New Volkswagen Golf revealed: mid-life update for iconic hatchback

• New Volkswagen Golf revealed
• Mid-life update for popular hatchback
• Mildly updated styling
• New infotainment system
• More range for plug-in hybrids
• More power in the GTI
• On sale later this year

This is the new Volkswagen Golf, and it’s been given some updates to keep it fresh for 2024. This alternative to the Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra has tweaked styling and improved interior tech, as well as a revised range of engines.

The sporty Golf GTI has also been dealt a handful of upgrades, including a more powerful 2.0-litre engine than before. You’ll be able to order this new hatchback later this year.

New Volkswagen Golf design

Volkswagen tends to go for evolution rather than revolution when it comes to design, so the updated VW Golf has only been given a few minor tweaks to bring it up to date for 2024.

Starting up front, the main change is the new, much slimmer headlights. They look more sleek and modern compared to the outgoing car, something which is further helped by the updated LED daytime running lights. The lower bumper is also new, and it features redesigned air intakes.

There’s not much to report down the side of the car, with the exception of a range of new alloy wheel designs. They start at 16-inches, rising to 19s on top-spec models. Things are equally subtle at the rear, where you find some funky new taillights and a redesigned lower bumper.

The iconic Volkswagen Golf GTI has also been given a nip and tuck makeover featuring many of the same changes as the standard car. You still have the trademark GTI red stripe running across the front and into the headlights, and the lower bumper has been altered subtly as well.

You also have some new alloy wheels which look similar to the ones offered on the Mk5 Golf GTI from the mid-noughties. As you’d expect, the new car is festooned with subtle sporty upgrades such as side skirts and a roof spoiler.

It has the same taillights as the standard Golf, and the lower bumper looks pretty much unchanged from the current GTI. You still have twin tailpipes, with the quad-pipe setup reserved for the range-topping Golf R, an updated version of which will come at a later date.

New Volkswagen Golf interior and infotainment

Changes to the interior of the new Volkswagen Golf are slightly more comprehensive than the exterior. Carwow was given the chance to have a poke around the new car, and it’s a decent step up from the outgoing model.

The standout feature here is the new infotainment system. It now sits separately from the digital driver’s display, and you get a 10.4-inch screen as standard, rising to 12.9-inches in higher-spec cars. That’s a decent upgrade on the 10.25-inch system you get in the current car.

What’s also a massive upgrade is the user interface. This new infotainment system is running a whole new operating system, and it’s a lot easier to use than the one in the outgoing Golf. The menus are clearer and easier to understand, and it’s more responsive as well.

The climate control is still run through the touchscreen, but the buttons are always at the bottom of the display rather than being buried in a menu as they were before. Volkswagen has also done away with the touch sensitive steering wheel controls, opting instead for physical buttons which are much easier to use.

Outside of the infotainment system, the Golf remains as practical as ever. Interior space is the same as before, meaning you get plenty of room in any of the seats and a good-sized boot, as well as loads of interior storage to keep your bits and bobs from flying around.

Check out Mat’s review of the current Volkswagen Golf…

Material quality also appears to have taken a step up, with loads of soft-touch materials throughout the interior. The seats are nice and comfy as well, and there are a few new trim options to liven things up.

New Volkswagen Golf engines and driving

This new Volkswagen Golf comes with a similar range of engines as the outgoing car, meaning you can choose from petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid options.

There are two 1.5-litre petrol engines to kick things off, one with 115hp and one with 150hp. Both of these are available with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Go for the automatic and you get mild-hybrid technology to boost efficiency.

Those who spend a lot of time slogging up and down the motorway may be tempted by the diesels, of which there are two. You have a 2.0-litre with 115hp and a manual ‘box, or a 2.0-litre with 150hp which is only available as an auto.

Then we come to the plug-in hybrids, likely to be a favourite of company car buyers looking for the lowest BIK rates. You can have the standard e-Hybrid, which uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine and puts out 204hp, or there’s the hot GTE which has 272hp. Both of these cars will do around 62 miles on electric power alone, almost 20 miles more than the outgoing car.

See how the current Golf range performs in a drag race…

Finally, for the thrill seekers there’s the ever-popular Golf GTI. It still uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine, however it now puts out 265hp as standard. That’s an improvement of 20hp over the outgoing GTI but it’s also 15hp down on the Ford Focus ST. Those looking to row their own gears will also be better off in the Ford, because Volkswagen has axed the manual gearbox for the new Golf GTI.

When can I buy the new Volkswagen Golf?

The new Volkswagen Golf will be available to order later this year, most likely in the springtime. There’s no word on pricing just yet, but a small increase is to be expected. A figure close to £30,000 is likely for the standard car, rising to around £40,000 for the GTI.

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