What changes will there be in the 2016 e-Golf?

[normf3]

Hi,

I am considering leasing an e-Golf. Does anyone know what, if any, significant changes there will be in the 2016 e-Golf? As they say, should I skip a first-year car?

 

[preilly44]

Also, when do we expect the 2016 to come out?

 

[normf3]

From the September 2015 Motor Trend:

"Minor changes": USB ports added, a new infotainment system integrating Apple Car Play and Android Auto. Autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert and lane keep assist. The e-Golf adds a new SE model.

Some may want to wait, some may want to get a deal on a 2015.

 

[majid23]

Here's a review on the 2016: https://youtu.be/m51Z7-30_-8?t=608

 

[vetaldj]

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/s/2016-volkswagen-e-golf-se-30k-price-electric-120000966.html

It looks like now SEL will be really more like premium edition. It will have faster charger, better packages, better screen.

SE will have only 3.6kW charger (vs 7.2 in SEL) without fast charger option, smaller screen (6.5 vs 8 inches) and no new Driver Assistance package (forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, and park assist features).

With all that I think SEL will be way more popular.

 

[miimura]

Here is the actual VW Media release about the 2016 models: http://media.vw.com/release/1038/

e-Golf

New value-oriented SE model
MIB II infotainment system with USB and VW Car-Net App-Connect
New Driver Assistance Package (Late availability)
Lowering the cost of entry to e-mobility, the 2016 e-Golf SE offers most of the features of the SEL Premium model. A 3.6 kW onboard charger is standard, but the DC Fast Charging Package (late availability) adds the 7.2 kW onboard charger with DC Fast Charging.

Both e-Golf models get MIB II infotainment systems; SE models feature a 6.5-inch touchscreen, and SEL Premium models have an 8-inch touchscreen. A new Driver Assistance Package, which includes Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist) and Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist), is available on SEL Premium.

Contrast that with the Golf:

Golf

After a ground-up redesign for 2015, the Golf continues with the following changes.

MIB II infotainment systems with USB across the lineup, VW Car-Net App-Connect (6.5-inch touchscreen) on all but base TSI (5-inch touchscreen)
Rearview camera standard on S models
Cloth seats on S models
SE models add Keyless access with push-button start
Updated Driver Assistance Package (available on SE and SEL models) includes: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist), Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), Blind Spot Monitor w/ Rear Traffic Alert, Park Distance Control (Park Pilot), and Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist)

It appears that the Golf TSI/TDI will have ACC (Active Cruise Control) and Blind Spot Monitor w/ Rear Traffic Alert in the Driver Assistance Package while the e-Golf will not. However, they left out the Park Pilot which is present on all 2015 e-Golf and I'm assuming that they're not deleting, so who knows what will actually be in the Driver Assistance package...

I think that deleting the 32A charger and SAE Combo inlet are a bad strategy. Having them standard on all the cars is extremely beneficial. Just think about the used Leaf market today - nobody wants to buy a Leaf without CHAdeMO today. So, I suspect that the SE was created to hit the low advertised starting price point. If VW is smart they will put the optional charging package on the majority of the SE cars. This is what Nissan did with the Leaf S in the later model years - most of those have the charging package. However, I think that customer education is not what it should be and people may buy the SE without the charging package and not understand the impact of those missing items until it's too late.

Anyway, it's good so see that we will finally have some option packages on the cars, not just the two trim levels that we had in 2015.

 

[idris]

I would definitely wait for 2016. CarPlay and Android Auto are reason enough, since the VW infotainment system is pretty horrible.

Now that I see these other features like lane keep assist and, rear-cross traffic alert, etc. I even want to see if my dealer will let me trade my 2015 in for a 2016

 

[GetOffYourGas]

I have yet to read a blurb that states the battery capacity of the 2016 eGolf. Do we know for certain that it will continue on with the same 24.2kWh battery? Nissan has all but confirmed the option for a 30kWh battery in the 2016 Leaf...

 

[marta]

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/s/2016-volkswagen-e-golf-se-30k-price-electric-120000966.html

It looks like now SEL will be really more like premium edition. It will have faster charger, better packages, better screen.

