BIGGEST CHANGES TO Mk8 ARE ON THE INSIDE

You can plot your life’s journey alongside the Volkswagen Golf. One of the world’s best-selling cars of all time was launched in 1974 when we had the three-day week, Abba won the Eurovision Song Contest, and I’m 12 years old. The Mk2 came out in 1983 when the first compact disc was sold in the UK – I’m now 21.

And here we are 37 years further on with this latest Golf, now up to Mk8. Like its predecessor, it is built on VW’s highly adaptable MQB platform that’s also used in dozens of Audis, Skodas and Seats.

It hasn’t been dramatically changed for this new Golf but the car has grown 29mm in length, 10mm in width and 4mm in height – making it harder to park.

Any styling changes are subtle. The headlamps are shallower and more contemporary, and all Golfs now have five doors.

There will be an estate along later as well as a GTI and even hotter R model.

The big changes are all inside with a brand new digital dashboard that features a 10.3in digital instrument cluster and a 8.25in or optional 10in central touchscreen for the infotainment and many of the car’s systems.

There’s a new multifunction steering wheel that’s refreshingly

Volkswagen Golf eTSI five-door hatchback Price: £26,390

Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder, 148bhp 0-60mph: 8.5sec

Fuel consumption: 49.2mpg Co2: 130g/km

logical to use. There are very few physical buttons and switches as virtually everything is controlled via the touchscreen, including heating and ventilation, and driving modes. There’s a slider that controls the audio volume but it’s a bit hit and miss. The optional voice control system should help.

There’s some evidence of cost