The Most Popular Volkswagen

Of all the brands you see on our streets day to day, the Volkswagen (VW) emblem is one of the most recognisable and frequent. Despite a drop in sales, VW is the second biggest manufacturer of cars in the world behind Toyota, with 6.75 million new vehicle registrations in 2018.

VW’s product range spans an impressive list of models, from the iconic Beetle through to the reliable Golf, but which reigns supreme? Here’s a look at the biggest sellers in the Volkswagen family, with a reveal on which is the most popular VW of them all.

Big Sales in Asia: VW Passat & VW Jetta

Whilst their saloon models may not be particularly popular in Europe, VW’s Passat sold over 350,000 units across the first half of 2018, beating out the Polo as the 7^th biggest selling vehicle of the period.

Less familiar to the British market will be the Jetta, another of VW’s saloons that was discontinued in the UK. However, alongside the Passat, the Jetta sold well in China, shipping 227,000 units in early 2018, making them two of the darlings of the Chinese auto market.

All Time Classic: VW Beetle

If you classify ‘most popular’ as the biggest selling VW model of all time, then the Beetle not only wins that race comfortably, but finishes 2^nd all time in total units sold worldwide.

Since its introduction in 1938, the Beetle’s iconic design has featured heavily in popular culture and is one of the most recognisable chassis ever. Finishing in 2003, the Beetle sold over 21.5 million units across its 65 years of production, with the Toyota Corolla the only model to ever trump that number.

The Local Favourite: VW Polo

Ask anyone in the UK the ‘most popular VW’ question, and you’ll likely find people struggling to choose between the Golf and the Polo, as both are so prevalent on UK roads.

In a slight down year for VW, the Polo was the only big name in the stable to actually improve on sales, so its technically the only model to increase in popularity over the last 12-18 months.

The Polo ranks highly across UK, European and global sales, with over 8,600 units sold in March in the UK alone, making it the 8^th most popular vehicle on our streets right now. It also boasted 312,677 sales over the first six months of 2018, putting it 13^th in the world.

The Polo also ranks 2^nd or 3^rd across a number of European countries. Unfortunately for the Polo, however, one of the cars consistently beating it out happens to be its big brother.

The Winner: VW Golf

Yes, the well-loved Golf is the most popular VW of here and now, and a very strong argument can be made for it being the most popular VW ever. Introduced in 1974, the Golf has actually outsold the Beetle across its various generations, with over 30 million in circulation by 2013.

In the UK, the Golf was 2018’s 2^nd biggest seller, with nearly 65,000 registrations over the year, finishing behind only the overwhelmingly popular Ford Fiesta. It’s the 3^rd most popular car right now, with 11,072 units sold last month.

In Europe, it was the top selling car of 2018 in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Latvia and Luxembourg, registering the most top finishes of any vehicle. Worldwide, the Golf was number three across the first two quarters of last year, with 431,868 units sold in 6 months.

A vehicle with universal appeal, the Golf can be anything from a family-friendly, reliable and safe option through to a high performance, technology loaded and fun-to-drive motor. Whichever way you look at it, the Golf’s reasonable and competitive pricing means there’s no surprise it regularly sits atop sales charts, as well as enjoying a great reputation around the world.

If you think a VW might be the move for your next card, head on over to Peter Vardy for great prices on all the most popular UK models.