We Irish just love the Golf – and no wonder. They just keep going and going, and hold their value better than nearly anything on the market. Its classic frame manages to create enough space for five inside and there’s a good size boot. Volkswagen made the cabin sturdy and comfortable, with a mix of practicality and good quality materials that goes down a treat with buyers. On the road, the Golf is definitely one, if not the best, in its class to drive. It handles well on every surface and a good range of fuel-efficient engines ensure most tastes are catered for. There's a reason it's the benchmark in the segment and the Golf's popularity speaks for itself – it is one of the best around.

•  Reports that the rear dampers tend to rattle in the Gold VII models

• Great badge appeal and excellent residuals
• Spacious and practical cabin with a large boot
• Broad range of first-class petrol and diesel engines
• Class-leading interior quality and generous equipment levels
• Scored 5 stars in the Euro NCAP crash test

•  The design is similar to older model. But nobody seems to mind