The 1.4 TSI engine is smoothly quiet pulls well from 1500 rpm making for relaxed driving in town and on the motorway, gear change is very slick. Exterior styling is modern but it carries the Golf design heritage.

Quality interior the 2k optional leather seats make it very upmarket. Good touch screen features, DAB radio and good Bluetooth phone integration. Controls on the steering wheel are great.

Handling is good and it soaks up bumps, adding to the feeling quiet comfort - it is a relaxing drive but you can hustle it on if you want to.

Safety with the collision detection, electronics to help cornering and the good rating in crash tests mean you are in a safe car.

Standard equipment on the SE is already good the star feature for me is the Adaptive cruise control which makes sticking to speed limits easy but also means an extra layer of safety when driving.

The option list is large and can easily take the car from 22K to 30K so some restraint needed. The options I had were leather seats, metallic paint, fog lights, mirror pack reversing camera and auto parking ( if you spec front and rear parking sensors only £140 extra so in total about £600 extra ). All the extras I chose I would have again as they are worth it.

The estate seems to drive identically to the hatchback but the added advantage of extra boot space. The load area of the estate is a good practical shape, back seats don't fold completely fault but dropping them down can be done from the boot and they don't tangle the belts when returned to upright.

Lots of neat touches. Storage under dual height boot floor with a place for the load cover. Hooks and carry points and some side pockets with a 12v socket in the boot - it just feels they thought a lot about design.

Economy over 4,000 mixed driving miles 42 mpg with a high on a run of 52 but like all cars in town will start dipping to the 30's.

Irritating points - power socket at rear on centre console so portable sat nav leads if you use a trail a long way (unless as I did )you fit a USB point ( £9 ) in the AMI slot at the front of the dash. Aircon seems a bit weak but adequate.

Overall a practical estate car that can do a run to the tip but then ferry you in comfort the rest of the time.

Wish list heated screen but a 1k extra as you need advance phone kit with it.

I drove a most of the competition before buying and it seems the Golf is the one to beat.

I would buy the same car again - and that is the best accolade I can give it.