Volkswagen Golf hatchback

Drive

Diesel power used to be the only real choice in the Golf until VW introduced its TSI petrol engines. Turbocharging and supercharging makes them smooth, quick and easy to drive while delivering tax-friendly emissions and good economy. The 1.6 and 2.0 TDI diesels are punchy and remain the economy stars if achieving the best fuel consumption is your goal. With light steering and supple suspension, the Golf drives very competently indeed. It's a great cruiser and yet still rewarding to drive on winding roads. Choose the high performance GTI or R models for maximum fun, although all versions are comfortable on longer journeys.

Comfort

The Golf's near luxury car levels of comfort mean it's a relaxing car to drive long distances in. The seats are firm and supportive and the driving position is easily adjusted to suit all shapes and sizes. Chunky, easy to operate controls, a light, accurate gearshift and suspension that's tuned for ride quality rather than outright sporting prowess all impress. Larger wheel choices on the more expensive GT models do upset this balance a little, but the Golf is never uncomfortable.

Reliability

The latest Volkswagen Golf has wasted no time impressing people. It scored a full five stars in its Euro NCAP crash test, and debuted at number four out of 100 in the 2010 Driver Power survey, claiming 9th position for Reliability and 15th for build quality along the way. Owners also praised its braking performance. The Golf is still relatively new, but as it's based on the same chassis and engine range as the previous generation model, all of the mechanicals are tried and tested. 

Practicality

The interior will seat four adults in relative comfort - or five at a push for shorter journeys. The rear seats are better suited for children though, with access to the back best in the five-door model. The boot offers a reasonable amount of space, but it's not as big as the Honda Civic's. Plus there's quite a sizeable lip to lift your luggage over. The glovebox is a decent size and the door storage bins are roomy, too. 

Value for money

You might imagine the upmarket Golf will be expensive to buy, but that's simply not the case. Volkswagen's pricing has remained steady as rivals’ has increased. Thanks to the Golf's desirability in comparison to its mainstream rivals, you’ll get more for it when you sell it on.

Running costs

The Golf promises to be cheap to run. Sensible dealer rates on servicing and easy availability of consumables like tyres and brake pads allow you to shop around for the best deals. All models deliver good fuel economy but BlueMotion versions, which return 74.3mpg, are very impressive indeed. Like for like, the Golf shouldn’t cost you more to run than its competitors.