The Volkswagen Golf Is Moving To Mexico
Volkswagen will move production of its internal combustion Golf from its longtime home in Wolfsburg, Germany, to Puebla, Mexico, in 2027 as part of a cost-reduction plan. Moving to Mexico will mark the end of an era for the Golf, which has been produced in Wolfsburg since it debuted in 1974.
Key Points
- Starting in 2027, production of the internal combustion Mk8 Golf will shift from Wolfsburg, Germany, to Puebla, Mexico
- Volkswagen will keep selling the ICE Golf where demand remains strong
- Upcoming ID Golf, the first fully electric version, will be built in Wolfsburg on the brand’s SSP platform
Despite Volkswagen's lumbering shift to electrification, the current internal combustion Mk8 Golf will remain in production into the next decade. According to Autocar, moving production to Mexico will allow the Golf to serve markets where demand for gasoline and hybrid models persists; the United States and Canada are likely candidates for export.
Volkswagen’s Puebla facility is already responsible for assembling key models like the Jetta, Tiguan LWB, and Taos. The plant also has a history of producing legacy Volkswagen nameplates, including the Beetle, which remained in production there for nearly 30 years after Wolfsburg discontinued it. The Puebla plant is the largest automotive factory in Mexico and one of the largest vehicle plants owned by Volkswagen.
Regardless of what happens with U.S. tariffs, this move was planned well in advance, and Volkswagen has already made it clear that vehicles produced for North American export in Puebla comply with United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) rules of origin.
As part of the factory restructuring, production of the ID.3 and Cupra Born EVs will also move to Wolfsburg, reducing the plant’s current four production lines to two. The upcoming ID Golf, Volkswagen’s first fully electric Golf, will also be built on the brand’s next-generation SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) at Wolfsburg alongside other future EV models built on the architecture.
The all-electric ID Golf is expected to debut in 2028, a year after Mk8 Golf production migrates to Mexico.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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