Volkswagen Golf 2024: Prices, specs and release date

• New Volkswagen Golf is mid-life facelift for the popular Golf 8
• Mild styling tweaks on the outside…
• … but big improvements to infotainment tech inside
• On sale in the summer with prices starting from around £28,000

The new Volkswagen Golf has been revealed ahead of arriving this summer. A facelifted version of today’s Volkswagen Golf 8, it aims to fix the infotainment issues with today’s car while being an even more well-rounded and appealing family car elsewhere.

The new Volkswagen Golf’s facelifted details are certainly subtle on the outside. They mainly involve new lights, paint colours and wheels. 

Pleasingly, the biggest changes come inside the new Volkswagen Golf, where the much-criticised infotainment system of today’s car is replaced by an all-new setup. Equipment levels have been improved too – and it even now has proper buttons on the steering wheel.

Another headline update for the new Volkswagen Golf is a bigger battery for the plug-in hybrid models, which will now cover more than 60 miles on electric power. Petrol, diesel and hybrid engines are also available.

The changes mean the new Volkswagen Golf will be an even more formidable rival to cars such as the latest Vauxhall Astra, the impressive Peugeot 308, and the spacious Honda Civic.

Indeed, the new Volkswagen Golf is set to move even closer to premium hatchbacks like the BMW 1 Series, Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

2024 Volkswagen Golf prices and release date

The new Volkswagen Golf is expected to open for ordering in the spring. First deliveries are likely to arrive in the UK in early summer.

Prices are still to be announced, but the new Volkswagen Golf shouldn’t cost too much more than the current model, which starts from just under £27,000. We’d estimate a starting price from around £28,000.

The new Volkswagen Golf will be offered in the familiar trim line-up of Life, Style, R-Line, GTI and GTE. Even more focused Golf GTI Clubsport and R versions will follow later.  

2024 Volkswagen Golf styling, interior and technology

The new Volkswagen Golf’s styling is very much a case of evolution rather than revolution. The key changes are the lights, which are more angula, and available with optional IQ.Light LED Matrix headlights – these give a 500 metre range on main beam.

The new Volkswagen Golf is available with an optional illuminated LED light bar – which also includes a novel new illuminated VW logo at the front.

The new Volkswagen Golf is available in four new metallic paint colours, called Crystal Ice Blue, Anemone Blue, Oyster Silver and Grenadilla Black. There are five new alloy wheel choices too, with the range going up to 19 inches.

New Volkswagen Golf R-Line, GTE and GTI versions are now available with a black-painted roof as an option for the first time.

The sporty new Volkswagen Golf GTI and GTE have their own visual updates, with a GT-specific front end, bolder bodykit and classic-look 17-inch Richmond alloy wheels.

At the rear, the new Volkswagen Golf GTI has dual round chrome-plated tailpipes either side of its black diffuser. The new Volkswagen Golf GTE has a chrome strip above the diffuser instead of exposed tailpipes.

Excitingly, the new Volkswagen Golf has an all-new infotainment system inside, called MIB4. This boasts all-new graphics and menu structure, in response to criticism of the outgoing Volkswagen Golf infotainment.

A larger 10.4-inch touchscreen is standard, with the range-topping Discover version offering a 12.9-inch screen. It’s been designed to mimic a tablet computer and be visually free-standing for a more modern appearance.

The new Volkswagen Golf infotainment now has menu bars at the top and bottom of the display. These can both be configured with favourite keys. The central menu area is also customisable – and the coloured icons mean it’s far easier to use on the move. New hardware and software mean it should operate much more quickly, too.

Usability has been improved in the new Volkswagen Golf. The sliders at the bottom of the touchscreen are now, finally illuminated at night, while the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel are replaced with physical buttons.

The new Volkswagen Golf also now comes as standard with a 10.2-inch digital instrument display, called Digital Cockpit Pro. This too is configurable via the buttons on the steering wheel. There are model-specific displays for the sporty Golf R-Line, GTI and GTE.

The new Volkswagen Golf GTI and GTE have check-pattern sports seats and other sporty detailing. The new Volkswagen Golf GTI can be equipped with optional interior carbon fibre trim for the first time.

Enhanced standard equipment on all new Volkswagen Golf includes automatic climate control, keyless access, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED front and rear lights plus front and rear parking sensors.

The new Volkswagen Golf also has higher-quality trim materials and a more premium finish – while offering all the space and practicality of the outgoing model.

2024 Volkswagen Golf engines, performance and fuel economy

The new Volkswagen Golf is available with petrol, diesel, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines. All are four-cylinder engines, with the previous 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine dropped in favour of the 1.5-litre TSI.

The 1.5 TSI is available with 115PS and 150PS power outputs, both paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. Those who want a petrol automatic should choose the 48V mild hybrid eTSI Golf, which has a seven-speed DSG gearbox. Again, the 1.5 eTSI comes in 115PS and 150PS power outputs.

The 1.5 TSI’s Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) means it can shut down two cylinders during light loads. This is imperceptible, but helps save fuel in real-world driving. A variable-geometry turbo helps with efficiency and responsiveness, too.

The new Volkswagen Golf is also still available as a diesel. The 2.0-litre TDI comes in 115PS guise with a six-speed manual, and 150PS form with a seven-speed DSG.

Full performance and fuel economy figures for the new Volkswagen Golf will be released nearer to its UK launch.

The headline engine in the new Volkswagen Golf range is the plug-in hybrid Golf, which combines the 1.5 TSI engine with an electric motor and much larger 19.7kWh battery. This is nearly twice the size of the old plug-in hybrid battery.

The new Volkswagen Golf plug-in hybrid is offered in two guises. The Golf eHybrid produces 204PS, while the sportier Golf GTE produces 272PS. Both will have a significantly longer pure electric range of more than 60 miles, and both will now be able to use 50kW DC rapid chargers.

Combine the new Volkswagen Golf eHybrid and GTE’s extended electric range with the fuel-efficient engine, and they boast a range of more than 620 miles between refuels and recharges.

The new Volkswagen Golf GTI has also been enhanced. It now produces 265PS – and even more powerful Golf GTI Clubsport and Golf R versions follow later. However, the new Volkswagen Golf GTI is now only available as an automatic, with the seven-speed DSG gearbox coming as standard.

The new Volkswagen Golf is expected to have tweaked ride and handling. It also now has an enhanced Park Assist Pro, which allows owners to remotely drive their Golf in and out of parking spaces via a smartphone app.

Another new Volkswagen Golf feature is called Area View. This gives a 360-degree all-round view by merging four cameras. The image is displayed through the infotainment touchscreen.