VW Golf 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion – a petrol that’s as economical as a diesel

The VW Golf 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion is a petrol-engined Golf which is as economical, and cheaper, than a diesel-engined Golf thanks to a raft of technology.

If you think about Volkswagen’s BlueMotion claims, they were always about how wonderful ‘Clean Diesel’ is. But that was before Dieselgate. 

But as VW reinvents itself post Dieselgate, it’s all about electric cars and more efficient petrol engines. And the claims VW are making for the new Golf 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion make you wonder why they ever bothered with diesel engines in the first place.

The 1.5 TSI ACT uses the Miller Combustion Cycle (add that to your knowledge bank of combustion cycles, along with Otto and Atkinson) which uses a ‘fifth’ stroke, using turbocharging to fill in the loss of power from early closing of the inlet valves and delivering improved economy.

Add to that clever combustion cycle Active Cylinder Management (ACT) which deactivates the two inner cylinders when under low load, and Eco-coasting – which turns everything off when you take your foot of the throttle or go downhill – and the improvements in economy are marked.

Despite a fairly useful 128bhp, the VW Golf 1.5 TSI ACT – when you opt for the DSG gearbox – will deliver official combined economy of 58.8mpg.

The petrol engine fights back at VW.