We Hit Road In VW's Improved Golf

Refined yet punchy new 1.5-litre petrol engine impresses .Technology includes bigger, higher-res screen, gesture control.

- JohnMcIlroy

THE Golf has been the default family car choice for generations, thanks to its mix of practicality, comfort, performance and efficiency. The current version has been around since 2014, though, so Volkswagen has given it a thorough mid-life overhaul.

Ostensibly called the Mk7.5, the new car gets tweaks to its styling, with a revised front bumper and optional LED head lamps, plus LED tail-lights on all editions. It’s still clearly a Golf – but this has always been a car that has evolved in small steps.

Indeed, this Golf has the same MQB based chassis as the outgoing car, so its internal dimensions and boot capacities – 380 litres, or 1,270 litres with the rear seats folded – remain unchanged. More significant are the new tech and engines, which promise to improve the Golf’s appeal in the wake of the Diesel gate scandal.

Crisp

Even basic models now get an eight inch colour screen instead of a six-inch display, while the range-topping Discover Pro system moves from eight inches to 9.2 inches. Its resolution also improves, offering even more crispness to the display.