Currently, if you visit your local Volkswagen dealership, you’ll find only two versions of the Golf available: the GTI and the R. These are the two sportiest variants of the German compact car. In case you didn’t know, the regular Golf was pulled from the North American market in 2021.
I, for one, have never understood this decision by the German automaker, especially since the Golf has always been a very popular and well-regarded model on this continent. However, it seems the brand has decided to listen to its customers.
The Handelsblatt news outlet recently published an article stating that Golf production could be moved from Germany to Mexico. If this happens, the German compact would have a strong chance of returning to the North American market.
A Matter of Profit
Labor costs have skyrocketed in recent years in Germany. This is why Volkswagen is considering producing the Golf in another part of the world, with Mexico being one of the options.
To truly understand the automaker’s decision, we need to look back a few years. The situation was vastly different when the COVID-19 crisis hit. At the time, the goal was to offer fewer vehicles while maximizing profit per unit. Then, the transition to electric vehicles gained incredible momentum at the same time. Needless to say, things have changed significantly since then, and Volkswagen, like many other automakers, has had to seriously revise its goals.
The Volkswagen Golf has always been a very popular model in North America. Returning production to Mexico should allow the brand to bring its hatchback compact back to our market.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
