VW Golf regains top spot as Europe's best selling-car

WOLFSBURG: Volkswagen's Golf hatchback regained the top slot as Europe's most popular car through 2020 despite a tough year for the German maker caused by the pandemic and other production hiccups.

More than 312,000 of the current, eighth-generation Golf were delivered across Europe last year, 133,900 of them in Germany, where it's also the top seller.

The Mk.8 Golf first arrived in October 2019, but last May and June it was dethroned as Europe's best-seller by the Renault Clio.

Germany's financial newspaper Handelsblatt was clearly shocked at the time. "This has never happened before in the 45-year history of Golf," it lamented.

Persistent quality problems and numerous workshop recalls were to blame, but the Wolfsburg company appears to have overcome the gremlins.

VW has reported a significant increase in orders since the product range was widened last year to include eight derivatives – currently one in three Golfs is a hybrid.

"In 2020 the Golf is still exactly where it belongs," said VW's Passenger Car CEO Ralf Brandstaetter. "After the outbreak of the coronavirus the Golf had a lot of catching up to do in the second half of the year," the manager said, thanking drivers who picked VW.

The Golf was unanimously named the best car in the compact class by German trade press and won all 16 comparative tests in the Auto Motor and Sport, Auto Bild and Auto Zeitung magazines.

VW's Tiguan and the Passat were Germany’s second and third best selling cars last year.