For obvious reasons, car dealers populate their showrooms with the top spec derivatives in any given new car range. It's these models that show the vehicle in the best light as even the most ill-conceived, slapdash product can be rendered presentable once it's fully leathered, perched on some expensive alloys and endowed with the choicest gadgetry that the options list has to offer. For a more accurate reflection of a car's true qualities, the entry-level models that most people actually buy are far more enlightening. Here, all the chaff is stripped away, allowing the product's real essence to shine through. In the case of Volkswagen's Golf, a look at the base 80PS 1.4-litre models should tell us plenty.

Prior to the launch of the Golf MKV, the whispers had it that the car's use of an advanced multi-link suspension set-up along with other improvements would have an inflationary effect on prices that might deter buyers but these rumours proved to be largely unfounded. The Golf opens at £12,245 (or £12,745 if you want a five-door version), which compares favourably with the likes of Renault's Megane, Ford's Focus and Vauxhall's Astra, once you factor in the premium that's traditionally charged for that 'VW' badge. It's now an 80PS 1.4-litre engine propping up the range, but if you can muster an extra few notes, there's the option of upgrading to 90PS 1.4-litre or 115PS 1.6-litre powerplants which benefit from the Volkswagen group's Fuel Stratified Injection technology (FSI). Go for the entry-level 1.4-litre engine and you'll find yourself excluded from the upper echelons of the Golf's trim level hierarchy as it's offered solely in conjunction with entry-level S specification.

Since the days of the original MK1, every incarnation of the Golf has been progressively larger and more substantial than the last. The MKV is a bigger and heavier car than the MKIV but the basic 1.4-litre powerplant still does an acceptable job of propelling it around. The engine's best feature is a combined fuel consumption figure of just over 40mpg, an impressive showing given the engine's size and the car's generous mass. Less noteworthy are a 0-62mph time of 14.7 seconds and a 101mph top speed, figures which should prepare buyers for some less then blistering performance. In its defence, this is the entry-level engine in the range so expecting hot hatch acceleration is more than a little churlish.

"The S trim level is the Golf laid bare - or at least as bare as the sector's most opulently constructed product gets"

The S trim level is the Golf laid bare - or at least as bare as the sector's most opulently constructed product gets. Climatic air-conditioning, a six-speaker CD player and ABS brakes with hydraulic assistance are all standard and those are arguably the three specification features that UK motorists value above all others. There's ESP stability control too, even though the 1.4-litre engines probably lack the grunt needed to upset the Golf's supremely balanced chassis. Twin front airbags, curtain airbags, active head restraints, electric mirrors, electric front windows and power steering also feature.

Sit in a Golf S and it really doesn't feel all that Spartan. Some of the plastics used don't appear particularly sturdy and the steel wheels are a blot on the exterior landscape but most of the basic equipment that makes a car pleasant to use day-in day-out is included. Look at what the higher Match and GT Sport trim levels add and it's largely frivolous styling-orientated stuff or dubious convenience features that most people could function quite happily without. There's no denying that higher spec Golfs look better than the S but for £12,000, it seems a very complete car indeed. The nagging concern that you could be missing out on something which accompanies many entry-level hatchbacks has been successfully banished by Volkswagen.

The Golf's chassis produces a fine balance between comfort and lithe handling. The car isn't as sparky as a Ford Focus but even with a 1.4-litre engine supplying the motive force, drivers should get something out of a stint behind the wheel. On longer journeys, it's composed and relaxing, smoothing the bumps and eating up the miles. Interior space is also good with ample accommodation for two six-foot people in the front and one of the most voluminous rears in the class. The controls and instrumentation in the cab are laid out in typically simple Volkswagen fashion and the gearstick has a tight, short throw action - even if the top of the shifter does feel a tad bulbous in the hand.

Even the basic Golf models have that mark of Volkswagen quality about them. The higher trim levels jazz the package up a bit more but a 1.4-litre S derivative still displays most of the attributes that make the MKV Golf the car that it is. There's no getting round the fact that you do pay a premium for a Volkswagen but the Golf's standard equipment quota and the quality of the chassis makes scraping around for those few extra pounds look like a sensible course of action. Buyers looking for real performance will need to venture higher up the range but if you've seeking a top line family hatch on a budget, the Golf 1.4-litre models won't leave you feeling short-changed.

TOP 1 GOLF DEALS

The results below show the top GOLF deals on buyacar

	Volkswagen Golf 1.9 S TDI DPF 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £277	Saving £1,256	Price £14,919

typical 11.99% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000