Volkswagen
Golf
For 50 years now, the Volkswagen Golf has defined the family car sector and the current model, the eighth generation, was updated in 2024 with a better digital interior. We still wish it were not so reliant on its touchscreen, but it’s a great car all round, with a huge wealth of drivetrain choice from affordable runarounds to a 333hp R flagship that can do 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds.
the Volkswagen Golf has defined the family car sector
ID.7
As the largest model of VW electric ID range – save for the stylish ID. Buzz MPV – the ID.7 is a large fastback, or estate known as the Tourer. Two big battery packs give a range of 590-704km per charge depending on model, and there’s even a high-performance version: the GTX with 340hp. All ID.7s are very pleasant to drive, with a smooth ride and impressive rolling refinement being their strongest points.
Tayron
The Tayron name is new to the Volkswagen range, effectively replacing the Tiguan Allspace as it offers a seven-seat version. Along with fresh looks, the interior places an emphasis on digital technology, with a large touchscreen dominating the centre console. A 150hp 2.0-litre diesel should be a popular choice in the segment, but the plug-in hybrid is also appealing, thanks in part to a generous 100-plus-kilometre electric range; however, the PHEV only comes in five-seat form.
Amarok
VW’s big pickup truck – twinned with the Ford Ranger under the skin – makes for a compelling passenger car in many ways. It’s enormously comfortable inside, and long travel suspension makes mincemeat of badly surfaced Irish roads. There’s a lack of legroom in the back, and the rear seats are very upright, but that must be balanced against the enormous loadspace out the back. The V6 diesel engine seems old school, but a plug-in hybrid version is on the way.
ID. Buzz
The ID. Buzz mixes sixties styling with modern electric car technology to wonderful effect. This is the perfect car to drive if you’re feeling a bit low. Ten minutes in that high-up, bright-and-airy driving position with smooth electric power pushing you along should be enough to cheer up the moodiest blues. The Buzz is enormously roomy, but you have to upgrade to the long-wheelbase version to get seven seats. Either way, it’s an expensive car, but arguably worth it.
ID.3
The ID.3’s price has been much reduced in recent months, which adds to the appeal of what is a very sensible electric car choice. The mid-range 59kWh battery, with its 434km range, is arguably enough for anyone, but there’s no denying the appeal of the pricier bigger-battery model and its 553km range. The interior is much improved, but the infotainment screen remains necessary to use for a few too many things.
ID.4/ID.5
The VW ID.4 has been the best-selling electric car in Ireland for some time, and it’s honestly not hard to see why. The 77kWh battery model has a reliable range of 480km, and it’s an exceptionally smooth and pleasant car to drive. The GTX version isn’t sporty enough to be worth the bother, but the sleeker ID.5 is rather handsome, and benefits from marginally improved range thanks to being more slippery through the air.
Multivan
The Multivan is not cheap, but it might be the most sensible all-round car you can buy. In spite of the van in the name, it’s based on passenger car bits and pieces (effectively, it’s a tall Passat) and that’s obvious in its comfort and refinement. The plug-in hybrid model has just been updated with a longer-range battery, and inside there are comfortable seats for seven with a huge boot still behind them.
The Polo has become something of a forgotten model in our desperate rush to buy SUVs, but it remains a classy and appealing small hatchback
Polo
The Polo has become something of a forgotten model in our desperate rush to buy SUVs, but it remains a classy and appealing small hatchback, with terrific quality inside and a refined and pleasant demeanour, even when tackling bigger, faster roads. There’s good space in the cabin, but the related Škoda Fabia out-does the Polo for boot volume, and frankly for cabin style too. Even so, the Polo remains a reassuringly solid small car choice.
Taigo
The Taigo is something of an oddity. It’s basically, mechanically, the same as the T-Cross but gets an extended rear end and a slightly lower roofline, in an effort to make it an SUV-coupe. Surprisingly, it’s a more practical car than the T-Cross, with a bigger boot, and isn’t all that much more expensive, model-for-model. The T-Cross’s styling remains more appealing, however, and it’s easy to spec a Taigo up to be too pricey.
T-Cross
The T-Cross – one of the cutest small SUVs – has been updated in 2024, with lightly tweaked design elements at the front and rear and a cabin which gets improved quality and an updated infotainment system. As before, it all works rather well. You can rightly think of the T-Cross as a taller, more practical version of the Polo (they’re the same under the skin) and it’s an eager and enjoyable small SUV to drive.
Tiguan
This Tiguan has long since been the best-selling VW in Ireland, and the arrival of this third-generation model hasn’t changed that. It’s now bigger and grander than before – more of a mini-Touareg than an upscaled Golf – and the cabin, even on basic versions, verges on the luxurious. It’s an exceptionally smooth thing to drive too, with much-improved infotainment. Pick of the bunch is the long-electric-range (100km or more) plug-in hybrid, but it has become quite a pricey car.
Touareg
The Touareg’s biggest claim to fame is that it donated its chassis and running gear to much more expensive, sporty cars from the Audi Q7 all the way to the Lamborghini Urus. This means that the Touareg itself is often overlooked, which is a little unfair. Sure, it’s not as sharp to drive as a Porsche Cayenne (another recipient of the Touareg’s chassis) but the plug-in hybrid version is swift, surefooted and refined – even if it’s very thirsty on a long run.
T-Roc
The T-Roc slots between the likes of the compact T-Cross and the bigger Tiguan in the VW lineup, and the fact that the new Tiguan has grown so much means that the T-Roc now makes a little more sense and has some room to breathe. It’s a very likeable car, with 1.5 petrol and 2.0-litre diesel options, but the surprising star of the range is the eager little 116hp 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.