Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion wins What Car? 2010 Green Car of the Year

Volkswagen have done well at What Car?'s 2010 Green Awards, with the Passat BlueMotion voted best Green Family Car, and the Golf BlueMotion winning best Green Small Family Car and also overall Green Car of the Year, beating the Passat and seven other category winners.

What Car?'s chief editor Steve Fowler praised the Golf's low C02 emissions (99 g/km, which mean it is exempt from road tax) and fuel economy (average 74.3 mpg) but also added that it was "classy, well made, practical, safe, brilliant to drive and an affordable long-term investment."

Stefan Gies was present to receive the award on behalf of Volkswagen and said that the company's aims with the Golf BlueMotion were to make a car that was "efficient, sustainable, practical, comfortable and competitively priced" and added that they felt they had succeeded with the Golf.

The main factor in the Golf BlueMotion's economy is its diesel TDI 1.6 litre engine, which uses Volkswagen's 'common rail' system. This separates fuel injection and pressure generation in the engine, making each can be more efficient. Each injector receives an uninterrupted supply of fuel at the same high pressure from a shared fuel reservoir. The upshot is 105PS and 250Nm of torque from only 1,500RPM.

Other features that contribute to overall economy are automatic start/stop when stationary, a computer aided gear system that recommends the most economic gear, low resistance tires, a more aerodynamic body, and a battery that recovers more energy.

This award is another feather in the Golf's cap, as it was part of the BlueMotion range that won the 2010 World Car's Green Car of the Year award. Read more about the BlueMotion ethos.