Volkswagen Golf review

‘Das Auto’ - or ‘the car’ to us Brits - used to be Volkswagen’s strapline and, for many, the Golf really is das auto of choice. Since the original was launched in 1974, more than 33 million have been sold – this works out to about one every 40 seconds.

This seventh-generation model popped up in 2012 and was updated in 2017 with some mild styling tweaks, new engines, a new infotainment system and, unusually for a revised model, a price cut.

It’s definitely not the cheapest family car you can buy, but the Golf is a superb all-rounder that does everything most households will ever need. And with strong resale values and a range of fuel-efficient turbocharged engines, it should cost you surprisingly little to run over three years.

It should be noted that, as good as the latest Golf is, it doesn't dominate its class in the way some previous versions did, but that's down to the competition upping its game rather than Volkswagen's standards slipping.

These days, the onslaught comes from all sides: the likes of the Skoda Octavia and Vauxhall Astra both offer more space for a lower price, while premium-badged rivals such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series have plusher interiors and better infotainment systems.

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Are any of these alternatives better all-rounders than the Golf, though? And in which spec does VW's best-selling car make most sense? Read on over the next few pages to find out.

And if you do want to buy a Golf, check out our New Car Buying pages here.