The sixth generation of the Golf was introduced in 2008 in both forms, as a 3- or 5-door hatchback.
While it resembled some design cues from its predecessor, it was a completely new car.

As Mr. Walter de Silva, head of design stated, the challenge was “to create an iconic car for the future”. The Italian was put in charge of the Volkswagen design department in February 2007. His involvement was important since he added the final touches to the car.

From the outside, the 2008 Golf featured a three-slats design for the grille and rounded swept-back headlights. The apron was complemented with the fog-lights on the outboard and a wide, trapezoidal, black grille. With its ascending beltline, that was stretched between the front wheel-arches and the taillights, the Golf offered the same dynamic image as its predecessors.

The instrument cluster featured a new design, inspired by the Passat CC. It featured two big dials and two smaller ones, placed inside the former ones. A center stack with the infotainment system and a big area reserved for the climate controls, inspired by the VW Passat CC. The bucket-seats were typical for the entire Volkswagen range. Other sport-seats were on the options list, depending on the trim level. In the back, there was a decent amount of legroom and headroom, with up to 979 mm (38.5”) between the seats and the ceiling.

Apart from the GTI version, the rest of the range was offered with a wide choice of engines. There were 5 gasoline units, 5 turbodiesels, and 1 with CNG. The latter was fit for fleet users. Depending on the engine, the standard transmission was a 5- or 6-speed manual. A 7-speed automatic was offered for diesel and gasoline versions. The 4Motion, all-wheel-drive system was on the options list as well.