SE will have only 3.6kW charger (vs 7.2 in SEL) without fast charger option, smaller screen (6.5 vs 8 inches) and no new Driver Assistance package (forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, and park assist features).

With all that I think SEL will be way more popular.

Electric Vehicles are still a new thing to many people, and they just want to compare electric range and cost - I think that's why Volkswagen has come out with the stripped down SE version. People that want a entry level EV with X number of miles for X cost will then be able to compare it with the basic Nissan Leaf etc

 

[Electrikarma]

Here's another article:

https://transportevolved.com/2015/08/10/2016-volkswagen-e-golf-se-gets-lower-29815-sticker-price-to-cross-shop-against-nissan-leaf/

I guess the 7.2 charger and quick charging capability are worth $4000.

 

[cove3]

It's not only that. SE has no leatherette seats, no heat pump, no alloy wheels, no LED, no steering wheel controls, no cruise control, no leather wrapped steering wheel,

Ron

 

[jmmurphy26]

Anyone have the inside track on optional package costs (i.e. charging package)?

I can live without the fancy stuff: leatherette, alloy wheels, LEDs, cruise control, etc. It's the level 2 charging and heat pump omissions that concern me.

Does the current LE have the heat pump?

Also, i spoke with a local dealer here in CT and he said they should have the 2016s in by Labor Day weekend.

Jeff

 

[Electrikarma]

Ron,
I know the SE does not have any of those features you mentioned. But that is the same for the LE. The LE is $4000 more than the SE. The article does not mention any other differences between the SE and LE, except the 7.2 and the fast charging. Thus it seems they are worth $4000.

 

[RonDawg]

Does the current LE have the heat pump?

No. Resistive-heater only.

 

[Electrikarma]

Looks like the 2016 SE model will be different from the SEL in the following (standard features):

$6,600 less
cloth instead of fake leather seats
halogens instead of LED headlights
no heat pump
no navi
no parking sensors
3.6kW charger instead of 7.2
6.5 inch infotainment screen instead of 8
no leather wrapped steering wheel
no buttons on steering wheel
no cruise control

It does have identical rims and keyless entry.

 

[HabemusQuattro]

Hmm. That doesn't look like a very compelling package at all, even at 6,000 less. I wouldn't want such a stripped down car but that's just personal preference. However the 3.6 kW charger should be a deal breaker for everyone. And no cruise control? Really?

 

[RonDawg]

The 2015 eGolf LE didn't have cruise control either, so I don't expect an even cheaper trim level to have it.

Slower OBC is not an issue for those who primarily charge at home while they sleep. Where you really see a difference is when you are using a public charging station in order to make your destination, or if you need a very quick turnaround time (for example, two spouses on different shifts sharing one car).

 

[johnnylingo]

Looks like the 2016 SE model will be different from the SEL in the following (standard features):

no heat pump

Hmm...is this in writing somewhere? I could have sworn the dealer said the 2016 SEs have it, making it the one advantage over the 2015 LE (other than the alloy rims, which most buyers don't care about). But maybe they were confusing heated seats with heat pump.

 

[miimura]

Comparing the 2015 LE to the 2016 SE:
--------------------------------------------
LE has Navigation / SE none
LE has Park Distance Control / SE none
LE has 7.2kW On-board Charger / SE 3.6kW
LE has SAE Combo Fast Charge inlet / SE none
LE has steel wheels with plastic covers / SE has aero alloy wheels
LE has larger, but low res screen / SE has MIB-II with AppConnect with a small screen

The MSRP difference between 2015 SEL and 2015 LE was only about $2,000, so the $6,600 price difference between SEL and SE is much bigger.

I am very curious about the prices of the option packages that will come later in the 2016 model year.
Charging Package (7.2kW OBC & SAE Combo Fast Charge)
Driver Assistance Package

 

[bizzle]

Are you sure the LE had Navigation?

I thought I remember when we did our test drive last year that one of the distinctions between the SEL was navigation. Unless there were different nav features, the sales person said that the SEL would tell us where the charge stations were and the LE would not.


I suspect the charge option will be around $4k and put it in line with the difference between last year's LE and SEL.