68.2017 Volkswagen GOLF 7 R-Line - City Driving

New 20178 VW Golf:

Major update for new Mk7 Volkswagen Golf unveiled, with revised engines and significant tech upgrades. On sale in 2017.

The Volkswagen Golf has been facelifted for the 2017 model year. VW has given its family hatchback a mild styling refresh and significant changes under the skin where improved infotainment and connectivity, along with better fuel economy from more efficient engines, should keep the VW Golf ahead of the pack. The new Golf mk7.5 is due on sale in the UK early in 2017 with prices from around £17,000.

Volkswagen insiders are referring to the new Golf as ‘Mk 7.5’ instead of the full-spec Mk8 - but while the external differences are mild and evolutionary, and big components like the chassis remain essentially unchanged, there are significant upgrades as the embattled manufacturer tries to win back consumer confidence with its best-known model.

In particular, the Golf gets noticeable upgrades in its infotainment systems. It will now be offered across the range with the option of ‘Active Info Display’ - the same digital instrument panel that we’ve already seen on various Audis and VW’s own Passat.
Every Golf will get a colour central dashboard screen of at least 6.5 inches in size, and the resolution of that display is double that of the most basic (black and white) system in the existing car.

The existing 6.5-inch screen-based systems move up to eight inches, while the range-topping Discover Pro set-up grows from eight inches to 9.2 inches, and from 800x480 pixels to 1280x640 pixels. Discover Pro also brings voice commands and, in what VW claims is a first for this size of car, gesture control for some of its key functions. The system itself also gets a software upgrade, with a configurable homepage and the ability to swipe through items like album covers.

Other upgrades in connectivity include a wireless charging facility for compatible smartphones, an interface that allows phones and tablets to connect to the car and control its infotainment system away from the dashboard (from the rear seats, for example), and a series of new apps that sit alongside Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
2017 Volkswagen Golf engine range

The engine line-up gets a rejig, and a new arrival in the shape of a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol producing 148bhp. This unit is the second in the history of the Golf to be offered with Active Cylinder Management, technology that allows it to shut down cylinders to save fuel when the car is cruising. VW also says an eco-focused version of the same engine, with Bluemotion badging and a more modest output of 129bhp, is under development.
At the top of the Golf range, meanwhile, the GTI hot hatchback gets a revised engine with more power. The ‘regular’ GTI now produces 227bhp, while the Performance edition moves up to 241bhp.

The final mechanical tweak comes in the gearbox line-up, where VW has announced that it plans to phase out the six-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission across the range and replace it with a seven-speed unit.
At the top of the Golf range, meanwhile, the GTI hot hatchback gets a revised engine with more power. The ‘regular’ GTI now produces 227bhp, while the Performance edition moves up to 241bhp.

The revised Golf models - three-door, five-door, GT, GTI, GTE and estate - are due to go on sale in February, with first deliveries starting in April. VW hasn’t announced any prices yet but we’d expect at worst a small increase over the existing car; that would give the entry-level three-door hatchback a figure of around £18,000.