Volkswagen Golf Hatchback (04-08) - Review

There's generous legroom in the back for two and there should be few problems for three children while front passengers get a good amount of leg, head and shoulder room. The seats are on the firm side, but supportive for longer trips plus the cabin is very refined, with wind, road and engine noise (in the petrols) well suppressed. It feels more sophisticated at night than most small hatchbacks, with soothing blue backlit dials and displays.

The Golf's boot space is larger than before and as a result it's more than capable of coping with everyday family life. There are cupholders in all models and plenty of handy, well-thought-out storage space including deep door pockets and a large central cubby. A 'storage pack' is available too that includes a flip-down sunglasses pouch, cupholder and bottle opener.

You can adjust the steering wheel for height and reach while the driver's seat is multi-adjustable too, which makes for a comfortable driving position. As well as being attractive, the dashboard is functional with large, easy-to-use buttons and - where fitted - a simple sat nav system. All the controls are close to the driver for on-the-move adjustments and the screen is close enough so you don't have to squint. The system is a bit slow however, but cars from March 2008 come with a much faster and slicker system. The sat nav directions - as well as average fuel consumption, radio station, time and range are displayed in a panel in the instrument cluster, so you only have to momentarily take your eyes off the road.