Volkswagen Golf review

• For: Quality, technology, image
• Against: Digital cockpit, can get expensive
• Verdict: Still the default family hatchback

How can something so different be so familiar? The Volkswagen Golf Mk8 looks like a chip off the old block, but much has changed – most notably on the inside.

Volkswagen calls it a ‘digitalised workplace’, with the dashboard dominated by a 10-inch central screen and digital driver display. It looks sleek and uncluttered, but is slower and less intuitive to use than the physical buttons of old.

The Golf feels impeccably well-assembled, in traditional German car-style. However, there are some plastics that would look out of place in an Audi or Mercedes-Benz.

You’ll find four trim levels: Life, Active, Style and R-Line, with a practical estate version available alongside.

You’re most likely to pick the turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine, which offers a terrific blend of performance and economy. A pricier 2.0 diesel is available if you regularly drive longer distances.

There is also a plethora of sporty derivatives further up the range, including the iconic Golf GTI, diesel GTD, plug-in hybrid GTE and four-wheel-drive Golf R. No electric e-Golf is offered this time, however – Volkswagen is focusing on the ID.3 instead.

Overall, although much has changed, the Golf still feels like the benchmark. Prices start from nearly £23,000, mind, and you could spend close to £50,000 on a fully optioned Golf R.

KEY INFO

• Launched: 2019
• Facelifted: Not yet
• Due for replacement: TBC