The Volkswagen R32 is a version of the popular Golf model, which is a compact car designed for family use. The Golf was introduced onto the market for European consumers in November of 2003. North American buyers had to be patient until June of 2006 to be able to buy one of their own.

The Golf (or Rabbit as it was called) was priced to appeal to buyers who were looking for a decent car at a great price. For less than $15,000 first time buyers, or those who didn't have a lot of green to spend on transportation, could get a car that performed well and got them wherever they needed to go.

Available in either a three or five-door hatchback, the Golf was a front-wheel drive vehicle. The size and type of engine varied on where the model was being sold. Both gasoline powered and diesel versions were made available to consumers.

For North American buyers, this meant that they had a choice between a six-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual version. The R32 model was slightly longer at just over 167 inches than the Golf, which comes in at 165.5 inches.

The MK5 Golf was introduced in 2005. This version had a trunk instead of a hatchback and is probably better known to North Americans as the "Jetta." The Jetta's grill is similar in style to that of the R32. Car buyers in the United States and Canada have a decided preference for sedans, which explains the sales figures for the Jetta over the Golf. The Jetta is a much more popular model, and outsells the Golf by a ratio of four to one.

Another version of the Golf will be introduced to the car-buying public in North America in the future. Buyers there can look forward to seeing the Jetta Sportwagen that was featured at the International Geneva Motor Show in 2007.

Considered a "performance model," the Volkswagen R32 was made available in Europe before North American buyers could have the chance to test drive one. The first models were sold to the public starting in the latter part of September 2005. This version featured some updates from pervious models, including a V-6 engine and a 247 hp engine. (This is an increase of 10 hp over previous versions.) The R32 can reach a top speed of 155 mph and can go from zero to 60 in under seven seconds.