2019 Volkswagen Golf is no plain-Jane hatchback

With a starting price of just $21,845, the 2019 Volkswagen Golf offers a ton of fun and value for the money.

Powered by a tiny 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, the Golf puts out 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.

My tester is graced with the six-speed manual transmission, rather than the optional eight-speed automatic.

After a week of pretty aggressive driving, the Golf returned 35.4 miles per gallon, well above the 32 mpg combined estimate of the EPA.

The XDS cross differential system brakes the inside wheel when necessary to reduce understeer, resulting in a fun, tossable little car.

Driver assistance features are upgraded for 2019 and the base S trim now has forward collision warning, emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot-monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert all standard.

The SE has an available package with adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and high-beam control. 

With its upright hatch design, the Golf has 53 cubic feet of cargo space, easily besting the competition.

Volkswagen's MIB II infotainment system is housed on an optional 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. 

Keep scrolling for more photos of the 2019 Volkswagen Golf.