The Volkswagen Golf has been a staple among commuter cars in the U.S. for over 40 years, however, its era will soon come to an end as the automaker announced it will be discontinued after the 2021 model year. It’s always sad when we see nameplates leave the market, especially ones that have been around forever, but just like Game of Thrones, all good things must come to an end. So if you’ve been looking to get into a solid hatchback with German build quality, you still have a chance.

Farewell to the Volkswagen Golf

Production of the Volkswagen Golf ended last week as the last 2021 model rolled off the production line at the automaker’s Puebla, Mexico plant. Volkswagen stated that the remainder of the Golfs should sustain sales until the end of the year. And that’s definitely possible, considering the brand sold only 22,000 copies of the car in 2020 alone. As Motortrend pointed out, Honda sold that many Civics for each month last year, so we can see why it’s being discontinued.

The Golf’s exit from the market is bittersweet though as it served as a formidable rival to other commuter cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla while providing the architecture for its GTI and Golf R stablemates. However, the good news is that those hot hatchbacks will still soldier on while the fuel-sipping Golf will go the way of the Dodo bird.

The Golf spanned seven generations

The Volkswagen Golf first got its start in the U.S. back in 1974 when it was sold as the “Rabbit.” It had a small 1.5-liter engine that only produced 70 hp, but we’re sure it provided a fun and fuel-efficient means of transportation at the time since the American market truly needed it. In 1985, for its second generation, Volkswagen updated the car with more power and bigger body style and renamed it the “Golf” to go along with its moniker in the European market.

Over the years, the Golf got fatter, longer, safer, and even more powerful. In fact, we really miss the VR6 engine that once laid between the Golf’s front fenders. But we forgive Volkswagen as this last iteration, complete with a turbocharged 1.4-liter, provides plenty of thrust with its 147 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque on tap. And if anything, you can always buy a GTI or Golf R if you want more power. But if you want fuel economy, then the Golf has you covered with its EPA-estimated 29 mpg city and 36 mpg highway ratings.

You can still buy a Volkswagen Golf for now

While Volkswagen discontinued the Golf and production has officially ceased, you can still check with your local dealer if you want to get into one while supplies last. Looks and power aside, the beauty of the Volkswagen Golf is that it’s a mono-trimmed car that starts at $23,195 when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and $23,995 if you want one with an eight-speed automatic transmission instead.

It’s a sad goodbye for one of the longest-running stalwarts in the commuter car segment, but the writing was on the wall. Goodbye Volkswagen Golf, we’ll miss you.