Volkswagen Golf GTE interior, dashboard & comfort

The eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf took one of its biggest steps forward over the old car in the cabin; there's no mistaking it for any Golf that came before. It's not just about looks, however – the latest Golf remains one of the better-packaged and well-appointed cars in its class.

Material quality in some places is a bit below what you might expect from Volkswagen, but everything is very well put-together. GTE specification includes some bespoke trim elements that set it apart from other models in the range – black chrome trim, a heated three-spoke sports steering wheel and unique Jacra Blue cloth upholstery, along with an aluminium gear selector.

Volkswagen Golf GTE dashboard

The GTE's dashboard is a modern affair based around a pair of large infotainment screens, with one taking the place of traditional analogue dials. Overall design is slick, but with plenty of thought paid to practicality; a large storage tray sits ahead of the gear selector and there's another next to it for keeping smaller items. 

One of the biggest sticking points is a lack of physical heater controls – the touch-sensitive replacements that sit under the main infotainment screen can be a bit fiddly to use on the move. We'd prefer more traditional physical controls, but this is ultimately a small complaint on what's an otherwise well designed dashboard.

Equipment, options & accessories

The GTE comes comprehensively equipped, with highlights including its own design of 17-inch alloys, automatic LED headlights, three-zone climate control, keyless entry with stop-go functionality, heated and foldable door mirrors and a huge array of active safety and driver assistance systems. Ambient interior lighting also features, as does an illuminated grille. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.

Leather upholstery is an option that also brings heated and cooled front seats and electric driver's seat adjustment. You can also specify an uprated navigation system with internet connectivity and gesture control, curtain airbags and a 'digital key' – a system that lets you use your phone instead of a traditional fob.

Infotainment, apps & sat nav

Put simply, we're not the biggest fans of the Golf's infotainment system. The 10-inch measurement of the driver's display is slightly misleading, as we find it a little too small to be read easily. The main screen measures in at 10 inches, but the software can lag from time to time and it's easy to get lost in sub-menus.

Those who are more technologically in-tune will have less of an issue with this, but generally the Golf's system lacks the simplicity of some rivals'. The issues above are compounded by the aforementioned touch-sensitive controls – these sit just below the central screen and so are prone to being operated by accident.