Volkswagen's new 2013 Golf hits the road | New Release - Car News Jan 2013

15:10 Monday 07 Jan 2013

Volkswagen's new Mk7 Golf arrives on British roads this month.

And while the aesthetic changes may be subtle, Volkswagen claims that the new Golf brings "new levels of comfort, practicality, safety and efficiency to the class."

What's new in the 2013 VW Golf?

The big news is that the new car is 100kg lighter than the old Mk6, making it 23% more efficient than the car it replaces. On top of this, the new car is 56mm longer than its predecessor, 13mm wider and 28mm lower, and not only does this help lower the Golf's drag coefficient, it also lends the car a sportier look.

2013 VW Golf engines

A range of engines will power the new Golf and all will be fitted with stop/start and battery regeneration systems. The smallest of these is the 1.2-litre 84bhp petrol unit which returns around 57.6mpg and emits 113g/km of CO2. Also on offer will be a 1.4-litre petrol, a 1.6-litre diesel and a 2.0-litre diesel. The most efficient engine in the range will be the 1.6 TDI BlueMotion which will manage 88.3mpg, and tax-busting CO2 emissions of just 85g/km.

2013 VW Golf looks

When it comes to the Golf's aesthetic changes, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the new Mk7 for the old Mk6; they really do look eerily similar, even by VW's standards. The headlights have been changed, larger bumpers have been fitted and a feature line now runs the length of the car; however, these are small changes, and the new car is immediately recognisable as a Golf.

2013 VW Golf Interior

The Golf's interior is more spacious than before, offering an extra 15mm of rear legroom and a bigger boot -- the new model has 380-litres of boot space, 30 more than the last model and more than 60 more than the Ford Focus. All models now feature a 5.8-inch touch-screen display system and a dashboard which is angled towards the driver.

2013 VW Golf features

The new Golf features a number of innovative safety systems including a multi-collision brake system which applies the brakes after an accident to prevent secondary impacts. Also available is the PreCrash system first seen on the Touareg, which pre-tensions the seatbelts and closes the windows and sunroof if it detects an imminent crash. Adaptive cruise control and City Emergency Braking are also included.

2013 VW Golf prices

See below for the full price list:

S

Engine	Body style	Gearbox	Power (bhp)	CO2 (g/km)	OTR Price
1.2 TSI	3 door	5 speed manual	84	113	£16,330
1.2 TSI	5 door	5 speed manual	84	113	£16,985
1.2 TSI	3 door	6 speed manual	104	114	£17,340
1.2 TSI	5 door	6 speed manual	104	114	£17,995
1.2 TSI	5 door	7 speed DSG	104	115	£19,410
1.4 TSI	3 door	6 speed manual	120	120	£18,100
1.4 TSI	5 door	6 speed manual	120	123	£18,755
1.4 TSI	5 door	7 speed DSG	120	116	£20,170
1.6 TDI	3 door	5 speed manual	104	99	£18,955
1.6 TDI	5 door	5 speed manual	104	99	£19,610

SE

Engine	Body style	Gearbox	Power (bhp)	CO2 (g/km)	OTR Price
1.4 TSI	3 door	6 speed manual	120	120	£18,935
1.4 TSI	5 door	6 speed manual	120	123	£19,590
1.4 TSI	5 door	7 speed DSG	120	116	£21,005
1.6 TDI	3 door	5 speed manual	104	99	£19,790
1.6 TDI	5 door	5 speed manual	104	99	£20,445
1.6 TDI	5 door	7 speed DSG	104	102	£21,860
2.0 TDI	3 door	6 speed manual	148	106	£21,305
2.0 TDI	5 door	6 speed manual	148	106	£21,960
2.0 TDI	5 door	6 speed DSG	148	119	£23,375

GT

Engine	Body style	Gearbox	Power (bhp)	CO2 (g/km)	OTR Price
1.4 TSI	3 door	6 speed manual	138	112	£22,050
1.4 TSI	5 door	6 speed manual	138	112	£22,705
1.4 TSI	5 door	7 speed DSG	138	110	£24,120
2.0 TDI	3 door	6 speed manual	148	106	£22,555
2.0 TDI	5 door	6 speed manual	148	106	£23,210
2.0 TDI	5 door	6 speed DSG	148	119	£24,625