Volkswagen is working on a new generation of its Golf compact hatchback, one that will feature an electric powertrain in the lineup while preserving an internal-combustion option for buyers not yet ready to make the switch to an EV.The new Golf, representing the ninth generation of the nameplate, is due later this decade. Motor1 gathered fresh details on its design from comments by Volkswagen brand boss Thomas Schäfer and R&D chief Kai Grünitz – and those comments suggest long-time fans will be very pleased with what’s to come. Taking Inspiration From The Past VolkswagenThe design of every Volkswagen Golf can be traced back to the original icon by Giorgetto Giugiaro, launched in 1974. It was known for its clean, angular look, marking a clear shift from the rounded shape of the Volkswagen Beetle it replaced as the new “people’s car.” This lineage will continue with the Mk9, but with added influence from the much-loved Mk4 Golf, according to Grünitz.VW offered a preview in March with a teaser sketch showing a shadowy silhouette of the car. It suggests the Mk9 will return to a bluffer, more upright design, especially at the rear, likely to improve aerodynamics and boost EV range. The wheel arches also appear more pronounced, echoing the Mk4.VolkswagenGrünitz, who has headed VW’s R&D department since 2022, told Motor1 that the car will still look thoroughly modern and timeless, and that the design is close to being finished. An early proposal was submitted by Andreas Mindt, who was responsible for the Mk7 Golf and, in February, was promoted from head of design at the VW brand to oversee design for the entire Volkswagen Group. Grünitz said both he and Schäfer were so impressed that they told him: “Don’t touch anything.”Schäfer added that Mindt has been a major driving force behind the design’s success, largely thanks to his openness to outside opinions and his ability to deliver solutions when needed. He said this positive mindset and attitude are helping to reshape the wider organization. Separate Platforms For Electric, ICE Versions VolkswagenGrünitz also revealed that the electric version of the Mk9 Golf will use a separate platform from models powered by an internal-combustion engine. VW has previously said the electric version will ride on the highly modular SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) architecture, designed to streamline battery cells and software systems across the VW Group portfolio – eventually underpinning an estimated 80% of the group’s EVs.The SSP platform has been developed purely for electric powertrains and, while it can support a gas range extender, Mk9 Golfs with an ICE powertrain – both standalone combustion models and plug-in hybrids – will use an enhanced version of the current car’s MQB Evo platform, Grünitz said. VW had at one point planned to make the Mk9 fully electric, but slowing EV adoption has led the automaker to want to keep gas and hybrid options, particularly for performance variants like the Golf GTI and Golf R.Fans still have more than a year to wait for the Mk9. The current Mk8 received a mid-cycle refresh for the 2025 model year in the US and is therefore unlikely to bow out until after the 2028 model year. That would likely push the Mk9’s US arrival to around the 2029 model year, and whether the standard Golf returns, or if VW continues to offer only the GTI and R in this market, remains to be seen.