Used VW Golf for Sale

The 8th Generation VW Golf MK8, also known as the Golf VIII, is a compact car ideal for families and fleet vehicles. It was first launched in Wolfsburg on 24 October 2019 and made its way to South Africa toward the end of 2021 much to the delight of VW Golf fans across the country.

While the dimensions are roughly the same as the VW Golf Mk7, the 8th generation VW Golf for sale is 29 mm longer, and 10 mm narrower with a similar wheelbase. It also features more refined design elements and several technological advancements, including the following:

• Wide air intakes with a hexagonal pattern
• Standard LED headlights with the option of Matrix LED lights
• 10.25-inch digital display and dashboard
• Heads-up display
• Heated, leather steering wheel with touch controls
• Wireless charging pads
• Shift-by-wire DSG gear lever
• 18-inch “Richmond” alloy wheels
• Shifter paddles
• Park distance control

Travel assist technologies to include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian monitoring, trailer assist, and even an emergency system.

Did You Know? The shift to SUVs and crossovers means that VWSA is reducing the Golf range to only include the VW Golf GTI. The new generation Golf R is set to be launched locally in 2023 but they are only making the high-performance models available. If you want something a little less sporty, have a look at the Volkswagen T-Roc.

Power Train

Engine

• 1.0 L petrol TSI
• 1.4 L petrol TSI
• 1.5 L petrol TSI Turbo
• 2.0 L petrol TSI
• 2.0 L diesel TDI
• 1.0 L turbo I3 (mild hybrid)
• 1.4 L EA211 turbo I4 (PHEV)
• 1.5 L EA211 Evo turbo I4 (mild hybrid)
• Please Note: Not all engine types are available in South Africa.

Transmission

• 5/6-speed manual
• 6/7-speed DSG dual-clutch
• 8-speed automatic

Wheelbase

• 2,636 mm

Length

• 4,284 mm (Hatchback)
• 4,633 mm (Wagon – not available in SA)

Width

• 1,789 mm

Height

• 1,456 mm (Hatchback)
• 1,498 mm (Wagon)

Revealed to an unsuspecting public at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the MK7 VW Golf was slightly larger than its predecessor, but weighed up to 100 kgs less (depending on the engine and transmission type). It was launched in South Africa with five trim levels, these being:

• The VW Golf Trendline
• The VW Golf Comfortline TSI
• The VW Golf GTD
• The VW Golf GTI
• And the VW Golf R

Late in 2016, a facelifted Volkswagen Golf was launched, and it was dubbed the Golf MK7.5. It is this vehicle which is currently sold in South Africa!

Did You Know? The most powerful Golf in the current MK7 range is the top-of-the-line Golf R. This VW is truly R-rated thanks to its turbocharged TSI 7-speed DSG® engine which pushes out an immense 228kW of explosive power.

Power Train

Engine

• 1.0 L petrol
• 1.2 L petrol
• 1.4 L petrol
• 1.5 L petrol
• 1.6 L petrol
• 1.8 L petrol
• 2.0 L petrol
• 1.6 L diesel
• 2.0 L diesel
• Please Note: Not all engine types are available in South Africa.

Transmission

• 5/6-speed manual
• 6/8-speed automatic
• 6/7-speed DSG dual-clutch

Wheelbase

• 2,637 mm

Length

• 4,255 mm

Width

• 1,799 mm

Height

• 1,452 mm

Launched in 2008 to much fanfare, the Golf MK6 used the same build platform as the MK5 but was a decidedly different vehicle to the previous Golf generation. For starters, it was more aerodynamic than its predecessor, which improved fuel efficiency and suppressed exterior noises during driving. Thanks to some clever engineering innovations and design decisions made by Volkswagen’s chief designer Walter de Silva the MK6 was cheaper to build than the previous Golf MK5 and these cost savings were passed on to the consumer.

The Mk6 Golf was made available with both 5 and 6-speed manual transmission options as well as, a choice of 6 or 7-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) which came with a Dual Clutch.

Did You Know? Thanks to its extensive safety features the MK6 was voted the Top Pick for the 2012 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Awards in the United States.

