New Volkswagen Golf: first official details

The first official details of the 2009 Volkswagen Golf hatchback have been revealed after images were leaked onto the Internet.

The 2009 Volkswagen Golf will adopt a new face similar to this year’s comeback king, the Volkswagen Scirocco, while the rear lights bear a resemblance to the Volkswagen Touareg off-roader.

View more images of the 2009 VW Golf

Under the bonnet of the 2009 VW Golf will be a choice of four diesel and four petrol engines initially, ranging from 89bhp to 168bhp.

Volkswagen Golf R32: The ultimate hot hatch

The new Volkswagen Golf’s engine choice includes a tax-friendly 2-litre diesel engine which develops 108bhp, averages 62.7mpg and will emit just 119g/km of carbon dioxide – meaning an annual tax bill of just £35.

Inside, the VW Golf shares more similarities with the Scirocco coupe, with the hatchback getting high quality, soft touch plastics with a range of aluminium and chrome trim pieces.

Golf rival: Ford Focus

The 2009 Volkswagen Golf will also get VW’s Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) for the first time allowing the driver to select normal, comfort of sport mode to define how they want the car to handle.

Available as both a three-door and five-door, the '09 Volkswagen Golf has a completely new door and window seal design to help improve acoustics and keep road and engine noise to a minimum – making it the quietest Golf ever.

Golf rival: Honda Civic

Keen petrolheads will be hotly anticipating details of the Volkswagen Golf GTi hot hatch model, where it’s expected VW will use a version of the group’s 2-litre TFSi engine, tuned to produce around 250bhp.

Sitting above the VW Golf GTi will be the four-wheel drive Golf R32, a more hardcore hot hatch targetting the likes of the 2009 Ford Focus RS and Subaru Impreza WRX.

Golf rival: Kia Pro_cee'd

The 2009 Volkswagen Golf will be the sixth generation of the legendary hatchback which first went on sale in 1974, with more than 26 million being sold worldwide during this time.

More details and prices will be revealed closer to its official world debut at the Paris Motor Show in October with the Golf going on sale in the UK in January.