Golf I: 1974 – 1983
VW sold almost 7m examples of the original Golf between 1974 and 1983 as it successfully succeeded the iconic Beetle
VW debuted the first model of the Golf in March 1974 as a replacement for its beloved Beetle.
The car featured a completely new vehicle model that included a front-mounted, water-cooled engine and sharp, boxier lines.
One of its standout design features was its upright, solid C-pillar – a styling cue that’s been used on ever Golf model since.
When it rolled off the Wolfsburg production line in March ’74, the advertising slogan used was: ‘The new popular sport: Golf’. And customers lapped it up, with VW shifting 6.99million units in nine years.
Golf II: 1983 – 1991
The Mk2 Golf proved hugely popular between 1983 and 1991 amassing some 6.3m global sales
The Golf II was bigger and more aerodynamic than its predecessor but retained much of the same design language in order to keep the nameplate’s DNA.
Styling tweaks included a reshaped rear with the brake light cluster moved higher up.
But the real changes were the technological innovations, which included anti-lock brakes, power steering and all-wheel drive.
A total of 6.3million second-generation units were sold by the time production ended in the summer of 1991.
Golf III: 1991 – 1997
When the Mk3 Golf arrived in 1991 it looked very different and featured a more aerodynamic shape. Almost 5m were sold globally by 1997
When the third-generation Golf emerged in 1991 it had a markedly different look.
It was the first with a ‘wedge’ shape designed to improve its aerodynamic efficiency, while engineers extended its footprint by making the track wider and lowering the car to give it more presence.
‘As we moved from the first to the second Golf, we made the car bigger, installed more powerful engines and gave it better handling. In the third generation, design now plays a greater role. We found a look that is typical of the Golf, which radiates safety and quality,’ said Herbert Schäfer, VW’s chief designer at the time.
Volkswagen also ushered in a new era of safety with the Golf III and from 1992 sold it with front airbags – later followed in 1996 with the introduction of side airbags.
Almost 5million examples of the Mk3 were sold before it was replaced.
Golf IV: 1997 – 2003
A more prominent C-pillar was the standout feature of the Mk4 Golf. It also debuted a host of new tech to make it more appealing to family car buyers. It sold almost 5m examples
The fourth iteration of the Golf emerged in 1997 and again there was a drastic redesign of the hatchback.
The roof was extended and the rear had a steeper, box-like shape. The traditional C-pillar was also extended to give it more prominence in the overall design.
Not only did it look different, VW wanted the Mk4 to feel more premium than ever before – and it certainly generated plenty of badge appeal, with 4.99million sol worldwide in total.
It also had a number of new safety innovations, including debuting Electronic Stability Control (ESC) from 1998.
The Mk4 also brought to market VW’s own-designed DSG double-clutch gearbox, which remains one of the best automatic transmissions today.
It was also the generation of Golf that saw it overtake the legendary Beetle in terms of total units. On 25 June 2002, the Golf number 21,517,415 rolled off the assembly line and made it the most-built Volkswagen of all time.
Golf V: 2003–2008
The Mk5 Golf retailed the car’s DNA and sold a whopping 3.4million examples around the world
In 2003, the Golf hit a new milestone of becoming the best-selling car from Germany for almost three decades.
It earns the nameplate the title ‘das Auto’ just as the fifth generation car emerges in showrooms.
It continues the Golf DNA, combining the characteristic C-pillar, powerful rear shape, a sporty front end and all-round muscular silhouette.
In terms of technical innovations, it had plenty: a laser-welded body, rear side airbags, four-link rear suspension, new seven-speed DSG, bi-xenon headlamps, rain sensor and panoramic sunroof.
The Mk5 was also the first Golf to diversify into the MPV segment with the higher-bodied Golf Plus in 2006 and in total Volkswagen sold a whopping 3.4million examples across all derivatives to customers around the world.
Golf VI: 2008 – 2012
The Mk6 Golf wasn’t on sale long but still generated a staggering 2.85m sales in 4 years between 2008 and 2012
A sleeker design was introduced for the Golf VI that arrived in 2008 as Volkswagen aimed to up the hatchback’s premium appeal and safety tech.
It aced Euro NCAP crash tests with a five-star rating, with this generation of Golf debuting the knee airbag to provide additional protection to drivers during collisions.
The Mk6 also introduced us to a number of high-tech assistance systems that were never before seen in a family hatch.
Automatic main beam control Light Assist was first used in the fifth-gen model as well as ParkAssist, Hill start assistant, electronic damper control suspension, fuel-saving start-stop system and LEDs used as part of a tail light cluster.
Its luxury, sharp looks and bags of equipment earned the Mk6 ‘World Car of the Year status and VW sold 2.85million units in just four years before the Mk7 arrived.
Golf VII: 2012 – 2019
The Mk7 Golf was the first to debut an electric – e-Golf – variant as well as a hybrid option. Almost 6m were sold worldwide
While the Mk7 Golf looked to continue the same aesthetics as the Mk6, it was very different under the skin.
Launched in 2012, it was the first Volkswagen to use the brand’s revolutionary and lightweight modular transverse kit (MQB) platform, which saved around 100kg off its weight. This in turn improved fuel economy by up to 23 per cent on certain engine variants.
This completely changed the look, feel and practicality of the Golf, shifting the front wheels further forwards to reduce the overhangs at each corner of the car and extend the bonnet for a more premium look. It also dramatically improved interior space.
Volkswagen’s then chief designer Klaus Bischoff said: ‘The vehicle cab moves visually to the rear, giving a so-called “cab-backward impression”.
That’s what we call the proportions of luxury class vehicles where the bonnet is long, and the cab is very far back. That’s why the Golf VII has proportions that are otherwise only found in higher segments.’
The Mk7 also debuted a digital instrument cluster and brought even more assistance systems in the luxury class to the compact class.
An electric e-Golf and hybrid GTE variant was added to the range and widened its appeal. It saw VW shift almost 6million units in total.
Golf VIII: 2019 – present
The Mk8 Golf will be the last with a combustion engine before VW shifts to electric vehicle production before the end of the decade
The current Golf arrived in 2019 and Volkswagen has crammed it with a host of technology.
The popular family hatchback features a semi-autonomous mode that allows the car to drive itself at speeds up to 130mph (though not legally in the UK), a communication system that talks to other vehicles and a function to call ahead to reserve a table at your favourite restaurants.
It was the first model in its segment to feature a ‘completely digital cockpit’ with the driver’s display and instrument cluster bundled into a new 10.25-inch screen.
It has undergone its mid-life facelift in 2024. The last combustion-engine Golf on sale, it should remain in showrooms until the latter years of the decade.
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