2017 VW Golf previewed

There’s a new Golf that’s soon about to hit our forecourts but is it any different from the current one? Well, what we know is that Volkswagen have upgraded the latest incarnation with new technology, improved safety, a revised engine range, gearboxes and some visual tweaks both inside and out.

Exterior
Unfortunately, you have to be a real VW Golf geek to notice the subtle facelift on the outside. However, look close and you’ll see that the new Golf has new wings, a new bumper, a slightly redesigned grille and reshaped air intakes. The headlights have also been updated and full LEDs are now available.



At the back there is also a new bumper design while full LED taillights are standard. However, it’s the higher spec cars that get the Audi-style pulsating indicators. New paint schemes and wheel choices pretty much complete the exterior facelift.



Engines
The Golf gets a range of revised petrol engines including an all-new 1.5 litre TSi with cylinder activation management. This will give you either 150 Brake Horse Power (bhp) or 130 bhp in a BlueMotion version that’s capable of more than 60 miles to the gallon. Also, the 2.0 litre turbo GTi will now have 230 bhp or 245 bhp if you go for the performance pack.



Interior
Interior changes to the new Golf primarily involve changes to the door trims, the dash panel and the centre console. VW have also revised the seat covers while all of these changes are primarily aimed at livening up the cabin. However, the interior overall still errs firmly on the side of sensible rather than sensational.



Screens
Volkswagen have certainly improved the technology in the new Golf by fitting upgraded infotainment screens with larger high resolution displays. If you opt for the top of the range model then you’ll get a whopping new 9.2 inch touchscreen with a pixel count of 155 dots per inch (dpi). This is a superior definition that you’d get on an Amazon Fire HD tablet!

Gimmicks
As well as a proximity sensor the new Discover Pro infotainment system features gesture controls – a first for cars in this segment. Also, the traditional manual shortcut buttons have been replaced by capacitive glass ones. These are now located to the left of the display while the home screen is now totally configurable. As you’d probably expect both Apple Car Play and Android Auto are available on the new Golf. There’s also an optional mobile phone storage compartment just ahead of the gear lever which is really handy. All you have to do is place your phone in here and you can enjoy cable-less charging and auto connection to the car’s aerial for a better signal. The car’s apps also give you connectivity for finding things like petrol stations while passengers can connect their mobile devices to the car via WiFi to control certain functions.

Safety
As before, the Golf uses forward radar technology to detect potential hazards. However, now it’s hidden behind the VW badge. Also, the Emergency City Braking System can now detect pedestrians while the car itself can spot if a drive has been incapacitated and bring itself to a safe stop to prevent a serious accident.

Instruments
As with the VW Tiguan the new Golf is available with a 12 inch fully digital driving information display. This can show a variety of dial designs, views and also full sat nav display enabling you to switch menus quickly and easily without taking your eyes off the road for too long.



Assistance
A raft of new technology is offered with the Golf which are designed to make your life less stressful. For example, the semi-autonomous driving feature can both steer, brake and accelerate the car in traffic but you do have to keep your hands on the wheel. Park Assist can now auto-park in perpendicular bays both forwards and backwards. The Trailer Assist function will automatically steer the car to directly manoeuvre a trailer at low speeds.



Price
The new VW Golf is expected to arrive in UK showrooms in early 2017 in three door, five door and estate versions. Prices are yet to be confirmed as time of writing but there’s likely to be a slight increase on the outgoing car for the range starting from around £18k. However, if you can’t quite wait that long or haven’t got the budget then why not take a look at some of our used Volkswagen Golf cars for sale.