Volkswagen says the new Mk8 Golf is the most sophisticated Golf there’s ever been. And given it features an almost entirely digital cockpit, uses never-before-seen hybrid engines and boasts a raft of driver-assistance system, who are we to disagree?

But it’s also the end of an era. Volkswagen now sees its future in pure-electric ID 3, meaning that although the new Golf will be the brand’s sales powerhouse for several years to come, as a concept it exists on borrowed time (not to sound overly dramatic). Still, we’d expect this one to once again compete for class honors against not only its usual rivals from Audi, Ford, and Renault but now also BMW, whose new front-wheel-drive 1-Series has impressed.

When the Mk8 Golf arrives early next year, will it still be the family hatchback to have? We drove a pre-production model in Portugal to learn more.