VW Golf SV is very spacious and very sporty

VOLKSWAGEN has replaced their Golf Plus with a new version called a Golf SV.

SV stands for Sports Van and that’s a good description as this model is very spacious and also very sporty. It’s not an estate, but more like a mini MPV.

Maybe it was because I was coming to the car after a few weeks driving big SUV’s, but I found the SV really lively to drive. I drove the 1.6-litre diesel engine with emissions of only 101g/km, which is expected be the big seller in Ireland. It’s also available in 2.0-litre diesel and 1.2-litre petrol.

The SV is longer, wider and higher than the Golf Plus it replaces. But we are talking about millimetres here, like 134mm in length. The new car has a sleek, sporty look with smooth swooping lines. There is plenty of leg and head room and the rear seat can slide forwards and backwards to allow for extra passenger or luggage space.

Boot capacity compared with the old Golf Plus has been increased by 76 litres to 500 litres with the back seats at their rear-most position. If you move the rear seats forwards, it stretches the luggage capacity to 590 litres. The driver’s and front passenger’s seats are really comfortable. And there is also plenty of luxury for back seat passengers also.

On the dash you get a 5.8 inch touch screen radio, Bluetooth connectivity and cruise control. I always like the controls on VW cars, very well laid out and so user friendly. The stop-start technology works very well, as would be expected with Volkswagen cars.

Smoking in a car has become so rare with most drivers nowadays and I was surprised to find a cigarette lighter and an ashtray in the SV. The latter was tucked away in the front left door, but it could be moved to the usual spot between the driver and front seat passenger, if required.

The boot is a decent size and you can get plenty of extra space by leaving down the back seat. And the really good news is that you get a full-size spare wheel. While you don’t get a proper reversing camera, there is an excellent radar pilot system, which helps you when reversing.

It’s estimated that there are over 82,000 Golf drivers in Ireland. So if you join the

‘golf club’ you will meet a lot of members around the roads of Ireland.

I drove a pyramid gold-coloured version and it looked great with a few nice chrome touches on the outside adding to the classy look. Inside black was the dominant colour, but the decor was brightened by a white roofline. I really appreciated the space, comfort and power that the SV provided.

Prices for the 1.2 petrol version start at

?¬23,350 while the 1.6-litre version I drove starts at

?¬28,085. Road tax is only e190 in the 1.6 diesel with those low emissions.