2020 Volkswagen Golf Review

How’s the interior? The Golf has an uncluttered dash and easy-to-reach controls. The steering wheel controls are a little confusing at first, but previous Volkswagen owners will find them instantly recognizable. The Golf's boxy exterior design provides excellent visibility.

There is excellent room for front passengers no matter how tall they are. Rear passengers will find enough knee room and legroom as long as they are under 5 feet 10. Headroom in the back is generous.

How’s the tech? The Golf's infotainment interface is pretty lacking. Its smallish 6.5-inch screen looks dated and cannot be upgraded to the newer units you can get in the GTI or the Jetta. Its overall operation leaves a lot to be desired too, as some simple adjustments require multiple menus to select. Other disappointing features are the basic audio system and the single(!) USB port for the entire car.

Driver aids such as blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning with emergency braking, and rear traffic alert are standard, but there are no optional packages to upgrade to adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. Those are offered by the Golf's competitors.

How’s the storage? In typical hatchback fashion, the Volkswagen Golf offers up a fair amount of cargo capacity for its size. With 22.8 cubic feet on offer, it ranks above the Mazda 3 (20.1 cubic feet) and the Toyota Corolla Hatchback (17.8 cubes). The Civic does offer marginally more room with 25.7 cubic feet. The Golf's rear seats are split 60/40. They fold flat and offer a center pass-through. As an added bonus, the rear-seat release buttons can be accessed from the trunk.

Inside, the Golf offers adequate storage from a cubby in front of the shifter, two cupholders and a sizable center console. The door pockets are generous for all passengers and are lined with felt, but not completely, which leaves a hard plastic surface for items to bang into.

As far as installing child safety seats, larger ones will likely require sliding the front seat forward. But the anchor points are in plain view and easy to reach.

How’s the fuel economy? The Golf is reasonably fuel-efficient. The EPA estimates it will get 32 mpg combined (29 city/35 highway). We achieved an impressive 36.7 mpg on our 115-mile mixed-driving evaluation route. That's better than we've seen from the Corolla Hatchback, Mazda 3 and the Honda Civic.

Is the Golf a good value? With the exception of choosing between the standard six-speed manual and an optional eight-speed automatic transmission, there are no options for the 2020 Golf. Our automatic-equipped test car stickered for just under $24K, making it less expensive than the Honda Civic and Mazda 3 hatchbacks. Unfortunately for the Golf, those two competitors offer interiors made from higher-quality materials as well as other options, such as upgraded audio systems and extra driver aids, that the Golf doesn't.

If you've previously owned a Golf, you might be disappointed to find that Volkswagen has shortened the warranties, in both time and allowable mileage, for 2020. Still, the Golf's warranties are fairly standard for the class, and Volkswagen offers two years/20,000 miles of free maintenance.

The Golf does a fairly good job of impersonating a budget Audi. With a torquey engine, a supple ride and quiet cabin, the Golf packs a lot of refinement into a practical hatchback package. But as competitors embrace the concept of an upmarket small car, the corners VW has cut in recent years become more apparent, especially when you take a critical look at interior materials.

There's no denying the inherent goodness of the Golf's chassis or its overall competence and fuel efficiency. With the standard six-speed manual transmission, and maybe a set of better tires, you could have all the refinement the Golf offers, plus a little bit of fun to boot.