“Where the game of
  Golf is concerned, male
  chauvinist fanatics
  would have you believe
  the name stands for
  ‘Gentlemen Only;
  Ladies Forbidden’.
  Thankfully, this has
  never been applied to
  VW’s traditional Golf.
  And neither will it to
  the much more accom-
  modating Golf Plus...”

VOLKSWAGEN'S GOLF PLUS IS A GOLF with — as it promises on the 'box' — just a dash more. While not supersized, it is neverthe-less a fully-fledged, multi-function midi-MPV intended to slot neatly between the standard Golf hatchback and VW's compact MPV, the Touran. However, it's closer in size and concept to the traditional Golf, with which it shares a near-identical 'footprint'. Sounds reasonable…

So what exactly do you get when you buy a Golf with a 'Plus' badge stuck to its tailgate? Principally, a more accommodating load area enhanced by split rear seats that not only fold but slide too. Spend a week pottering around in a Golf Plus doing 'practical' chores and you quickly appreciate that it's noticeably more spacious and versatile than the regular model. The 'Plus' designation also means extra inches in the height department (+95mm) and easier access. Other plusses include an extra 20mm of headroom and — courtesy of the 75mm-higher seating position — improved visibility. Back seat passengers will also appreciate the bonus in the rear — an additional 85mm of legroom.

And there's more 'plusses' when it comes to load-lugging. In the Golf Plus, the 'standard' default boot capacity is 395 litres beneath the rear parcel shelf. Fold away the rear seats and this goes up to a very capacious 1,450. Compare that to the standard Golf's 350 and 1,305 litre capacities. And, as mentioned, in the Plus you can slide the rear seat/s forward for a larger-than-normal boot of 505 litres (at the ex-pense of losing some rear legroom) while still being able to accom-modate two or three in the back seats. More versatility is provided by a front passenger seat that folds flat and the middle seat can also be folded down to form a drinks table. What more could you ask?

Although most of the exterior body panels are different compared to those clothing the standard Golf hatch, the Plus does shares the maj-ority of its components with its 'regular' cousin. Consequently — and as you would have naturally assumed — the Plus is very Golf-like to drive and you know you can take for granted a decent ride, straightforward handling and fitting refinement.

Engine-wise, you get more or less the same engine/transmission choices as are available on the standard Golf. The only one you aren't offered in the Plus is the 2.0-litre turbo from the GTI. Not a problem, because the Plus can be powered either by one of VW's punchy-yet- frugal turbodiesel units or an equally good petrol-fuelled engine.

It may have a 'one-and-a-half box' silhouette, but the Golf Plus smartly manages to avoid the boxy look of many midi-MPV rivals. Highlights of the new detailing are distinctive headlamp units with three round integ-rated lighting elements, small quarter windows ahead of the front doors and rather swish trapezoidal tail lamps (with LED technology) in the style of the those on the Phaeton luxury saloon.

A positive by-product of the increased height means larger door aper-tures, resulting in easy entry and exit. Combined with the 75mm higher set seats, this means passengers entering can just slide straight onto the seat squab and swing in their legs. Not something you'd perhaps
be aware of when taking a test drive — because it feels so natural.
But it's one of the features that makes living with the Golf Plus on a day-to-day basis so hassle free.

Once behind the wheel, the driver enjoys a commanding view of the road ahead over the high-mounted dash. A large audio module takes pride of place centre stage on the fascia, flanked by the chrome-ringed air vents. Trim materials are visibly of good quality, all switchgear is of high-quality, instruments are backlit with blue lighting, there are dam-ped grab handles, rubber liners in oddments bins to prevent rattles and there are crisp red needles on the dials plus subtle chrome and polished alloy highlights — overall the interior has a quality ambience that few, if any, of its competitors can match.

Equipment levels are generous, with four one-shot, auto up/down electric windows, a neat leather-clad, three-spoke steering wheel that adjusts for reach and height, cruise control (there are footrests either side of the driver' footwell so both feet can relax during long motor-way journeys in 'cruise' mode), speed warning buzzer alert (absolutely essential in these days of speed camera proliferation), seat height and lumbar adjustment on both front seats, heated and powered door mirrors with integrated indicators, multi-function computer, auto-dipping rear-view mirror (that can be manually switched off), radio/CD player with 8 speakers, rain-sensing wipers, speed-sensitive power-assisted steering, load-through provision, variable height boot floor, 16-inch alloy wheels, semi-automatic air conditioning, heat insulating tinted glass and front 'comfort' seats.

You need only be seated in the well finished cabin for seconds to app-reciate that a lot of thought has gone into getting it just right. The seats themselves are well shaped and supportive with decent side bolstering and are upholstered in smart velour that's pleasant to touch and sit on. The overriding first impression is one of spaciousness. There is generous room in all directions, including between the driver and front passenger. The extra 20mm of headroom means you sit notice-ably higher than in an 'ordinary' Golf, and the openness of the cabin is underscored by the fact that there are numerous places to store things.

