2017 Volkswagen e-Golf Review Says the German Electric Hatch Has a Point

By "a few" we mean two, and if you happen to live in the U.S., make that one. The e-Up model is restricted to the European market and given it's a wee larger than a smart fortwo, that might have been a good call from the Germans.

The e-Golf, on the other hand, is available in North America as well where it faces a lot sterner competition from the likes of Tesla, but at least gets away from that pesky Renault ZOE with its improved range and lower price. With the emissions scandal still not a distant-enough memory, Volkswagen needs to do whatever it can to purge its tainted image in the U.S. market, and making promises and selling EVs seem to be the methods of choice.

However, what floats in the EU can very rapidly sink over the ocean, so bear in mind the fact that this is a review made by a British car journalist with British needs. No matter how unbiased his views are, he's still going to judge the vehicle based on the country and society he lives in. But stick to the numbers, judge by yourself, and you should be OK.

For one thing, it's definitely an improvement over the previous model. The 2017 e-Golf is better in every aspect: 7 mph higher top speed, 0.8 seconds quicker 0-62 mph acceleration and more range from that very specific 35.8 kWh battery. Volkswagen is quick to point out the NEDC rating of 180 miles is way off, saying the car is more likely to do 124 - which is one mile off what the EPA reckons as well.

That might be an issue for most people, but if long-distance traveling is not a priority, then you can hardly do any better than an e-Golf and still buy a battery-powered car. The EV is by all accounts a Volkswagen Golf, with everything that comes with that: excellent build quality for the segment, roomy interior, good materials, plenty of storage room in the trunk (again, for its segment), and class-leading safety ratings. All for a starting price of just over $30,000 before incentives.

If anything, it should be seen as a good sign for things to come from Volkswagen. If this is what the company managed to make with minimum efforts, then Elon Musk's wish of a much more crowded market for competitive EVs will soon come true with VW an active part of it.

Watch the review below for a very detailed look at the e-Golf and why you should probably consider this model if you're in the market for a medium-range EV.