And the item that has been missing is noise. East Coast VW alleges that the new Golf, which releases for ordering in December and first on sale in January, "sets new benchmarks in the class for refinement." And this is no idle show off, because it is the modification and noise containment which stand out when driving the car.



A fresh windscreen mounting system, improved door seals, thicker window glass, refined aerodynamics and additional damping material dotted around the car carry engine, road and wind noise levels down to a hush.

Projected Success

As a car to cover gigantic miles in the Golf has got even better, and with up to half of the anticipated 60,000 sales next year going to fleet buyers, East Coast VW can be confident that its iconic hatchback will stay a popular user-chooser car.

That 60,000-unit projection is down on what the existing model has accomplished – 67,750 sales in 2007, but the start of the alike sized and priced Scirocco 'coupe' will certainly steal a few sales away from its stable mate.

In fleet terms the new Golf should build on the exceptional base of the out-going model, which is still imposing strong residual value predictions.

According to CAP the present model will still keep hold of up to 42% of its cost new following three years and 60,000 miles, so no doubt the newer, better model will increase on this.

Enhancing and Refining

Visually the latest Golf implements the slanting and more aggressive front-end treatment from the Scirocco, while the blocky rear styling suggestions at an air of solidity.

This is no drastic overhaul, simply the refining of a marvel.

And it’s the same story inside, with that solid feeling moving through thanks to the use of enhanced quality materials.

Safety

As well as refining the drive, East Coast VW has also improved safety points. The main enhancement is the implementation of WOKS – whiplash optimised head restraint system – which lowers the risk of neck injuries in an accident.

Also built-in as standard are seven airbags (including a knee bag for the driver), ESP stability control and belt-up reminders for the back seatbelts. A five-star EuroNCAP score is certainly a rubber stamp away.

Desired Options

Next year East Coast VW will launch two further systems as choices – ParkAssist, the self-parking device previously seen on the Touran, and automatic distance control (ADC) – an active cruise control system which controls the car’s speed and distance from the vehicle in front.

At start there will be an option of four gasoline engines and two diesels.

The previous range includes a 1.4 with 80bhp and a 100bhp 1.6, whereas two 1.4 TSI units with 120bhp and a Twincharger with 160bhp complete the line-up.

In the diesel group, a new 110bhp TDI diesel joins the line-up, offering claimed combined economy of 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 119g/km to be eligible for the lowest diesel benefit-in-kind tax band, and a 140bhp edition. Transmission selections are five or six-speed manual and six or seven-speed DSG semi-automatics.

Added developments will turn up in the middle of next year, with the 99g/km BlueMotion model and the sporty GTI edition, both of which will come out at next month’s Paris Motor Show.

There’s also a smart TwinDrive hybrid model, which uses a combination of electric motor with either a gasoline or diesel motor. This plug-in hybrid is presently undergoing fleet trials in Germany, and East Coast VW has implied at a production version by 2010.

The Golf line-up which go on sale in January will be S, SE and GT trim levels, with prices varying from roughly $18,396 for the three-door S and rising to $29,717 for the five-door GT.

Behind the wheel

The gentle modification of the exterior, there’s nothing fancy inside – just solid, reliable, logical Volkswagen.

The dashboard is recognizable from the Eos, although the quality of materials used has been improved, such as the carpeted insides of the door bins.

At the launch only DSG semi-automatic gearbox models were offered to test, with a selection of gasonline and diesel engines.

The 120bhp gasoline unit felt spirited and eager to rev, partly thanks to the new seven-speed gearbox which ensures it is always in the power band when acceleration is needed.

It accelerates up to motorway speeds effortlessly, and while there settles into a calm and refined pace. That sound-deadening focal point really has worked, with the Golf being incredibly quiet on the motorway.

Over to the 140bhp diesel, and the remarkable work continues. Naturally, this TDI Golf has far more low-end shove thanks to the better torque, but it too stays quiet at speed.

While the Golf is in no way going to win any dynamism awards, it handles smoothly and corners with a solid, four-square stance with little in the way of corner roll.

However, all the test cars were built with the ACC adjustable suspension system, but even flitting between 'sport' and 'comfort' made a small difference to the overall feeling of ability.

Verdict

There was precious little wrong with the current Golf, so East Coast Volkswagen’s efforts at enhancing it further only bring more desirability to the brand.

Better looking, better to drive and nicely equipped – the new Golf is a guaranteed success.