Volkswagen is one of those car brands that most UK buyers understand without needing much explanation. It has been part of the market for decades, and names like Golf, Polo and Passat have become familiar reference points for ordinary family cars. Not exciting in a shouty way, but solid, sensible and easy to recognise.

The current Volkswagen range is still broad. The Polo and Golf cover the traditional small car and hatchback roles, while the T-Cross, Taigo, T-Roc, Tiguan, Tayron and Touareg give the brand several different SUV choices. The Passat remains as an estate, and the ID. range covers electric models including the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, ID.7 and ID. Buzz. Volkswagen has also started showing the next stage of its electric line-up, including the ID. Polo.

For UK buyers, Volkswagen’s appeal is usually about familiarity and all-round usefulness. The cars tend to sit slightly above the cheapest mainstream brands without fully moving into premium-brand territory. A Golf, Tiguan or ID.4 is rarely bought because it is the cheapest option. It is more often chosen because it feels like a safe, familiar choice that should be easy to live with.

Volkswagen’s challenge is that the middle of the market is under pressure from every direction. Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Skoda and Peugeot are all strong mainstream rivals, while MG, BYD and other Chinese brands are pushing hard on price, equipment and electric-car value. Volkswagen still has a strong badge and a wide range, but buyers now have more credible alternatives than they did a few years ago.

This page brings together all of our Volkswagen coverage in one place, including Expert Ratings, reviews, news and feature articles, so you can compare the range and see how each model stacks up for everyday ownership.