The fit and finish of the interior trim was leagues ahead of many rivals, and in addition to that it came with blue dashboard lighting - a unique feature that won praise from motoring journalists and fashion victims alike. It was, for several years, the most sought after car for sale on Auto Trader, while there was a period where traders were buying automatic models in the northern counties and driving them down to London to sell them, such was the demand for two-pedal Golfs in the capital’s hustle and bustle. Performance variants aside, there was also the matter of it being a classy, refined small hatchback. Then there was the R32, a 3.2-litre V6 that proved that the Golf was, well and truly, capable of acting the role of a true performance car, even if its critics begged to differ. Or the 2.8 V6 4MOTION with four-wheel-drive. The 2.3-litre V5, for example, which was an interesting curiosity. Yet there were other Mk 4s that were technologically far more interesting.
It was a fair criticism, and while the later 180bhp 1.8T livened things up a bit, it was still never the driver’s car that Golfs of old had become.
In 2.0-litre 8v form, it had very little in the way of performance and was a bit too soft around the edges, leading critics to suggest that Volkswagen had made a GTI for estate agents rather than enthusiasts. One of the reasons behind its current anonymity could be because the halo model, the GTI, was a bit of a disappointment. And that’s a shame, as it was one of the best cars of its era. Yet despite being a handsome car, the Mk4 Golf somehow still feels a long way from being a classic - more so, in fact, than a good number of its contemporaries. Its smart and simple lines and instantly identifiable shape give it a look that still isn’t out of place among modern traffic.
Yet despite its advancing years, the design approach of evolution rather than revolution means that, even today, the Mk4 looks relatively modern. Believe it or not, it’s now 22 years since the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 first appeared.
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