The Sunset of VW Golf TSI in the US… A Sad Day For Small Car Fun

In the public consciousness the Volkswagen Beetle is the ultimate free spirited, practical, great value automobile. And yet the VW Golf hatchback has sold 30 million units — about 6 million more in just 46 years versus the 73 year commercial lifespan of the iconic Beetle.

2021 marks the end of the economical VW Golf TSI in North America. A victim of a complex trade policy and pricing squeeze the $23,195 base model … is survived here by its more expensive $28,000 German built Golf GTI and all-wheel-drive Golf R siblings.

The passing of the affordable and always smile inducing drive of the Golf TSI is bittersweet.

For many late boomers and early Gen X … the Golf was their first entry level new car, and the outgoing TSI proves that it stands the test of time … the way it hustles and eats up the pavement.

Equipped with a chunky 6-speed manual gear box and paired with a raucous 1.4 L 4 cylinder inter-cooled turbo pumping out 147 horsepower, the mere 3,000 pounder VW TSI is off to the races every time you wheel it out on the road.