Volkswagen Golf Estate (Mk8) review

This is the estate version of the Mk8 Golf, known more familiarly as the Mk8 Golf Estate. It’s a bit bigger, a bit more sensible, and with the arrival of the Mk8.5, only slightly more irritating than what has come before. We'll get to that shortly.

Looks quite nice, doesn’t it? 

Indeed, we think the Mk8 Golf looks better in this estate form than it does as a hatchback. That certainly hasn’t been the case for previous generations: when Volkswagen has created Golf Estates before it’s just sort of grafted a bit of extra boxiness on the back of the hatch, but this time around there’s a sloping roofline, a ‘shooting brake inspired’ rear window and LED lights as standard to sharpen things up. It’s a very handsome thing.

And what about the fun versions?

It looks even smarter in top-spec R-Line trim, while there's also the Golf R Estate, which comes fitted with the same 2.0-litre turbo as found in the 316bhp Golf R hot hatch. To cut a long story short, it's very quick and very spacious.

Unfortunately for the sake of interesting cars on the road, Volkswagen reckons that most long-roofed Mk8s will be sold in base-spec Life or mid-range Style trim. You’ve less choice here compared to the hatch.

What are the engines like? 

Petrol engines on offer start with a 1.5-litre four-pot that can be had with either 113bhp or 148bhp. A 6spd manual gearbox is standard, but all petrol engines can be optioned with a seven-speed DSG that also adds 48V mild-hybrid tech. You’ll see those badged as eTSI models, although the claimed fuel economy and CO2 figures are remarkably similar even with the electric assistance.

There is still a diesel option: a 2.0-litre TDI that comes with either 113bhp or 148bhp. The former gets a 6spd manual and the latter a 7spd DSG auto box, but neither is available with additional electricity. There’s also no plug-in hybrid option here, a kick in the nuts for any would be company car buyers.

Does it drive alright? 

Driving isn’t the issue with the latest version of the Golf: it’s all very dependable and sensible. A great family car with neutral characteristics, grand touring potential if you go for the R version; perhaps even enough fun to muster up a B-road blat every now and then if you fancy. 

No, the real issue when it first arrived was the interior. Volkswagen lost all control of its senses when it signed off the infotainment set-up on the latest Golf (and most of its newest cars). The menus were infuriating, the buttonless interiors exasperating and the software experience muddily slow. It was a rare misstep from one of the world’s most dependable carmakers.

Volkswagen has attempted to right some of the wrongs with the Mk8.5. It gets VW’s new MIB4 infotainment system with a more intuitive menu structure and faster processor, illuminated touch sliders to control the cabin temperature and volume so you can use them at night, and there’s a new steering wheel, complete with proper buttons as opposed to the capacitive nonsense on the pre-facelift Mk8.

How does the Golf Estate compare with a Skoda Octavia?

Prices start from around £28.5k for the bog standard Life model with the 1.5-litre 4cyl engine, up to £35k for the 148bhp diesel with DSG auto in range-topping R-Line trim.

That makes the Golf slightly more expensive than the entry trim on the Octavia Estate and a fair bit more than the Seat Leon Estate. Outside of the VW Group stable, alternatives include the Ford Focus Estate, Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, Peugeot 508 SW and (arguably) the Kia Proceed.

Stuff like the BMW 3 Series Touring and Volvo V60 represents a bit of a leap, price wise. In the case of the V60, it's not clear for how much longer you'll be able to get one in the UK.

And if a Golf Estate isn't commodious enough, there's always the new (estate-only) Passat...

Overall it’s a very accomplished thing, the Mk8 Golf Estate. Massively practical too, much more so than that crossover you’re inevitably thinking of buying. Even if it does have slightly less room than its Skoda and Seat siblings.

If you’ve got your heart set on the VW, though, Style trim combined with the 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol probably provides the best value for money and balance between a decent drive and comfort. That’ll get you a strong spec with prices starting at just over £31k.

Make sure you have a good fiddle with the infotainment on your test drive though (you want to be sure you can live with it), and avoid the bigger wheels and sportier suspension set-ups to get the more relaxing road manners. Or maybe just buy the Octavia instead...