The entry-grade Golf 110TSI Life’s standard specification highlights include 17-inch alloy rims, climate control air, a 10.2-inch instrument display, 10.3-inch central multimedia screen, six-speaker audio (with digital radio), Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, connected services, ambient lighting and a leather-trimmed steering wheel.

Step up to the Style and you’ll pick up static cornering lights, side privacy glass, better trim, three-zone climate, a 12.9-inch media screen, upgraded audio and more. Then the R-Line, GTI and R add features like premium sports front seats with electric adjustment, extra interior decoration, even better trim materials and more.

The Golf’s interior features sizable screens for instruments and media balanced by a typically teutonic dash, door and console layout (with soft touch surfaces at key points). Conservative but ultra-functional and easy to live with. One niggle is haptic slider controls for audio volume and ventilation control below the media screen rather than physical dials (although a steering wheel volume rocker switch helps).

The Golf Life, Style and R-Line are powered by a 1.4-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine sending 110kW/250Nm to the front wheels via an eight-speed auto transmission. The GTI steps up to a 2.0-litre turbo four putting 195kW/370Nm through a seven-speed dual-clutch auto to the front wheels. And the R’s tweaked 2.0-litre four sends 245kW/420Nm to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and an all-wheel drive system using a twin-clutch pack to manage front to rear drive distribution as well as torque across the rear axle.

The 1.4L Golf Life, Style and R-Line’s official fuel consumption figure for the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 6.3L/100km and with a 50-litre tank that number translates to a theoretical range of around 790km. The Golf GTI’s official figure is 7.2L/100km which with a 50-litre tank translates to a theoretical range of around 690km. And the Golf R’s official figure is 8.3L/100km which with a 55-litre tank translates to a theoretical range of around 660km.

The Golf seats five with cloth upholstery in the entry-level Life, a synthetic leather and synthetic suede combination in the Style, leather-appointed trim in the R-Line, a choice of traditional plaid cloth and synthetic suede or leather-appointed trim in the GTI and Nappa leather-appointed trim in the R.

The 1.4L Life, Style and R-Line will accelerate from 0-100km/h in around 8.5 seconds with a top speed of approximately 215km/h. The 2.0L GTI covers the 100km/h sprint in 5.9sec before storming on to a top speed of 250km/h. And the AWD 2.0L R gets to 100 in 4.6sec with its maximum velocity electronically limited to 250km/h.