Power Train

Engine

• 1.2 L TSI
• 1.4 L
• 1.4 L TSI
• 1.6 L TDI
• 2.0 L TDI
• 2.0 L TSI
• 2.5 L
• Please Note: Not all engine types are available in South Africa.

Transmission

• 5/6-speed manual
• 6-speed automatic
• 6/7-speed DSG

Wheelbase

• 2,578 mm

Length

• 4,199 mm
• GTI: 4,213 mm

Width

• 1,779 mm

Height

• 1,479 mm
• GTI: 1,469 mm

The Golf MK5 hit the global market in 2003, and like all previous models, it was a massive success during its 5-year sales run. This version of the Golf was assembled in South Africa as well as in Germany and Mexico, and this helped to boost its sales thanks to favourable pricing in South Africa and abroad.

In 2007 a 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine with front-wheel drive was introduced, and it is this version of the Golf MK5 which is still very much in demand more than a decade after it was discontinued.

Did You Know? In a comparison test which was a test conducted in 2006 by Car and Driver Magazine, the VW Golf (under the VW Rabbit Nameplate) was announced as the winner when it competed against 7 other vehicles in its class. It was highly praised for its “excellent driving position, fine instruments, and strong engine”. One judge even went as far as saying “This one is all about driving a pleasure, so it wins”.

Power Train

Engine

• 1.4 petrol
• 1.6 petrol
• 2.0 petrol
• 2.0 16v Turbo petrol
• 2.5 petrol
• 3.2 VR6
• 1.9 TDI
• 2.0 SDI
• 2.0 TDI
• Please Note: Not all engine types are available in South Africa.

Transmission

• 5/6-speed manual
• 6-speed
• 6/7-speed DSG

Wheelbase

• 2,578 mm

Length

• 4,204 mm
• GTI: 4,216 mm
• R32: 4,246 mm

Width

• 1,759 mm

Height

• 1,479 mm
• GTI: 1,469 mm
• R32: 1,465 mm

Introduced in 1997, the Golf MK4 went on to become one of the top-selling VW vehicles of its time. It was also one of the most finely tuned, as a number of high-performance models were introduced over its 5-year production run (although not all were sold in South Africa). These included the 3.2-litre VR6-engined four-wheel-drive Golf “R32”, the 2.8-litre VR6-engined “Golf V6 4Motion”, as well as the popular Golf 1.8T (Turbo) which offered some very exciting driving experiences.

Did You Know? This version of the Golf continued to be sold as an entry-level vehicle in Canada until 2010. It was sold under the “Golf City” name, which was derived from the naming of the original City iGolf right here in South Africa after the MK1 Golf was discontinued. You can read more about the CitiGolf and Golf MK1 below! The Mk4’s popularity and low cost also allowed it to remain in production in Brazil, Argentina and 5 other countries for a long time after the model was discontinued elsewhere. It did, however, undergo some minor cosmetic changes to ensure a more modern look.

Power Train

Engine

• 1.4L
• 1.6L
• 1.8L
• 2.0L
• 2.3L VR5
• 2.8L VR6
• 3.2L VR6
• 1.9 SDI
• 1.9 I4 TDI
• Please Note: Not all engine types are available in South Africa.

Transmission

• 4-speed automatic
• 5-speed Tiptronic
• 5/6-speed manual
• 6-speed DSG

Wheelbase

• 2,512 mm
• R32: 2,517 mm

Length

• 1999–2002 GTI/Golf: 4,148 mm
• 2003-06 GTI/Golf: 4,188 mm
• R32: 4,176 mm

Width

• 1,735 mm

Height

• 1,440 mm
• R32: 1,425 mm

Slightly larger than the previous two versions of the VW Golf, the MK3 was launched in August 1991. In 1992, shortly after it was launched, the Golf MK3 was voted the European Car of the Year, beating out the likes of the impressive Opel Astra and the popular Citroën ZX (this was not sold in South Africa).

The MK3 was sold in North America and parts of South America as an entry-level car, although it did have a few extra standard features added to it such as air conditioning and a few safety improvements.

