Brilliant new Golf GTI is followed by a plug-in hybrid with the same power output. The Mk2 Golf GTE has a lot to live up to. The 2014 original set the standard for front-wheel-drive, plug-in hybrid hatchbacks, using the same petrol-electric powertrain as the Audi A3 e-tron but benefiting from a longer list of equipment and being priced much more agreeably. The new model continues down the same engineering path: it's positioned as an eco alternative to the Golf GTI, with a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and an electric motor working through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. With a new 13kWh battery (up from 9kWh in the old car), it also offers an extra 7.5 miles of electric-only range. That might not sound like much, but Volkswagen says the GTE's real-world range is significantly better, due to greater efficiency in the motor and regenerative braking system.
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