Volkswagen Golf Hatchback (04-08) - Review

Review by Dan Harrison on
Last Updated: 28 September 2009
With an excellent drive, roomy interior and a five-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating, the Volkswagen Golf is one of the best hatchbacks around. It's improved in every area over the car it replaced - it can carry four adults in comfort, is enjoyable and comfortable on the road and has most of the equipment you'll ever need. There's also an excellent range of engines that mix performance and economy. The best are the 1.4-litre TSI with 140bhp or 170bhp, or the excellent 2.0-litre TDI diesel, but all of them are more than up to the job. There's also an eco-friendly model - badged Bluemotion - which offers low emissions and superb economy. Hot hatch fans are well catered for too with the 200bhp Golf GTI and 240bhp R32, both of which are covered in separate reviews.

Company Car Costs

P11D Value

The price of the car excluding road tax and first registration fee. This is used to calculate company car tax.

CO2 g/km

The carbon dioxide emissions of the car, which decides the company car tax band into which the car falls.

BIK Band

The percentage band used to calculate company car tax, determined by CO2 emissions of the car.

20% Tax / 40% Tax

The annual amount of company car tax payable based on the drivers income tax level, either at the basic rate or the higher rate.

S

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.4 S 3d

£11,812

168

15%

£354

£708

£354

£708

1.4 S 3d (AC)

£11,807

168

15%

£354

£708

£354

£708

1.4 S (80ps) 3d (AC)

£12,690

164

15%

£380

£761

£380

£761

1.4 S 5d

£12,312

168

15%

£369

£738

£369

£738

1.4 S 5d (AC)

£12,307

168

15%

£369

£738

£369

£738

1.4 S (80ps) 5d (AC)

£13,175

164

15%

£395

£790

£395

£790

1.4 S FSI 3d

£12,372

156

15%

£371

£742

£371

£742

1.4 S FSI 3d (AC)

£12,562

156

15%

£376

£753

£376

£753

1.4 S FSI 5d

£12,872

156

15%

£386

£772

£386

£772

1.4 S FSI 5d (AC)

£13,062

156

15%

£391

£783

£391

£783

1.4 S TSI (122ps) 3d (AC)

£14,315

149

15%

£429

£858

£429

£858

1.4 S TSI (122ps) 5d (AC)

£14,815

149

15%

£444

£888

£444

£888

1.4 S TSI (122ps) 5d DSG (AC)

£16,215

139

15%

£486

£972

£486

£972

1.6 S FSI 3d

£13,542

163

15%

£406

£812

£406

£812

1.6 S FSI 3d (AC)

£13,830

161

15%

£415

£830

£415

£830

1.6 S FSI 5d

£14,042

163

15%

£421

£842

£421

£842

1.6 S FSI 5d (AC)

£14,330

161

15%

£430

£860

£430

£860

1.6 S FSI 5d Auto

£15,342

178

15%

£460

£920

£460

£920

1.6 S FSI 5d Auto (AC)

£15,990

182

15%

£479

£959

£479

£959

1.9 S TDI 3d

£14,442

143

18%

£520

£1,040

£520

£1,040

1.9 S TDI 3d (AC)

£14,695

132

18%

£529

£1,058

£529

£1,058

1.9 S TDI 5d

£14,942

143

18%

£538

£1,076

£538

£1,076

1.9 S TDI 5d (AC)

£15,185

132

18%

£546

£1,093

£546

£1,093

1.9 S TDI 5d (DPF) (AC)

£15,600

135

18%

£561

£1,123

£561

£1,123

2.0 S SDI 3d

£12,332

146

18%

£444

£888

£444

£888

2.0 S SDI 3d (AC)

£12,704

143

18%

£457

£914

£457

£914

2.0 S SDI 5d

£12,832

146

18%

£462

£924

£462

£924

2.0 S SDI 5d (AC)

£13,193

143

18%

£475

£950

£475

£950

BlueMotion S

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.9 BlueMotion S TDI 3d (DPF)

