We're introduced to a handful of VW and Skoda suitors over Valentine’s Day brunch at the Nomads cafe.
There’s a spring in my step as I leave home for my Valentine’s Day ‘Speed Date’ with four potential suitors at the Nomads cafe in Seletar’s idyllic ‘The Oval’.
Our prospective partners? A selection of four new models from VW and Skoda, namely the feisty Golf GTI and Octavia RS performance machines, as well as the less tempestuous Golf R-Line and Octavia Selection Combi.
It is an interesting twist on the familiar local test-drive format, because it segues neatly into the Valentine’s Day festivities.
True to speed dating form, this exercise is not meant to be a deep-dive into each car, but more a casual sampling of what they have to offer. It also gives us a chance to reconnect with our fellow-scribes in the fraternity and exchange notes about the suitors.
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With the four cars parked just outside, the camping-themed cafe is the picture-perfect pit-stop that serves as a base for the brunch date’s operations.
It is nestled in a quiet nook just a stone’s throw away from the hustle-bustle of the familiar Wheeler’s Estate and The Summerhouse.
See also: The PML Culinary Experience : Omakase supper club in the BMW showroom
In addition to Nomads’ air-conditioned dining area, there is a choice of several outdoor tents in which you can dine, which makes for a great chill vibe when the sun goes down.
The outdoors tables and chairs, as well as the mess platters all add to the camping ambience. All in, Nomads serves up a lot of the outdoorsy atmosphere with very little of the discomfort!
Although we’re given as much time as we like with the cars, we decide to stick to the spirit of such blind speed dates, which means trying to glean as much as possible from each session through strategic 'conversation' in a relatively short period of time.
This means one’s test-drive route has to encompass a good variety of different road types and conditions for one to be able to decide if there’s potential for a good match. The whole affair is meant to be casual, but there’s even more pressure because time is of the essence. (Pictured above Golf GTI (left) and Golf R-Line (right... the GTI is the one you'll want to party with, but the R-Line is the one you'll bring home to meet the folks)
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Even for cars, all the familiar dating archetypes are there. This includes a pair of wild-childs that are not yet quite ready to hang up their clubbing shoes (GTI and RS), a goody two-shoes that is more function than fun (Combi) and what we felt to be a real Goldilocks all-rounder (Golf R-Line).
Most notably the model that fired-up the hot-hatch segment, the Golf GTI is an automotive icon that needs little introduction. It is amazing how the Mk8.5 updates have elevated it beyond the Mk8 we tried some years ago and it has come a long way from the 1976 original!
It may have grown up, but there is still a snappy edge to its character so the 265hp hot-hatch will not hesitate to clap back when the red mist descends.
All the familiar GTI aesthetic cues are present and accounted for, and on the drive, it makes all the right moves and sounds to keep you properly engaged.
Naturally it’s more than just about straight-line performance, because the GTI has always been known for its agile and grin-inducing dynamics in the corners. However, we should qualify that compared to its rowdy predecessors, the latest model is composed and civilised, especially when you’re not turning a wheel in anger. (Pictured above is the writer with a chaperone in the GTI... in case things get too wild! We're kidding, it's on trade-plates.)
We can definitely see the GTI’s flavour of hot-hatchery appealing to many petrolheads, especially the ones enamoured of the shine of the legendary ‘GTI’ emblem. Having owned and driven several of the early ones, this writer probably isn’t young enough to keep up with the scintillating shenanigans of this latest iteration!
In some ways, the Skoda Octavia RS (pictured above in liftback guise) can be regarded as the thinking person’s GTI, not least because it is underpinned by a similar powertrain to its VW hot-hatch sibling. In any case, we have always been more partial to the RS Combi (as opposed to the liftback we have here), which packs the explosive performance of the RS into the stylish shape of a stationwagon.
Like the GTI, the Octavia RS is capable of a belligerent turn of speed and boasts engaging dynamics that fans of the model are well familiar with. Again, these days, we prefer a slower pace of travel than that offered by the GTI and RS. Sure, they can be driven slowly and sedately, but that would be a tragedy and a criminal affront to the storied GTI and RS badges.
The Skoda Octavia Selection Combi (Combi is Skoda-speak for stationwagon) is blessed with striking good looks, powered by a Cat A-friendly peppy mild-hybrid 1.5-litre and boasts a massive 1700-litres cargo capacity with the second-row seats folded flat. (Pictured above is the Octavia Selection Combi)
Apart from the fresh face, it gets fresh tech in the cleanly-styled cabin, including an upgraded 13-inch touchscreen display and two-part panoramic roof. In this company, the Octavia Combi twinkles, but ultimately does not give us the tingles. It feels more functional than fun, and while I’m sure it’s a good match for many suitors, it isn’t quite what we’re looking for in a companion.
And now for our pick of the four, the Golf R-Line (pictured above). We’re still not used to seeing the trim designation under the wing mirrors (the GTI has it too), but like that bit of food stuck between your teeth before a date, it’s nothing a line of floss can’t fix.
The Golf R-Line may wear all the stylish sporty trappings of a higher-performance model, but it is powered by a nippy turbocharged 1.5-litre mild-hybrid engine.
True to Golf form, it is elegant and sophisticated and drives with all the civility and refinement of a more upmarket car. It is also a well-balanced handler and features a cabin that is nicely-appointed with all the requisite electronic mod-cons. (Pictured above: GTI creeps up on the R-Line)
The perky level of performance is a perfect match to the daily grind of peak hour traffic and it’s not too powerful as to make you fear for one’s life or licence. The Golf R-Line is more posh than punchy, but best of all is the evergreen appeal of the model plate.
The Golf R-Line carries itself well and is more than capable of holding its own, even in the company of more expensive brands, and is indubitably the one that we’ll bring home to meet the folks.
