Pros Good quality small family car. Very nice to drive, reliable, above average equipment and value for money. Second hand purchases are great bargains.
Cons Not a lot of space in the back seats. Not great lookers.
The launch of the VW Bora was part of a move by VW to head further into up-market territory in the small medium sector. The success of the Mark 4 Golf, introduced in 1998 inspired several new cars including the Volkswagen Bora. Available from March 1999 - November 2005, and pitched somewhere between the Golf hot hatch and the Passat saloon, Bora received plenty of praise during its short lifespan for the nice drive it provides. For example, it was named most driver-friendly modern car by Auto Express magazine. Bora came with decent equipment levels and a wide range of engines and it still provides a relatively stylish option in the small family saloon market while offering decent performance and economy into the bargain. It has also been described as a Golf with a boot, referring to generous storage space compared to most small/medium VWs. There was a fairly wide range of engines. Smaller engines are generally fine for urban driving while the 2.0 and above offer decent power for longer trips. 2.0 and TDi were also offered with Sports versions, including 16in alloys, front fog lights, sports upholstery and sports seats as in the Golf GTi. The Bora did not achieve high sales though, especially in the UK, where it was perceived as a little dull the name Bore..ra - probably didnt help. It was replaced by the revival of the Jetta brand, launched in the UK 2006. Boras are decent cars though and are generally available as super bargains second hand. The 170bhp V5 model are the hardest to find as are the 4Motion models, the latter offering the highest performance of 60mph in 7.4 secs and a max 146mph.
Following the success of the Passat Highline, the new Bora model based on the
SE, offered a range of decent extras for little additional cost.
16in Montreal II alloy wheels
Full leather upholstery
Heated front sports seats
Parking
sensors.
Air conditioning
Four airbags
ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme)
ABS
Front and rear electric windows
Electrically heated
Adjustable door mirrors
Multifunction steering wheel with cruise control
Auto-dimming rear view mirror
Rain-sensor wipers
Remote central locking with alarm.
