THE big brother to the Volkswagen Golf, the Golf SV, has been given an upgrade with a more stylish design and extra kit.

In the SV, the driver and passengers sit higher than in the Golf hatch and estate, and the model features a sliding rear seat to ensure the car is more adaptable.

A longer wheelbase of 2,670mm is 50mm more than the Golf hatch and Golf estate which enables the rear bench to be moved backwards by up to 180mm giving better legroom for passengers.

The car itself is 4.351 metres long which is in between the hatch and the estate.

The Golf SV now has a new optional full-LED headlamp set up and the radar for the driver assist systems has been moved to sit behind the Volkswagen roundel.

New bumpers front and the rear sharpen the styling. At the rear, the lights are all-LED and the diffuser trim has been revised.

High tech gear includes the option of Volkswagen's Discover Navigation Pro unit along with a CD player, DAB radio and simultaneous pairing of two mobile smartphones via Bluetooth.

For the first time, the model is available with front assist and predictive pedestrian monitoring.

This is now standard on all Golf SVs and together the systems monitor the traffic ahead of the car and check for pedestrians stepping in front of the vehicle.

Both systems prime the brakes if a collision is detected, and will apply the brakes automatically if the driver doesn't respond.

Traffic Jam Assist is also available for the first time which takes the strain out of driving in stop-start traffic by using the front radar to track the movement of the car ahead and automatically accelerate and brake as required.

Additional kit includes emergency assist, which attempts to awaken the driver if they become unresponsive and, if necessary, will bring the Golf SV to a complete stop with the hazard warning lights flashing. This is available on SE, SE Nav and GT trims.

As far as power goes a total of four turbocharged petrol engines, ranging from 85bhp to 150bhp, are joined by two turbocharged diesel units, a 1.6-litre 115bhp motor and a 2.0-litre 150bhp power plant.

Five- or six-speed manual gearboxes are available, as well as a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

Prices for the Golf SV start at £20,475 for the S 1.0 five-speed manual petrol version, rising to £28,595 for the range-topping GT 2.0 seven-speed automatic diesel.