The Volkswagen Golf Mk4[2] (or VW Type 1J) is a compact car, the fourth generation of the Volkswagen Golf and the successor to the Volkswagen Golf Mk3. Launched in October 1997, it was the best selling car in Europe in 2001 (though it slipped to second place, behind the Peugeot 206, in 2002).[3] The Mk4 was a deliberate attempt to take the Volkswagen Golf series further upmarket, with a high-quality interior and higher equipment levels. It was replaced in 2003 by the Volkswagen Golf Mk5 in European markets. However, manufacturing continued in South America, Mexico and China for developing markets until 2010. The Mk4 was sold in Japan, but starting with this generation and subsequent generations, it no longer complied with Japanese government dimension regulations which affected sales, imposing an annual tax on Japanese consumers for owning a vehicle that exceeded the maximum width limit.
