Last week my dealer got their first TDI A7 Golf, or MK7 Golf, OR MKVII Golf. Did I get all the ways to say that it is the 7th generation Golf? LOL

The new Golf and GTI are now built in Mexico. To me it is weird to see the VIN start with a 3, that is the country code. We also see several new technologies on this Mk7 platform

• New series of engines
• Modular Infotainment System (MIB)
• Proactive occupant protection
• Selective driving mode (only on the GTI)

But today I want to focus mostly on the TDI. When we get a brand new car in we do what is called a PDI Perfect Delivery Inspection. For me this is a great opportunity to look at some of the new and cool stuff. I mostly focus on all the things that VW did to make my life hard. Like dumb oil filter locations, or plastic oil pans (yeah, and I still salty about that).

So lets look at some of the new stuff on the TDI.

AD BLUE
For the first time the Golf TDI has exhaust fluid. The Touareg and Passat TDI both have had AD-Blue for years. The thing about the Golf is the location of the filler. VW has moved the filler right next to the fuel nozzle. My thoughts? Well, now instead of spilling Ad-Blue in the trunk, you get to spill it down the side of the car. Kidding about that part, I actually like the move. It means I will not have to move a bunch of things to fill the Ad-Blue tank. Plus the fillers are VERY different.

Oil Filter
This is a move I didn’t see coming. For the first time since I have worked for VW, the TDI oil filter is NOT on the top of the engine. This is a strange and weird thing for me. So I know what you are thinking. They moved the oil filter to a really easy place. WRONG! They moved the filter to the bottom, but it is now it’s buried by coolant hoses.

From a mechanics point of view, those are the most important changes. There are a few other things that are different. The TDI now has a water cooled charge air cooler. That is something the TDI Passat has.

Overall I think the new TDI Golf, along with the GTI, is a great platform. I hope that we are past the diesel fuel and HPFP issues at this point. But only time will tell. .