Volkswagen Golf, 1.6 or 2.0 TDI diesels?

Can you compare the Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI with the 2.0 TDI for me? Any reason for choosing one over the other?

Declan Fennessy (Waterford)

Aug 2013 Filed under: diesel

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Expert answer

Hi Declan,

Well, obviously the 2.0-litre is more powerful, and with 150hp compared to the Golf 1.6 TDI’s 120hp, quite a bit more so. Lots more torque too, which makes driving much more effortless. There’s not a huge penalty in terms of fuel economy or emissions either, so you’re not going to have to shell out masses of extra cash in terms of running costs, and the 2.0-litre is more refined and smoother than the 1.6.

Is there any point to buying the 1.6 then? Yes — it’ll be cheaper to insure, and easier to sell on as most private buyers will shun the bigger engine.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor