What makes the VW Golf so popular?

The UK’s love affair with the VW Golf started nearly four decades ago – and is still going strong today! Finding cheap car insurance may rarely be straightforward for Golf owners, but that hasn’t stopped generation after generation spending their hard-earned money on a car that has earned cult status ever since production started back in 1974.

Evolution not revolution is arguably the biggest contributing factor behind the Golf’s runaway success story as every new model has undergone subtle, but nevertheless significant, changes over the years. Here, we look at how the Golf has altered down the years:

The Mk1

The first-generation Golf was unleashed on the UK’s roads in 1976 and made an instant impact, offering comfort and reliability in the form of a front-wheel drive hatchback available at a price that was affordable to the masses. The GTI model certainly sent ripples through the car industry and while there seems to be some debate over whether or not it was actually the first hot hatch, what is in no doubt is that its lightweight frame made it rapid and fun to drive as a result.

The Mk2

It’s rumoured that Volkswagen spent somewhere in the region of £500million developing the Mk2. With a slightly bigger and more rounded body-shell than the Mk1, the Mk2 started rolling off the production lines from 1983 onwards and gave motorists a wider variety of options under the bonnet, including an electric version and an off-road model. Renowned for being easy on your pocket at the petrol pump, easy on the eye and not lacking in punch, the Mk2 GTI quickly became a cult classic.

The Mk3

The Mk3 holds the distinction of being the first Volkswagen to be crowned the European Car of the Year after it scooped the award in 1992, a year after its release. Volkswagen’s only other success in this category came in 2010 with the Polo, which serves to highlight just how iconic the Mk3 was during the 1990s. The safety of the car was improved with the addition of ABS, a driver’s airbag and an immobiliser.  A five-door estate was also launched for the first time, while there was also a soft-top version. Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones all lent their names to limited-edition Mk3s.

The Mk4

Slick and sophisticated, the Mk4 signalled a milestone moment in the Golf’s history. The emphasis shifted firms towards offering a more desirable interior and refined exterior rather than the Mk4’s basic predecessors and the general public lapped up the modifications as it became the best-selling car in Europe in 2001. The most notable spin-off of the Mk4 range came in the form of the sought-after GTI 25th anniversary edition.

The Mk5

Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters were renamed as ‘Golfsburg’ to commemorate the arrival of the Mk5 in 2003. Again, the GTI version, which came complete with a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, proved immensely popular, crucially with members of the media as well as Golf enthusiasts the world over. Tweaks to the chassis and suspension improved the overall driving experience.

The Mk6

The sixth – and latest – generation of the Golf was unveiled to the waiting world for the first time in 2008 and a year later was named as World Car of the Year by journalists from 25 countries. Members of the panel praised its “solid build” and “outstanding chassis” before reaching the conclusion that it’s a “relaxing long-distance companion”. The guys at Top Gear also paid it the ultimate backhanded compliment by dubbing it “boringly good”.