Volkswagen · 2008–2016

Volkswagen Golf Mk6

The Volkswagen Golf Mk6 (code named Typ 5K) is a compact car and the sixth generation of the Volkswagen Golf. The Volkswagen Golf Mk6 is the successor to the Volkswagen Golf Mk5 and It was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 2008 for the 2009 model year. The new model was largely based on its predecessor, the Golf Mk5, and was effectively a re-engineered facelift of the previous model. In January 2013, it was superseded by the Volkswagen Golf Mk7, which was built on the newly assembled MQB platform.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Volkswagen Golf Mk5 · Successor: Volkswagen Golf Mk7

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Overview

Volkswagen released pictures and information on 6 August 2008, prior to the official unveiling. The vehicle officially started sales in Europe in late 2008. Volkswagen claimed investments were made in production efficiency, with a claimed productivity improvement at launch of nearly 20% in comparison with the previous model, with further gains planned for the first twelve months of production. This model year was also a part of the Dieselgate scandal. Like its predecessor, the Mk6 Golf is based on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform. It is effectively a reskin of the Mk5 rather than an all-new design; it was developed with engineering improvements to shorten the previous model's assembly time to save costs. Additionally, it answered criticisms of that model's cheapened interior quality compared to that of the Mk4 and Mk3 Golf.

Models

=== Cabriolet === The Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet was presented at the 2011 Geneva International Motor Show. The four-seater has a soft top with an electro-hydraulic drive that opens the Golf's top in 9.5 seconds. The top can also be opened or closed while driving, but only under 30 km/h (19 mph). This car was the first Cabriolet model under the Golf family since 2002. The VW Golf Cabriolet's styling follows that of its hard-top three-door counterpart, but it differs somewhat with a rear section, lower profile roofline and more swept-back angle of its front windscreen frame. Bi-xenon headlights are an option. Unlike the regular Golf, the Cabriolet has LED rear lights, which are only available for the R and GTI versions of the hardtop. Safety features include the automatically deploying roll-over bar, front airbags, side head/thorax airbags, knee airbag for the driver and ESP. There are six turbocharged direct-injection engines whose power outputs range from 77 kW (105 PS; 103 hp) to 155 kW (211 PS; 208 hp). Four of the petrol engines (TSI) and one diesel (TDI) are available with the DSG dual-clutch gearbox; while three of the engines are available with energy-saving BlueMotion Technology. In February 2012, Volkswagen announced that they would build a Cabriolet version of the GTI, powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. As of October 2016, VW announced that the Golf cabriolet will no longer be sold in the UK due to financial reasons. Station wagon. A facelifted variant Mk5 Golf Variant model was introduced in 2009 as the Mk6, despite carrying the front fascia, interior styling, and the powertrain from the new Golf, the body shell and underpinnings are based on its fifth-generation predecessor. It is sold in the US as the Jetta SportWagen, in Mexico and Canada as the G

Specifications

=== Equipment === Improvements in equipment level on the German domestic market Golfs include—for the first time in a Golf—air conditioning as standard. Additionally, dual-zone climate control is included in the Golf R for North America. Engines. In 2009, the company spoke confidently of launching a BlueMotion low emissions Golf in Germany. They have also mentioned utilizing alternative fuels in later products. Available engines for North American Golf include the 2.5 L I5 engine from the previous Mk5 Rabbit and Mk5 Jetta and the 2.0-litre TDI. GTI version features the 2.0-litre TSI.

Golf R

The Golf R was unveiled by Volkswagen at the Frankfurt IAA on 15 September 2009 as a Golf R32 replacement. The Golf R is powered by a 1,984 cc (2.0 L; 121.1 cu in) FSI turbocharged Inline-four engine that produces 270 PS (266 bhp; 199 kW) at 6000 rpm and 350 N⋅m (258 lb⋅ft) at 2500-5000 rpm of torque. VW claims the car can get from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.5 seconds for DSG equipped models, or 5.7 seconds for cars fitted with a manual transmission. It employs a revised (4th-generation) Haldex 4motion all-wheel drive system. In Australia, Japan, China, America and South Africa, the Golf R engine is detuned to suit hotter climate conditions, from 198.5 kW (270 PS; 266 bhp) to 188 kW (256 PS; 252 bhp) and from 350 N⋅m (258 lbf⋅ft) to 330 N⋅m (243 lbf⋅ft). On 9 December 2010, Volkswagen announced that the Golf R will be available in the United States beginning in 2012, in both two- and four-door versions were offered, but without the DSG transmission, and with a slightly detuned engine producing 191 kW (256 hp) and 243 lb⋅ft (329 N⋅m). A Canadian version was announced for early 2012, but only as a four-door version with six-speed manual transmission.

