VW Australia axes Passat and Golf R wagons: 'We're cleaning up'

For model year 2024, Volkswagen Australia is ditching slow sellers including the Passat and Golf R wagons, Arteon range, Tiguan 147TDI and manual Polo.

“We’re cleaning up”, is how managing director Michal Szaniecki put it. “It’s a very desired move that’s highly strategic, and it results in a simplification of the customer journey”, he added.

The move comes as Volkswagen turns its sights to launching a litany of EVs next year, including the ID.4 and ID.5 medium SUVs, ID.3 small car, and ID.Buzz van.

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Bye bye Golf R wagon, it's been nice knowing you

“For the dealers, we have to replace these cars and demonstrate there are other options. It makes absolute sense to do this move, and we are very happy that it's happening in conjunction with a performance and electric vehicle expansion – it’s very characteristic for the Australian market.”

With electric vehicles incoming, there isn’t enough space in VW dealers or cash with head office to stock all the new and old models; slow-sellers need to be rationalised.

In the Tiguan diesel and Polo manual’s cases, their sales were described as “insignificant”; there won’t be replacements due to the lack of demand. For niche vehicles such as the Golf R and Passat wagons though, there is demand. Small as it may be, a minority are still devoted to the long roof.

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All is not lost for those who love wagons and EA888s...

The wagon story may not be as dark as it seems on the surface. Under the broader Volkswagen Group umbrella falls new Spanish performance brand Cupra, which offers more wagon choices overseas.

Wheels reported last week that Cupra Oz is evaluating the Leon Sportstourer – a Golf wagon-sized performance vehicle – for local release, with the option of either a front-drive 180kW plug-in hybrid (VZe) or 221kW all-wheel drive (VZx) configuration. A near-direct Golf R wagon replacement.

With the new Skoda Superb on the way later next year, the next-gen Czech wagon will have to fill the gap left by the Passat/Arteon.