Volkswagen’s rivals must really hate the Golf. Here it is in its 30th year of production, and each time a new generation is required (this is the fifth) the brief is the same: “Like the last one, if you would, only a bit bigger and a bit better please.” And that’s all that’s been required to keep it Europe’s bestselling car.

Contrast this with the conceptual leap that took Ford from Escort to Focus or Renault from the last unremarkable Mégane to today’s stylish and successful model. This latest Golf appears scarcely a shuffle by comparison, yet its removal of the Mégane from its current tenure as Europe’s favourite hatch seems as certain as Michael Schumacher having been crowned world champion in the early hours of this morning.

But you can’t blame Volkswagen for knowing their customers, nor can you say it is trying to fob them off by selling them a restyled and repackaged version of the old Golf. For all its visual conservatism, this is a brand new car from end to end, bigger in every direction, with 2½ inches more rear legroom.

It goes on sale on January 30 with three petrol and two diesel engines. Both diesels are compliant with the latest emission regulations, and therefore exempt from the 3% company car tax surcharge. Power outputs range from 75bhp for a basic 1.4 litre petrol up to 140bhp for the 2 litre TDI version, but a 150bhp 2 litre petrol engine will arrive in March. Those wanting news on the GTI will be delighted to know that it will at last gain the 200bhp power output its badge deserves, but won’t appear for at least a year.

In the meantime there is as much to admire about the standard car as there is little to surprise. The aura of quality that has kept the Golf the darling of the private buyer has transferred intact. If you look hard, you’ll find areas where costs have been cut, particularly the prevalence of cheap, hard plastic in the cabin. But overall it still manages to feel a cut above the average. ()

The cabin has a clinical feel and would be almost impossible to fault were it not for the the peculiarly high driving position. Major controls are positioned as they always have been, so you may join me in lamenting the relentless predictability, but VW says that’s what its customers want and I, for one, believe it.

Much the same can be said about the driving experience. Faults, from the disappointingly unrefined 2 litre diesel engine, to the slightly soggy standard suspension, are clear, although the overall picture is one of effortless fluency. Brand new rear suspension has transformed the Golf’s hitherto lumpy ride into something notably more deft, while Sport versions can be punted across the countryside at speeds that would have drivers of older Golfs feeling sick. It’s not actively fun to drive in the same way a Ford Focus is, but it takes competence to a new level.

The one I enjoyed driving most was the 1.6 litre petrol which, with 115bhp, has as much power as the outgoing 2 litre GTI. Its on-paper performance is unremarkable — 0-62mph in 10.8sec, top speed 119mph — but with optional Sport suspension and a standard six-speed transmission it was the only one I drove that made me smile. Combined fuel consumption of 44.1mpg is pretty impressive too.

But if I were recommending one to buy, it would be the 140bhp diesel: its engine may be a little too vocal, but with its 9.3sec sprint to 62mph, a 126mph top speed and astonishing 52.3mpg overall (not to mention emissions that attract the lowest company car tax) it is a clear winner. VW has yet to release pricing information but suggests the range will span the £12,000-£20,000 bracket, so expect a five-door with this engine and SE trim to cost around £18,000.

The new Golf is utterly predictable, a little dull to drive, with staid looks. Which is just how the 600,000 people who will buy one in western Europe next year want it to be. This is not a car for people who want to make a statement, nor one for purist drivers. But if you want to go about your business with the minimum of fuss, in a classless car, there is not, nor has there ever been, anything better.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model: Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI SE
Engine type: Four-cylinder turbodiesel,1968cc
Power: 140bhp at 4000rpm
Torque: 236 lb ft at 1750rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel/CO2: 52.3mpg (combined) / 148g/km
Acceleration: 0 to 62mph: 9.3sec
Top speed: 126mph
Price: £18,000 (approx)
Verdict: A very predictable offering, and still the class leader
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