Using the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform, the Mk5 debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 2003 and went on sale in Europe for the 2004 model year.

[8] Its replacement, the Mk6, was moved forward from the previously stated 2009 in Europe to the autumn of 2008, right after its official premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September 2008.

In September 2005, the Golf Mk5 GT was announced, which featured a choice of either 1.4 L petrol engine in twincharger (TSI) configuration, or a 2.0 litre TDI.

The new Twincharger (TSI) petrol engine uses Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI), along with a pair of chargers forcing the induction of the air.

[10] It was produced in Puebla, Mexico since April 2007 alongside the similar Jetta with a targeted annual production of 120,000 units.

[11][12] The station wagon version was facelifted in late 2009, with changes including the front clip and interior from the Golf Mk6, while the remaining is based on the pre-facelifted model.

The facelifted model was also marketed as the Golf Wagon and Variant in the Canada and Mexico, while it continued to be sold as the Jetta SportWagen in the United States.

Volkswagen marketed the three-box sedan variant of the Mk5 Golf since 2004 as the Jetta in North America and Europe, replacing the Bora name.

[21] In the UK the GT sport badge was marketed as offering both high power and low emissions, sparking some controversy.

The Golf GTI features a 2.0 litre turbocharged inline 4-cylinder petrol engine with Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) direct-injection technology, which produces 200PS (147 kW/197 bhp).

It is available in both 3-door and 5-door hatchback body shapes, and comes with a choice of either 6-speed manual or a 6-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) which greatly reduces shift time to only 8ms.

[26] Some Mk 5 GTIs bound for the North American Market produced in late 2008 and early 2009 came with a different engine.

A new high pressure fuel pump cam follower design that did not require periodic replacement due to wear was chief among them.

This was done to address the reported problems with failed timing belts and tensioner assemblies that caused severe damage when not maintained properly in this interference engine design.

The air intake was no longer integrated into the plastic engine cover and instead was routed around the right hand side near the battery.

The first production model was initially unveiled at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris in September 2004, and went on sale around the world shortly thereafter.

The new GTI has a considerable price increase over the previous model, mainly due to the features mentioned above, and the fact that the exterior itself had not seen such a dramatic design change in years.

The innovative DSG transmission and the 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp) TFSI engine all helped raise the retail price of the car.

[28] It features an updated 3.2-litre VR6 engine of that fitted to the previous Mk4 version, with an extra 10 PS (7 kW; 10 bhp) due to a reworked inlet manifold.

Going on sale in November 2006 from £22,295 RRP, with an initial goal of a limited production run of only 1500 (Europe models), the Edition 30 was available in 6 colours; Tornado Red, Black, Candy White, Reflex Silver (Metallic), Steel Grey (Metallic) and finally Diamond Black (Pearl).

Due to strong demand, 2280 cars were eventually built with a small number continuing into the 2009 model year.

Changes to the interior included a return for the golf ball shaped gear knob and silver "Edition 30" logo'd sill plates.

[30] In October 2006, Volkswagen debuted a new Fahrenheit Edition of their GTI and GLI models at the Playboy Mansion.

It features leather sport seats in "San Remo" microfiber with embossed Pirelli tyre tread pattern down the centre.

Jeremy Clarkson showed that the car had some trouble with high-speed cornering but was extremely fast in the straight sections of the track.

[34] A VW Golf TDI Hybrid concept was shown at the March 2008 Geneva Motor Show.

An "energy monitor" display on the dashboard keeps tabs on what the powertrain is doing, and provides both a stop/start capability and a full-electric mode at low speed.

In a statement during the Geneva press conference, VW mentioned that while the Golf TDI Hybrid remains a concept for now, there is a good chance a similar model will hit production lines in the future.

[38] VW CEO Martin Winterkorn announced Volkswagen Golf Twin Drive plug-in hybrid vehicle based on Mark V Golf, which uses 2.0L 122 hp (91 kW) turbodiesel and 82 hp (61 kW) electric motor with lithium-ion batteries.

The production version was expected to be based on Mark VI Golf featuring a 1.5L turbodiesel engine and electric motor, with estimated arrival date of 2015.