You have to say the latest or fifth generation Volkswagen Golf is very true to form. The form has changed but it isn't radical or dramatic and that's been the case when one generation took over from another.
We have been in the generation game with the Golf for all of its 29 years, from the original chunky compact that begat alluring wheels like the GTi to bigger shapes with softer and more curvaceous lines. All the time, each new Golf has stayed recognisably Golf.
Ford went avant-garde when their new Focus took over from the Escort. Opel is finally getting styling inspiration for its new Astra that will debut in 2004. But VW with Golf? Their innate conservatism is well-founded, much along the lines of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Golf has the most profound winning formula of all: simply being the best-selling car in the world. Over 22 million have been produced since 1974. The Golf took over the best-selling accolade from that VW legend, the Beetle.
The fifth generation car has bigger dimensions than its predecessor. It is 24 mm wider while there has been a 39 mm increase in height. It is 57 mm longer overall: significantly, the wheelbase is 67 mm greater to create that all-important extra rear legroom.
We drove a variety of new Golfs on the flat, straight and unchallenging roads of northern Jutland. As for space, the cabin seemed capacious. According to VW, there's 65 mm more rear legroom than in the current car, while headroom is up 24 mm. The driver and front passenger get an extra 8 mm of headroom. The increase in boot space has been fairly minimal, up 16 to 347 litres. However, there's a 54 mm longer floor that will take larger loads without the necessity of folding the seats.
The sporty element of new Golf is centred on an all-new independent rear suspension system that's similar in layout to that of the Focus. VW says it has a trinity of attributes; namely comfort, agility and precision.
Normal country or city driving will be the diet of most Golf owners and here, we think, the new Golf will be at its reassuring best. The 1.6FSi with 115 bhp gave a discreet yet purposeful sound while the cabin and fascia have that sort of understated opulence that makes it a benchmark for so many other competitors.
If a new Golf driver is unlucky to meet another driver by accident, then VW is claiming superb cocooning, through an increase in body rigidity of 80 per cent. On passive safety, six airbags should be standard, that's front, side and head-level curtains, with rear sidebags optional.
The Golf has in recent years had a wide engine spectrum and over the next year, VW plans to introduce eight engines embracing conventional and direct-injection, petrol units plus turbodiesels. There will also be a choice of five and six-speed manual, automatic and semi-automatic gearboxes. Separately from this line-up, VW will be introducing their dream topping, i.e., engines for the Gti versions, at the end of 2004.
New Golf goes on sale here in February and the models launched then will be the 1.4 litre petrol with 75bhp and the 105bhp 1.9 TDi. Tom O'Connor, Volkswagen's sales manager, is expecting 6,000 Golf sales next year, similar to this year's figure.There will be three levels of specification, entry, Comfortline and Sportline. On price, he expects it to be around 4.5 per cent, new model against old.
The new fifth generation Golf, changing yet unchanging, is set to continue on its winning way, the epitome of "the car", a benchmark for the opposition, and enjoying truly classless status across social boundaries. Best of all, 2,100 customers worldwide, bought a Golf every day over the last 29 years.