While American car companies continue to strap V8 engines and body-on frame SUVs to hybrid powertrains in order to achieve better fuel economy, the European automakers continue to do things the old fashioned way — improve fuel economy through diesels and smaller displacement gasoline engines. Volkswagen already does the former in its Golf hatchback and the latter will arrive in the next-generation car.
According to Automotive News, the next-generation VW Golf will offer either a 1.0L or 1.2L base gasoline engine. The displacement is still up in the air as VW brass hasn’t decided whether to go ahead with a three or four-cylinder powerplant. Either way, the new engine should produce about 75 horsepower.
But while the Golf’s powerplant might be shrinking, its option list will be expanding. The next Golf will borrow VW’s vehicle-interval control from the Phaeton and Touareg and will also use the same parking assist system found in the Tiguan.
