Volkswagen Golf – time-honoured triumph

THE biggest selling model in Volkswagen history, the Golf, is certainly no stranger to UK drivers – with more than 2.3 million registrations during its 50 years on sale.

Now into its eighth generation, and with a mid-cycle revamp completed last year, people could be forgiven for wondering how such longevity has been achieved.

The answer though is simple, the Golf is every inch the car for all seasons – the complete all-rounder and in time-honoured Volkswagen style it’s also beautifully engineered.

Its looks may be conservative and demeanour classless but the Golf is nonetheless a highly recommended family car choice, with a wealth of powertrain options and a half dozen trim grades.

Our tested 1.5 TSI four cylinder variant in mid-range R-Line spec is a smart choice for drivers favouring petrol power in that it offers appreciably more punch than the entry level 115PS model without needing to enter hot hatch territory,

Acceleration figures of 0-62 in 8.6 seconds underline its sporting credentials while an average fuel return of 50.6 miles per gallon – a mark we came within 2mpg of matching – shows it is also an economical performer.

Specifying R-Line trim over the less expensive Life, Match and Style grades also boosts the driving experience courtesy of lowered sports suspension as standard, along with a Driver Profile Selection set-up whereby you can add weight to the steering with a Sport mode.

It makes for a more entertaining drive around country lanes though the Golf remains well mannered both at speed on the motorway and in urban conditions too.

Move inside and there’s plenty of passenger room up front plus durable and multi-adjustable seats and a steering wheel that adjusts for rake and reach, while head and legroom is adequate all round.

In fact the only occupant to draw a short straw is a centre rear adult who will find things on the tight side with not much room for feet.

As for stowage the large front door bins can each accommodate a 500ml water bottle, there’s a lidded central container behind the six-speed manual gearshift, an air-conditioned glovebox, cup holders and a wireless phone charging tray.

A ski hatch helps carry longer narrow loads if you don’t want the rear seats flipped down but if that isn’t an issue then you at least get an almost flat load area. Otherwise the 381-litre boot has a height-adjustable floor.

If there was a criticism of the Golf range in general it was that the infotainment system needed updating, something addressed as part of last year’s revamp.

The result is a more intuitive set-up with a 12.9-inch display, four USB-C ports, an E-sim card for online connectivity, sat nav, We Connect, voice control, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay  smartphone integration.

Every Golf model comes extensively kitted out and includes safety features like auto emergency braking, driver fatigue monitor, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition and newly designed LED headlights.

Among the extra cost options, and our tested model featured £7,500 of these, are IQ. LIGHT matrix headlights – first seen on the rangetopping Touareg – which have a main beam range of up to 500 metres.

And there’s also the option of Park Assist Pro, which allows the vehicle to be driven into and out of parking spaces using a smartphone operated from outside the car.