Review: Volkswagen Golf eHybrid

The Volkswagen Golf, which celebrated its 50th birthday last year, is iconic—a word I don’t use lightly.

But it is certainly appropriate in this case. With over eight generations and 37 million sold, it is not surprising it is the biggest-selling model in Volkswagen's history to date.

The Golf in all its guises is an easy car to live with. Undemanding and very user-friendly it is smart functional and does everything asked of it - and more.

We tested the plug-in Golf eHybrid hatchback which can travel a remarkable 88 miles on battery power alone. This means it sits in the five per cent benefit-in-kind company car tax bracket.

Depending on your day-to-day requirements and a suitable charging point there is no reason why you can’t keep a full tank of fuel in readiness and run on battery power alone.

The claimed official fuel consumption of 993mpg is not as far-fetched as it may seem.

Whether in electric or petrol mode the engine is quiet and smooth, as is the DSG gearbox. The switch over from battery to petrol power, when it happens, is barely noticeable. Acceleration from 0-62mph is 7.2 seconds and it claims a top speed of 137mph.

The suspension is firm but certainly not uncomfortable and it fared well on whatever surface it was driven over. It handles well with light supple steering which is particularly good around town.

Inside the cabin, all is typical top-quality Volkswagen with no real surprises. Although if you’ve been away from the marque for a while you may be surprised by the infotainment screen which has seen major strides forward. It is accessed through a 12.9in touchscreen and supports wireless phone charging and smartphone mirroring. There are also two USB-C ports in the front, two USB-C charging sockets in the centre console and a navigation system.

Like a lot of people, I’m not a fan of the slider system for volume etc and can’t understand why manufacturers can’t just use a knob or a switch for important functions.

Drivers of all sizes should be able to find a comfortable position with plenty of adjustment on the seats and steering wheel.

All-round visibility is great. All trims have front and rear parking sensors and our test car came with a rear-view camera and an additional area view function (£335) - four cameras that scan the area around your vehicle which is really useful.

Room in the boot is compromised by the hybrid system but there is still 273 litres of usable space.

The eHybrid is only available in Style trim and includes a plethora of safety kit including speed limit detection and reminder (not always correct); lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, drowsiness monitor and rear traffic alert - to name but a few.

The on-the-road price of the eHybrid is £37,165. In addition to the area view already mentioned our car also had 18in alloys( £600); winter pack with heated seats and wheel (£485), tinted glass £280) and keyless access (£400).

Golf eHybrid

Price: £37,165 (£40,075 as tested)

Engine: 1.5 litre TSI eHybrid

Power: 148bhp

Torque: 258lb/ft

Transmission: six-speed DSG

Top speed: 137mph

0-62mph: 7.2 seconds

Economy: 993mpg

CO 2 emissions:6g/km

EV range: 88 miles