Special editions

=== GTI Edition 35 === Following Volkswagen's 30th anniversary edition GTI, the 35th anniversary was celebrated with the GTI Edition 35. Its engine was an updated version of the Mk5 GTI engine (also used in the Mk6 Golf R), with 232 bhp (compared to 266 for the R). Acceleration from 0-62 mph is in 6.6 seconds.

Markets

=== North America === In the United States and Canada, the car was sold as the Volkswagen Golf when it arrived in showrooms in October 2009, dropping the "Rabbit" badge that was used for the Golf Mk5. The wagon, a restyled version of the Mk5 and the only Golf model made in Mexico, is sold in Canada as "Golf Wagon", but in the United States retains the "Jetta SportWagen" designation (while wearing Golf front sheetmetal). North American Golfs will carry over the same engines as the Mk5 (the same 2.5L five-cylinder from the Mk5, the 2.0TDI and the 2.0T) and, while the GTI and TDI continue to offer the six-speed manual transmission, the 2.5 L will re-use the five-speed manual (automatic will be a six-speed tiptronic). The new Golf is also available in Mexico but for the time being only in the wagon configuration that is marketed as Golf SportWagen that became available in early October replacing the Bora Sportwagen with the new Golf's front end. Australia. The Australian public got their first taste of the new Mk6 at the Melbourne International Motor Show, which began on 27 February 2009. The new Golf was launched around the country at the same time. The Mk6 GTI went on sale from 30 October 2009. On 19 January 2010 the Golf was awarded the 2009 Wheels Car of the Year title, which is acknowledged as the country's most prestigious car award. It was the first time the Golf had been awarded the title since 1976. VW Australia launched the new base model golf with 1.2-litre engine same as the new Polo in September 2010 and went on sale in 2011. South Africa. In South Africa the new Mk6 Golf went on sale in April 2009. The South African version of the GTI went on sale in July 2009. Japan. In Japan the new Mk6 Golf went on sale in April 2009. The Japanese version of the GTI went on

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Volkswagen Golf Mk6

Manufacturer

Volkswagen

aka

Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen (United States, wagon), Volkswagen Vento Variant (Argentina and Uruguay, wagon)

Production

2008–2013, 2009–2013 (wagon), 2011–2016 (cabriolet)

Model years

2009-2012

Assembly

Germany: Wolfsburg (Wolfsburg Plant); Osnabrück (VW Osnabrück; cabriolet only), South Africa: Uitenhage, Belgium: Brussels (Audi Brussels), China: Changchun (FAW-VW), Mexico: Puebla (wagon only), Ukraine: Solomonovo (Eurocar), Indonesia: Jakarta (National Assemblers)

Designer

Walter de Silva

Class

Compact car/small family car (C)

Body style

3/5-door hatchback, 5-door estate/wagon, 2-door cabriolet

Layout

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, Front-engine, all-wheel-drive (4Motion)

Platform

Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform

Related

Volkswagen Eos, Volkswagen Golf Plus, Volkswagen Jetta (A5), Volkswagen Scirocco Mk3, Audi A3 Mk2

Engine

Petrol:, 1.2 L EA211 TSI I4, 1.4 L EA111 I4, 1.4 L EA211 TSI I4, 1.6 L EA827 I4, 1.8 L EA888 TSI I4, 2.0 L EA888 TSI I4, 2.5 L EA855 I5, Diesel:, 1.6 L EA189 TDI I4 CR, 2.0 L EA189 TDI I4 CR

Transmission

5/6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic (Tiptronic), 6/7-speed DSG

Wheelbase

2578 mm

Length

4199 mm, GTI: 4213 mm

Width

1779 mm

Height

1479 mm, GTI: 1469 mm

Kerb weight

1217 -

Predecessor

Volkswagen Golf Mk5, Volkswagen Eos (Golf Cabriolet only), Volkswagen Bora HS (China)

Successor

Volkswagen Golf Mk7, Volkswagen T-Roc (Cabriolet models only)

sp

uk

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1417956CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Golf_Mk6CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1373553623 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2009_Volkswagen_Golf_(5K_MY09)_118TSI_Comfortline_5-door_hatchback_(2011-03-10)_01.jpgPublic domain · Photo: OSX · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Manufacturer website (link only) — https://web.archive.org/web/20120103091055mp_/http://www.volkswagen.com/vwcms/master_public/virtualmaster/en2/models/golf_start.htmlLink only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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