Volkswagen is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Golf. Series production of the bestseller started in Wolfsburg in March 1974. More than 37 million units have followed that first Golf to date. Purely in mathematical terms, this means that over 2,000 people around the world have opted to buy a new Golf every single day over the last 50 years. This makes the compact icon the most successful European car and the best-selling Volkswagen model of all time. Volkswagen is now presenting the latest stage in the Golf’s evolution with a world premiere, featuring a new infotainment system that has been developed from scratch and a next-generation plug-in hybrid drive. The best Golf of the last 50 years will arrive in dealerships in spring 2024.
Six equipment lines at the launch
Volkswagen will launch the new Golf and Golf Variant with an entry-level version (Golf), followed by trim levels Life (medium), Style (elegant top-of-the-line equipment) and R-Line (sporty top-of-the-line equipment). The product line’s two iconic sports models – the Golf GTE and the Golf GTI – are independently positioned. The Golf powertrain range will initially consist of two plug-in hybrid drives (eHybrid and GTE), two mild hybrid systems with 48 V technology (eTSI), four turbocharged petrol engines (TSI) and two turbocharged diesel engines (TDI). The elite athletes – the Golf GTI Clubsport, Golf R and Golf Variant R – are also set to follow in the second half of 2024 (R models with 4MOTION all-wheel drive). Further all-wheel-drive versions with TSI engine will also make their debut in 2025. Common to all Golf models are a newly developed infotainment system generation, new, illuminated controls for the automatic air conditioning system as well as new LED headlights and LED tail light clusters.
Exterior with a new light design
The exterior has newly designed LED headlights, new LED tail light clusters and a new front bumper as identifying features for the enhanced Golf models. The LED headlights now have straighter lines, are visually more striking and narrow significantly towards the inside. As an alternative to the standard LED headlights, performance headlights will be available in a first optional configuration level. In this case, the front will have an illuminated Volkswagen badge – a first in Europe – in addition to a horizontal LED strip in the radiator grille. The V and W as well as the circle around the letters are framed by fine light contours on the outside and inside. The illuminated Volkswagen badge gives rise to a new, unmistakably Volkswagen light design. Another lighting highlight is the second optional configuration level of the LED systems: the latest version of the IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights – also with an illuminated Volkswagen badge. The IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights are equipped with a new high-performance LED main beam that has a range of up to 500 m at night – significantly further than a conventional main beam headlight. The package of optional IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights includes the newly developed 3D LED tail light clusters, whose welcome and goodbye effects can be customised in the vehicle settings (via the infotainment system). There is a choice of three different effects.
New colours and new wheel rims
The eleven paint finishes are now supplemented by four new colours: Crystal Ice Blue Metallic, Anemone Blue Metallic, Oyster Silver Metallic and Grenadilla Black Metallic. A black-painted roof is available as a new option for the R-Line, GTE and GTI versions. More new additions: five of the up to 19-inch alloy wheels.
Interior with new infotainment systems. The hardware and software of the Golf’s infotainment systems are completely new. They are now based on the fourth-generation modular infotainment system (MIB4). Operation has been significantly improved and simplified thanks to brand-new graphics and a new menu structure for the touch display. The highly intuitive infotainment system will be available in two different 16:9 display formats: the touchscreen in the basic version Ready 2 Discover measures 26.4 cm (10.4 inches) across the diagonal, while the top-of-the-line Discover version has a display diagonal of 32.8 cm (12.9 inches). The new tablet-style MIB4 displays are designed to be visually free-standing. As part of this, the touch sliders for the temperature and volume control have been newly developed; they are now more ergonomic to use and are illuminated. A windscreen head-up display will again be optionally available for the Golf and Golf Variant.
The infotainment display in detail
The new MIB4 systems are highly intuitive to operate. The basis for this is a newly developed menu structure for the display: the screen is divided into two touch bars at the top and bottom and the imposing home screen in the middle. The driver can assign favourite direct access functions to large areas of the top bar and home screen. The big advantage: the individually configured top bar and static bottom bar remain continuously displayed when the driver opens various functions in the form of apps on the home screen. This considerably simplifies operation. In addition, the new MIB4 systems are very fast in operation. The menu structure in detail:
- The top bar. The top bar has a new direct access button on the far left that allows the driver to open the main menu with an overview of all apps with just one click. To the right of this is a stylised vehicle button for the new Car Control Centre; it offers direct access to the most important vehicle functions. The main menu and Car Control Centre are always accessible without having to close the active app. To the right of the Car Control Centre there are further direct access functions that can be assigned individually – for example, with buttons for the driving modes, parking functions, assist systems and the media library.
- The home screen in the middle. The large home screen contains the content from the most important apps on freely assignable graphic tiles of different sizes. Classic apps such as the navigation system, radio and sound settings, as well as new functions such as the visualised instructions from the IDA voice assistant, are displayed in the tiles on the home screen.
