Here we are at the wheel of the mk7 Golf, the new European Car of the Year. We drove the predictably popular 1.6 TDI in SE trim.
We would like to point out that this Golf was already designed and styled four years ago at the launch of the mk6 Golf. We suspect that the people at VW have already designed the mk8 Golf, a bit of German clairvoyance that somehow decides on what the future of motoring will look like.
EXTERIOR: The new Golf has a much more square-cut design than the mk6 which makes it look very wide and low, the complete opposite of the tall and narrow looking mk5. It's a minimalist design with a wide front grille and headlights placed at the extreme corners to enhance the squat look. The double-xenon headlights transform a relatively anonymous front end, easily mistaken for a Jetta, into a very modern and up-to-date trend setter. The back has a wrap-up design with a large, full-width window which provides great visibility and makes an Honda Civic look rather impractical. Yet again the back of this Golf can be easily confused with a Passat estate. However the profile is unmistakably Golf and the new style alloy wheels make this mk7 look a touch posher than its predecessor.
INTERIOR: The interior doesn't have the 'wow factor' of the gorgeous Audi A3 but the finishing standard and the grade of the materials used are both top class. The dashboard design is simple and easy to use with a large touchscreen with intuitive functions and big easy-to-read icons. Ergonomics are excellent, the steering wheel buttons are clearly labelled and, despite being numerous, they are never confusing. The only thing that contrasts this quality interior are the seats which despite being very comfortable, look a bit utilitarian and the pattern of the cloth is too simple, the seats on the mk6 Golf appeared more contoured and the cloth looked more elegant. We like the presence of the electronic handbrake which frees a bit of space and makes the centre console nice and tidy. Other nice touches are the carpeted door pockets for a rattle-free journey and the piano black inserts on the steering wheel which ooze quality.
DRIVING: This latest Golf is lighter than the retiring model and it shows on the road. The 1.6 TDI, which used to be sluggish at low revs, is now been revised and delivers full torque at 1500rpm so there is a lot more low-end grunt. The progress is consistent and the engine noise is never invasive although we noticed a few extra vibrations at the steering wheel and pedals than we were expecting. This mk7 Golf is a very comfortable car and, although this version and the 1.2-litre petrol have a simpler suspension design than more powerful models, the ride quality is first class and we struggle to think how much better the next generation Golf can be. The 2.0-litre TDI is a more refined engine although it doesn't match the 74.3mpg and 99g/km of CO2 which give this car free access to the London Congestion Charge Zone.
PRICES: This mk7 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI SE comes at £20,500. A few Golf generations back, this kind of money would have bought you a GTI version of this bomb-proof bestseller but there is a lot of engineering work behind this mk7 to save weight and save you overall running costs. It also comes with loads of standard kit such as cruise control, bluetooth connectivity, city-braking system, dual-zone climate control and so on.
VERDICT: This new generation of the Golf shows a bigger leap forward than the mk6 which was fondamentally a revised version of the mk5. It promises what the Golf name is usually known for, a reliable and an honest family hatchback. We would perhaps prefer the 2.0-litre TDI which still only emits 106g/km and returns an official figure of 68.9mpg. It will cost around £1500 more than this 1.6-litre version but it should be more refined and offer a better ride if that's at all possible. Either way you will end up with a classy car which will munch miles in perfect comfort and will retain a good slice of its initial purchase cost when you will decide to trade it in, perhaps for the mk8 Golf. MG
Our test car was kindly provided by Benfield Volkswagen.
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