Volkswagen Golf. World-famous
Volkswagen Golf is a С-class car, produced since 1974 by the German Volkswagen group. Volkswagen Golf is the pioneer of the car class of the same name, the most successful Volkswagen’s car, European bestseller, and one of the three world’s sales leaders, considered the World Car of the Year. Golf is named after the Gulfstream. Eight generations of this car have been offered in the market! The last generation, produced since 2019, is available in the hatchback bodywork in Israel.
First generation
The first-generation Volkswagen Golf was produced from 1974 to 1983. Designed by the famous Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro, the first Golf really stole the show. In the US and Canada, it was offered as Volkswagen Rabbit, and in Latin American they were selling it as Volkswagen Caribe. The Golf I was not only produced as the standard hatchback, but also as the Golf Cabriolet convertible. The GTI version of the first-generation Golf, appeared in 1976 and won the title of one of the best cars of the '80s from the Sports Car International magazine. About 5,625,000 first-generation Volkswagen Golf cars were produced in Germany!
Second generation
The second-generation Volkswagen Golf was produced between 1983 and 1991 on another platform. Most of the systems and the interior received many updates and improvements. Golf II was produced not only at German factories but also in Spain, France, UK, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, and USA. Ever the SUV version - Golf Country - appeared.
Third generation
The third-generation Volkswagen Golf was in production between 1991 and 1999. It changed the platform again and offered many bodywork options: 3- and 5-door hatchback, estate, convertible. VW Golf III won the title of the Car of 1992. 4,805,900 cars were produced.
Fourth generation
The fourth-generation Volkswagen Golf was produced from 1997 to 2006. While keeping the same Golf family proportions, Golf IV became 131 mm longer, 30 mm wider, and 39 mm longer in the wheelbase. The small-size Volkswagen cars first received galvanized body. The sedan, created in 1998 on the basis of the fourth-generation Golf, is called Bora in the EU and Jetta IV in the US. In the same year, 4WD Volkswagen Golf called 4Motion appeared.
Volkswagen Golf is the pioneer of the car class of the same name, the most successful Volkswagen’s car, European bestseller, and one of the three world’s sales leaders, considered the World Car of the Year.
Fifth generation
The fifth-generation Volkswagen Golf was in production from 2003 to 2009. It was offered as a hatchback, estate, and sedan. The latest one was called Jetta. The Volkswagen Golf Plus single-volume hatchback appeared with a different design as well. The bodywork of the Golf 5 was assembled using laser welding to increase its rigidity. And the safety was at a high level, because the interior had up to 8 airbags. The fifth generation has crossed the line of 20 million produced cars of the family Golf!
Sixth generation
The sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf was produced from 2008 to 2016. The car of the previous generation was greatly upgraded and redesigned by Walter Maria de Silva. But there was a Golf R with a 2-L engine of 270 hp and 4WD. The sixth generation was not very successful because of problems with the TSI engines. They were high-tech but a little unrefined. Also there was another technology-related hindrance - the new DSG gearbox caused a lot of problems to owners. That is why the next, seventh, generation of Golf appeared very soon.
Seventh generation
The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf was produced from 2012 to 2017 and received numerous novelties. Built on the modern cross-platform, which made it possible to reduce the production cost, Golf 7 became smaller and lighter by about 100 kg. This improved the drag coefficient and thus decreased the fuel consumption and СО2 emissions. Besides gasoline and diesel engines, in 2014 the company offered the all-electric Volkswagen Golf.
Eighth generation
The eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf has been produced since 2019 until now. The FWD 5-door 2019/2020 hatchback was offered in 2020 in Israel. The modern Golf has many innovations and upgrades: LED array headlights, improved head display, Alexa integration, and a mobile NFC key ESIM-compatible with Samsung smartphones.
The interior of the eighth-generation Golf has changed a lot: new all-digital display, touchscreen, Travel Assist semi-independent driving system borrowed from Passat, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping aid, steering wheel with sensors that detect driver’s touch. Golf 2020 is the Volkswagen’s first car meeting Car2X standard, capable of information exchange with other cars and traffic infrastructure in the range of 800 m.
