Volkswagen Golf

In my last report (issue 841), I told you I had some winter tyres fitted to our long-term fleet's VW Golf, and as you can see, I'm pretty pleased I put them on when I did. Snow isn't a regular occurrence in this country, but when it did arrive the Vredestein rubber made all the difference to the car's grip. Getting this right is essential, as can be seen each year in our annual Auto Express tyre test.

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I'm also happy with the fuel economy, which has stayed at 37.5mpg. Considering my keen driving style, this is no mean feat. And I still find the car a joy on the road, because the snappy DSG gearbox and firm but comfortable ride en-sure it provides a satisfyingly sporty drive.

What I don't find so easy is clambering in and out of the Golf. I'm 6ft 3in tall, so need the seat quite a long way back to get comfortable behind the wheel. This makes climbing out quite a task, as the B-pillar gets in the way - not good for a hatchback that's meant to be all things to all people.

I'm upset that I have scuffed a front alloy on a petrol pump mounting, and equally annoying is the Golf's habit of stalling when it's cold. This has become less frequent as the miles have piled up, so I haven't yet bothered with a trip to the dealer. However, I have heard other cars have the same problem so maybe my local VW garage will be able to sort it at the next service. In the meantime, I'm off to swap my tyres for summer ones....