Volkswagen Golf : THEORY OF EVOLUTION

The Volkswagen Golf has altered almost unrecognisably across its six generations but big changes are not something you'll find on the MKVI car. Does that matter? June Neary finds out.

Volkswagen's designers must be a frustrated bunch. They see other manufacturers giving the old creative juices free reign, showing the green light to all kinds of exciting and unconventional designs, then they're asked to come up with a new Golf that looks ever so slightly different to the old one. There's no doubt that VW is one of the most conservative car companies when it comes to vehicle styling but then, with a car like the Golf, they can afford to be. The MKV Golf was very good. If the MKVI could improve upon it, success would be guaranteed. When I first caught sight of the sixth Volkswagen Golf, I thought the German brand was trying to pull a fast one. The old grille had gone, replaced by a shallower, elongated affair that visually widens the car, but that, apart from some minor detail tweaks, was it. Lots of the MKV Golf underpinnings are carried over too. Was this really an all new generation of Volkswagen's most famous model? Inside, there was more of that facelift feeling. Lots of the switchgear looked familiar but there were nicer materials and a higher quality ambience was in evident. These were my first impressions and they're likely to be those of many people who encounter the latest Golf for the first time. My advice would be to give it time because it's the depth of the car's talents where the real advancements have been made.

Conservative but classy has long been the Golf constant and the MKVI model diligently tows that line with the wide grille first seen on the Scirocco coupe which merges with the headlamps to form a single band across the nose. At the back, the huge tail light clusters are similar in shape to the headlamps and curve round into the rear wings. Inside, the dash design is more of an eye-opener. The instruments are tastefully designed with obvious Audi influences and illuminate in crisp white light. The controls function with typical efficiency and the plastics quality is hard to fault compared to the Golf's family hatch rivals. Some might find the cabin lacking a spark of originality but it's certainly got an abundance of class and the execution is hard to fault. Rear legroom is adequate for tall adults so long as the front seats aren't pushed right back on their runners and a boot of 350-litres ensures the Golf's competitiveness on practicality grounds. Fold the rear seats and 1,305 litres is made available.

If anything, it's the improvements made in terms of refinement that bring the biggest single step forward over the previous generation Golf. A back-to-back drive in the two cars reveals a major reduction in cabin noise achieved through a host of measures including a special sound-damping windscreen, extra thick side window glass and advanced door and window seals. The cosseting experience inside the Golf is added to by the car's clever suspension system. Multi-link rear axle technology is the preserve of the top performers in the family hatchback class from a ride and handling perspective and this Golf is certainly amongst those. Its strut based front suspension and multi-link rear serve up a supple ride and deal extremely well with surface imperfections while still letting the driver know what the car is up to. Well weighted speed sensitive steering and a slick manual gearbox contribute to a driving experience that isn't the sector's most thrilling but is tough to beat for sheer competence.

This Golf is available in five trim levels - S, SE, GT, GTD and GTI - but there are also fuel efficient BlueMotion models to consider based on the 1.6 TDI engine. All models boast a high level of standard specification. The S has, among a number of features, ABS and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), seven airbags including a driver's knee airbag, remote central locking, Climatic air conditioning, a CD/radio, plus body-coloured bumpers, door handles and electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors. Under the bonnet, customers have a choice of five petrol and four diesel engines. Petrol units are a 1.4-litre with 80 PS or a 1.6-litre with 102 PS, plus 1.4-litre TSI powerplants with 122 or 160 PS and the 2.0-litre TSI from the GTI. The TSI units utilise a turbocharger, and in some cases a supercharger as well, to produce a smooth flow of power across a wide section of the rev-range. Want a diesel? There are a couple of 2.0-litre common rail diesels offering power outputs of 140 or 170 PS. Further down the range, the 1.6-litre oil-burner is available with 90 or 105PS. A number of options are available on the Golf for the first time, including Volkswagen's Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) which allows the driver to select from normal, comfort or sport modes to define the desired suspension, steering and accelerator response settings for any particular journey. ParkAssist, which takes over steering inputs to facilitate parallel parking manoeuvres, is also available as an option.

There really wasn't much room for improvement on the MKV Golf. It felt like a highly adept performer right up to the end but while the MKVI model looks similar in many respects, it has been advanced in areas right across the board. Quality, refinement, comfort: these are the standout aspects of this latest design but the engine range takes some beating and no other family hatch can match the Golf's classy image. It's a great all-round family car.