- The bottom bar. The bottom bar contains permanent direct access to the air conditioning system and seat air conditioning as well as the home button, which the driver can use to return to the central home screen at any time.
Customisable Digital Cockpit Pro
The new Golf models have advanced digital instruments on board as standard: the Digital Cockpit Pro (display diagonal: 26 cm/10.2 inches). The driver can use corresponding buttons on the new multifunction steering wheel to set up two different basic graphic configurations (information profiles): Classic with round instruments and Progressive with display tiles. The area between the round instruments or tiles can be assigned freely – for example, with the navigation system’s route guidance or displays from the assist systems. The areas inside the round instruments and tiles can be filled with various information. There are also model-specific information profiles for the Golf R-Line, the Golf GTI and the Golf GTE.
Better parking
A new feature on board the Golf and Golf Variant is Park Assist Pro. The system enables the vehicle to be driven into and out of parking spaces using a smartphone. The driver controls the parking procedure from outside the vehicle with their smartphone; the Golf steers, brakes and accelerates independently within predetermined parameters. Another new feature is the Area View system – here a 360-degree all-round view is created by merging four cameras, and the corresponding image is transferred to the infotainment system touchscreen.
Six equipment packages in the launch phase
The Golf and Golf Variant will be offered in an entry-level version (Golf) as well as the higher equipment specifications Life, Style and R-Line. They cover the wide spectrum of equipment levels and powertrain options that customers expect from a Golf. An economical four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and Active Cylinder Management (ACTplus) is used as the standard engine for all these models. The sporty Golf GTE and Golf GTI have their own separate positioning and powertrain options.
Entry-level version – Golf
The entry-level Golf model is already generously equipped, offering features such as automatic climate control (Climatronic), enhanced multifunction steering wheel, the keyless locking and starting system Keyless Access, Dynamic Road Sign Display, cruise control system, Park Assist at front and rear, the new infotainment system (basic version), wireless App-Connect (wireless integration of smartphone apps with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), mobile phone interface, Digital Cockpit and the new LED headlights and LED tail light clusters.
Medium level – Life
The next equipment level is the Golf Life. Here, additional details such as chrome package, exterior mirrors with memory function, wireless charging for smartphones, exterior surround lighting, interior three-colour background lighting, comfort seats with lumbar support at the front as well as leather multifunction steering wheel and adaptive cruise control ACC are on board. Also, standard are 16-inch alloy wheels.
Top-of-the-line versions – Style and R-Line
Future buyers of a new Golf and Golf Variant have the choice between two equivalent top-of-the-line versions with different positioning: Style and R-Line. The elegant Golf Style is characterised by 17-inch alloy wheels on the exterior, individualised bumpers in Style design with chrome strips, and performance headlights together with illuminated Volkswagen logo at the front. Inside, the equipment is enhanced by sports comfort seats with ArtVelours covers, electric 14-way adjustment for the driver’s seat and 30-colour background lighting. The standard equipment package is rounded off by a rear view camera system (Rear View). In terms of the exterior, the sporty Golf R-Line differs from the Golf Style by virtue of distinctive bumpers in the R-Line design and numerous elements in high-gloss black, including the side sill trims. These features are complemented by black 17-inch alloy wheels with diamond-cut outer surfaces. The interior and functional equipment is differentiated from the Golf Style by a leather multifunction sports steering wheel with shift function (for the versions with automatic dual clutch gearbox), driving profile selection and premium sports seats with R-Line fabric seat covers.
Compact sports cars – GTE and GTI
The Volkswagen Golf GTE has always been closely related to the Golf GTI. In the latest evolutionary versions, both models still share the GT-specific front design. This includes the large honeycomb radiator grille in the bumper, which is framed at the sides by striking air guides and by a front spoiler in the style of a motorsports splitter. Another GT element is the coloured stripe in the upper radiator grille and above the new headlights. This is traditionally red for the Golf GTI and blue for the Golf GTE. The two models differ from each other at the rear: the Golf GTI has round chrome-plated tailpipes on the left and right of the black diffuser. Usually driven electrically in everyday life, the Golf GTE is characterised by an elegant chrome strip above the diffuser instead of the tailpipes. The 17-inch Richmond alloy wheel rims are standard on both models. Inside, the VW Golf GTI and the Golf GTE impress with their premium sports seats in the legendary check pattern and a leather multifunction sports steering wheel. While elements such as the stitching, edging on the front head restraints and the centre steering wheel clip are red in the Golf GTI, blue is used in the Golf GTE (Golf GTE: steering wheel stitching in black). Other standard features in both models include a gear knob with aluminium surround, 30-colour background lighting, three-zone Climatronic system and the large Discover top-of-the-line infotainment system. The Golf GTI can also be equipped with optional interior applications in genuine carbon fibre for the first time.
