Following the Golf, Volkswagen is now modernising the Golf Sportsvan – sold as the SV in the UK – with an extensive update.

The company says the Golf SV now boasts a more powerful design thanks to new styling refinements. Changes include the newly designed bumpers, new halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights, full-LED headlights in place of xenon headlights, and standard LED tail lights on all versions. Five new alloy wheel types (16, 17, and 18-inch) and colours such as the new Cranberry Red shade of paint round out the updates to the exterior. The interior is enhanced with new decorative trim, fabrics, and leather seats.

But Volkswagen says it is the technical innovations that define the Golf SV’s update. Particularly noteworthy is the Discover Pro radio navigation system with 9.2-inch display and gesture control which is new in the Golf SV. Conventional buttons and controls are a thing of the past with the Discover Pro; manual control is performed solely via the touchscreen and five capacitive touch buttons along the left border of the new infotainment system.

In addition, Volkswagen is offering an interface to the infotainment system for tablets (and smartphones) in the form of the Media Control app. The app can be used to conveniently control many of the functions of the infotainment system from a tablet – regardless of where the user is sitting in the vehicle. Passengers simply connect their tablet to the Discover Media or Discover Pro infotainment system using the WiFi hotspot.

Volkswagen is additionally also offering the ‘Security & Service’ package in the Golf SV. It gives the driver access to assistance in a wide range of situations. Highlights include services such as ‘Automatic accident notification’, ‘Roadside service’ and ‘Service scheduling’ (scheduling service with the service garage).

Features providing greater safety and comfort in the Golf SV include new driver assistance systems, such as Pedestrian Monitoring (part of Front Assist with City Emergency Braking System), Traffic Jam Assist (semi-automated stop-and-go driving up to 60 km/h, or about 40 mph), Emergency Assist, the latest generations of Park Assist and the proactive occupant protection system, as well as Trailer Assist (including Park Assist), which makes reversing easier when towing.

Three TSI petrol engines and two efficient TDI diesel engines complete the planned drive system line-up. Both TSI engines also come with Active Cylinder Management which deactivates two of the four cylinders in defined operating phases to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Advance sales of the updated Golf Sportsvan begin this autumn for Germany.