| Volkswagen Golf | |
|---|---|
 Volkswagen Golf Mk8 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Volkswagen |
| Production | 1974–present |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Compact car/small family car (C) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Volkswagen Beetle (first generation only, until 1998) |
| Successor | Volkswagen ID.3 (for e-Golf) |
The Volkswagen Golf () is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – including as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada (Mk1 and Mk5), and as the Volkswagen Caribe[1] in Mexico (Mk1).
The original Golf Mk1 was a front-engined, front-wheel drive replacement for the air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive Volkswagen Beetle. Historically, the Golf is Volkswagen's best-selling model and is among the world's top three best-selling models, with more than 35 million units sold as of 2019.[2][3][4]
Initially, most Golfs were 3-door hatchbacks.[5] Other variants include a 5-door hatchback, estate (Variant, from 1993), convertible (Cabriolet and Cabrio, 1979–2002, Cabriolet, 2011–present), and a Golf-based saloon, called the Jetta, Vento (from 1992) or Bora (from 1999). The Golf covers economy to high-performance market segments.
The Golf has won awards, including the World Car of the Year in 2009, with the Mk6 and in 2013 with the Mk7. Along with the Renault Clio and the Vauxhall Astra, the Golf is one of only three cars to have won European Car of the Year twice, in 1992 and 2013.[6][7] The Golf has made the annual Car and Driver 10Best list multiple times. The Mk7 won the Motor Trend Car of the Year award in 2015, and the Mk1 GTI also won the award in 1985. The Mk4 won for the best-selling car in Europe in 2001.
- ^ "Historia del VW Golf". www.dasweltauto.com.mx (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "30 millionth VW Golf rolls off assembly line in Wolfsburg". Green Car Congress. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- ^ Gareth Kent (30 March 2007). "VW Golf build passes 25 million". carmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
- ^ "Golf turns 45 – On 29 March 1974, Volkswagen started making Europe's most successful car". Volkswagen Newsroom. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Figures for 1974-1987: 4,700,000 3-door models, 2,550,000 5-door models, according to: Oswald, Werner (2001). Deutsche Autos 1945–1990, vol.3. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. pp. 86–87. ISBN 3-613-02116-1.
- ^ "Top 5 World's Most Successful Cars Ever", Automotoportal.com
- ^ "Previous Winners" (in Spanish). Car of the Year. Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2011.