VW Golf Mk6 (2009): first photos

This is the sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf - officially unveiled today after a string of leaks - with new looks inspired by the Scirocco and a higher-quality interior. But underneath the new Golf's mildly warmed-over looks, the platform is still from the current Mk5 car.

Are the Golf Mk6's visual nips and tucks, plus revised engines and new technology, enough to beat competition from the facelifted Ford Focus and the all-new Megane? We’ll find out when Renault and VW make their debuts at the Paris motor show in autumn 2008.
The new Golf's face looks familiar.  Has VW just taken its Scirocco design and put it on the front of the Golf?

The first thing you’ll notice is the Scirocco-inspired headlamps, as well as the Touareg-esque rear end. But the overall profile of the Golf Mk6 hasn’t really changed a great deal. There are lots of new side creases though, making you wonder how the Scirocco can stand out. VW calls the new Golf the ‘evolution of an icon’, but will the minor changes be enough to last for at least another six years?
What about inside the new VW Golf Mk6?

The cabin's refresh appears equally insignificant, with a plundering of the VW parts bin offering up a Passat CC steering wheel. What you can’t see are the new design of door and window seals, plus new damping for the engine. All these changes apparently make the Golf the quietest yet.

‘This sixth generation of Golf cars will completely redefine the quality and comfort level of its class over broad categories, offering more customer value than ever before,’ says Prof Martin Winterkorn, chairman of VW's board.

We'll be the judge of that, when CAR Online drives the car this autumn...