
Golf 7 is the 2013 model. Below are the relevant details: 1. Golf 7: The Golf 7 is equipped with the EA211 series 1.6L and 1.4T engines. Although the displacement remains the same as the Golf 6, the power parameters of these two engines have changed. The 1.6L engine has a maximum power of 81 kW and a maximum torque of 155 Nm, paired with a 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission. 2. Improvements: The FAW-Volkswagen New Golf is built on Volkswagen's most advanced MQB platform. Leveraging the advantage of adjustable body dimensions offered by the platform, the New Golf has adopted the latest design scheme. The New Golf features a short front overhang design, which positions the engine's center of gravity further back. This design not only enhances the visual effect but also provides the necessary weight distribution for better vehicle handling.

My first car was a Golf 7, and this generation had a pretty long sales run in China. I remember when the domestic version first launched in September 2013, the media called it the seventh-generation Golf, mainly selling the 2014 to 2017 models. Later in 2017, the facelift came with new taillights and a flat-bottom steering wheel, and car enthusiasts started calling it the 7.5-generation. By the end of 2018, the all-new eighth-generation took over, so most cars registered in 2019 were either leftover stock or imported overseas versions—the domestic production officially ended with the 2018 model year. Nowadays, the used car market is flooded with 2015 to 2017 models, which are the most common.

Previously, while researching the Volkswagen lineage, I compiled that the core model years of the Golf 7 were concentrated between 2013 and 2020. The domestic version started supplying at the end of 2013, initially as the 2014 model. There was a mid-cycle facelift in 2017, with upgrades to the front and rear light clusters and interior configurations, notably the dashboard becoming fully digital. The European version was earlier, entering mass production in 2012. The North American version was the latest to launch, only hitting the market in 2015. However, it's worth noting that some parallel import channels might offer 2019 or even 2020 models of the 7.5 generation, but the official domestic channels only sold up to the 2018 model year.

Just helped my cousin look at used cars the other day. The Golf 7 was sold in China from 2014 to 2018, with the biggest configuration differences starting from the 2016 model year: the base version comes with halogen headlights, while the high-end version features LED daytime running lights. The most recommended is the post-facelift 2017 model, the batch with electronic parking brake and AUTOHOLD, which increased the parking radar sensors to 12. The early versions from 2013 to 2015 have more hard plastic in the interior, but the three major components are basically the same.


