Volkswagen has chosen this week’s New York Auto Show to introduce its facelifted 2018 Golf family to US buyers following a European premiere last year.



The updated versions of the regular hatch and Sportwagen, the sporty GTI and R, and the high-riding Alltrack will go on sale in the States this fall. If you noted the absence of the battery-powered e-Golf, that’s because it was shown in Detroit earlier this year and is being marketed as a 2017 model.

Most changes for the 2018 Golf lineup are common, starting with some very subtle styling revisions. On the outside, VW gave their compact car full-LED taillights and Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), with available full-LED headlights replacing the optional Bi-Xenon headlamps. Tweaked bumper designs together with new wheels and colors complete the exterior updates.

Inside, there are new trim panels and materials in the dashboard, door panels and lower console, but more importantly, new infotainment systems with a larger standard 6.5-inch touchscreen as standard on base models, and 8-inch on SE and SEL trims.

Other key changes involve the driver assistance systems with Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist) now available on most SE trims and above, along with Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert.

The 2018 Golf hatch, Sportwagen and Alltrack come with a 170hp 1.8-liter TSI, while the GTI that is now offered only as a five-door, gets a small boost to 220hp from a 2.0L TSI engine. VW chose to retain the previous Golf R’s 292hp and 280 lb-ft 2.0L TSI instead of using the facelifted European model’s improved 306hp (310PS) 2.0L TSI, but it does get a new and exclusive to this model, seven-speed DSG dual clutch automatic in addition to the 6-speed manual.

* Post has been updated with live images from the New York Auto Show

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