Did You Know? The MK3 was the first version of the Golf to offer a Turbocharged Direct Injection (TD) diesel engine. It was also the first version of the Golf to have a 2.8-litre VR6 engine as a powertrain option as well. Both of these engines changed the way the VW Golf was perceived by the driving public and moved the Golf from an entry-level vehicle with a first-time vehicle owner appeal to a hot hatch with a more sporty appeal.

Power Train

Engine

• 1.4 L petrol
• 1.6 L petrol
• 1.8 L petrol
• 2.0 L petrol
• 2.8 L VR6 petrol
• 2.9 L VR6 petrol
• 1.9 L diesel
• 1.9 L TDI
• Please Note: Not all engine types are available in South Africa.

Transmission

• 4-speed automatic
• 4/5-speed manual

Wheelbase

• 1991-95: 2,471 mm
• 1996-99: 2,474 mm

Length

• 4,074 mm

Width

• 1,694 mm

Height

• 1991-95: 1,422 mm
• 1996-99: 1,428 mm

Bigger in terms of wheelbase, exterior and interior dimensions, the MK2 VW Golf still retained much of the visual identity of the Golf MK1, just with a more modern (for the time) style.

The MK2 Jetta (which was essentially the sedan version of the Golf) was also based on the same design, and both vehicles broke numerous sales records during there 7 years of sales in South Africa

Did You Know? The Mk2 VW Golf saw the introduction of the now iconic GTI with a 1.8-litre 8-valve fuel-injected engine. There was also a 16-valve GTI added to the range in 1985 and this beast of a vehicle was capable of hitting speeds of more than 220 km/h, which made them very popular in South Africa. So much so that they became something of a status symbol for speed enthusiasts in the country.

Power Train

Engine

• 1.0 L petrol
• 1.3 L petrol
• 1.6 L petrol
• 1.8L petrol
• 2.0L petrol
• 1.6 L diesel
• 1.6L turbodiesel
• Please Note: Not all engine types are available in South Africa.

Transmission

• 4/5-speed manual
• 3-speed automatic

Wheelbase

• 2,470 mm

Length

• 3,985 mm − 4,054 mm

Width

• 1,665 – 1,700 mm

Height

• 1,415 mm

The one and only VW Golf MK1 was the first generation of Golf which was designed and sold by Volkswagen to be a successor to the iconic Beetle. Originally designated as the VW Type 17 when production started in March 1974, the name was changed to Golf when sales officially began two months later in May 1974.

There were numerous MK1 Golf Derivative Models released during its 9-year production run, some of which are still regular sights on South African roads. These included:

• The very first Golf GTI Models
• The VW Caddy Pickup (Bakkie)
• The first Jetta (the sedan version of the Golf)
• The Golf Cabriolet
• And the Golf GTD

The Volkswagen CitiGolf was built and sold exclusively in South Africa between 1984 and 2009. By the end of the production run in 2009 there were 6 versions of the CitiGolf available, which were:

• CitiRox 1.4i
• CitiRox 1.6i
• CitiSport 1.4i
• CitiSport 1.6i
• TenaCiti 1.4i
• CitiStorm 1.4i

Did You Know? The name of the Golf is believed to have been derived from the German word for the Gulf Stream current which is “Golfstrom”. It is also rumoured to have been the name of a Volkswagen executive of the times favourite horse. No matter where it originated, however, the one thing that can be confirmed is that other candidate names for the original MK1 Golf included “Blizzard” and “Caribe”.

Power Train

Engine

• 1.1L petrol
• 1.3L petrol
• 1.5L petrol
• 1.6L petrol
• 1.7L petrol
• 1.8L petrol
• 1.5L diesel
• 1.7L diesel
• 1.8L diesel
• Please Note: Not all engine types are available in South Africa.

Transmission

• 4/5-speed manual
• 3-speed automatic

Wheelbase

• 2,400 mm
• Pickup: 2,625 mm

Length

• 3,705 mm – 3,815 mm
• Pickup: 4,380 mm

Width

• 1,610 mm – 1,630 mm
• Pickup: 1,640 mm

Height

• 1,395 mm – 1,490 mm