It’s a real winner, and when matched with the power delivery characteristics of the TDI mill, we find the Golf to be exceptionally poised for all types of driving, both calm and spirited.

However, the Mk5 Golf was still a great starting point ... which opens up the possibility of both 1.6 and 2.0-litre TDI-engined models. The market tops out at about £14,000, for which you ...

I had a GT TDI as a company car and I enjoyed being ... the halcyon spirit of the original GTI had long since departed. The Mk5 changed that. The Golf GTI was back with a vengeance and a spring ...