Major update for new Mk7 Volkswagen Golf unveiled, with revised engines and significant tech upgrades. On sale in 2017.
This is the facelifted VW Golf, which will bring much-improved infotainment and connectivity along with more efficient engines when it goes on sale in the UK in early 2017.
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.
• Best hatchbacks on sale right now
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.
Volkswagen Golf facelift...
en cours
30/09/15
VW Golf GTI Mk1 vs Golf GTI...
14/01/14
Volkswagen Golf GTI vs Golf...
01/07/13
Volkswagen Golf GTI MK7...
20/12/12
Volkswagen Golf MK7 review -...
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.
Image 7 of 30
Image 7 of 30
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.
Volkswagen is introducing a few new safety features on the car, too. It gets semi-autonomous ‘Traffic Jam Assist’, which combines lane assist and automatic distance control to give the driver an easier ride through heavy queuing. The City Emergency Braking system can now detect pedestrians crossing the road as well as oncoming cars. And the Golf now features Trailer Assist, whereby a trailer reversing manoeuvre can be set up using the door mirror ‘joystick’ and the rear-view camera, then executed by the car with only pedal inputs from the driver.
Image 20 of 30
Image 20 of 30
VW Golf facelift design changes
VW rarely gets radical with the Golf’s looks, so this mid-life face-lift brings only a mild rethink on styling. There are tweaks to the front-end design, with the option of LED headlights and different air intakes in the lower bumper. At the rear, every Golf will now get LED tail-lights as standard, and higher-end editions will feature animated ‘flowing’ indicators.
Inside, there are new patterns of seat covers, plus new materials in the dashboard, door panels and centre console. Cabin space and boot capacities will remain unchanged, because the car and its wheelbase haven’t grown at all.
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.