In the struggle for leadership in the minicar market, Volkswagen appeared to be winning the battle by being big. The Fox, a name that came waiting in from Germany on a whim of iron, offered a generous interior, with capacity for four adult sized people, at a price that was competitive with the rest of the Affordables.
It also offered performance to go with its size. The longitudinally mounted engine was the same one that powered the Golf and Jetta, VW’s solidly established 1.8-liter OHC four, with 85-hp on tap. This was enough to propel the Fox from stationary to 60 in less than 11-seconds, and a top speed of almost 100-mph was within reach.
The boys from Volkswagen via Brazil did a good job of giving the Fox a nice Teutonic feel on the road although when it came to going around corners, there was a bit more body roll than one normally associated with contemporary VW’s. Still, overall handling was the best in the group, and the only serious criticism was the area of steering effort, which may have been too high for some tastes.
Viewed from the curbside, the Fox didn’t have much of what it took to turn heads. Looking for all the world like a Quantum left in the dryer too long, its dowdy lines were dated. However buyers interested in this class of cars probably set more store by value than cosmetic appeal, and measured on that scale the Fox won the pageant.
going around corners, there was a bit more body roll than one normally associated with contemporary VW’s. Still, overall handling was the best in the group, and the only serious criticism was the area of steering effort, which may have been too high for some tastes.
What Junkies are Saying