Golf

Make
Volkswagen
Segment
Hatchback

A week ago Volkswagen debuted the 2017 Golf lineup, save for one model. The e-Golf's debut was saved until the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. The all-new EV has a beefier battery that ups both its range and power. The old 24.2 kWh battery has been dumped in favor of a 35.8 kWh battery. The automaker says "the aim" is a driving range of up to 124 miles. Whether that aim becomes reality remains to be seen. As mentioned the new battery makes for more power, with the 2017 e-Golf rated at 134 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque.

With the 7.2kW on-board charger equipped, which is optional on the SE trim and standard on the SEL Premium, the 2017 e-Golf's battery can be charged in six hours at a standard charging station. At a DC fast charging station 80% of the battery's life can be replenished in just one hour. Electric cars lose battery life quickly when you mash the throttle, but that temptation should be easy to resist in the new e-Golf. It completes the 0-60 mph sprint in 9.6 seconds, a second faster than the last e-Golf. Its top speed is rated at 93 mph. Like the entire 2017 Golf range the most impactful updates are inside. The new e-Golf gets the same tech-focused cabin redesign as its stablemates.

Awesome new features include an optional 9.2-inch infotainment screen, gesture control and the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit. Digital Cockpit transfers all instrument readouts, including the battery's power meter, to a (obviously) digital 12.3-inch color screen. In addition to the new tech the new EV also gets all of the new Golf lineup's safety and driver assistance tech. While the launch of a new e-Golf may not be big news to enthusiasts the electrified hatchback is very important to VW. The automaker is still trying to escape Dieselgate and has said that its future rests with electric cars. The e-Golf still isn't a serious competitor to the likes of Tesla but it is a comparable alternative to something like the Leaf, especially with that interior.