The Volkswagen Golf is a highly successful compact car, continuously produced by the German manufacturer since 1974 across eight generations. Designed as a modern, front-wheel-drive successor to the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, it rapidly became Volkswagen's best-selling model, exceeding 35 million units sold by 2019 and ranking among the world's top three best-selling cars.

Initially popular as a hatchback, the Golf evolved into various body styles, including estates, convertibles, and saloon versions like the Jetta, while also introducing performance models such as the GTI (from 1976) and efficient TDI diesel engines. The Mk1 was notably marketed as the Volkswagen Rabbit in North America and Caribe in Mexico. Its consistent quality and innovation have earned it significant critical acclaim, including being named World Car of the Year twice (in 2009 and 2013) and European Car of the Year twice (in 1992 and 2013).