Volkswagen CEO Kjell Gruner has revealed that the company is committed to selling hatchbacks and sedans in the U.S. despite dropping sales figures, stating that the brand “can’t just do SUVs.”
Given the fondness for SUVs and crossovers in the U.S., the market is flooded by a zillion offerings in this segment, making hatchbacks and sedans a bit rare. Despite 80% of VW’s sales coming from crossovers such as the top-selling Atlas last year, VW vows that it will not stop manufacturing cars like the Golf GTI and the Golf R.
According to Gruner’s statement, which Motor1 reported at the 2026 New York International Auto Show, Golf sales hit around 10,000 units in 2025. However, the hatchback holds more relevance for VW than just numbers on a sales chart. The CEO said:
“Combined, the Golf made 10,000 units roughly last year in the US. So you could argue it’s not that important. [But it’s] very important, from just what the brand stands for, just from smiles per mile, perspective and heartbeat.”
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Not only that, there are always people out there who don’t want a crossover or an SUV. Sedans and hatchbacks would definitely work for them. Gruner added:
“It’s also then for people who want something different, don’t want the SUV, like the better gas mileage you get, don’t need all-wheel drive.”
VW Boss Confirms The Brand Believes In Offering Variety
One could call this a bold approach from VW, given that SUVs form a majority of the company’s product lineup in the U.S. But it is keen on preserving its glory, the cars that became the face of the brand and jelled with its identity.
VW sold 54,291 Jettas last year, which was a 43.5% drop from 2024. This highlights a worrying trend for the future of sedans since the near 50% drop signifies a huge shift in people’s choices.
The numbers are nowhere near the sales figures of the VW Tiguan or the Atlas, but Gruner believes the Jetta did well, considering how the market is turning out.
“The Jetta has a very good sales volume,” praised Gruner.
The bottom line for VW is that it will continue to keep its icons like the Golf and Jetta alive, simply because it wants to. Gruner added:
“You can’t just do SUVs, at least we can’t. We don’t want to. So that’s always going to be there for the variety, for the brand… with a compact car, you can do things that you just can’t do with an SUV.”
