Volkswagen Golf dead in U.S., but sporty versions will survive
Entry-level model production has ended
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Production of the Volkswagen Golf for the U.S. ended last week in Mexico and won't be starting up again.
(VW)
The automaker has confirmed that the Golf will be eliminated from its American lineup as soon as supplies of the current $24,190 model are exhausted.
The Golf name will live on, however, when the high-performance GTI and R versions of the all-new globally-available eighth-generation Golf go on sale late this year as imports from Wolfsburg, Germany.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A GTI based on the eight-generation Golf is coming in late 2022. (VW)
With the elimination of the standard model Golf, VW becomes the latest automaker to shift from low-priced compact cars in favor of an SUV-heavy lineup, although sales of the Jetta sedan will continue.
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To help fill the gap left by the Golf, VW is launching the Taos subcompact SUV, which will slot into the lineup under its best-selling Tiguan.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The VW Taos is a subcompact SUV. (VW)
VW has sold around 2.5 million Golfs in the U.S. since it went on sale as the Rabbit in 1974 and eventually replaced the original Beetle as VW's entry-level model.
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The Golf name isn't a reference to the sport, but is German for the Gulf stream, in keeping with the company's convention of naming some vehicles after winds, including Passat and Scirocco.