The Volkswagen Golf is officially dead in the United States

the Volkswagen Golf will no longer be sold in the United States, the German brand announced on Wednesday. After two years of hinting that the sedan will leave these parts, VW has finally decided to give us a clear answer. However, this is not all bad news. The eighth generation Golf GTI and Golf R will always come to America. It’s just that American buyers have largely avoided compact cars in recent years, and the standard Golf just wasn’t on VW’s sales charts.

In fact, the much more expensive Golf GTI far exceeded sales of the standard Golf during the seventh generation hatchback era. Buyers still looking for a compact car from VW will have to look to the Jetta or the upcoming Taos crossover instead. The small SUV should be a lot nicer for American buyers in an automotive market obsessed with commercial vehicles.

After the introduction of the Golf in 1974, VW managed to sell 2.5 million locally. If you are hoping to catch one of the last, there is still time. The brand said that while production of the US-spec Golf ceased in Mexico last week, the final 2021 model year is in stock at dealerships nationwide. If you find one, it comes in just one variant as the brand shows it the door: the TSI trim. The Golf TSI features a 1.4-liter turbo-four engine mated to a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission and 16-inch alloy wheels, leatherette upholstery, and standard heated seats. Smart keyless entry and a suite of driver assistance functions also come standard on the final Golfs.

Prices for the latest Golf start at $ 24,190, but the automatic Golf TSI costs a few hundred dollars more at $ 24,990. Both prices include a destination charge of $ 995. We’ll get our first glimpse of the new Golf already on sale in Europe when VW ships the first 2022 Golf GTI and R models to the United States this fall.