Volkswagen Golf GTD hatchback 2014 pictures

The Golf GTD is an economical alternative to the GTI, and shares its stablemate's sporting good looks

Looks have always been a key part of the GTI's success, and the GTD is no different with bold alloy wheels and distinctive nose styling

There's no mistaking the Golf GTD for a lower-powered Golf Diesel, either in its looks or the way it drives

Sports suspension gives the GTD a lower-profile and a slightly hunkered-down look, and helps to polish its handling finesse for greater fun

The core virtues of the Volkswagen Golf go unchanged, it's still a very practical car with a fantastic reputation and desirable image

The Golf GTI is a rewarding drivers car and the GTD tries to match its petrol sister, and does a pretty good job

There's a Driver Profile System to make adjustments to steering feel and how the throttle responds, and it can make quite a difference to the driving experience

You can also choose adaptive damping as an optional extra which enables adjustments to be made to the suspension stiffness – improving comfort or fun.

0-62mph is dispatched in 7.5 seconds, and top speed is 143mph. This makes the GTD slower against the clock than the GTI, but it certaonly doesn't feel slow to drive.

Unique to the Golf GTI and Golf GTD are strakes on the front foglights which slightly recall those seen on the '80s Ferrari Testarossa

You can also choose an estate version of the GTD, and it feels no different to drive despite its extra weight and length

Other rivals include the Ford Focus ST diesel, but this doesn't feel quite so upmarket and doesn't offer quite the same car park cachet as the VW

Stylish, slim headlights are Golf identification points. helping to define its sharp front treatment and making it look distinctive at night and during the day

Indicators are integrated into the door mirrors where they can be seen easily in traffic, and adding to the sleek looks

The GTD badging is very subtle, consisting small chrome emblems on each side of the car, while a few subtle decals continue the theme on the inside

Twin, chromed exhaust exits distinguish the GTD from other diesel Golf models that make do with a single tailpipe

Inside, the steering wheel is beautifully shaped and a compact size makes it easy to use in energetic driving – you can have some real fun behind the wheel of this car

The optional Tartan-style cloth seat material is a nod towards the Golf GTI, which used a similar material for the seats of early examples in the '70s

The boot is just as substantial and useful as any other VW Golf, one more reason that the GTD is so well suited to life as a family car.