Every Angle of the 2019 Volkswagen Golf 1.4T

Engines are shrinking. From econocars to supercars, from pint-size roadsters to full-size pickups, engine downsizing is happening across the industry. One of the latest to succumb to the trend is one of our favorites: the 10Best Cars stalwart Volkswagen Golf, which for 2019 drops its 170-hp turbocharged 1.8-liter inline-four base engine in favor of a turbo 1.4-liter four that's not only smaller but less powerful at just 147 horses. Its 184 lb-ft of torque remains unchanged for the manual-transmission models but is down by 15 lb-ft from the previous automatic's 199.

As with most other modestly powered cars, the 2019 Golf had us hammering the gas pedal pretty often during everyday driving.

During passing exercises, the smaller engine's relative weakness is more apparent, as it needs 4.3 seconds to go from 30 to 50 mph, 0.6 second longer than before, and 5.4 seconds to hustle from 50 to 70 mph, a 0.2-second increase. That said, while there's not much power, neither is there much lag in its delivery. Overall, we'd characterize the new turbo four's output as sufficient.

Those factors helped the Golf achieve its highest fuel-economy ratings of any gasoline-powered Golf yet, with an EPA-estimated 32 mpg combined for the 2019 models (automatic or manual) compared to 28 mpg for the automatic-equipped 2018 Golf and 29 mpg for the 2018 manual.

We got very close to that combined number over nearly 900 miles of driving, averaging 31 mpg overall. And on our 75-mph highway test loop, we saw 43 mpg, beating the EPA highway estimate by a huge 6 mpg.

If it has the Golf name on it, it has earned our 2019 10Best endorsement. That goes for the base Golf, the spicy GTI ($28,490), the SportWagen ($22,790), and the Alltrack ( $27,790). There are two other Golfs on our 10Best list as well, the 288-hp Golf R hot rod and the eGolf electric model, but both start at more than $30,000. The Golfs that do come in under the 30-grand wire are gold. They feel like they were made for the German market, where small does not mean cheap or flimsy. They drive like larger, more expensive cars. Their interiors use top-quality materials. They're built with care. We love the hot-hatch GTI, but every Golf is a car to be appreciated.

The Golf is a well-executed hatchback that delivers an upscale experience at an affordable price. Its uncanny ability to be both immensely practical and fun to drive are traits that have earned it recurring spots on our annual 10Best Cars list. The Golf's small turbocharged engine provides respectable acceleration; its precise steering and predictable handling reward enthusiastic drivers. The Golf was exceedingly fuel efficient during our real-world testing. While some call its restrained exterior and uncomplicated interior uninspired, we'd argue that they're sophisticated and timeless. A sleek infotainment system and driver-assistance technology are also available.

A mid-cycle facelift for 2018 straightened what few curves the Golf's exterior had left and upgraded some interior bits and pieces, leaving the seventh-generation Golf as dapper and aspirational as it has ever been.

The 2019 Golf represents net improvement in a car that has been a regular on our 10Best Cars list.

Even better, despite the loss of power and torque, acceleration from a stop keeps pace with the last automatic-equipped Golf we tested, a 2018 Golf SE.

While we have long touted the Golf's steering as lively, it now feels even more eager to change direction and offers genuine tactility transmitted through the steering wheel's thin, leather-wrapped rim.

The Golf S sure doesn't feel like a stripper. Although it lacks a sunroof, heated seats, automatic climate control, navigation, satellite radio, and certain driver aids such as lane-keeping assist and active cruise control, life with the base Golf S is far from bad.

A standard six-speed manual-finally!-or optional eight-speed automatic has replaced the 2018 Golf's five-speed stick and six-speed autobox.

A pleasing mix of surfaces and textures show that much thought was put into this car's interior design, with contrast stitching spiffing the place up a bit.

You still have to twist a key to turn it on-keyless access and push-button start arrive with the SE-but it does come with paddle shifters, cruise control, comfortable mesh fabric upholstery, and a sophisticated touchscreen infotainment system.

]Generally, the 1.4T is uncannily smooth and quiet in most of its operating range-a few times we had to check the tachometer at stoplights to see if it was running.

At the very least, this car is good enough to make the subject of engine downsizing much less troubling.

But unlike most other modestly powered cars, the engine didn't thrash and scream in protest when we did so. Nor did it boom at low rpm, as we observed in Golfs with the 1.8-liter and automatic combo.

Despite its modest rubber, the 2019 Golf clung to the asphalt with 0.84 g of lateral grip, which is a tick more than the 0.83 g we observed with the 2018 car.

Our test car was a base Golf S model and rode on 195/65R-15 Bridgestone Ecopia EPA422 Plus tires, which could partially account for its 177-foot stop from 70 mph.

Furthermore, as is the case with the Golf's sedan counterpart, the 2019 Jetta, the aluminum-block 1.4-liter contributes not just to a marked improvement in fuel economy but a reduction in curb weight compared to the iron-block 1.8.