£16,040

119

13%

£417

£834

£417

£834

1.9 BlueMotion S TDI 5d (DPF)

£16,530

119

13%

£429

£859

£429

£859

Sport

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.4 Sport TSI 3d

£15,987

169

15%

£479

£959

£479

£959

1.4 Sport TSI 5d

£16,487

169

15%

£494

£989

£494

£989

1.4 Sport TSI 5d DSG

£17,817

169

15%

£534

£1,069

£534

£1,069

1.6 Sport FSI 3d

£14,957

168

15%

£448

£897

£448

£897

1.6 Sport FSI 5d

£15,457

168

15%

£463

£927

£463

£927

1.6 Sport FSI 5d Auto

£16,807

185

15%

£504

£1,008

£504

£1,008

1.9 Sport TDI 3d

£16,057

143

18%

£578

£1,156

£578

£1,156

1.9 Sport TDI 5d

£16,557

143

18%

£596

£1,192

£596

£1,192

1.9 Sport TDI 5d DSG

£17,702

157

18%

£637

£1,274

£637

£1,274

2.0 Sport TDI 3d

£17,327

145

18%

£623

£1,247

£623

£1,247

2.0 Sport TDI 5d

£17,827

145

18%

£641

£1,283

£641

£1,283

2.0 Sport TDI DPF 5d

£18,252

145

18%

£657

£1,314

£657

£1,314

2.0 Sport TDI 4MOTION 5d

£18,877

156

18%

£679

£1,359

£679

£1,359

2.0 Sport TDI 5d DSG

£19,157

159

18%

£689

£1,379

£689

£1,379

2.0 Sport TDI DPF 5d DSG

£19,582

159

18%

£705

£1,410

£705

£1,410

SE

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.6 SE FSI 3d

£14,687

168

15%

£440

£881

£440

£881

1.6 SE FSI 5d

£15,187

168

15%

£455

£911

£455

£911

1.6 SE FSI 5d Auto

£16,512

185

15%

£495

£990

£495

£990

1.9 SE TDI 3d

£15,617

143

18%

£562

£1,124

£562

£1,124

1.9 SE TDI 5d

£16,117

143

18%

£580

£1,160

£580

£1,160

1.9 SE TDI 5d DSG

£17,577

157

18%

£632

£1,265

£632

£1,265

GT

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.4 GT TSI 3d

£18,107

174

15%

£543

£1,086

£543

£1,086

1.4 GT TSI 5d

£18,607

174

15%

£558

£1,116

£558

£1,116

1.4 GT TSI 5d DSG

£19,937

174

15%

£598

£1,196

£598

£1,196

2.0 GT FSI 3d

£17,072

187

15%

£512

£1,024

£512

£1,024

2.0 GT FSI 4MOTION 3d

£18,122

206

15%

£543

£1,087

£543

£1,087

2.0 GT FSI 5d

£17,572

187

15%

£527

£1,054

£527

£1,054

2.0 GT FSI 4MOTION 5d

£18,622

206

15%

£558

£1,117

£558

£1,117

2.0 GT FSI 5d Auto

£18,897

206

15%

£567

£1,134

£567

£1,134

2.0 GT TDI 3d

£18,022

145

18%

£648

£1,297

£648

£1,297

2.0 GT TDI 4MOTION 3d

£18,477

165

18%

£665

£1,330

£665

£1,330

2.0 GT TDI 5d

£18,522

145

18%

£666

£1,333

£666

£1,333

2.0 GT TDI DPF 5d

£18,947

145

18%

£682

£1,364

£682

£1,364

2.0 GT TDI 4MOTION 5d

£18,977

165

18%

£683

£1,366

£683

£1,366

2.0 GT TDI 5d DSG

£19,852

159

18%

£714

£1,429

£714

£1,429

2.0 GT TDI DPF 5d DSG

£20,277

159

18%

£730

£1,460

£730

£1,460

2.0 GT TDI (170ps) 3d

£19,122

156

18%

£688

£1,376

£688

£1,376

2.0 GT TDI (170ps) 5d

£19,622

156

18%

£706

£1,412

£706

£1,412

2.0 GT TDI (170ps) 5d DSG

£20,937

169

18%

£753

£1,507

£753

£1,507

GT Sport

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.4 GT Sport TSI 3d

