Volkswagen Golf Overview

Volkswagen Golf Accessories

One of the pioneers in the small hatchback segment, the Volkswagen Golf has had a bit of a roller-coaster ride throughout its life. Debuting in Europe in 1974, it came to the U.S. a year later wearing the Rabbit nameplate. Ten years later and coinciding with a redesign, VW shifted the North American version to the official "Golf" name. But even that did not last. In 2006, after selling three generations of the Golf to American buyers, Volkswagen changed its mind again and renamed its economy car the Rabbit for the U.S. market.

Early Volkswagen Golf models were popular thanks to their solid, precise feel on the road and high-quality construction. Available as either a two-door or four-door hatchback, the Golf offered a lot of space for people and their things thanks to its boxy but efficient body style. There have also been several Golf variants. Beyond the basic but well-trimmed economy hatchback, VW offered both a convertible ("Cabriolet" and later "Cabrio") and a feisty, sport-tuned hatch that wore the GTI badge proudly.

Most Golfs produced through the '80s and '90s were powered by four-cylinder engines of either 1.8 or 2.0-liters displacement, though some diesel and V6 engines saw duty as well. Although respectable in terms of handling and performance, these Golfs couldn't hold a candle to less exciting, but more reliable and durable rivals from Japan when it came to long-term, trouble-free ownership.

Volkswagen Golf Overview

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