Next Volkswagen Golf previewed for the first time

The first official image of the ninth-generation Volkswagen Golf has been released.

The silhouetted image, released by German trade union IG Metall, was shown to Volkswagen workers on Wednesday during a meeting where the car maker reiterated its commitment to the Wolfsburg factory, which will continue to build the Golf. 

Autocar understands the new model will be launched in 2028 and it is set to be offered with ICE and electric power

The image reveals key changes compared with the design of today’s Mk8.5 Golf, including a more prominent roof spoiler and a bluff rear end. These tweaks are likely to be aimed at improving the car’s aerodynamic performance, vital to increasing an electric car’s efficiency and therefore its maximum range.

The car in the photo is likely to be the EV variant because the wheels are shown to be further apart, a feature of VW's new SSP architecture on which the Golf EV is due to sit. This allows for more interior space. 

Volkswagen Group design chief Andreas Mindt has previously suggested that the final design will draw on the brand’s incoming range of affordable electric cars: the ID Polo, ID Cross and the production version of the ID 1.

Mindt has referenced the Mk7 Golf as a key model in the Golf's history, saying: “The Mk7 is kind of a masterpiece, because it resembles all the best elements from history, but it’s still a fresh design.”

He has also vowed that all future Volkswagens will feature physical controls for key functions such as air conditioning and the volume of the infotainment system.

The next-generation Golf is due in 2028. The EV will feature an 800V electrical architecture and more advanced battery technology, boosting range and improving charge rates.

A combustion-engined Golf will continue to be offered alongside the new EV, although this will be a heavily updated version of the current model. Its design will be revised to more closely match that of the EV, and it is tipped to employ a range of hybrid powertrains.

The EV is expected to be named ID Golf to clearly differentiate the two versions, in keeping with the ID Polo.

Autocar rendering shows what the new ID Golf could look like

Key to the ID Golf’s SSP underpinnings is a new software architecture developed in collaboration with US electric car firm Rivian. It is said to allow for much greater control over a car’s hardware, giving more flexibility to update its characteristics through over-the-air (OTA) updates. Rivian, for example, has already used OTA updates to rework the suspension of its R1T pick-up, altering its ride and handling.