While the 2019 Volkswagen Golf was set to be revealed at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show in September that no longer seems likely, instead you’re now tipped to see the car revealed at a private event in the autumn. You can expect the Golf to start from around £20,000 for an entry-level S model and £22,000 for a mid-range SE. GTI and R models will cost significantly more but don’t expect to see them until well into next year. What seems certain is that the VW Golf will get a new slim-line grille and slim headlights that could hint that this will be the first Golf to get LED exterior lights as standard. If they are standard you can also expect to be able to specify powerful matrix LED at extra cost, they can be used at full power even in oncoming traffic. Another safety feature at the front of the car is the raised bonnet which should protect pedestrians from the hard engine below should they be unfortunate enough to get run over.
That said, the Golf will come fitted with automatic emergency brakes as standard and they’ll detect cars as well as people. Even basic cars will get a subtle rear spoiler, designed to help fuel economy at motorway speeds. Like the front, LED lights will be standard at the rear and will likely perform a cool light up sequence when you lock and unlock the car. The rear bumper design will depend on the version with entry-level cars getting a plainer design while sportier R Line cars will get a mock rear diffuser. To see the most significant changes that’ll be made to the 2019 Volkswagen Golf, you might want to skip the outside and jump straight behind the wheel because it’s inside where the real revolution will happen. Spend extra and you’ll be able to swap the single central infotainment screen for two huge displays that sweep from behind the steering wheel to the centre of the dashboard.
The 2019 Volkswagen Golf will have a marginally longer wheelbase - the space between the front and rear wheels - than the current model to give increased interior space. That’ll be felt most by your tall rear-seat passengers who can expect more head, knee and legroom. The car’s wider track will also allow for more hip and elbow room if you ever need to carry three people in the back. Boot space will also increase from the current model’s 380-litre figure to closer to 450 litres - giving you room for an extra small suitcase. Expect the boot to offer excellent packaging with a low load lip and a floor that remains flat even when the rear seats are folded away - making it as easy to load awkward loads as possible. The 2019 Volkswagen Golf will be the first Golf to offer mild-hybrid tech even on its regular models. Basic 1.0-litre petrol cars are tipped to do without a turbocharger - instead, they get a large starter motor that can provide instant thrust when, say, pulling away as well as starting the engine.
While those cars will use a 12V power supply, mid-range models will get a 48V system that’ll help the car harvest more power when coasting or braking. These models will likely use a revised version of the 1.5-litre petrol fitted to the current Golf, which uses cylinder deactivation technology to save fuel - by resting half the engine when its extra power isn’t needed. If you really want to save fuel though, you’ll still want a diesel model - and VW is said to be developing a new 2.0-litre engine that should offer punchy motorway performance and excellent fuel economy. Perhaps more importantly, you can expect it to come loaded with clever tech that’ll make it extremely clean to comply with tough new emissions regulations. Fast GTI models, meanwhile, are set to use an electric motor to boost their performance at low speeds. Most Golf’s will be front-wheel drive, but expect the range-topping Golf R to get four-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic gearbox as standard. While the 2019 Volkswagen Golf is set to be lighter than the current model, making it feel more nimble in bends - the big change isn’t how it’ll feel to drive, it’s that you won’t actually have to drive it.
