Volkswagen Golf review

Driving position 

The beauty of sitting in any new Golf when it comes out is it feels almost exactly the same as the one before it – and trust us when we say that’s a good thing. 

Volkswagen has been perfecting its Golf’s driving position since the Mk1 launched in 1974, so they know a thing or two about how to do it right. 

You’ll immediately notice the impressive headroom, even underneath the sunroof. Genuinely perfect for everyday driving. 

Tech and features 

Being a minor refresh of the Mk8, there aren’t a whole lot of changes inside the cabin, but VW has listened to its buyers and changed what matters. 

For starters, there’s a much smoother infotainment system running on a sizeable 12.9-inch screen. It works a bit like a smartphone as you swipe through the menus or zoom in to the maps. 

The system now gets Chat GPT AI integration, meaning you can use voice controls in a much more natural manner. 

Simply say ‘I’m feeling really hot’ and the car will turn the air-con on for you. It’s a handy feature, when it works, which is does about 6/10 times. 

Physical steering wheel buttons are back, too. Touch-sensitive ones debuted on the Mk8 and were very annoying and hated by almost everyone. You ended up accidentally changing settings when you went around corners – but no more shall this madness continue in the Mk8.5. 

Unfortunately, the climate controls still use the ‘capacitive’ sliders, so no physical dials. But at least they're now illuminated in the dark so you can see them clearly at night. 

Overall, the cabin feel is strong with quality materials. We wouldn’t say it’s class-leading in terms of luxury, but from what you’d expect from a Golf, it’s spot on. 

There are two USB-C ports under the central screen to keep your phone charged while connected to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. 

And when you get thirsty, there are two cupholders in front of the gear selector – one with a nifty mechanism to hold smaller cups and bottles in place. 

Engines and power 

Driving this new Golf on the road feels just like the last one, but again, that’s a very good thing. 

Golfs have always been easy to drive, familiar and are just generally good at being your everyday car. 

The car we tested has the 1.5-litre petrol engine under the bonnet, and it’s pokier than it may sound, producing 150hp and 250Nm of torque. 

0-62mph in just 8.6 seconds, even with the six-speed manual our test car had. We think this engine is the sweet spot for the sensible Golf range, offering punchy performance from lower down in the rev range that picks up in a controlled, linear fashion – a mild evolution of what we had before. 

We know from the previous car that the automatic DSG gearbox is just as good, if you fancy giving your left leg a rest in heavy rush hour traffic. Either way, you’re getting a fine gearbox for this class of car. 

Handling and ride comfort 

Ride quality is something ‘standard’ Golfs have always strived for.  

There’s no point having a stiff-riding TSI Golf when you can save all that trickery for the sportier GTI and R models. 

We can gladly report that the ride is comfortable ride even on these 18-inch wheels, along with light-touch brakes which make for a smooth driving experience. 

The car handles corners with ease and feels competent on tighter B roads, even when you start giving it some. It’s almost, dare we say, confidence-inspiring. 

Boot space 

Come round to the rear of the car and you’re greeted by a wide and deep boot offering 381 litres of space. Enough for about six small suitcases we reckon. 

Lift up the boot floor and you unlock more space that goes right down to the bottom of the car. 

Still not enough for you? Well, there’s also an estate version with a healthy 611 litres of boot space, making it the most practical Golf you can buy. 

Rear seats 

Nothing has changed in the back, which is just what we wanted to see. Overall, there’s good foot, knee and headroom for back-seat passengers. 

In between the two outer seats is an arm rest, third seat or clever ski hatch for longer items such as golf clubs, lamps and well, skis. 

Passengers back here also get their own temperature controls (with more slidey toggles) and vents too, plus two USB-C ports. 

And for all the families out there, there’s an easily accessible ISOFIX bar to fit booster seats with ease. 

Storage solutions 

A common trait with Golfs is there’s lots of storage space around the cabin, including a decent-sized glovebox, very generous door bins (front and rear), room under the infotainment to store your phone and usable storage under central armrest. 

If you’re taking the family away for the weekend, you can play a game and see how many places you can store your travel sweet of choice – just remember to find them again. 

Towing 

The words ‘Golf’ and ‘towing’ don’t often go together but we thought it’d be worth mentioning the MK8.5’s towing capabilities for those wanting to hook a caravan on the back or a trailer. 

Volkswagen says it can tow up to 1.5 tonnes, and the tow bar simply flicks out from underneath with the press of a button located in the boot. 

It doesn’t get much easier than that. As long as you remembered to tick the box for the tow bar option for a cool £765. 

Safety 

Being a new model, you’re stuck with all the warning bings and bongs of modern car life, but if this gets too annoying, there’s a quick way to turn it all off with a small ‘assist’ button under the infotainment screen. 

Some people may find these useful, but other times they can be really annoying when they’re not needed. 

Other (much more useful) safety features include steering assist, intelligent adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking (AEB), among many other things. 

Euro NCAP hasn’t tested this latest model at the time of writing, but the outgoing Mk8 scored a full five stars in 2022, so we’d be surprised if this wasn't the same. 

Fuel economy 

If you want a fuel-efficient daily driver, the 1.5-litre we drove is a great place to start, offering over 50mpg if you're being sensible behind the wheel. 

However, if you want to maximise your efficiency, then the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is the one to have with a claimed 88 miles of electric-only range and even more oomph from the electric motors. 

Reliability 

Do we even need this section? Volkswagen is known for making some of the most dependable cars in Europe, and dare we say, the world. 

The Golf, being its flagship model, wears the crown for this in all available guises. 

With regular maintenance and care, you can easily exceed 100,000 miles with minimal work needed. 

Insurance groups 

Golfs are also reasonable on insurance, which for current family life, is a blessing. 

A Mk8.5 Golf should sit between insurance groups 15 and 27 – depending on the model you choose. 

Of course, insurance premiums will vary from person to person, as there are so many factors at play.