05/08/09

• Price17,865
• We like...Space; driving position
• We don't...Gloomy cabin

As the name suggests, the Plus gives you everything you'd want from a Golf but adds a little bit more. It's a talented carVolkswagen Golf Plus. As the name suggests, this is a Golf with a bit more. More space in the boot and for back-seat passengers. More storage space in the cabin. More inches between the driver’s behind and the road.

It’s the last of these you’ll notice first. You sit higher than in a regular Golf. It’s not quite the raised view that you’ll get from a people shifter like, say, a Volkswagen Touran, but it’s a good, lofty view out.

The Plus is only a jot bigger than regular Golfs, but sitting everyone more upright frees up extra room for feet and legs, while the higher roof means there’s scant chance of your head touching the lining. It also frees space beneath the front seats for a pair of storage drawers, while in the back you get a pair of tables that fold out from the seat backs, and rear chairs that slide to juggle space between rear occupants and the boot. The rear doors are big enough to make clambering in and out easy, too. Out back, the boot has a double floor with enough space below to take a lap-top, while there are also side trays, and fold-out hooks to keep shopping upright.

Up front there is a spectacle holder in the roof between the seats, a huge glove box, a storage bin between the seats and lidded trays in the dash. Compared to a regular Golf, there’s quite a lot more going on. And you pay around £1300 over a regular Golf for the extra.

The Golf Plus arrived with the previous-generation of cars, the Mk5. Now we’re with Mk6 and while the Plus gets the nose and grille from the latest car, the rest of the body is pretty much a carry-over. Under the skin it’s more closely related to the previous Golf, too.

Still it rides quietly and well, although the taller body ds means that it leans a little more into bends. The 1.4 engine is smooth and economical, although it lacks power at low revs, so you’ll need to drop a gear or two to climb hills when there are plenty of you aboard. It makes sense, though, it you prefer petrol engines, and it is also a fair bit cheaper than the equivalent diesel-powered model.

The dash is bespoke and is classy if rather sombre, cheered up by silver rims around the air vents. Equipment levels if you go for the SE are good including semi-automatic air conditioning, alloy wheels, cruise control and a quality stereo. The car also has Volkswagen’s Park Assist as standard: this nifty device parallel ‘parks’ the car for you, taking over the steering and leaving you the pedals to control as you place it inch-perfect by the kerb.

It’s a good car, this, and if you need a little extra over what the already roomy ‘standard’ Golf gives – but you don’t quite need a full-fat MPV like the Touran, it could be for you.

To view and buy new and second-hand Volkswagen Golf Pluses, click here
To read the motors.co.uk review of the Volkswagen Golf, click here
To read the motors.co.uk review of the Volkswagen Golf GTi -and watch the video, click here

• Engines1.4 turbocharged petrol
• Power120bhp
• 0-60 mph10.2secs
• Economy43.5mpg
• CO2g/km152
• Insurance groups7
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags7
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: