Volkswagen has introduced its latest Golf Estate. Based on the Golf 8 hatchback, it will make for a super-practical addition to the range, with a cavernous boot, additional rear legroom and all the safety and entertainment tech found on its sister model.
Rivalling models such as the Ford Focus Estate and Skoda Octavia Estate, the new Golf Estate is likely to be a serious sales success for Volkswagen – appealing to those who need additional practicality but don’t fancy plunging for an SUV.
Very similar to hatchback
From the front doors forward, the Golf Estate is identical to the Golf 8 hatchback. That means it gets the same broad front end with distinctive headlights and an optional light bar linking them, plus generally smooth and unobtrusive styling.
Behind the B-pillar you’ll find the changes. Obviously, the Golf Estate is longer than the hatch – 349mm longer, in fact, at 4,633mm in total. The wheelbase is longer, too, though in terms of height and width the Estate and Hatch are the same.
Volkswagen’s given the rear of the Estate a rather slinky roofline (it calls it ‘coupe-like’) with a more steeply raked rear windscreen than the previous Golf Estate.
How large is the boot?
The new Golf Estate offers 611 litres of boot space. That’s 6 litres more than the previous model, and it’s particularly large for the class of car. It trounces the 575-litre capacity of the Ford Focus Estate, though it can’t quite beat out the Skoda Octavia’s 640-litre space.
When all the rear seats are folded there’s a total of 1,642 litres on offer. The boot has plenty of features, too – including bag hooks and tie-down rings, as well as the option of two power sockets – 12V or 230V, ideal for running a coolbox or charging devices.
The longer wheelbase and altered roofline mean rear passengers enjoy more space – especially in legroom, where there’s an additional 38mm over the already spacious hatchback.
What engines and tech can I have?
The Estate mirrors the Golf Hatchback with its engine range, including mild-hybrid petrols badged as eTSI and TDI diesels. VW hasn’t confirmed the full engine lineup for the estate just yet, nor has it announced whether the Golf GTI, GTE or GTD will be offered in the estate bodystyle.
The trim levels similarly mirror the hatchback, with Life, Style and R-Line all on offer. R-Line models get a sportier bodykit, larger wheels, and adjusted suspension, while all models are offered with plenty of luxury equipment including a digital dashboard, climate control, keyless start, 8.25-inch infotainment display, and LED lights front and rear.
What does the Alltrack offer?
The Alltrack is intended to be a halfway house between the Golf Estate and a full-on SUV. Unlike many compact SUVs, though, it’s actually offered with VW’s 4Motion four-wheel drive, giving it a degree of extra capacity as well as a rugged look.
That look’s achieved thanks to black plastic cladding around the bottom of the car and the wheelarches, plus a unique front and rear bumper treatment with plenty of chrome and the distinctive LED daytime running lights in a chequered flag design.
What this means for you
The Golf Estate’s always been a great option for those who don’t want to step up to an SUV or an MPV to gain additional luggage space. The Golf Estate is unlikely to be very exciting – it never has been, outside of the performance variants such as the R Estate. But as a competent family bus we imagine it’ll be a tough act to beat.
