Volkswagen Golf

The Golf Plus is an interesting addition to the range, but it doesn't really do anything new. The interior is neither that clever nor original, although the high roofline does improve interior space. And the heavy overlap between models means that sales of the standard Golf are bound to suffer. The Plus is a missed opportunity - VW should have taken a bolder approach.

There are few gaps in VW's ever-growing model line-up. The German firm prides itself in offering buyers massive choice - especially in the hatchback market.

Customers can decide between the five-seat Golf or seven-seat Touran MPV, but that obviously wasn't enough for VW's product planners. The company has now launched the Golf Plus - and Auto Express has driven one of the first models to arrive in the UK.

If you think the boxy Touran is too large and ungainly, and the Golf is not quite spacious enough for your needs, then the logically named newcomer could be for you. Described by VW as "a Golf, just a little bit bigger", the Plus is on sale from 1 June.

It will initially be available with 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol engines or 1.9 and 2.0-litre diesels. Prices start at £12,895, meaning the Plus range is £500 more expensive than the standard hatch.

So what does the extra money buy you? In a nutshell, more height. The Plus is only two millimetres longer than the Golf, but 95mm taller, which means less stooping to get in and out - the driver's seat is 75mm higher, giving a loftier view down the road. However, practicality rather than driver comfort is this car's major selling point.

Boost

The 395-litre boot is only 45 litres up on the hatchback. Fold the seats and the Plus offers an additional 145 litres (1,450 litres versus 1,305 litres), but the real trick comes with the well engineered sliding rear seats. Each side of the 60:40 split can be shifted forward by 160mm, boosting the load bay to 505 litres. It works well, but even better than this is the way the rear seats fold - pull a fabric loop and the back flips down, while the base lowers itself to create a flat floor.

VW has tried even harder up front. The Plus has a different dash design to the Golf, and we like the attractive stacked air vents, laid out in four pairs across the cabin. The switchgear is familiar, and there are plenty of cubbies.

Our test car came with the 2.0-litre 138bhp TDI engine, which provides meaty mid-range thrust and decent economy. However, it is not the smoothest unit, and at £18,250 in GT guise the Golf Plus starts to get pricey.

Still, on the road the Plus is well behaved. You are aware of the extra height and weight, but the revised suspension deals with the extra body movement very well. You do not need to raise your voice on motorways, the ride only loses its composure on sharp bumps and the steering is good to use. In short, it is an easier car to drive and live with than the Touran, but does not really move the game on in any area.