Volkswagen Canada confirms rollout plans for next-generation Golf

By John LeBlanc Ever since the new, seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf went on-sale in overseas’ markets late last year, Canadian new car buyers have been wondering what the German automaker’s plans were for importing its compact hatchback to Canada. Wonder no more. During a recent media event in Germany, Volkswagen Canada confirmed some details about the forthcoming new-generation Golf heading to our shores for 2014. One of the reasons why the Golf is taking so long to come to North America is the shift in production of the hatchback models from Germany to Mexico, where the Golf Wagon is currently assembled. Starting next year, all seventh-generation Golf models (that includes the two- and four-door hatches, Wagons and sports compact GTI) will be built in Volkswagen’s Puebla, Mexico facility, alongside the Beetle coupe and Jetta sedan. In regards to timing, 2013 will be the last model year for the current Golf hatchback and GTI, with a final run of Wolfsburg Edition hatches. The new-gen Golf and GTI four-door hatchbacks will start arriving in Canadian dealerships about a year from now. Two-door hatches a bit later. The new Golf Wagon will come on-stream in late 2014, while the current, sixth-generation model will continue to be built as a 2014 model in Mexico until then. The next-generation of Golf engine menu don’t stray too far from what’s available today. The biggest news is a new, 1.8-litre turbocharged gas four-cylinder. It makes 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, can get away with using regular 87-octane gas, and replaces the existing 2.5 L five-cylinder as the base engine. We’ll first see the new 1.8T debut in the 2014 Jetta this fall, then the Passat and Beetle later in the model year. As well, Volkswagen says the sportier GTI will “likely” get the upgraded (225 hp instead of 201) 2.0L turbo-four that’s debuting in the European GTI now. While the new TDI turbodiesel engine will be an “optimized” version of the 2.0L unit already on-sale in Europe. What Volkswagen Canada won’t confirm is if the new Golf GTD (a diesel version of the GTI that’s been available to European drivers since the early 1980s I recently drove) or a successor to the high-performance, all-wheel-drive Golf R will be coming to Canada at some point as well.

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