Volkswagen rolls out Golf and T‑Roc Full‑Hybrid models as it plans major job cuts

Volkswagen has begun delivering its first full‑hybrid models, the Golf and the T‑Roc, in Italy. Both use a 1.5 L TSI EVO2 gasoline engine paired with two electric motors and a 1.6 kWh rear‑mounted battery, delivering 125 kW (170 hp) and 309 Nm of torque. Official fuel‑consumption figures are 4.6‑5.1 L/100 km for the Golf and 5.0‑5.6 L/100 km for the T‑Roc, with CO₂ emissions between 104 and 117 g/km. Prices start at €39,250 for the Golf Hybrid and €42,650 for the T‑Roc Hybrid.

At the same time, Volkswagen is confronting a structural challenge: despite employing about 629,000 people worldwide—roughly 60 % more than rival Toyota—it sold fewer vehicles in the first half of the year (4.13 million versus Toyota’s 5.39 million). To cut costs, the group is preparing a restructuring that could eliminate up to 140,000 jobs and shift production of some models to lower‑cost sites such as Hungary. The company cites rising competition from Chinese manufacturers, weaker electric‑vehicle demand, high energy costs and geopolitical tensions as drivers of the plan.