Volkswagen Golf Mk4 followed by Volkswagen Golf Mk5
The Volkswagen Golf Mk4 (or VW Type 1J) is a compact car, the fourth generation of the Volkswagen Golf and the successor to the Volkswagen Golf Mk3. Launched in October 1997 for the 1998 model year, it was the best selling car in Europe in 2001 (though it slipped to second place, behind the Peugeot 206, in 2002).The Mk4 was a deliberate attempt to take the Volkswagen Golf series further upmarket, with a high-quality interior and higher equipment levels.
It was replaced in 2003 by the Volkswagen Golf Mk5 in European markets. However, manufacturing continued in South America and China for developing markets until 2014.Design and engineering
As with the larger Passat, launched a year earlier, the MK4 Golf helped form a part of Volkswagen's strategy of moving its products upmarket to plug a gap between mainstream economy cars and premium cars, with SEAT and Škoda, two other VW Group owned marques, poised to fill the gap below the new Golf. In fact, the quality of the Golf was comparable with the Audi A3, which was the first car based on this floor pan when it was launched a year earlier, but cost considerably more than most of its competitors.
This generation of the Golf brought in the Haldex 4 Wheel Drive system, which was previously only available on Audi products, the system was used with the 1.9TDI Sport Engines, i.e. PD115 (then replaced by the PD130) and the PD150 Engines, (Codes: AJM/ASZ/ARL) and with the VR6 powered models. This featured a totally revised rear axle and rear floor pan, which was shared with the Audi TT 8N. This went on to be used in the R32 model in 2003 - 2004.
This version of the Golf was the only version to do away with the GTD nameplate  - there were Petrol and Diesel versions of the GTI, which featured slightly lowered suspension, the 1.8T or the 1.9 TDI (PD 150) and premium interior features like Climatronic, full leather, and wood trims, however it was not as sporty as the preceding generations of the GTI. As part of VW's move upmarket, the firm down played the sportiness of the hatchback in favour of comfort. The Mk4 GTI is looked down upon because of this and VW restored the GTI's reputation as a sporting hatch with the 25th Anniversary edition, and the Mk5 Golf that followed it.
It was also one of the very first Golfs to come with Xenon headlamps (optional) and rain sensing wipers at the end of its manufacturing in Europe, and along with this a full 12 year anti-corrosion warranty, which was rarely seen at this time.
The Mk4 Golf was praised for its quality improvements, but was criticised for its handling characteristics, and was compared with the Mk1 Ford Focus of the time, which had an independent rear suspension in the 2WD models, unlike the Mk4 which had a torsion beam rear axle setup in the 2WD models.
The Mk4 Golf platform remained to be widely used in the VW Group much after its demise in 2004 (2006 for the Bora and Variant models).Variant
The Volkswagen Golf Mk4 Variant was introduced in 1999. It was discontinued in 2006, and succeeded in 2007 by the Volkswagen Golf Mk5 Variant. Unlike the Mk3, it was offered in North America with the "Jetta" name with corresponding front styling. The "Jetta Wagon" was used in North America instead of the "Bora" name.
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