God! More talked about than a Malema press conference, this thing. But I am glad that it’s finally arrived and available in SA.

Granted they haven’t done much with the look of it. But as I always say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”! If you must know, the proportions of the new Golf have actually completely changed. The front wheels have moved 43 millimetres further forward and the front overhang is therefore shorter, while the bonnet looks longer. More confident and “up for it” than ever before, but no one is going to mistake it for a Hyundai.

Aside from sticking with what works, changing anything radical on a South African icon that’s more important to us than whining about potholes and braaing on a Sunday, and VW could have had a real threat of riots on their hands.

In the engine bay, there are a few new surprises. These include new petrol and diesel models including a 1.2 TSI with 77 kW at the entry end and a 1.4 TSI with 103 kW and 2.0 TDI with 110 kW replacing the 1.4 TSI with 118 kW and 2.0 TDI with 103 kW respectively.

Latch those engines onto a 100kg weight saving and the consumption numbers impress considerably. The combined fuel consumption of the 1.4 TSI engine is: 5.3 l/100 km whilst the 2.0 TDI has a combined fuel consumption of 4.5 l/100km.

Remember too that you’re buying a VW, and that means not only will you be driving this car 10 years from now, you’ll also have no idea what the inside of a workshop rent-a-car looks like. And neither will your grandkids.

Now let’s take in the glory of the new Golf 7!