SECTOR Lower medium  PRICE €16,975-€28,825  FUEL 3.8-5.3l/100km  CO2 99-123g/km

It was a strange sight – a group of journalists sitting around gloomily exchanging notes on the latest Volkswagen Golf, looking desperately for a glaring fault to write about and finding nothing of significance. 

As we said following the launch of the seventh-generation Volkwagen Golf, it might not be the most inspiring car to look at but it rarely disappoints to drive or travel in. I remember driving the fourth-generation Golf, a modest-looking car even by Golf standards, but I was stopped and asked about that car on more occasions than any other I can remember.

The obvious model to drive was the 1.6-litre TDI, which is likely to be a favourite for fleet managers, along with the BlueMotion model, also powered by a 1.6-litre TDI, but whereas the 1.6 TDI produces 105hp between 3,000rpm and 4,000rpm, returns 3.2l/100km on the combined cycle (3.25l/100km for the DSG-equipped model) and 99g/km CO2 (102g/km for the DSG), the BlueMotion model reduces combined consumption to 2.7l/100km and CO2 emissions to 85g/km. Volkswagen says that the BlueMotion 1.6TDI engine is completely new and also produces 110hp.

The Golf is based on Volkswagen’s much-discussed MQB architecture. It is not a platform as we understand it, but a method of placing all the major components in the same place, regardless of model. In time Polo, Beetle, Golf, Scirocco, Jetta, Tiguan, Touran, Sharan, Passat and CC will all share the layout, as will corresponding Audi, Seat and Skoda models.

But initials do not tell what a car is like to drive. The Golf may retain that slightly anonymous, yet distinctive appearance, but it is the best Golf to drive without a doubt. The 1.6-litre diesel is as impressive as ever for its refinement and deceptive torque, able to pull cleanly from low in the rev range, while returning good fuel consumption and offering enough performance for most situations.

It rides and handles as well as you would hope. While the car is generally larger and lower, it is also lighter, which is good for fuel consumption and agility.

Volkswagen has added a good deal of safety equipment to this model. Standard for the UK market are ABS with ESP, seven airbags and XDS, an electronic differential lock and automatic post-collision braking. Equipment may vary in other markets. That’s just the beginning, other options, depending on model and market, include the PreCrash system that first appeared on the Touareg, automatic cruise control, city emergency braking, front assist and a driver alert system. And there’s more too, including different drive modes; Eco, Sport, Normal and Individual depending on specification, among many other options.

The extra space inside the car is welcome. The front axle has been moved forward 43mm and it’s 13mm wider, resulting in 15mm more rear legroom, more legroom in the front, 31mm more shoulder room and 22mm more elbow room than before. At the same time, the boot is 30 litres larger. It was easy for a 1.85m tall driver to get comfortable with room for a similarly sized passenger behind.

Drivers will get a touch screen display as standard, with DAB digital radio as standard too.

Altogether, the latest Golf looks like a perfect fleet car with the 1.6-litre TDI engine – lots of safety equipment, low cost of ownership and the best Golf to drive yet. Both fleet managers and drivers should be happy.

Verdict

We’ve only scratched the surface, but the new Golf offers a great deal more than its predecessor. And it’s the best Golf yet, which should worry quite a few rivals.

SECTOR Lower medium  PRICE €16,975 – €28,825  FUEL 3.8 – 5.3l/100km  CO2 99-123g/km

Ageless, classless and robust, six generations and 38 years of the Volkswagen Golf have bred a sense that you always know what you’re going to get from the marque’s biggest-selling model. That familiarity has helped sell 29 million worldwide, representing a quarter of its European sales. 

So it should come as no surprise that the seventh generation Golf, at least visually, isn’t that different from its predecessor. The updated styling is so subtle that it could almost be a mid-life facelift of the outgoing car, or missed altogether.

That’s doing it a disservice. The bodywork isn’t a radical change, and with the Golf’s sales record it’s unlikely to ever be, but everything underneath is entirely new, and very clever. This is the first Volkswagen to get the Group’s modular platform, which will allow component sharing between multiple sectors, cutting development costs and enabling a diverse range of powertrains to be fitted in the future. An electric Golf is 18 months away, and a plug-in hybrid is coming too.

For the short-term, though, it’s all very conventional. Engines at launch comprise 1.2 and 1.4-litre TSI petrols with between 85 and 140PS, and two diesel engines at 1.6 and 2.0-litres with 105 and 150PS respectively.

But there’s already new technology to be found here. The 140PS 1.4 TSI is Volkswagen’s first car with the ability to shut off two of its cylinders when the engine isn’t under load, saving fuel and reducing CO2 emissions to 112g/km. It does so imperceptibly, and there’s no power loss for the extra economy, which could make it a viable alternative to the more expensive equivalent diesel.

Volkswagen is cautiously predicting sales could shift slightly back in favour of petrol engines during the Mk7’s life cycle, but for now diesel is the most popular option for fleets. The smaller engine, a more powerful version of which will power the BlueMotion model from next summer, is likely to be the most popular for business users but wasn’t available to drive at the press launch.

However, the 2.0-litre is a smooth, powerful unit and with 106g/km CO2 emissions it’s tax friendly too. Having shaved 100kg off the kerb weight, drivers already familiar with this engine should find it’s a little livelier and more efficient in the new car.

There’s a feeling of effortless practicality and solidity inside. The rear bench folds flat with the boot floor, which now has a compartment for the parcel shelf underneath, and a folding passenger seat is optional too. A new compartment for smart phones or media players, complete with a USB connection, has replaced the ashtray.

Most markets will get three trim levels, with the majority of buyers expected to opt for at least the mid-range model. All now feature selectable driving modes, and a new touch screen infotainment system upgradeable to include satellite navigation. This now uses smart phone-esque finger controls, which makes it really easy to use, and the menu only pops up as you’re about to touch the screen, so it doesn’t clutter the display when it’s not in use.

There are no surprises from the new Golf, and perhaps that’s a good thing. Like each successive generation it’s built on what its predecessor did well, and introduces a few new features along the way. You always knew exactly what you were going to get when you chose a Golf, and you still do.

Verdict

The Mk7 Golf follows the old formula of not being flashy or radical in its looks, while offering the practicality and solidity buyers have come to expect.