Volkswagen’s eighth-generation Golf is now available in GTE plug-in hybrid guise; one of a number of new variants alongside a new 1.0-litre mild hybrid and the latest GTI.

Plug-in hybrid Volkswagen Golf opens for orders

Priced from £35,960, the new Golf GTE features a 150hp 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol with a 110hp electric motor, giving a total 245hp and 400Nm. It dispatches the 0-62mph sprint in 6.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 140mph. It also offers a combined WLTP figure of 176.6mpg and 36g/km of CO2 emissions.

The GTE also gets a bespoke six-speed DSG transmission, specifically developed for plug-in hybrids.

The 13kWh battery pack has an electric-only range of 32 miles. It comes with two cables, enabling it to be charged in around five hours at 2.3kW from the mains or around three hours 40 minutes using a 3.6kW wallbox/charge point.

It’s differentiated from the standard Golf models by blue detailing and GTE badging, and also gets honeycomb-design fog lights in the front bumper and IQ.Light LED matrix headlights as standard, along with 17-inch bespoke alloys.

Equipment includes a 3Zone climate control system, electrically heated, foldable and adjustable door mirrors with puddle lights, LED rear lights with dynamic turn signals, plus keyless entry and start. Driver assistance systems include lane change assist, Travel Assist with Emergency Assist and Side Assist as standard.

The latest additions to the Golf range also include the new GTI. It returns in six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG versions, priced from £33,460 OTR and £34,960 respectively.

As with the GTE, it offers an output of 245hp and the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine also delivers 370Nm. In DSG form, it reaches 62mph from a standstill in 6.2 seconds. Both models have a top speed of 155mph.

Like the GTE, it gets a honeycomb grille, IQ.Light LED matrix headlights and bespoke 18-inch alloys. Unique GTI features include bespoke front and rear bumpers, roof spoiler and smoked LED tail lights with dynamic turn signals.

The final new version is the 110hp 1.0-litre eTSI. It’s offered exclusively on the Golf Life trim, and gets a mild hybrid system comprising a 48V lithium-ion battery and 48V belt starter generator.

It comes with official fuel economy of 54.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 118g/km, making it the most frugal petrol-only option in the Golf 8 range and the lowest-priced DSG-equipped option, at £25,190.

Equipment includes LED headlights and turn signals with automatic headlight activation, LED daytime running light and dynamic headlight range control; the Innovision Cockpit with a 10-inch screen instead of an instrument binnacle, and a 10-inch Discover Navigation touch-screen infotainment system.