THE Volkswagen Golf seems to be eternal. Somehow, it has remained unfazed by the whole 'dieselgate' debacle perpetrated by VW and has cleverly evolved to become electrified and connected.
The Golf is, by far, Volkswagen's most popular car and is unquestionably one of the most important new cars on sale.
It’s perennially the most popular single model across Europe, often tops the sales chart in Northern Ireland and is rarely out of the UK top five. It is, in other words, the people’s car.
After more than 45 years on sale, Volkswagen has managed to produce a remarkable 35 million examples, and - Covid-19, factory and showroom closures notwithstanding - an all-new eighth-generation version is upon us.
Amazingly - given the pace of technological change, the strength of its competition and the fact that it debuted in 2012 - the outgoing seventh generation Golf was arguably still the best family car you can buy as it went off-sale.
The new car, then, has very big boots to fill.
In typical Golf fashion, the Mk 8 looks like it could just be a facelift, but underneath and inside is where Volkswagen has waved its magic wand.
Starting with the interior, Volkswagen has completely digitalised the cabin, getting rid of the majority of physical buttons and fitting the car with a 10-inch touchscreen and digital cockpit as standard.
The latter is unique to this class, for the time-being at least. Further new tech includes Car2X - essentially where the Golf can 'communicate' with other cars and infrastructure.
After more than 45 years on sale, Volkswagen has managed to produce a remarkable 35 million examples of the Golf
In terms of electrification, Volkswagen is introducing mild-hybrid technology to the Golf - at first with a TSI petrol engine when paired with an automatic transmission.
The test car came with a 128bhp variant of the turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine, which comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission. This is expected to be the bestselling combination.
It's a good balance for the Golf, too. It offers excellent refinement - you can barely hear the engine at low revs - while cylinder deactivation technology is just one of the touches that go into making the engine more efficient than before.
While performance isn't this engine's strong point, it's a good all-rounder, feeling ample at motorway speeds, while also having a bit of buzz for the more twisty roads.
Admittedly, it can feel sluggish at times when overtaking, although the 148bhp variant of the same engine provides a remedy.
For years, the story of the Volkswagen Golf has been that it's a comfortable and refined option, and that undoubtedly remains the same with this new model.
Even at motorway speeds, the Golf is impressively refined. Only a bit of wind noise from the door mirrors makes its way into the cabin.
It has a comfortable and supple ride that wasn't even hampered by the test car's 18-inch alloy wheels; for now, we can only imagine how silky smooth it feels on the entry-level 16-inch wheels
It's certainly no surprise that the Golf has become such a fleet favourite - there are few better cars at this price point in which to trundle up and down the motorway in comfort.
But while being a great cruiser, it's not a byword for driving enjoyment, at least in this specification.
Sure, body roll is well controlled and the steering is smooth and linear, but it's all very safe and predictable.
That'll be ideal for the vast majority of buyers, but if you want a dash of sparkle behind the wheel, the Ford Focus or Mazda 3 are better choices… or wait for the GTD and GTI models.
Volkswagen, as it has tended to throughout the Golf’s life, has opted for an evolutionary approach to the Golf’s styling. And why would you change such a popular and winning formula?
Standard kit is excellent and includes LED headlights and keyless start plus a 10-inch infotainment screen that offers a host of connected services as well as the digital cockpit
Viewed side-on, the casual observer would be hard-pressed to notice the difference from the Mk 7, aside from the all-new line-up of alloy wheels, particularly as it retains near-matching dimensions to the outgoing car.
But it's the front where you'll notice most of the changes, with its new LED headlights, while a full-length front apron gives the car a more aggressive look.
At the rear, Volkswagen's new logo is prominently displayed, above the word ‘Golf' in classy, large letters.
The full suite of LED lights are also evident at the rear.
So, while this might not be a revolutionary design, it's a classy update and one that will undoubtedly appeal to the Golf's loyal buyers.
The inside is far more radical. The new interior is headed up by a 10-inch touchscreen that is used to control just about everything.
