Nought to 60mph in 10.5 seconds and more than 94mpg on a run. Sounds unbelievable? Well, it can be done and it’s by a proper car, not some light eco machine.

It’s a new green version of the Golf, the best-selling VW which has been a staple of the motoring world for 40 years. Golf is the European Car of the Year and it has sold 30 million.

But no Golf has performed quite as well as the new BlueMotion. It combines respectable performance with the sort of miles per gallon which sounds ambitious even for a city car. I wonder how long it will be before we see a 100mpg Golf?

Such economy is one of the reasons electric vehicles (EVs) are finding it hard going. Why pay more for a range-limited EV when you can get such a frugal ‘proper’ car for £20,000?

Golf, first unveiled in 1974 as a successor to the Beetle, is now in its seventh generation and is renowned for its build quality and understated style. It comes with performance versions, estates, steady-away mid-market models and the BlueMotion.

It’s powered by a 1.6 litre turbodiesel engine which emits 110ps and it is 15 per cent more efficient than the previous BlueMotion Golf.

The first BlueMotion Golf was in 2007 and returned 62.8mpg and emissions of 119g/km, which was groundbreaking at the time. But the new model manages 88.3mpg on a run and 94.2mpg on a country route with emissions of 85g/km, which means it has free road tax.

So, how does it manage it? The main improvement is that this model has been on a diet. It has shed 63kg in the engine, body and running gear, plus a lowered ride height (15mm less than a standard Golf) to cut resistance.

It also has low-resistance tyres which are inflated higher than general tyres to make them more efficient. It has longer gearchanges which eek out the miles and aerodynamic modifications. Special underfloor panels, air inlet screens which close and a spoiler on the rear pillar are all minor improvements which add up to more miles per gallon.

There are improvements to the engine to make it more efficient, too, such as exhaust gas recirculation and a shorter warm-up phase. The result is a car which is one of the world’s most economic family vehicles which can run for nearly 1,000 miles between fill-ups. An average user would fill up a Golf BlueMotion just ten times a year and it costs £20,335.

Yet it rides and handles like a proper family car and manages to feel sprightly and well-powered. It feels like a much bigger car and has plenty of space fore and aft plus a deep and wide boot. It handles well and the engine is efficient and smooth. There is very little to disappoint. It is equipped to the hilt with anti-lock brakes, stability programme, curtain airbags front and rear and a post collision braking system – that is a system to bring the car to a halt after a crash in case the driver is shocked, unconscious or worse. Clever stuff and important.

It’s also equipped for the modern world with Bluetooth preparation, a 5.8in touchscreen, DAB stereo, connections for MP3 and iPods, plus alloy wheels, air conditioning, powered windows, trip computer and speed-sensitive power steering.

But if BlueMotion is not your thing. You might prefer your Golfs with more grunt. So the latest Golf GTI is here. It might not be as green (139g/km) but it does offer power (60mph in 6.5 seconds) with pretty good economy (55mpg on a run). And it’s all wrapped up in a stylish, sleek and powerful body. Not as youthful as Golf GTIs of the past, the new version is more grown up.

The performance figures are enough to tell you that this is a serious performer but they don’t convey the limousine qualities. This is no bone-shaker.

It is equipped with anti-lock brakes, stability systems, differential lock for better handling and traction, plus a host of luxury features such as ‘2Zone’ air conditioning, heated door mirrors, eight-speaker CD system, parking sensors, alloy wheels and MP3 and iPod connectivity.

The new model is £26,500, £195 more than the previous version, despite improvements, and it is a group 29E for insurance – five groups lower than its predecessor.

It is a subtle car with few features to distinguish it from mainstream models but it does have a red stripe on the radiator and red calipers.

Is there a better sportscar-cum- family car? I doubt it.