For The Golf GTI combines strong performance, agile handling and precise steering with impressive refinement and a supple ride. It's also practical enough for everyday use and is very classy inside.

Against Some rivals are faster, the GTI is expensive to buy and it doesn't look as striking as its cheaper in-house rival, the Scirocco coupe.

Volkswagen Golf Hatchback

What Car? says

5 out of 5 stars

A brilliant all-rounder that's as good to drive as it is to own. Yes, it's pricey, but resale values are strong and this is one instance where you get what you pay for.

Reader review rating

4.135135
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Key facts

0–60mph
6.9 secs
Top speed
149 mph
Average mpg
38.7
Tank range
468 miles
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Features

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Size

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Cheaper

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The Volkswagen Golf Hatchback 2.0 TSI 210 GTI full review Read in full

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Buyer's notes

Target Price team says:

The Golf is all the car most families will ever need. There are rivals with more prestigious badges, larger cabins, punchier engines or lower prices, but if we had to pick one model to cope with everything a family is likely to ask of a car, it would be a Golf.

Yes, it couldn't look more conservative if it wore a blue rosette, but buyers still love it. It’s class-leading in many areas, and there isn’t a thing that it does badly.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t big discounts to be had, though. Haggle hard, and you’ll get four figures off almost any version, and because the Golf’s residual values are so strong, you’ll get plenty of money back at resale time.

We’d avoid the smallest petrol engine because it’s a bit weak, but all the rest make a strong case for themselves. Our favourite is the 1.4TSI petrol, which is our reigning Small Family Car of the Year,. The Bluemotion model, meanwhile, is our Green Small Family Car of the Year.

Reader test team says:

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This is my second 1.4 TSI MK6, the previous car…

HARRY DRENNAN

5 out of 5 stars
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