MkVII hatch revealed two years ahead of on-sale date, VW promises more style, technology and efficiency.

It's the storming hatchback that’s heading to the top of the family car leaderboard. This is VW’s sensational new Golf – the seventh incarnation of one of the world’s most enduring and popular models. And this latest version is set to be the best yet.

Boasting a striking fresh look, all-new lightweight platform and an even more efficient range of turbo engines, the Golf MkVII will be the most desirable compact family car you can buy. What’s more, it will spawn a wide range of variants, including a four-door coupé and soft-top convertible.

Reinventing the Golf is oneof the toughest jobs in motoring design – and, as you can see from our images, inspiration is likely to come from VW’s New Compact Coupé (NCC) concept, displayed at this year’s Detroit Motor Show.

Although the body takes on a more square shape, the headlight lenses house twin circular LED units which help to give the Golf a familiar face. The two-bar upper grille is an evolution of the MkVI’s, but at the rear, the tail-lights are again inspired by the sporty NCC, and feature an intricate LED arrangement. As ever, the overall design is chunky yet taut with simple surfaces.

Under the skin lies an all-new platform, which is currently undergoing development. This lightweight chassis, which will also underpin the next Passat, will ensure the Golf is more efficient than ever.

Power will come almost exclusively from small-capacity turbo units, such as the recently launched 103bhp 1.2 TSI found in the Polo (tested on Page 66). Expect to see petrol and diesel three-cylinder motors, too.

BlueMotion diesels will be the stars of the line-up, offering sub-100g/km CO2 emissions and fuel returns of 80mpg. Also likely is a diesel hybrid, plus an electric version (see Page 10). At the top of the range, the GTI will continue alongside a GTD hot hatch diesel and four-wheel-drive Golf R.

In addition to the five-door shown here, there will be a three-door, estate and four-door coupé – the latter taking inspiration from the Passat CC. Sun-loving buyers will be pleased that VW is planning a desperately needed, all-new soft-top version, too.

All models will benefit from a wide range of gizmos including automatic parking and traffic sign recognition. The most exciting gadget will be a sat-nav system capable of warning the driver of sharp turns, speed limits and steep hills. But as the current Golf is selling well – and was only launched last year – the new version isn’t expected in dealers until 2012 at the earliest.

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