It’s more accurate to describe this Golf as renewed rather than new, because it’s directly derived from the outgoing model and not a clean sheet design.
Having said that, the Mk 6 edition of Volkswagen’s all-time best-seller carries over just the platform and roof panel of its predecessor. Everything else has been improved considerably, the most noticeable being the sharpened styling that, in classic Golf fashion, is familiar yet fresh.
To confirm the improvements made, we travel to Iceland’s capital city for the international press launch of the reinvigorated Golf in 2008.
It’s cold, wet and windy in Reykjavik, but inside the cabin of the car, it’s toasty, dry and perfectly climate-controlled. First impressions are positive, albeit a tad predictable.
The new steering wheel, modelled on that in the upmarket Passat CC, feels good in the hands. The new instrument meters, now backlit in classy white instead of fancy blue, look great. The switchgear is solid. The dashboard plastics are soft to the touch and hard to fault. The front seats provide a superb balance between comfort and support, together with high-quality upholstery. The all-new audio and air-con panels, again derived from those in the Passat CC, are neat and user-friendly. The doors and tailgate shut like a Deutsche Bank vault.
Despite the obvious revisions made, the basic cockpit architecture remains similar to that of the outgoing Golf, which is how its owners like it. Interior space is the same, too – a corollary of the retained 2578mm wheelbase and largely unchanged exterior dimensions.
Instead of squeezing a little more room out of the hatchback, Volkswagen engineers stuffed more luxury in, resulting in premium features that put the Golf in a class of its own.
These are headlined by DCC Adaptive Chassis Control, Adaptive Cruise Control with automatic distance management, “hands-free” Park Assist, a nifty rear view camera hidden in the VW emblem, an excellent on-board infotainment system and a total of seven standard airbags, including one for the driver’s knees.
It’s all sophisticated stuff, but advanced equipment like these is nothing compared to the killer app that defines the Golf Mk 6 – its sound of silence.
The Golf’s acoustic properties are not on the same plane as the Phaeton flagship, of course, but they are close enough to justify bringing back that tag line once used for the Mk 4 Golf: The Rolls-Royce of hatchbacks.
Over the gritty surfaces of Icelandic roadways, battered by relentless rain and strong winds, the Golf is an oasis of serenity, politely punctuated by the songs of Bjork from the hi-fi hard disk. We’re in Iceland, after all.
Realising this quiet performance are clever measures like a special noise-cutting film within the windscreen, 10 percent thicker front windows, “silent” door seals, strategic interior insulation and aerodynamically optimised side mirrors and A-pillars.
On the go, this new Volkswagen is indeed very refined. There is little wind turbulence at speed, environmental noise like traffic din is kept at bay and road roar is really well-controlled. The ride quality of the car, shod with sizeable 17-inch tyres, is smooth and composed, even over the roughest patches of Nordic asphalt where the car’s structural stiffness is also evident, reinforcing the impression of genuine refinement.
The Golf’s acceleration and handling are also impressive, at least on the 160hp Twincharged 1.4-litre model we sampled which effectively replaces the existing Golf GT. Power is down by 10hp, apparently throttled by Euro 5 emissions requirements, but the healthy 240Nm torque figure is the same as before.
Transmission duties are handled by a responsive 7-speed DSG dual-clutch semi-automatic, maximising the terrific little powerplant that punches well above its weight.
Whether picking up steam from point to point in the city or overtaking on the long, forlorn highways of Iceland, the drivetrain delivers convincingly. And in keeping with the car’s veneer of cultured refinement, the engine’s sporty soundtrack plays in the background and only comes to the fore when going great guns. Decent fuel consumption is the icing on the cake.
Handling-wise, the newfangled adaptive chassis button offers the option of switching between Comfort and Sport, but the regular Normal mode already provides spot-on damping for all situations, so unless you really need the heavier steering of Sport, you can leave DCC to its own devices and just enjoy the drive. 
