The new Volkswagen Golf line-up has been expanded further, with the addition of a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine.

The eighth-generation Golf opened for order in February 2020, with two 1.5-litre petrol engines and two 2.0-litre diesel units on offer, while a month later the advanced 1.5 eTSI mild-hybrid was made available. With the arrival of this frugal new powertrain option, the entry-price of the Golf is now £23,300, for the Golf Life 1.0 TSI 110 PS six-speed manual.

With the compact, three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbocharged engine installed, the Golf is able to sprint to 62 mph from standstill in 10.2 seconds, before going on to a top speed of 126 mph (where permitted). The new engine results in the Golf being capable of returning between 49.6-53.3mpg on the combined WLTP cycle, while emitting between 121-129g/km of CO₂on the WLTP cycle.

This new engine will be offered with a six-speed manual gearbox and only with Life trim. It features the efficient TSI Miller combustion process and a turbocharger with variable turbocharger geometry. The mild-hybrid version of this engine with standard dual clutch gearbox (DSG) will be available at a later date.

The Golf range now starts with the 1.0-litre TSI 110PS engine in Life trim. It is equipped as standard with 16-inch ‘Norfolk’ alloy wheels and automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors with memory feature, and keyless start.

The Golf Life also features Volkswagen’s sophisticated Innovision Cockpit, which incorporates Digital Cockpit Pro with 10-inch screen into the car’s instrument binnacle, as well as a large and clear 10-inch Discover Navigation touch-screen infotainment system. Finally, standard safety features include Car2X, Adaptive Cruise Control, a Driver Alert System, Dynamic Road Sign Display, Lane Assist and also Front Assist, with extended pedestrian protection measures.

Dale Piper, Golf Product Manager at Volkswagen UK, said: “The Golf is one of the UK’s most popular cars, both for new- and used-car customers. One of the many reasons for its success is the way it offers compelling value for money, and this entry-point to the Golf 8 range is a great example.

“Featuring the latest technology and highest levels of quality – along with class-leading efficiency – this new 1.0-litre TSI 110PS option brings the possibility of new Golf ownership to even more people.”