VW Gol – three-door hatch makes Sao Paulo debut

VW Gol – three-door hatch makes Sao Paulo debut

Back in July, Volkswagen introduced the latest VW Gol for Brazil in both five-door hatch and sedan forms. At the ongoing Sao Paulo motor show, the German giant completed the picture with a three-door hatch. The new Gol was unveiled (or should we say ‘scored’) by Brazil’s top football star Neymar.

The Volkswagen Gol, of which over seven million units have been produced, has been the undisputed best-selling car in Brazil for the past 25 years. This latest fifth-generation Gol is based on the Mk4 Polo platform, facelifted with a new look that’s in line with the marque’s current cars.

The Gol is very basic inside, which is entirely expected for a no frills “people’s car”, although it may be a strange view for the majority of Malaysians who consider Volkswagen as a premium brand. The Gol’s steering wheel and meter cluster design will be familiar to VW owners, but it comes with stick shift, manual air con, fabric seats and a basic radio.

VW Gol – three-door hatch makes Sao Paulo debut

Engines include a bi-fuel 1.0-litre engine which makes 72 hp when using petrol and 76 hp when filled with ethanol, which is big in South America. With ethanol, the Gol 1.0 does 0-100 km/h in 12.9 seconds on to a 165 km/h top speed.

This is the car everyone wants to beat in Brazil. New rivals include the just unwrapped Chevy Onix and Hyundai’s HB20.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • “majority of Malaysians who consider Volkswagen as a premium brand.”

    What kind of nonsense is this.. APA NI?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 26
    • I think so but it still a very reliable brand compare to our national car. Quality that’s what we want the most.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 2
    • No matter what,VW is premium price here.anyway Touareg Hybrid and Phaeton r premium cars.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
    • skiborne on Oct 24, 2012 at 7:01 pm

      talk about quality, its much better than camry, accord and teana crap. have u felt the interior plastics of VW and its build quality? superb.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 3
    • Author should write “VW is consider premium brand else where around the world”.. no doubt in UK and Taiwan, they are consider much more premium than other “mass market” brand..

      Hey Name, its “Premium” not “Luxury” brand.. dont mix up..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
  • Mozilla Chrome on Oct 24, 2012 at 4:03 pm

    This is like Saga 1.6 FLX for the Brazilians. And we here will treat this VW Gol as Golf here. Poor Malaysians.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 20 Thumb down 6
  • farghmee on Oct 24, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    y b-pillar & c-pillar look damn similar tu satria neo?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 2
    • kerelbort on Oct 24, 2012 at 5:51 pm

      if savvy were to be reincarnated with saga flx looks this could be its mistaken identity

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Chris on Oct 24, 2012 at 4:19 pm

    I am sure there will be endless typos and search engine suggestion errors when somebody wants a “VW Gol” but Google goes “Did you mean VW Golf?”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
  • fireblade on Oct 24, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    Volkswagen Badminton.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
  • Volkswagen Smash

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
  • Visitor on Oct 24, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    When you look the car in a flash, it mildly resembles Proton Savvy especially the back.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 5
  • polo saga on Oct 24, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    “it may be a strange view for the majority of Malaysians who consider Volkswagen as a premium brand.”

    well said, like i said before, i saw volswagen car everywhere in China n UK. why? because it’s CHEAP out there, just like toyota. stop dreaming, guys!!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 3
    • Not really. Especially in the UK Volkswagen is driven by both, rich and average people.

      Rich people drive GTI or R32 while average people drive the 1.4l variant with 75hp (even 35hp less than Persona).

      *Very* rich people even drive highly tuned R32’s with all stickers removed and spray-painted in standard colour. They like the ‘understatement’.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
      • polo saga on Oct 24, 2012 at 9:02 pm

        how about volksvagen polo n golf? they dominant the market as myvi n proton dominant malaysian auto market.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • It’s malaysian who makes VW as premium brand and malaysian themselves like to critisize own brand… They are proud of their own brand but malaysian not only not proud but openly condeming our own products! Shame shame and no wonder so many countries looking down on u malaysians… Keep on complaining n critisize your local brands… Good f

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 19
  • It’s malaysian who makes VW as premium brand and malaysian themselves like to critisize own brand… They are proud of their own brand but malaysian not only not proud but openly condeming our own products! Shame shame and no wonder so many countries looking down on u malaysians… Keep on complaining n critisize your local brands… Good for u … Malaysia boleh, malaysian lagi boleh… Complain lo what else…. Hahahahaha

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 13
    • Bcos Proton kenot compete…