All physical buttons seem to have been eradicated to create this digitalised interior - helped by the new 'Hello Volkswagen' voice control service and touch buttons dotted throughout, even for the sunroof.
While it certainly looks the part - transforming the Golf for the 2020s - there is also a strong sense that this fervent button-removing is all a bit needless and has gone too far.
Doing something as routine and mundane as changing the temperature means you have to use a slightly awkward slider positioned below the touchscreen - a traditional rotary knob would do a much better job with less hassle… like it does on the Mk 7.
Aside from that, it's all business as usual, with the Golf offering a generous amount of rear space for its size.
While the 380-litre boot isn't class-leading, it's more than generous enough for a family hatchback. Visibility is also faultless.
If you're familiar with VW's trim level structure, you'll know all about Volkswagen's trademark S, SE and SE L grades that have lasted the test of time.
But for a change of scenery, Volkswagen is now adopting new nomenclatures - meaning Golf, Life, Style and R-Line are your choices, with the last grade being the only aspect of continuity, GTI, GTD and GTE excepted.
Standard kit is excellent and includes LED headlights and keyless start plus a 10-inch infotainment screen that offers a host of connected services as well as the digital cockpit.
Plenty of safety kit is also offered - namely lane-keep assist and automatic emergency braking.
Volkswagen already had a class-leading model with the outgoing Golf, and it didn't need to do a great deal to this new eighth-generation model to bring it right to the forefront of the competitive family hatchback class.
With this 1.5-litre petrol configuration, it leaves you wanting for very little, and the Golf would be a terrific choice if you spend lots of time cruising on the motorway.
Although the fiddly new touchscreen might be a gripe at first, we're in no doubt that it would be quickly adjusted to once you're living with it on a daily basis.
We will need time with the new Golf on Northern Ireland roads to be definitive, but there is no reason to think that it won't still be the car to beat in the family car class.
GOLF GAINS MILD HYBRID DRIVETRAIN
THE arrival of Volkswagen's new Golf is one of 2020's motoring highlights, and the steady expansion of the range and the announcement of new models continues apace, writes William Scholes.
You can now order the eighth generation Golf with VW's new mild hybrid petrol drivetrain, which is badged 'eTSI', and the sporty-themed R-Line trim level has also gone on sale.
R-Line is, for now, the range-topper, sitting above the 'Life' and 'Style' trim levels.
In time-honoured fashion, the R-Line conveys its perceived sportiness with deeper bumpers and alloy wheels. It also gets sports suspension, which lowers the ride height by 15mm.
Inside are sports seats and embellishments such as stainless steel pedals.
It also has what VW calls the 'Innovision Cockpit', which combines a 10.25-inch digital instrument display with a 10-inch central infotainment screen.
LED headlamps and taillights, wireless charging and smartphone mirroring are on board too.
New Golfs also have 'Car2X' technology which allows the car to 'communicate' with other Car2X-equipped vehicles as well as suitably fitted out 'street furniture'.
The idea is that cars and roadside fixtures can alert each other - and therefore drivers - about heavy traffic, bad weather, accidents, approaching emergency vehicles and so on.
The system will obviously become more effective and relevant as the number of vehicles using it grows.
Meanwhile, the eTSI engine pairs VW's excellent 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol unit with a 48-volt mild hybrid system to boost efficiency by as much as 10 per cent.
Other engines already offered in the Golf include unelectrified versions of the 1.5-litre petrol, with 128bhp and 148bhp, and a 2.0-litre diesel with either 113bhp or 148bhp.
Quoting CO2 figures can be a complicated business these days, with both old-school 'NEDC' and the new 'WLTP' numbers, which supposedly better reflect real world driving, in circulation.
When fitted in the Golf Life, the eTSI emits 106g/km under the NEDC measure; this rises to between 130g/km and 142g/km when WLTP is used. Fuel consumption - an all-WLTP affair - is quoted as between 44.8mpg and 49.6mpg.
The cheapest eTSI Golf is in Life trim, priced from £26,375, while the entry R-Line uses the 128bhp petrol engine and costs from £26,140.
