Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan Revealed

Volkswagen has revealed the Golf Sportsvan Concept, the successor to the Golf Plus, which will make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) on Tuesday. Despite the concept moniker, expect a very minimal change, if at all, when the new car debuted in the European market soon. There's also rumors that it will not be called Golf Plus anymore in certain market, hence a Sportsvan name is a probability.

Like the Volkswagen Golf hatchback, Golf Sportsvan is based on the MQB platform, and incorporates all the advanced technology of that car, but in a larger, even more practical body style.  Its exterior design clearly follows the look of both the Golf, and Volkswagen’s more generic ‘DNA’.

Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan is 4,338mm long, 1,870m wide and 1,578mm tall. The wheelbase is 2,685mm. Compared to the 7th generation Volkswagen Golf, Golf Sportsvan is 83mm longer, 80mm wider and 126mm higher as well as rides on 48mm longer wheelbase. Compared to Volkswagen's old Golf Plus, it is  134mm longer but it is 224 mm shorter than the Golf Estate.

With the increased in dimension, Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan offers 498L of boot space(Golf is 380 litres), with the back seats at their rear-most position.  Moving the rear seats forwards increases the luggage capacity to 585L, while folding the rear seats liberates up to 1,512L. The front passenger seat can optionally fold fully forward, creating a load space which is up to 2,484mm long. Hence, practicality is its big forte.

Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan will be powered by a range of petrol and diesel engines mirroring those on the hatchback version, all of which conform to Euro 6 emissions standards and incorporate Stop/Start and battery regeneration systems.  There are four turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engines with 85, 110, 125 and 150PS and three turbodiesels: a 2.0-litre 150PS, a 1.6-litre 90PS and a 1.6-litre 110PS for the Sportsvan BlueMotion.  This is expected to return fuel economy of 32.4km/L and emit 95 g/km of CO₂.  All engines (but the 85 PS) can be ordered with a DSG gearbox.

Like the Golf hatchback, the Sportsvan comes not only with a stronger, safer body structure but also a raft of standard and optional passive and active safety systems.  These include an automatic post-collision braking system which automatically brakes the vehicle after a collision to reduce kinetic energy significantly and thus minimise the chance of a second impact, and a PreCrash system which, on detecting the possibility of an accident, pre-tensions seatbelts and closes the windows and sunroof, leaving just a small gap, to ensure the best possible protection from the airbags.

Other electronic aids include Adaptive Cruise Control, Front Assist and City Emergency Braking, all of which can reduce or eliminate the chance of accidents occurring.  Also available are a Driver Alert System, a camera-operated Lane Assist system and a Dynamic Light Assist system.

A first for the Golf Sportsvan is a Blind Spot Monitor, with an assistant for exiting parking spaces.  This monitors the area behind and to the sides of the vehicle, ensuring easier and safer egress when reversing from a parking bay.

Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan will be officially revealed in Frankfurt International Motorshow on Tuesday. More photos can be found after the jump.