Sleek little number!

I’m a big believer in the adage, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, but when it comes to motoring, the Germans are never content to rest on their laurels and, as a result, the seventh generation of the Volkswagen Golf has been named the ‘World Car of the Year’.

A jury comprised of international motoring experts bestowed the honour at the New York International Auto Show and, after my day cruising around in this nippy little number, it’s easy to see why.

The new model has been completely redesigned; its body, interior, engines, infotainment systems and driver assistance systems have all received an impressive revamp.

It is also 100kg lighter, which reduces CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by 23 per cent compared to the outgoing model, and that’s despite it being longer and wider. While that may not matter too much to drivers in Bahrain where petrol is cheap, it makes a huge impact in Europe where filling up your tank can mean the difference between being able to afford to pay your electricity bill or not.

Despite the revamp, it is still instantly recognisable as the VW Golf. Its slightly upward sweeping headlights are a nice touch and compliment the sleek front grille and, as with various other things in life, it looks pretty good from behind too.

The interior of the base option I drove was a fairly comfortable affair. Its simplistic design is complimented by its no nonsense approach to the driving experience.

The fabric seats were comfortable and the centre stack houses a nifty little touch-screen display panel, which relays information about your drive and the Golf’s various infotainment systems.

Under the bonnet, the Golf is available with 1.2-litre 105bhp and 1.4-litre 140bhp four-cylinder engines and a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox DSG.

On the highway it offers a moderate amount of power. It may not be setting any speed records but it will get you where you’re going on time and in style.

This is a car designed for city driving, a fact that became apparent the moment I crossed the Sitra Causeway and hit the mean streets of Manama. It weaves through traffic seamlessly and the auto hold function, which holds the brake for you while you’re stationary, is a fantastic feature.

The tiptronic gearbox is also a nice touch for motoring enthusiasts who occasionally like to take a more ‘hands on’ approach and select gears themselves. When I switched to manual, it changed the dynamic of the drive and the Golf felt more responsive.

Safety technologies such as ABS, airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are standard. The Golf has a range of standard and optional driver assistance systems including multi-collision braking as standard, the proactive driver and passenger protection system (including automatic tautening of seatbelts and closing of windows), the XDS transverse differential lock, also fitted as standard, ACC adaptive cruise control plus Front Assist inclusive of city emergency brake function, Lane Assist, fatigue detection, the latest generation of the Park Assist system and of the Dynamic Light Assist function (automated Xenon full beam).

Safety is a huge benefit of this model, which also received four innovation awards for its safety systems from Euro NCAP. The Euro NCAP test is regarded as one of the most demanding tests in the world to be applied to new vehicles. It is recognised as a benchmark for crash safety by governments, automobile clubs and consumer protection organisations throughout Europe.

In my opinion, the Golf would fit well with an individual looking for something sleek with style and, as an added bonus, provide enough space for the school run and family trips to the mall. A smooth ride available with a host of options and, it helps that it’s easy on the eyes too.

Prices start from BD7,490 with three years/45,000km free service, three years roadside assist and five years extended warranty, unlimited mileage.

For details, call 17459977.