VOLKSWAGEN Golf Sportsvan 2014-2017 Photos, engines & full specs

Compact minivans proved to be unworthy for carmakers unless they could split the costs with other manufacturers or other hot-selling products from their lineups.

Volkswagen needed a compact MPV for families who needed more interior space for their cars at a price not significantly higher than the one for a regular Golf. Thanks to the new bodywork, the driver sat higher, resulting in improved legroom for the rear seats.

From the outside, the car looked like someone stretched a regular Golf upwards and created a higher greenhouse. But that also impacted the headlights, which were a tad taller, but still resembled the Golf's headlights from the same generation. Since the car's name was "Sportsvan," the accent for sportiness was underlined by the look of the front bumper, which featured an A-shaped lower grille flanked by foglamps, which also served as cornering lights. From the sides, the design team added a few sculptured lines. At the back, a third window was added behind the rear doors, emphasizing the added length of the vehicle when compared with its more famous compact sibling.

Inside, the dashboard design was similar to the one found in the Golf, with an infotainment unit placed atop the center stack. The analog dials featured silver rims flanking a TFT display inside the instrument cluster. The higher roof made room for higher seating positions for all the passengers, which helped drivers have a better look at the road. There was enough room for three occupants sitting in the back on the split-folding bench.

Under the hood, the Golf Sportsvan received a wide choice of gasoline and turbodiesel engines. Yet, there was no GTI or other true sporty version.