2018 VW Golf 1.0 TSI 110 HP Acceleration and Full Consumption Tests

The 1.0 TSI replaced the 1.2 TSI several years ago. It's an advanced 3-cylinder turbo engine whose main goal is to save fuel. By the time you add balancing shafts, it isn't any lighter than the 1.6 FSI which the Golf had more than a decade ago.

Despite its diminutive stature, the 1-liter engine has all the power you need in a hatchback. This set of videos focuses on the higher-output 110 HP, 200 Nm version. It's supposed to take around 10 seconds to reach 100 km/h, but the independent test puts it much closer to 9 seconds. What's more, the official top speed of 196 km/h is easily reached and exceeded.

Let's compare it to the Golf 5 with the 1.9 TDI. Even though this was the king of hypermiling back in its day. It did 100 km/h in 11.3 seconds and topped out 9 km/h before the 1.0 TSI. But the diesel is more frugal because it's a diesel, right? No.

Volkswagen puts the official fuel consumption somewhere between 4.8 and 5 liters per 100 km/h combined. These might be subject to change when the new tests come into their own, but the independent test video suggests the 1.0 TSI is indeed frugal.

With the cruise control set to 100 km/h, the car is burning through 3.5 l/100km. As the speed rises to 120 km/h, the display reads between 4.5 and 5 l/100km. You're not going to cruise at 140 km/h in a 110 horsepower Golf, but even then, fuel consumption isn't bad: 6 l/100km.

The 1-liter turbo engine was revealed back at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Its first major application was when Volkswagen introduced the 2014 facelift for the Polo hatchback, followed by the Audi A1. Basic versions of the SEAT Ateca SUV have this engine, and so do those of the premium Audi A3 model.