vw Golf Tsi
2015 VW Golf TSI: Small, sporty, fun to drive and full of flexible space

Golf TSI: A fun little hatchback

The Golf has proven quite popular for VW: A great car for the single driver, but also great for the urban family or for the driver who wants a fun drive experience but occasionally needs to be a soccer parent, too: the fold down rear row and nicely sized cargo space offer plenty of flexibility. TSI—similar to TDI—is VW’s way of expressing that this small car packs a lot of power into its smallish engine, giving it more than enough zip and still offering a gas engine. Price of the model we saw: $25,315

2015 Vw Golf Tsi
The TSI nameplate indicates a turbo-charged engine but with good fuel efficiency
2015 Vw Golf Tsi
Nice touch: Fender speakers to pump up the jamz
2015 Vw Golf Tsi
View from behind the wheel; everything you need is just a quick glance away
2015 Vw
Already in love with the GTI

Golf GTI: An ever funner little hatchback

The right car can make dull driving bearable, and good driving absolutely joyous, which must be what VW was thinking when they designed the Golf GTI. This car is best driven as a manual (though automatic is available) because that’s where the fun lives. It’s right there in the shifter knob that looks like a dimpled golf ball. This hot little hatchback looks good, is comfortable, handles beautifully, and on a warm summer day with the sunroof wide open, it’ll make you’ll want to keep driving until you run out of road. Price starts at $24,395.

2015 Vw
The GTI’s dash
2015 Vw Cc
2015 VW CC

CC: Seriously sophisticated

Think of the CC as the Passat’s elegant, more sophisticated sister: CC stands for comfort coupe, and it takes that moniker seriously: outfitted with leather seats, a panoramic sunroof and a nicely edited interior, it’s spacious, peppy and fun to drive. But its real appeal is in its delicious lines and lineage: the exterior of the car is distinct and beautiful, lines you’ll also see in the pricier Audi A7, with which it shares DNA and a manufacturing plant. Price of the model we saw: $44,005.

2015 Vw Cc
2015 VW CC has elegant details like LED running lights
2015 Vw Cc
The VW CC’s rear view mirror has lights and an elegant painted finish
2015 Vw Cc
Nothing says sophistication like a smart key keyless start system
2015 Vw Cc
2015 VW CC’s elegant tail fin caps the curve of the roofline
2015 Vw Cc
Sunshine, anyone?
2015 Vw Cc
Another elegant CC detail: The rear view mirror is rimed in white
2015 Vw Cc
2015 VW CC’s center stack, controls, and gear shift

Tiguan: An elegant but capable crossover

The only crossover in the line, the Tiguan offers all the benefits of an SUV like it’s larger sibling the Touareg—a higher stance so you can see over traffic, all wheel drive, rugged capability, but with a refined interior to keep its occupants safe from the indignities of the road. Foldable second row seats give you all the utility of an SUV, but the crossover’s smallish size means it’s easy to drive and maneuver in traffic or tight parking situations. Price of the model we saw: $40,100.

2015 Vw Tiguan
2015 VW Tiguan
2015 Vw Tiguan
Wow: Tiguan’s panoramic sunroof
2015 Vw Tiguan
Second row seats fold flat for added cargo capacity
2015 Vw Tiguan
2015 VW Tiguan: rear view
2015 Vw Tiguan
Nice touch: Fender speakers in the Tiguan
2015 Vw Tiguan
More than enough leg room in the Tiguan’s back seat; notice also the climate control, charge port, and a little nook for stuff
2015 Vw Tiguan
The Tiguan’s front seat cabin

 

Eos: Keeping the sun on your shoulders all year long

2015 Vw Eos Convertible
2015 VW Eos Convertible

Sadly, VW is discontinuing this model. The hard topped convertible was an absolute delight, especially if you need a convertible (and yeah, need) that can comfortably seat four passengers. In fact, this convertible keeps the sun on your shoulders all year long: it has a sunroof, perfect for cooler sunny days when having the top down isn’t comfortable. We also loved the leather interior, the spacious cabin and roomy trunk. Priced from $35,795.

2015 Vw Eos Convertible
White upholstery in a convertible? Brilliant. The sun makes you boil in a black interior, but white is fresh and refreshing
2015 Vw Eos Convertible
The Eos’s nice size means comfort for passengers and room for luggage
2015 Vw Eos Convertible
The elegantly stitched and contrasting Eos leather seats
2015 Vw Eos Convertible
The sun streams in with the top down
Scotty Reiss
Scotty Reiss

Journalist, entrepreneur and mom. Expertise includes new cars, family cars, 3-row SUVs, child passenger car seats and automotive careers and culture. A World Car Awards juror and member of the steering committee, Scotty likes to say the automotive business found her, rather than her finding it. But recognizing the opportunity to give voice to powerful female consumers and create a voice to match their spending power, her mission became to empower women as car buyers and owners. A career-long journalist, she has written for the New York Times, Town & Country, Adweek and co-authored the book Stew Leonard, My Story, a biography of the founder of the iconic grocery company Stew Leonard’s. Her love of cars started when her father insisted she learn to change the oil in her MG Midget, but now it mostly plays out in the many road trips taken with her family.

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