The Volkswagen Golf GTE is a GTI with a conscience… and made for those want dip a toe into the electric world

ARE we just accepting that everything is going up in price?

Electric. Gas. Cars. Car insurance. Food. Even a Terry’s Chocolate Orange costs £2 at my local Morrisons. TWO QUID.

Does Dawn French know?

So you can imagine how much extra Volkswagen is charging for the new GTE.

It’s got more hoof, up 27hp to 272hp.

The electric range has doubled to 81 miles.

The cabin is much improved.

Volkswagen will relieve you of £40,300 for all that extra, an increase of . . . 

Wait. What’s this?

It’s £590 CHEAPER than the old GTE.

Where’s the catch?

Turns out there isn’t one.

All Golfs cost a little less than before.

My advice: Get in quick before someone at Volkswagen notices.

Now you don’t need me to tell you how good a Golf is. It’s the car you would recommend to a family member.

Solid. Dependable. Reassuring. For 50 years now. Everything expertly engineered. Everything working as one.

The GTE is a GTI with a conscience.

For those keen to dip a toe into the ­electric world – but not ready to dive in head-first.

When the battery is fully charged, the car defaults to E-mode until the battery is drained.

You have to select Hybrid mode for the electric motor and the 1.5-litre petrol engine to play together nicely.

Then press another button to preserve the battery charge level until you arrive in a Ulez zone.

It’s a lot easier than it sounds.

Charging times are quicker too.

The cabin is copy-and-paste GTI, except here the Tartan seats are trimmed in blue and not red. Ditto the famous stripe on its nose.

VW has also reverted to proper buttons on the steering wheel and illuminated the slider controls.

The bigger 12.9in touchscreen is now standard and faster-reacting than before. They listened.

So, that’s the Golf GTE. A lot more for a little less. Finance from £466 a month. Or 233 chocolate oranges.