Volkswagen Golf (1K/1K1). 2003–9 (prod. 3,400,000 approx. sold). 3- and 5-door saloon, 5-door estate. F/F, F/A, 1390, 1598, 1984 cm³ petrol, 1968 cm³ diesel (I4 DOHC), 1595 cm³ petrol, 1896, 1968 cm³ diesel (I4 OHC), 2480 cm³ (I5 DOHC), 3189 cm³ (V6 DOHC). Rounder, more substantial Golf, building on the strengths of its predecessor, especially in interior quality. Variant based around Jetta. Sold as Rabbit in the US, reviving its original name there. Good handling, though arguably lacking the polish of the contemporary Ford Focus Mk I, with slightly harsher ride. Excellent fuel economy from Bluemotion models. The 1·9 diesel noisy but reliable. Expensively made, leading Volkswagen to create the Golf VI, based on this model but cheaper to manufacture. Some reliability issues in the long run despite high perceived quality.

Manufacturing locations: Wolfsburg, Niedersachsen, Germany; Uitenhage, South Africa; Bruxelles, Belgium; Changchun, Jilin, China

Marque: Volkswagen | Model: Volkswagen Golf | Predecessor: Volkswagen Golf IV | Successor: Volkswagen Golf VI