New 2019 Volkswagen Golf caught testing

Pictures of a virtually undisguised, next-generation Volkswagen Golf have surfaced almost completely undisguised ahead of its unveiling in the middle of 2019.

The leaked images, posted by Instagram user

Predictably, our first look at the 2019 Volkswagen Golf previews a car with typically evolutionary styling.

Instead of scaring conservative customers away with striking or radical lines, the next VW hatch shares the same design language introduced by the most recent Polo and Touareg SUV with proportions that are unmistakably a Golf.

Set to go on sale in Europe in the fourth quarter of this year, the German Toyota Corolla-rival is primed to raise the bar with its fuel-saving tech, levels of connectivity and autonomous driving aids.

The big news is when the Golf arrives in 2019 it will only be available as a conventional five-door hatchback -- both the three-door and wagon will be dropped to boost profit margins.

Sticking with its current MQB architecture, VW will upsize the Golf, with the small best-selling hatch likely to be wider and fractionally longer.

This, along with an elongated wheelbase, will ensure it will offer much more passenger and luggage space.

Despite having bigger dimensions, greater user of lightweight steel and even composites in its construction, engineers will shave at least 50kg off the kerb weight compared with the out-going model.

The Golf will also be quicker and easier to build, boosting the money Volkswagen makes on each car even further.

Despite all the cost-cutting, the VW perception of quality will increase to such an extent it will tread on the toes of small Audis, BMWs and Mercedes.

Inside, fit and finish will be alien to its mainstream class while conventional buttons and switches will have been binned for a cleaner, simpler layout out that has a design dominated by a centrally-mounted infotainment screen.

Featuring the car-maker's next-generation operating system, we expect gesture and natural speak voice commands to be introduced to help operate minor functions like selecting new navigation destination or raising- or lowering the temperature.

Shortly after its launch, the small Volkswagen will also offer its driver Level 3 semi-autonomous cruise control that currently is only available on the flagship Audi A8; enabling the Golf to accelerate, brake, steer and change lanes without a driver's input.

The advanced tech continues under the bonnet, although for the eighth iteration of the Golf there will not be a pure-electric version, for fear it will tread on the toes of the forthcoming battery-powered Volkswagen I.D. Neo hatch.

Instead, from launch there will be electrified powertrains with a line-up including both 12V and 48V mild-hybrid petrol technology.

The same emission-cutting technology will also ensure both the next-gen Golf GTI and performance flagship R models will produce more power than ever before without jeopardising the fleet average CO2s that are so important in Europe.

Despite the on-going backlash against the fuel, in some markets it's expected Volkswagen will continue to offer diesel-powered Golfs.

It’s not yet been confirmed when exactly the Mk8 Golf will be unveiled, but it’s likely that Volkswagen’s vital new hatchback will make its global debut at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show in early September.