VW Says Auf Wiedersehen To the Golf in U.S.

Production in Puebla, Mexico, transitioning to new products, including the Taos small SUV

BY MARK MAYNARD

Volkswagen of America announced today that its subcompact Golf hatchback ended production last week for the U.S. market. The VW Golf family name will carry on in model-year 2022 with the introduction of the all-new Mk 8 Golf GTI and Golf R, arriving this fall.

Volkswagen expects that the model year 2021 Golf models built at the Puebla, Mexico plant will sustain sales through year-end.

The Golf debuted in December 1974 as the “Rabbit” in the U.S. For more than four decades, the Golf exemplified what Volkswagen does best — melding dynamic driving characteristics with purposeful packaging and unmatched quality, said Hein Schafer, senior vice president, product marketing and strategy for Volkswagen of America, Inc.

“While the seventh-generation Golf will be the last of the base hatches sold here,” he said, “the GTI and Golf R will carry its legacy forward.”

U.S. Golf Family

In the U.S., nearly 2.5 million Golf family models have been sold since 1974. The current-generation Mk 7 Golf was named North American Car of the Year when it debuted for the 2015 model year.

The new eighth-generation 2022 Golf R and Golf GTI will be built in Germany as the Puebla plant transitions to new products, including the Taos subcompact crossover, according to VW.

For 2021, the Golf is available in one well-equipped trim —TSI. It features a 147 horsepower, 1.4-liter turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder engine with a standard six-speed manual gearbox or optional eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 29 mpg city, 39 highway and 33 mpg combine or 29/36/32 mpg with the automatic.

Golf TSI pricing starts at $24,190; add $800 for the Tiptronic. Pricing includes the $995 freight charge from Puebla, Mexico.

Standard features include 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 205/55 all-season tires, smart-key locking and push-button ignition, panoramic tilt-and-slide sunroof, leatherette upholstery, and heated front seats. Driver assistance features include Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring (Front Assist), Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert.

Seven Generations of Golf in the U.S.

 

Golf I: 1975-1984

• First sold in December 1974 as the “Rabbit” with a 70-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine;
• GTI was introduced in 1983 with a 90-hp, 1.8-liter engine.

Golf II: 1985-1992

• Nameplate shift to “Golf.” Dimensions grew by nearly 7 inches in length, 3 inches in wheelbase and 2 inches in width;
• Standard engine is revised 85-hp,1.8-liter;
• GTI introduces 131-hp, 2.0-liter engine;
• Catalytic converter, anti-lock braking and power steering debut.

Golf III: 1993-1999

• Exterior design shifts to wedge shape;
• Base powertrain increased to 115-hp, 2.0-liter; GTI available with 172-hp, 2.8-liter VR6;
• Front and side airbags debut; advances in body construction result in improved crash safety;
• VR6 engine and cruise control offered for the first time.

Golf IV: 1999.5-2005

• All-new design with flatter windshield; roofline carried farther back with steeper rear window;
• Electronic stability control and side curtain airbags debut;
• 1.8T engine introduced for GTI, bringing turbocharging to this generation of GTI;
•  R32 introduced for 2004 with 240 hp, six-speed manual, and 4MOTION all-wheel drive.

Golf V: 2006-2009

• New multi-link rear suspension; rain-sensing wipers introduced; sold as “Rabbit” again;
• DSG dual-clutch automatic transmissions debuts as an option for GTI and the standard transmission for R32; Bi-Xenon headlights introduced on both models;
• Base engine is 150-hp, 2.5-liter; GTI moves to 200-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-injection engine;
• R32 reintroduced for 2008 with 250 hp.

Golf VI:  2010-2014

• “Golf” name returns;
• Refreshed styling with prominent character line from headlights to taillights;
• Base powertrain is 170-hp, 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine;
• Golf R was introduced for 2012, with the VR6 engine replaced by a 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-injection engine pushing 256 hp.

Golf VII: 2015-2021

• Now based on Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) architecture;
• Golf grows in size yet drops in weight, despite many new and upscale features;
• Facelift in MY 2018 features included revised headlight and taillight designs, redesigned bumpers, and infotainment and driver assistance updates;
• Base 170-hp, 1.8-liter TSI engine replaces 2.5-liter to gain an EPA-estimated 6 mpg highway, later replaced by the 1.4-liter TSI engine in 2019;
• GTI and Golf R powered by new versions of the 2.0-liter TSI engine, with up to 228 hp for GTI and up to 288 hp for Golf R (using premium fuel);
• Available driver-assistance technology includes Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, Park Distance Control.