Volkswagen dealers now taking orders for 6th-generation Golf, with deliveries in January.

Prices for the next-generation Golf are announced today. Although the new car, the sixth to bear the Golf name over a 33-year history, won’t arrive in showrooms until January, you can place an order for one from today.

Prices run from £13,150 for the 1.4 S three-door to £20,980 for the top-spec 2.0 diesel five-door fitted with a DSG gearbox.

Engines for the new car at launch are carry-overs from the current one: a 1.4 petrol offering 80bhp, a 1.6 producing 101bhp, plus 1.4 turbocharged units giving 120 or 157bhp. There are also 2.0 diesels producing 110 or 140bhp.

Choose between S, SE or GT trim. All Golfs will have anti lock brakes, ESP (electric stabilisation programme), seven airbags, remote locking and a CD/radio.

Moving up to SE adds auto-on lights and wipers, alloy wheels, an uprated stereo that will play your iPod, and cruise control.

GT models have sports suspension, sports seats and bigger alloys.

Options offered include Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC), which alters the throttle, steering and suspension to normal, comfort or sport modes, and Park Assist, which takes over the steering to make parallel parking easier.

Volkswagen promise that this will be the most sophisticated Golf yet.

In the cabin, the company has responded to criticism that the current model isn’t classy enough by using costly soft-touch plastics and chrome and aluminium highlights.

Redesigned door and window seals and new engine mountings are there to make the new model even quieter on the move.