In fact, according to the brochure, there are 43 storage spaces to store your bits and pieces — including a large coolable glovebox, front centre armrest storage bin, decent-sized pockets on each door, handy drawers under both front seats, secondary storage tray (approximately 24 x 40 inches and 3.5 inches deep) beneath the dual position boot floor as well as four optional overhead compartments in the roof lining. No, we didn't count them. But with so many places to stash things, even MotorBar's resident squirrel might have a problem recalling where all her nuts are buried!

Where some manufacturers would have tried to squeeze in the cur-rently-trendy seven-seat set-up, VW has stuck with the proven and practical five-seat configuration and combined it with a 'real world' luggage bay. Rear passengers not only enjoy masses of room in every direction but can get even more comfortable thanks to rear seatbacks that recline at four different angles and with their own dedicated air con-ditioning vents. Used as a bench, the rear seat easily accom-modates three sitting abreast. A fold-down drinks table is fitted to the back of each front backrest.

Plus, of course, the sliding 60:40 split/fold rear seats offer 6.5 inches of lateral adjustment. It is also a breeze (simply flick a latch and slide) to maximise the luggage space or passenger legroom in seconds. Go one step further and you'll find that they automatically lower as they fold down to provide a deeper, flat and virtually level bay with 1,450 litres of unobstructed load space. Four sturdy chromed lashing rings are also provided and even the underside of the rear parcel shelf has an additional use — expanding netting allows even more oddments to be carried there and the boot load netting incorporates a large zipped net bag for extra convenience. The Plus is Practical with a capital 'P'.

Six engines are available, ranging in power outputs from 79 to 138bhp. We tested the 1.9-litre turbodiesel that, as with the regular Golf, is likely to be the best selling Golf Plus model. Keen drivers will be pleased to learn that Volkswagen's sporty DSG (dual-clutch gearbox) is an option on TDI models.

Our Plus SE 'made do' with the slick standard five-speed manual 'box. Combined with the good, clean shift action, the 104bhp TDI provides adequate oomph to propel the Plus along at a decent rate of knots. With 184lb ft of torque at 1,900rpm, it's beefy enough to minimise gear changing, while still coping when all five of the Plus's seats are occup-ied. Mechanically it remains pretty refined — particularly on motorways, where 2,200rpm will see 75mph on the 160mph speedometer.

Top speed is a solid 114mph with 0-62mph acceleration taking 11.9 seconds. Thanks to CO2 emissions of 151g/km, owners will only receive a bill for £115 for the annual road tax. Fuel economy is good, too, with — according to the official figures — 39.8, 50.4 and 58.9 possible respectively for city, combined and touring conditions. Our real world test average (which took in quite a lot of stop/start city driving) was 36.3mpg.

You would no doubt expect the extra height of the Plus to generate more lean during cornering. You needn't worry — the Plus has been fettled to deliver well composed handling that puts its on-road dynam-ics cleanly ahead of those of most of its rivals. Body control is re-assuring, and the Plus's demeanour remains consistently agreeable.
Grip from the optional (with 5-spoke alloys £445) 17-inch 225/45 Dunlop SP Sport tyres is also up to the mark and when it's time to stop the all-round discs (ventilated at the front) ensure it's all done with a complete absence of drama. And — again just like the regular Golf — it loves motorways, cruising contentedly and quietly at fast speeds with rock steady stability.

The electrically-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is weighty enough to cope admirably with some spirited progress over bendy roads. Talking of pressing on, the 205/55 rubber grips well and the ride is excellent. The Golf Plus is composed over non-German quality tarmac and copes remarkably well with the often less than perfect blacktop that makes up much of Britain's roads.

Safety is well addressed with ABS with Hydraulic Brake Assist and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme) and including Electronic Differential Lock. Other safety kit fitted includes driver's and front passenger's air-bags, a comprehensive curtain airbag system for front and rear pas-sengers, front seat side impact airbags and front seat active head res-traints. Owners needing to use a rear-facing child seat in the front will be glad of the simple switch in the glovebox for deactivating the front passenger seat airbag. Other useful safety aids include automatic hazard light activation under emergency braking, automatic driving lights and the automatic coming/leaving home lighting function.

So, if you loved your regular Golf but now you're a family guy — or switched on mother — who needs more space and versatility, you'll find the Golf Plus the perfect replacement. And while you gain more space than the average hatchback usually provides, you don't lose out at all when it comes to good handling allied to sound performance. Nor do you lose out in the style stakes. Factor in clean-cut good looks, a smart interior, comfortable ride and enjoyable driving dynamics and you realise that more doesn't have to mean less.

Volkswagen Golf Plus SE 1.9 TDI | £16,877 Maximum speed: 114mph | 0-62mph: 11.9 seconds Overall test MPG: 36.3mpg | Power: 104bhp | Torque: 184lb ft CO2 151g/km