Driving it

Most Golfs are sold as diesels and they suit the solid family hatch well, with punchy manners compensating for a little more noise than rivals. Of the two, the costlier 2.0-litre is quieter but not as economical as the 1.9-litre. All units are famed for their high torque outputs, though the actual powerband is rather narrow. In the quicker TDI 170, this can lead to sudden bursts of acceleration and tail-off at higher revs. The front wheels can easily lose traction too, and plenty of gearchanges are called for on twisting roads to stay within the power band. But in-gear acceleration of all is excellent and effortless. All Golfs, with their high-tech rear set-ups, corner with assuredness while also offering a good ride quality over all surfaces - though stiffer springs, to cope with the extra weight of the oil-burning powerplants, means the ride isn't quite as good as petrol models'. The engines are, as noted, louder too, with some start-up rattle and idle clatter, though they're much more refined when cruising.

Marketplace

The TDI badge is a brand in itself. Both 103bhp 1.9-litre and newer 138bhp 2.0-litre motors are huge sellers, particularly as the latter is available in sporty 167bhp guise too. Other than the 'TDI' badge on the boot, it's hard to distinguish diesel Golfs from petrol models, though twin exhausts are often a giveaway. Key rivals include the Ford Focus TDCi, Vauxhall Astra CDTi and Honda Civic CTDI, though plusher variants also do battle with the Audi A3 TDI and BMW 1-Series diesel. There's even a semi-performance 'GT' version.

Owning

Inside, the usual well laid out VW cabin and excellent seating position impress. Spacious and roomy, the hatchback is still one of the most comfortable cars in the class and well designed for long journeys. Quality is to be expected with a VW too, and the Golf is no exception, with a solid feel that no rival can match. That's what you pay for, with prices a cut above direct rivals. But insurance is OK, the five-star Euro-NCAP result is excellent and variable intervals help cut servicing costs. Where the Golf is a big winner, however, is with residuals. It's worth notably more than rivals after three years; you do pay more initially - and TDIs demand a premium over the comparable petrol version but you get it back. All diesels return very impressive economy figures as well - even the 170bhp version averaged over 40mpg in our hands during testing. If fuel bills are your primary concern, the TDI still makes sense.