The New Volkswagen Golf Estate (2009)

The new Volkswagen Golf range has been extended with the latest and most practical model: the new Volkswagen Golf Estate. The car is available to order now ahead of the first models arriving in showrooms on 6th November 2009. The car itself is more comfortable than ever, with a sharper, sportier look and high levels of standard equipment. Prices start at £16,380 for the entry-level S 1.2-litre TSI with 105 PS and rise to £22,580 for the range-topping Sportline 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS with DSG gearbox.

Taking its key styling cues from the Mk VI Volkswagen Golf hatchback, the Estate has a new front bumper and body coloured rear bumper, fresh new wheel designs and modified tail lights, and inside a new dashboard and revised upholsteries.

The basic range remains as before with S, SE and Sportline trim levels. However in a break from this and starting a new trend in Volkswagen's line-ups, an economical and low-CO2 emitting variant is available in all three trim levels designated BlueMotion Technology. From now on, only the very lowest emitting and most economical cars in a range (for example, the Golf hatch at 99 g/km) will be known as simply 'BlueMotion'.

That said, the new Volkswagen Golf Estate BlueMotion Technology models - with a 105 PS 1.6-litre TDI common rail engine and available in S, SE and Sportline trims - return 67.3 mpg on the combined cycle and emit a class-leading 109 g/km of CO2. This not only puts them in VED Band B, but means they fall below the 121 g/km company car tax threshold leading to potential savings for company car drivers of more than £1,000 over three years.

Changes to all Volkswagen Golf Estate BlueMotion Technology models compared with their standard counterparts are wheels with low rolling resistance tyres, battery regeneration, hill hold, a multifunction computer with visual gear change recommendation for optimum fuel consumption on manual models and a Start/Stop function. As a package they contribute to an improvement in fuel economy of around seven per cent and an eight per cent drop in carbon dioxide emissions. The premium to 'upgrade' from the standard 1.6-litre TDI to the BlueMotion Technology is £410.

Across the Volkswagen Golf Estate range, a total of five engines will be offered: two petrol and three diesel. The entry-level petrol, which will go on sale in spring next year, will be a new 1.2-litre TSI 105 PS. It is accompanied by the existing 1.4-litre TSI 122 PS which is available now. Diesel engines consist of two 1.6-litre TDI units producing 90 (available spring) or 105 PS (available now), and a 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS (also available now). A number of different gearboxes are offered, including the seven-speed DSG automatic.