£17,420

169

15%

£522

£1,045

£522

£1,045

1.4 GT Sport TSI 5d

£17,920

169

15%

£537

£1,075

£537

£1,075

1.4 GT Sport TSI 5d DSG

£19,250

169

15%

£577

£1,155

£577

£1,155

1.4 GT Sport TSI (170ps) 3d

£18,520

174

15%

£555

£1,111

£555

£1,111

1.4 GT Sport TSI (170ps) 5d

£19,020

174

15%

£570

£1,141

£570

£1,141

1.4 GT Sport TSI (170ps) 5d DSG

£20,350

174

15%

£610

£1,221

£610

£1,221

2.0 GT Sport TDI 3d

£18,435

145

18%

£663

£1,327

£663

£1,327

2.0 GT Sport TDI 5d

£18,935

145

18%

£681

£1,363

£681

£1,363

2.0 GT Sport TDI DPF 5d

£19,360

145

18%

£697

£1,394

£697

£1,394

2.0 GT Sport TDI 5d DSG

£20,265

159

18%

£729

£1,459

£729

£1,459

2.0 GT Sport TDI DPF 5d DSG

£20,690

159

18%

£744

£1,489

£744

£1,489

2.0 GT Sport TDI DPF (170ps) 3d

£19,535

156

18%

£703

£1,406

£703

£1,406

2.0 GT Sport TDI DPF (170ps) 5d

£20,035

156

18%

£721

£1,442

£721

£1,442

2.0 GT Sport TDI DPF (170ps) 5d DSG

£21,350

169

18%

£768

£1,537

£768

£1,537

BlueMotion Match

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.9 BlueMotion Match TDI 5d (DPF)

£17,055

119

13%

£443

£886

£443

£886

Match

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.4 Match TSI (122ps) 5d

£15,505

149

15%

£465

£930

£465

£930

1.4 Match TSI (122ps) 5d DSG

£16,905

139

15%

£507

£1,014

£507

£1,014

1.6 Match FSI 5d

£15,020

161

15%

£450

£901

£450

£901

1.6 Match FSI 5d Auto

£16,680

182

15%

£500

£1,000

£500

£1,000

1.9 Match TDI 5d

£15,705

132

18%

£565

£1,130

£565

£1,130

1.9 Match TDI 5d (DPF)

£16,120

135

18%

£580

£1,160

£580

£1,160

1.9 Match TDI 5d DSG

£17,130

153

18%

£616

£1,233

£616

£1,233

1.9 Match TDI DPF (7) 5d DSG

£17,390

137

18%

£626

£1,252

£626

£1,252

GT Sport [Lthr]

2012 / 2013 2013 / 2014
Model P11D Value CO2 g/km BIK Band 20% Tax 40% Tax 20% Tax 40% Tax

1.4 GT Sport L TSI 3d

£17,279

169

15%

£518

£1,036

£518

£1,036

1.4 GT Sport L TSI 5d

£17,769

169

15%

£533

£1,066

£533

£1,066

1.4 GT Sport L TSI 5d DSG

£19,070

169

15%

£572

£1,144

£572

£1,144

1.4 GT Sport L TSI 170 3d

£18,356

174

15%

£550

£1,101

£550

£1,101

1.4 GT Sport L TSI 170 5d

£18,845

174

15%

£565

£1,130

£565

£1,130

1.4 GT Sport L TSI 170 5d DSG

£20,147

174

15%

£604

£1,208

£604

£1,208

2.0 GT Sport L TDI 3d

£18,273

145

18%

£657

£1,315

£657

£1,315

2.0 GT Sport L TDI 5d

£18,762

145

18%

£675

£1,350

£675

£1,350

2.0 GT Sport L TDI DPF 5d

£19,839

145

18%

£714

£1,428

£714

£1,428

2.0 GT Sport L TDI 5d DSG

£20,064

159

18%

£722

£1,444

£722

£1,444

2.0 GT Sport L TDI DPF 5d DSG

£21,126

159

18%

£760

£1,521

£760

£1,521

2.0 GT Sport L TDI (170) DPF 3d

£19,770

156

18%

£711

£1,423

£711

£1,423

2.0 GT Sport L TDI (170) DPF 5d

£20,270

156

18%

£729

£1,459

£729

£1,459

2.0 GT Sport L TDI (170) DPF 5d DSG

£21,585

169

18%

£777

£1,554

£777

£1,554