Volkswagen Golf Road Test / Car Review

If this Golf has had a problem, it has been that some customers have equated quality of build and driving experience with a price outside their budget. Hence Volkswagen's more recent attempts to set the record straight in this respect by reducing prices (which now start from £12,255) and increasing specifications (which now include climatic air conditioning as a standard feature).

In the standard three and five-door hatch range, there's a choice of two trim levels & S and Match. The Match level that many customers choose looks particularly tempting thanks to a leather steering wheel, cruse control, automatic headlamps and wipers, a trip computer, a multi-function steering wheel, an MP3-compatable CD stereo, 15" alloy wheels and a full complement of body-coloured exterior addenda. Need more practicality? Volkswagen offers the Golf Plus and the Golf Estate.

Aside from the entry-level 80PS 1.4-litre engine, petrol buyers have the choice of a 1.4 (90PS) or a hi-tech turbocharged 122PS TSI engine. Diesel buyers can opt for the proven 75PS SDI engine or the slightly more modern 105PS 1.9-litre TDI powerplant.

If you want something sportier, then the GT Sport series offers a choice between 140 or 170PS versions of the 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged/supercharged petrol