Sleeker 2020 Volkswagen Golf leaked

New images of the 2020 Volkswagen Golf hatchback have been leaked online just days ahead of its reveal, showcasing the German hatch's sleeker, more streamlined look.

The pics, posted on French car site Largus.fr, give us a glimpse of a completely undisguised showroom-ready Volkswagen Golf Mk8, including its narrower front grille, slimline wraparound headlights, hidden wipers and trick new aerodynamically-optimised front bumper.

These freshly leaked pics, which follow an official teaser image in August and spy shots of the next VW Golf GTI in July (since then the plug-in hybrid GTE version has also been spotted, as you can see below), are claimed to have been snapped ahead of the 2020 Golf’s appearance in a TV series.

The images show what's thought to be a mid-spec model and include the first interior image, which shows how Volkswagen’s global best-seller will offer the most advanced cabin in its class.

Fans of manual transmissions should also rejoice, with this leaked image confirming there will be a traditional third pedal and gear lever.

The cabin is dominated by a cool digital dash that stretches from the driver’s door card all the way across to the passenger side.

As well as a full 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, it looks like the Golf will adopt the same huge 15-inch infotainment touch-screen from the Volkswagen’s flagship Touareg SUV, at least as an option.

The new touch-screen has helped the German car-maker shake up its approach to interior design, with the number of buttons and minor controls radically reduced.

That said, look closer and you'll spot to the left of the instrument cluster some shortcuts to demist the front and rear screens, as well as other climate controls.

More buttons are found on the multi-function steering wheel but overall the 2020 Golf’s minimalist cabin design looks set to lead the class for style, technology and cabin materials.

The steering wheel is leather-wrapped and there’s plentiful use of what look like high-quality soft-touch plastics that could be lifted from Audi.

Almost certain to feature class-leading new tech including permanent internet access, the Golf will provide unmatched levels of connectivity and new innovations like gesture control that are foreign to the small hatch class.

The new Golf will also feature a huge array of semi-autonomous driving aids, including the Volkswagen Group’s latest Traffic Jam Assistant.

Despite still being 10 days away from its official reveal, many of the technical details surrounding Volkswagen's most important model are already known.

Wider and fractionally longer than the current car -- but no taller -- the Mk8 Golf isn’t completely new as it’s based on a thoroughly updated version of the current car’s MQB architecture.

The revised ‘MQB Evo’ platform should be more rigid than the current underpinnings while bringing a useful 50kg weight saving – although all that mass will be added back in with the addition of mild-hybrid tech.

Speaking of which, under the bonnet the next Golf will feature electrified powertrains with both the car-maker’s new 12-volt and more sophisticated 48V mild-hybrid systems set to slash CO2 emissions while boosting acceleration.

The powertrains will be headlined by a mildly updated version of the current Golf 7’s 1.5-litre TSI ACT (Miller Cycle) four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that gets cylinder-on-demand technology, variable valve timing and lift, and both direct and indirect fuel-injection.

At least in Europe, a tiny 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine will also star, alongside an all-new 1.5-litre turbo-diesel. At the top of the diesel line-up will be the EA 288 EVO 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.

The flagship petrol model, meanwhile, will be a new Volkswagen Golf GTI that’s tipped to get the latest version of VW’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder codenamed EA888, which is expected to deliver at least 190kW.

An even more powerful R version will follow and should again be available in wagon form.

And once again both six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions will be offered, with all-wheel drive available on the most powerful models.

European sales will begin in December, following its October 24 launch at VW’s Wolfsburg HQ in Germany, but the 2020 Volkswagen Golf won’t arrive in Australia until much later next year.