The Volkswagen Golf is a compact car (C-segment) produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1974. The model earned worldwide recognition and was sold under various names: as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the US and Canada (Mk1 and Mk5 generations) and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico (Mk1).
The original Golf Mk1 was designed as a front-wheel-drive, front-engine car, replacing the legendary rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive Volkswagen Beetle. Historically, the Golf is Volkswagen's best-selling model and one of the three best-selling models in the world: by 2019, more than 35 million units had been sold.
Originally, most Golfs were produced as hatchbacks, with the three-door version more popular than the five-door. Other variants included a wagon (Variant, from 1993), a convertible (Cabriolet or Cabrio, from 1979), and a sedan based on the Golf, called the Jetta, Vento (from 1992), or Bora (from 1999). The Golf spans various market segments, from economy models to high-performance ones.
The third-generation Volkswagen Golf (Mk3/A3, Typ 1H/1E/1V) debuted in August 1991. This model grew slightly larger than its predecessor but kept the same wheelbase. Among its technical innovations was the Golf's first turbocharged direct-injection diesel engine (TDI), as well as a 2.8-liter narrow-angle VR6 engine.
The Golf earned numerous awards, including the title "World Car of the Year" in 2009 (Mk6) and 2013 (Mk7). Along with the Renault Clio and Vauxhall Astra, the Golf is one of only three models to win "European Car of the Year" twice (in 1992 and 2013). The Golf has repeatedly made Car and Driver magazine's annual 10Best list. The Mk7 won Motor Trend's "Car of the Year" award in 2015, and the Mk1 GTI won the same award in 1985. The Mk4 was named Europe's best-selling car in 2001.
In early-1990s Russia, a blue third-generation Volkswagen Golf three-door hatchback was a rarity, symbolizing a European lifestyle and a certain level of prosperity for its owner. A new imported car was, at the time, an unattainable luxury for most Russians.