VW GOLFWRITTEN BY STEVE WARMAN

A long time ago, when I still had hair, I owned one of the

original MK’s I GTI which set the benchmark as a usable

everyday car/hooligan’s tool and I loved it. Over the

years many rivals have tried to produce their version of the Golf and

struggled to match it. Today there are more and more very good rivals

so this new Golf needs to be even better than before to succeed in

retaining its crown.

This seventh generation of Volkswagen Golf continues to raise

the family hatchback bar and is nearly 100kg lighter than the old Mk6,

however its dimensions are actually wider and longer. There is more

room in the boot and extra passenger space inside. The car is slightly

lower than its predecessor and it looks and feels that little bit sportier,

too. Inside, the Golf has VW’s usual mix of high-quality materials and

loads of up-to-date equipment – there’s an option for a huge eight-inch

touchscreen to sit at the centre of the completely redesigned interior.

You can choose between eight engine specs across four versions – S,

SE, BlueMotion and GT. All models are quiet and smooth on the road,

with either the six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes. There have

been some critics of the car’s design, saying it’s too tame and similar

to old models, especially with the likes of the SEAT Leon pushing the

boundaries a bit. But a conservative look is a small price to pay for what

could easily be described as the only car you’ll ever need.

Plenty of grip and a range of quiet engines make the Golf great to drive in any situation

Losing 100kg has made the new Golf more agile to drive than

the previous model. There’s very little body roll through the corners

thanks to plenty of grip, and all the engines on offer are quiet and

smooth at motorway speeds – even the diesel models. In fact, the

148bhp 2.0-litre TDI model we tested nearly achieves hot-hatchback

levels of speedy performance. Thanks to a variable ratio that makes

the steering light and easy at low speeds but quicker and more

responsive at higher speeds, the Golf is good to drive in all situations.

The economical BlueMotion version drives a bit differently to other

models, with a much slower pace and compromised handling.

Comfortable, quiet and effortless – the current VW Golf is more grown up than ever before

The Golf can handle pretty much anything the slowly disintegrating

UK roads can throw at it. But what’s really notable is how incredibly

quiet the Golf is. Even at motorway speeds, the interior is so brilliantly

insulated that wind and tyre noise are barely evident, so you end your

journey feeling calm and well refreshed. No other car in the class

comes close to the Golf in terms of interior quality and upmarket feel.

Well-built and beautifully engineered – the VW Golf is a dependable car.

The Golf is clearly a family car first, and there’s more room inside

it than ever before. The increased dimensions means that legroom

in the back has gone up by 15mm – which is much more in reality

than it sounds – creating enough room for three adults in the back.

It’s worth noting that the middle seat is a little cramped because of a

large transmission tunnel at the passenger’s feet, though. If you fold

the Golf’s rear seats flat, you end up with more than enough space for

lugging around large items without too much hassle. Plus, it’s the little

things that VW adds that make all the difference, like the neat little

seatbelt holders in the back that stop them snagging when you fold

the seats down. You also get a ski hatch in the rear bench for posting

longer objects through, and the loading lip is low so negotiating

bulkier items into the boot is easy.

There’s more hi-tech standard equipment on the VW Golf than ever before

You can hardly call the Golf

cheap, but the quality of the

car is so high, its starting price

just north of £16,000 is still

extremely competitive. We’d

tested the mid-range SE, as it

has all the bells and whistles

you’ll ever need, but with a more

reasonable list price. All SE

versions and above get adaptive

cruise control as standard (which

maintains a set distance to the

car in front), while hi-tech extras

like park assist and auto braking

are available as well-priced

options. What’s more, history

says that when you come to sell

it on in the UK used car market,

the Golf’s resale value should be

high. We’d also suggest paying

the few hundred extra pounds to

get the three-year maintenance

service pack, which covers

everything during the span of the

car’s manufacturer warranty..

VW has exceeded itself with

low running costs with all models

coming fitted with its super-

efficient technology to improve

fuel economy and reduce CO2

emissions. The result is by far

the most fuel-efficient Golf yet.

Our 2.0-litre TDI diesel gives

the best balance of performance

and economy overall, returning

68.9pmg while remaining fast,

smooth and responsive.