Volkswagen has unveiled the bigger and more spacious new Golf Variant, but its availability for Singapore is uncertain

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SINGAPORE

Volkswagen has pulled the wraps off the new Golf Variant station wagon, based on the eighth-generation Golf, but wagon lovers here may want to hold their horses for now as the car’s availability for Singapore is up in the air.

Given Singaporeans’ general lack of enthusiasm for wagons, Volkswagen Singapore says it will assess the demand for such a vehicle first before deciding to bring the new Golf Variant in. If it were to pull the trigger though, our best guesstimate is an arrival date of end 2021 at the earliest.

The biggest highlight of the new Variant is its increased space, with the new version boasting a 66mm improvement in overall length and wheelbase over its predecessor. The result is more interior room for rear passengers, as well as a larger boot capacity of 611 litres (versus 605 litres for the outgoing model) for greater practicality.

Otherwise, the Golf Variant will likely mirror the Golf hatchback in terms of features and drivetrains. That means it should have the Travel Assist driver assistance package that consists of adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, as well as the Digital Cockpit featuring dual all-digital screens for the infotainment system and instrument panel.

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Drivetrain options mimic the Golf hatch as well, which means a swath of 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engines with outputs ranging from 90 to 150hp, as well as Volkswagen’s eTSI mild hybrid systems for engines producing more than 110hp. Plug-in hybrid versions are expected to follow, although they have not been officially announced by Volkswagen yet.

There is also a new Golf Alltrack version (above) available, which features a raised ride height for increased ground clearance, unique black bumpers, and Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, but is otherwise identical to the Golf Variant. Volkswagen is unlikely to bring in the Alltrack model here however as demand is not expected to be substantial.

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Wagons are thin on the ground in Singapore, with only a handful of brands offering them for sale here. But the Golf Variant occupies a unique spot in the market as it is the only one that’s based on a compact C-segment family car (the rest being larger D-segment or premium luxury models), and so provides for a relatively affordable entry point for those seeking the wagon life. The new Golf Variant’s prospects here will highly depend on consumer interest on the ground, so wagon lovers should probably make their voices heard.

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