Which VW Golf trim is best to lease: Life, GTI, R-Line, eGolf, GTD or the GTE?

The VW Golf has slowly forged a reputation as a definitive leader in the hatchback world.

Seen as a 21st-century icon, the Golf is Volkswagen’s best-selling model ever and is the third highest-selling car in history.

By this point – almost 50 years after its first release – you may think VW would have run out of ideas. But that’s not the case.

The Golf is as good as it’s ever been, and you have more choice when choosing your trim level than ever before. From the entry-level Life to the hybrid GTE and power-packed GTI, there’s something for everyone.

So, which Golf trim is the best to lease? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. But to help narrow your search, we’ve explained each option below.

VW Golf Life

When thinking about entry-level trims, there are usually some serious questions to consider. Is it good enough? Why is it the cheapest available? Why shouldn’t I go for a higher trim?

However, with the Volkswagen Golf Life, all concerns are quickly dismissed.

While it might be the most basic version of the Golf, it still possesses the hatch’s iconic styling and is packed full of features.

Sat-nav and adaptive cruise control with speed limiter and front assist come as standard. As do lane assist and rear tinted windows.

There’s also LED headlights, 16-inch Norfolk alloy wheels and audio streaming to help keep your journeys both comfortable and safe.

Under the bonnet, you have the choice of three petrol engines and a diesel. The petrols come with the option of either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DSG auto. Meanwhile, in the diesel, there’s only the six-speed manual.

You can lease a VW Golf Life from Hippo Leasing from just £200 a month.

VW Golf Style

Secondly, we have the VW Golf Style – the Life’s trendier yet smarter counterpart. Coming in at a slightly higher price, the Style is worthy of the increase by its added class.

Kitted out with LED ‘Plus’ headlamps on the exterior, and upping the ante with 30 choices of ambient lighting inside as opposed to 10 in the Life, the car feels more personalised.

Boasting a 10.25-inch dash display screen with customisable menus, which includes streaming and internet, the Style lives up to its name by the many luxurious features it offers.

Performance wise, the Style comes with a quicker 1.5-litre petrol engine – compared to the 1.0-litre engine in the Life.

You can either have a 130bhp or 150hp version, and there’s a 6-speed manual or 7-Speed DSG gearbox to pick from, too.

If you want more speed, there’s also a 2.0-litre option with, again, a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG box.

The VW Golf Style is available from £263 monthly. 

VW Golf R-Line

Next up, we have the R-Line; a VW Golf with dynamic styling and sporty refinement. 

Showcasing 17-inch Valencia Grey alloy wheels, sports seats and tinted rear windows, it’s one of the best looking Golfs available – made more so thanks to its lowered sports suspension. 

Inside also features some great equipment. Sat-nav, digital cockpit, climate control and adaptive cruise control all comes as standard. As do front and rear parking sensors, rain sensitive wipers and an electronic parking brake. 

The R-Line comes with three engine choices – two 1.5-litre petrols producing 130bhp and 150bhp respectively, and a 2.0-litre diesel. 

There’s also the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or seven-speed DSG auto across the range. 

You can lease the VW Golf R-Line from just £247 a month with Hippo Leasing. 

VW Golf GTE

Next, we come to the VW Golf GTE. It’s always been a car anyone can enjoy.

Really, it’s the perfect everyday car. Not only is there a fuel-friendly 1.4-litre turbocharged engine sat under the bonnet, but it’s also supported by on-board batteries. That’s right, it’s a plug-in hybrid. 

Despite its sensible nature, it’s actually one of the quickest Golfs available – packing in 241bhp.

It’s also one of the most affordable to run, with a combined WLTP mpg of 246.1 and producing just 26g/km CO2s – which makes it great for company cars, too. 

In the GTE, much of the spec and tech is the same as the R-Line. You get 17-inch alloys, sports seats and connected sat-nav as standard. 

However, the electrified Golf also boasts features found in VW’s all-electric ID. range, such as LED Matrix headlights and dynamic signalling. 

Additionally, there’s a load of extras available, too, such as a panoramic sunroof and Digital Key – which lets you unlock your car with your phone. 

So, if you’re looking for the best VW Golf for all walks of life, the GTE is the one for you. 

The VW Golf GTE is available from £472 monthly. 

VW Golf GTI

The GTI is arguably the most iconic Golf. It’s the only trim level which has stood the test of time since the MK1, and the latest trim is, we think, the best yet.  

Lauded for its complete feel, the eighth-edition GTI has all the features you need to really impress on the roads.

Fitted with 18-inch Richmond alloy wheels, an illuminated front grille, sporty body kit and 3D-LED tinted rear light clusters, it’s a car to turn heads. 

Inside, there are comfy full leather sports seats, as well as sat-nav, climate control and a whole host of driver aids.  

At the front sits a turbocharged 2.0-litre powertrain producing 242bhp. At full pelt, it’ll reach 155mph and cover 60mph from a standing start in 6.4 seconds. 

You can lease a brand-new MK 8 Golf GTI from £469 monthly. 

VW Golf GTD

The GTD – until the Golf R and Clubsport are released in 2021 – sits as the most prestigious VW Golf available. 

Packed full of features, including 18-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, Jacara cloth and a 10.25-inch digital cockpit, the GTD is a car which impresses. 

It’s functional too, with a heated sports steering wheel for those cold winter mornings, three-zone climate control, keyless entry, many driver aids and front and rear parking sensors. 

You can also customise your GTD through Volkswagen’s long options list, including bigger alloy wheels and upgraded suspension, a head-up display and park assist – where the car parks itself. 

Engine-wise, the only option is the 2.0-litre 7-speed DSG automatic diesel. It produces 200bhp, will do 54mpg and emits just 137g/km of CO2.

You can lease a Golf GTD with Hippo Leasing for as little as £277 monthly.

Unsure whether the Golf is right for you?

If you’re still unsure whether the Golf is right for you, we can help.

Read as we put the Golf up against its smaller sibling; the VW Polo, or take a look at six alternatives to Volkswagen’s best-selling car of all time.