New and Used Volkswagen Golf (VW): Prices, Photos, Reviews, Specs. The Volkswagen Golf is the automaker's compact car. It's the brand's global bestseller, and has been for 4. The Golf originally shared a platform with the Jetta four- door sedan, but it no longer does.

While the Jetta has become more specialized for American tastes, the Golf retains a more European flair. The compact- class Golf can be had in three- door, five door, and wagon variants. Adobe Flash Lite 5800 Download Firefox. Power choices are many, from an electric motor to a high- powered turbo- 4. Last year, Volkswagen admitted that its turbodiesel engines illegally polluted and pulled from sale models with that engine. Competition for the Golf comes from several sporty hatches such as the Mazda 3, Kia Forte, Hyundai Elantra GT and the all- wheel- drive Subaru Impreza.

The 2. 01. 7 Golf lineup sees the addition of the raised height, all- wheel drive Golf Alltrack based on the Sport. Wagen, plus some trim shuffling across the lineup. The electric- only e- Golf (covered separately), meanwhile, becomes the first model to incorporate the brand's new infotainment system.

Look for this major tech upgrade to make its way into the rest of the Golf lineup for 2. MORE: Read our 2.

Volkswagen Golf review. The new VW Golf. For the 2. Volkswagen launched a new seventh generation of the Golf in the U.

Research Volkswagen Golf pricing and get news, reviews, specs, photos, videos and more - everything for Volkswagen Golf owners, buyers and enthusiasts. Massive savings on main dealer prices. Protect Warranty with our VW servicing PLUS get a 1 Year parts & labour Guarantee - FREE collection & delivery. Among the most popular vehicle manufacturers, a significant number are German brands, showing that German engineering is on a par with any other nation in the world.

S., trailing the start of European sales by about a year. Golfs sold in North America are now built at a factory in Mexico, just as the Jetta has been for a decade or more. The latest Golf is lighter, more spacious inside, and sports a new range of powertrains as well as many more electronic safety features. The newest Golf is offered with a 1.

The old inline- 5 is now long gone, replaced by that efficient new 1. A new Golf R makes 2. Audi's S3; the Golf R arrived mid- way through the 2. VW offers an all- electric e- Golf in select markets here and in limited numbers, as well. The 2. 01. 5 Golf included more electronic safety systems, a wider array of standard and optional equipment, and better soundproofing and noise suppression, while retaining most of the sporty driving characteristics that peg it as German. And its lines instantly identify it as a Golf, marching to the same drumbeat as its six earlier generations.

The Golf line now also absorbs the wagon formerly known as Jetta Sport. Wagen, rechristened the Golf Sport. Wagen and based on the latest underpinnings. It went on sale here for 2. TDI diesel version as well as the new 1. T gas engine. VW expects the wagon to outsell the Golf hatchback, in part due to the longer version's ability to go up against Subaru with four driven wheels. Now that the new wagon models have come online, VW has the most fleshed- out Golf lineup it has ever sold here, including electric, and gasoline powertrains as well as three different body styles—the new wagon in addition to the three- door and five- door hatchbacks.

In 2. 01. 5, Volkswagen admitted diesel engines in this model illegally cheated federal tests and polluted beyond allowable limits. As part of unprecedented settlements with federal and state governments, Volkswagen agreed to buyback from owners diesel- equipped models of this vehicle. To determine eligibility for all affected Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi models, Volkswagen set up VWDiesel. Info. com for owners. It couples the 1. Haldex all- wheel- drive system that can send up to 5. Volkswagen Golf history.

Launched in 1. 97. Golf was sold in the U. S. The Rabbit was intended to replace the aging rear- engine Beetle, although that car lived on for several more years before leaving this market. Fast- forwarding through Golf history, the third- generation Volkswagen Golf, which ran from 1. They're known for being a little more smooth, safe, and refined than Golf models from the 1. Most of these Golfs came with a 1. The Golf GTI performance model was a genuine hot- hatch, packing VW's 2.

VR6 engine under the hood; it put out 1. Golf faster than almost any other affordable small car of the time. For 1. 99. 9, new fourth- generation Golf models began reaching U. S. This model was completely new, with a more solid, grown- up feel than its predecessor, though the powertrains carried through largely unchanged at first. The same 1. 15- hp inline- 4 felt a little overwhelmed with a full load and didn't return great fuel economy, but models with the two other engines—either the 1. T or the 9. 0- hp (or 1.

Those upgrading from other small- car models would notice that the Golf felt like a more expensive vehicle from the inside, with a firm but supple ride and a nice, fashionable interior. Despite the upscale trappings, these Golfs earned a reputation for reliability issues and especially electrical problems. In 2. 00. 6, the Golf was redesigned, with it this time getting a standard 2.

This Golf continued the model's trajectory toward solidity and safety but had improved handling over the previous model, and a new sporty GTI model stood alone in offering a 2. For 2. 00. 6, Volkswagen renamed its hatchback the Rabbit for the U. S. For 2. 00. 8, VW brought the Golf- based R3. U. S., powered by a 3. V- 6 engine backed by all- wheel drive.

Volkswagen again redesigned the Golf for 2. While certainly not a radical redesign visually, that sixth- generation model included a host of improvements, especially to the interior, overall refinement, and ride comfort—as well as improved feel from the electric power steering. Engines included a base 2. VW's small diesel accelerated nearly as quickly as the base engine but was rated at 3. Both the TDI as well as the sporty new GTI (again powered by the 2. T engine, and covered separately) used VW's excellent DSG automated manual gearbox. In 2. 01. 2, an uber- powerful Golf R model, with all- wheel drive, appealed again to serious enthusiasts.

An optional navigation system appeared on the Golf for the first time, with hard- drive music storage, USB connectivity, and an SD memory slot.