The End of an Era? Once Unrivaled, the Golf Quietly Fades from the Scene
Volkswagen Golf is losing the battle – production is down 75%, moving to Mexico.
Since the first Golf rolled off the production line in late March 1974, Volkswagen has produced more than 37 million units.
It is by far the most popular car in the company’s history, far ahead of the Beetle (21.5 million) and Polo (20 million). But it seems that the Golf’s star has begun to fade.
According to a presentation by the workers' council at the Wolfsburg factory, production of this model has sharply declined in recent years.
Reuters obtained an internal document and reports that VW produced over one million Golfs (hatchback and wagon versions) worldwide in 2015, while last year only slightly more than 300,000 units were made.
For 2025, the German manufacturer expects even fewer – just 250,000 vehicles. That’s a 75% drop in just one decade, according to B92.
The head of the workers' council, Daniela Cavallo, told Reuters that "the downward trend is irreversible and unstoppable."
Why is the Golf no longer successful? There are several reasons.
Software issues with the eighth generation initially weakened demand. VW was also criticized for the noticeable drop in interior quality compared to the excellent Golf Mk7.
The removal of physical controls, poorly positioned slider below the screen, and capacitive buttons on more expensive trims before the facelift further pushed buyers away.
But the key reason lies in today's obsession with SUV models.
The T-Roc, essentially a crossover version of the Golf, is nearly as popular as the hatchback. According to Dataforce, 216,549 Golfs were sold in Europe last year – only 13,000 more than the T-Roc.
VW plans to move the production of the combustion engine Golf from Wolfsburg to Mexico starting in 2027.
When that happens, a four-day work week may be introduced at the German plant, where the Tiguan, Tayron, and old Touran are also produced.
Ninth-Generation Golf Will Be Fully Electric
The Golf is expected to return to Wolfsburg by the end of the decade – but as a fully electric ninth-generation model. The electric T-Roc will also be produced there.
In the meantime, VW is implementing major cost-cutting measures – it plans to eliminate up to 35,000 jobs in Germany by 2030.
More than 20,000 employees have already signed agreements to leave within the next five years.
By the end of the decade, annual production in Germany will be reduced by 700,000 vehicles, much of which will result from moving Golf production to Mexico.
It’s important to note that the Golf is not only produced in Wolfsburg – VW also assembles it in Malaysia and China.
And while the electric Golf is already on the horizon, the current internal combustion engine model could remain in production until 2035, according to Kai Grünitz, VW's head of technical development.
