Volkswagen Golf celebrates 50 years: Changes since 1974

This is the latest generation of Golf: The facelift for the eighth generation of the compact car, which has sold 37 million units since 1974, is second only to the Toyota Corolla (52 million). The next Golf will be electric only, also replacing the ID.3 that is only imported to Israel in parallel, and is expected in 2027.

Volkswagen has unveiled a facelift for the current Golf, with engine updates, systems, and cosmetics. The changes are not dramatic and quite easy compared to the major change in the Golf's 50-year production legacy. The main change is the increase in dimensions: the first-generation Golf today has dimensions similar to the new Hyundai i10, and the eighth-generation Golf is larger than the Passat sold in 1974.

In addition to the prominent increase in dimensions, there is an improvement in performance: from a 1.5-liter 70 hp engine to one with 150 hp in the same volume, from 3 to 7 gears, and from 15 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h to 8.5 seconds. We would be happy to compare fuel consumption data, but the measurement method in the 70s has completely changed from today's, so even the manufacturer's data cannot show any kind of comparison between the Golf of then on 13-inch wheels to the one today on 16-inch wheels.

Alongside the growth in dimensions, the Golf also expanded in terms of weight: from 850 kg in the past to 1.3 tons today, a result of additional equipment such as power steering, air conditioning, electric windows, additional insulating materials, and primarily safety features. In the first Golf, there were front disc brakes, whereas today there are commonly 6 airbags, body crash zones in accidents, and a variety of active safety systems. There is no quantitative data on the likelihood of surviving an accident between the two models, but the gap is enormous.

So, what has changed in terms of the powertrain? The 1.5-liter engine disappeared from the lineup according to the manufacturer's announcement, and the 1.5-liter engine now comes in two versions, with 115 and 150 hp, similar to today, in the more advanced version already launched in T-Roc, with the ability to run for a longer time on 2 cylinders instead of 4, and with a light hybrid system. The same engine comes in the new plug-in version, with a 19.7 kWh battery instead of 10.9, and an official range of 100 km, the same unit that was launched with the Skoda Superb and Kodiak. The power: 204 hp.

There is also an option for a petrol turbo with 204 hp, and a 2-liter turbo diesel engine in two power versions, 115 and 150 hp.

The Golf GTI's 2-liter turbo petrol engine received an additional 20 hp, to 265 hp, and for the first time since the model was born in 1976, it is only offered with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox with 7 gears, without an option for a manual gearbox.

Design changes are negligible: the manufacturer's emblem is now illuminated with LED lighting so that even at night they will know that you are driving a Volkswagen, there are also new bumpers and wheels.

The passenger compartment has seen more significant improvements, with a better interface: below the main screen, 10.9 or 12.9 inches now have physical control buttons, and there are also some on the steering wheel instead of touch surfaces. Less impressive in the display hall, more precise and useful in driving. There is also an updated voice control system that will soon receive ChatGPT technology for further improvement of the voice interface and integration with the internet. Additionally: the updated Golf will be parkable from the remote control in crowded parking lots, while the driver stands outside the car.

The Golf 8.5 will arrive in the country in the last quarter of the year.

Golf 1974 | Golf 2024Length (m): 3.70 | 4.28Wheelbase (m): 2.40 | 2.62Cargo space (liters): 368 | 381Weight (kg): 850 | 1,332Engine 1,500 cc (hp): 70 | 150Automatic gearbox gears: 3 | 7Maximum speed (km/h): 157 | 2240-100 km/h (automatic, seconds): 15 | 8.5Cables (m): | 200 | 2,000