The Focus 1.8 TDCi is ¯¿½15,960 but only packs 115bhp, takes 10.7 seconds to reach 60mph and is slightly slower top end. Admittedly, the Ford is a tiny bit more frugal and has a longer oil change interval but it's the Golf that will be the most impressive to drive.
VW engineers have taken past criticism about the car's dull and lifeless handling to heart and really made it a sharper hatchback all round. It feels sharp around the corners, pulls well at any legal speed and is thoroughly entertaining.
One thing the Golf has never lacked is quality and you won't find a squeaky interior panel or a loose button anywhere in the VW. It oozes quality from every angle and there are some nice touches too - like the rear badge which doubles as the boot handle and a totally user-friendly dashboard.
If you fancy an automatic then there's the new Direct Shift Gearbox, or DSG, on the options list. This is auto at it's best - so good you'll wonder why they ever offered a manual.
That's not to say the six-speeder isn't up to par - it's a positive pleasure to spin through the cogs and with 236lb ft of torque at 1,750rpm you can really cut lose.
Until Peugeot bring out the 136bhp 307 early next year and Renault spice up the practical but heavy Megane dCi, there's only the new SEAT Leon Cupra, with VW Group's own tweaked TDi PD to rival it - the Spanish flyer has 150bhp to play with...
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