VOLKSWAGEN GOLF ESTATE REVIEW

List price from £18,325 Lease price from £209 The verdict 9

The VW Golf Estate is as practical as it is classy. Like the hatchback on which it's based, VW's latest Golf Estate offers smart, understated looks and a desirable image. Don't think this means it's one of those estates that puts style before practicality, though. The Golf Estate has a huge boot and lots of clever touches that are designed to make life easier.

Space

Roomy for passengers, and boot is big and clever

With the rear seats in place, there’s plenty of room for large suitcases or the family dog. And when you fold the seats flat, the Golf Estate is an ideal choice for trips to Ikea. The way the rear seats automatically fold flat when you pull handles in the boot adds to the practicality. As does a height-adjustable boot floor; when this is in its higher setting, there’s no drop down to it from the boot opening, so you can just slide heavy items in and out. Even the luggage cover is thoughtfully designed. It automatically stops half way when you retract it, instead of sliding all the way to the back of the boot.This means you’re less likely to have to lean against the rear bumper and get your clothes dirty when pulling the cover back into place. Farther forward, the Golf Estate is much like the hatch, but this is no bad thing. Large, square door openings make it easy to get in and out without banging your head. And there’s enough leg and headroom to keep four six-footers happy. True, life isn’t as comfortable for a fifth person because the floor is raised in the middle of the car, but this is also an issue in most rivals.

Comfort

Almost impossible to fault

Even the sportier GT models are good at soaking up bumps in the road, while lesser Golfs are about as comfortable as family estates get. This isn’t just down to the suspension. There’s a huge range of adjustment to help you find a good driving position. What’s more, the seats are supportive and only the cheapest, S-spec cars miss out on adjustable lumbar support.The fact that the Golf Estate shuts out wind and road noise better than rivals adds to its credentials as a long-distance cruiser. And the engines are generally smooth and quiet.

Dashboard layout

Simple to use and classier than most

The Golf Estate’s dashboard is made from appealing materials, plus it features rotary air-conditioning controls that make it easy to adjust the temperature inside the car. The touchscreen that you use to control the stereo, sat-nav and vehicle settings is similarly user-friendly. Not only are the various menus clearly laid out, but there are shortcut buttons around the outside of the screen that let you quickly switch between the various functions. The only downside is that you have to look away from the road at times to find the correct area of the screen to press.

Easy to drive

Precise controls and excellent visibility

Like the Golf hatchback, the Estate has large, deep windows that keep blind spots to a minimum. The steering is light enough to make parking pretty easy, too, while well weighted pedals help you drive smoothly in stop-start traffic. The only engines that struggle to pull the car are the lower-powered versions of the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel. But it’s the other diesels that are best at coping with heavy loads, because they pull strongly in any gear. You can specify an automatic gearbox with every engine except the weakest 1.2-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel, and the super-efficient Bluemotion diesel.

Fun to drive

Above average, but not the best

The Golf doesn’t feel as agile as a Ford Focus Estate, but it’s still an enjoyable car to drive. It grips well in corners and the steering is precise and responsive. That said, some people will wish the wheel weighted up a little more at speed to offer extra reassurance.

Reliability

Volkswagen has a pretty good record

The latest Golf is too new to have been included in the JD Power customer satisfaction survey. However, Volkswagen has a pretty good record, finishing ninth out of 27 manufacturers in 2013. You also get the reassurance of a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, although Toyota and Hyundai are both more generous here, offering five-year warranties, while Kia’s cover lasts for seven years. Volkswagen provides a year’s worth of breakdown assistance as standard.

Fuel economy

As efficient as the best estates

The most efficient Golf Estate is the Bluemotion model, which has an official average of 85.6mpg. That’s quite a bit better than the figures for rivals such as the Ford Focus and Skoda Octavia. However, the Bluemotion is based on the relatively poorly equipped S-specification Golf, so even if you do a lot of miles, you might want to go for the regular 1.6-litre diesel; this still managed more than 70mpg in official tests. Petrol Golfs are also more frugal than many of their rivals, averaging more than 50mpg.

Affordability

A good long-term buy

The Golf Estate costs more to buy than an equivalent Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra, but servicing and insurance costs are similar, and it holds its value much better, so it will actually cost private buyers less in the long run. The Golf’s impressive official fuel economy figures translate into low CO2 emissions, so it’s relatively cheap to run as a company car – particularly if you go for a diesel.

Safety

Most versions of the Golf have lots of safety aids

The Golf comes with seven airbags, including a driver’s knee ’bag, and this helped the hatchback version earn the maximum five-star rating when it was crash tested by car safety specialists Euro NCAP. It scored particularly highly for adult occupant and child occupant protection, beating rivals such as the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. However, the Focus had the edge for pedestrian protection. Like the Focus and Astra, the Golf has a stability control system that helps correct skids. What’s more, most versions of the Golf have a city emergency braking system that can stop the car for you if it detects a collision is imminent (only the S model misses out on this).

Standard spec

Mid-spec SE models get most things as standard

The cheapest version of the Golf is the S, which comes with air-conditioning, front and rear electric windows, a digital radio and a Bluetooth hands-free phone connection. We reckon it’s worth upgrading to the SE model, though, because this adds alloy wheels, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers and an adaptive cruise control system that keeps you a set distance from the car in front. The GT version of the Golf also comes with satellite-navigation and front and rear parking sensors, but this is a bit pricey. Only the Bluemotion model misses out on a space saver spare wheel; it gets a tyre rep,l.air kit instead.