      German’s spirit “nothing is good enough”

      Proton’s spirit “what you expect bro, ni proton mah, power window rosak memang common la, no problem.. (proton mechanics)”

      how do you expect us not to “criticize”.. if they wanna grow, take our criticism n complaints seriously, not LAME EXCUSES..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1
  • skiborne on Oct 24, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    though its simple lines and basic characteristics, still looks good to own one and much better looking interior than messy preve

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Davinnci on Oct 24, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    Malaysia sell with premium price, I mean proton. Zzz

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • Image-wise, Volkswagen needs the Gol to live up to its name, which is the “people’s car”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mamamia on Oct 24, 2012 at 11:06 pm

    dashboard is so boring!!..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
  • Alex Chan on Oct 24, 2012 at 11:23 pm

    haihh another low resale value and crap europe brand car made in brazir..i bet if vios sell there..confirm best seller car all year round..confirm!! prestiges brand summore! thats why we chinese choose value over this crap brand..for those still dreaming to own a toyota, work hard like us chinese and vote PR for next election!! PR rulez

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 22
    • Hadi75 on Oct 25, 2012 at 1:42 pm

      Everyone should vote for PR so that everyone can drive toyota….toyota got prestige…resale value also high….4 speed auto lagi….engine also very advance….not like conti cars….no prestige…no resale value…..tech outdated already…..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
    • ora ora ora on Oct 25, 2012 at 4:44 pm

      Ya lor,, heard new toyota vios wont need steering oso, its come with GPS and fully drive auto, juz state ur destination onli,,,, oh btw gud luck with ur vote for PR(it comes with ur toyota) tho

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • adam lee on Oct 25, 2012 at 3:03 am

    getting urgly design…look cheap without the logo..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Firstly, I don’t understand what is wrong with Malaysian car journalists with their constant reference to “People’s Car”. No where else (US, UK, Australia mags) can I read this consistent reference in almost ALL Malaysian articles. When will you guys wake up to the fact that this is Germany’s people’s car and priced likewise?

    Volkswagen is German. Germany is the financial pillar of EURO community. Their average income is one of the highest in Europe!!! Volkswagen is NOT the cheapest car in Germany (unlike Proton). Golf 1.4 is more expensive than Mini Cooper and almost on par with 1 series and A class in UK. There are plenty of cars cheaper than Volkswagen, UNLIKE PROTON!!! And finally, Volkswagen is NOT GERMAN GOVERNMENT FUNDED, UNLIKE PROTON!!!

    Secondly, for those who are so disturbed by the word “Premium”, please allow me to pull out the definition as stated in dictionaries.
    Source: BusinessDictionary.com: PREMIUM PRICING – Practice in which a product, such as high-end perfumes, jewelry, clothing, or cars, is sold at a price higher than that of competing brands to give it snob appeal through an aura of ‘exclusivity.’ Also called image pricing or prestige pricing.
    Source: TheFreeDictionary.com: Premium, adj – Of superior quality or value.

    Now, drawing comparisons to determine if VW is premium or not, I will use the CHEAPEST CAR from VW.

    VW Polo Sedan – 1.6, RM99,888.
    Ford Fiesta Sedan – 1.6, RM78,888.
    Honda City E I-VTEC – 1.5, RM90,480.
    Hyundai Elantra 1.8 EX – 1.8. RM96,348.
    Kia 1.6 EX – 1.6, RM75,800.
    Kia 2.0 SX – 2.0, RM93,500.
    Mazda2 Sedan Spec R – 1.6, RM85,515.
    NISSAN LATIO 1.6 ST (A) – 1.6, RM 89,980.
    PEUGEOT 207 1.6 (A) – 1.6, RM 72,888.
    SUZUKI SX-4 1.6 (A) SEDAN – 1.6, RM 91,437.
    TOYOTA VIOS 1.5 TRD SPORTIVO (A) – 1.5, RM 92,000.

    Considering that there are 1.8 and 2.0 cars that are cheaper plus the fact that there are quite a few 1.6 cars that are easily 20% cheaper, is that not a PREMIUM????? And please don’t compare with China made models. Those are special models sold ONLY in China and no where else.

    So guys, please spare me your “premium” whine. It only shows that you can’t afford one, but secretly wished you can. Nuff said.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Ah Cai on Oct 25, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    i bet this car price at europe around $9 000- 15 000.. but in malaysia i wonder the price will be Rm85k-115k.. bee end rules.u mad bro?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • matlimmutu on Oct 25, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    BORING.. Proton Savvy looks better.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required