AFTER outpacing its rivals to claim the coveted North American Car of the Year title at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday, the highly decorated 2015 Volkswagen Golf hatchback is destined for Jamaican shores by mid-year.

“It’s the number one selling car in Europe and it is our fervent belief that Jamaicans deserve the best. The Golf will be arguably one of the best cars ever to hit Jamaica, but good things come to those who wait, and we are proud to announce to our hatchback fans that the wait is over,” said Hugh Okoye, ATL Automotive group general sales manager.

The Golf will make good company for the Golf GTI, which is currently available at ATL Automotive’s state-of-the-art showrooms in Kingston and Montego Bay. Both vehicles share similar DNA and accolades.

“We’ve been carrying the GTI for some time and that car caters to a more exclusive target, particularly those with a need for speed or a hot hatch. However, the Golf caters to a wider target which includes young and upcoming professionals, who favour a hatchback over a sedan,” Okoye continued.

In addition to the North American Car of the Year award, the Golf has also been named Motor Trend Car of the Year and Detroit Car of the Year.

American automobile magazine Motor Trend had high marks for the Golf.

“No matter which Golf variant we jumped into, we emerged with smiles on our faces. And while each obviously catered to different priorities, they all share the same solid build quality, taut structure, and remarkable ride that make them feel like a premium vehicle in an entry-level segment,” it read.

According to Erin Riches-Wong of Edmunds.com, “Volkswagen’s family of hatchbacks represents one of the best values available for less than US$30,000. The GTI, in particular, is a steal, because you’re basically getting a luxury car — with equal parts performance, comfort and utility — for the price of a family car. We should all run out and buy one before VW rethinks its bargain pricing strategy on this car.”

The prestigious Car of the Year award is given each year by an independent group of automotive journalists, instead of a single media outlet. The award assesses cars in the areas of innovation, comfort, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

ATL Automotive takes great pride in noting that it has brought several ‘Car of the Year’ winners to the country.

“It has become a habit. Last year, we delivered the Audi A3, which won World Car of the Year among other accolades. We’ve also brought the Volkswagen Passat, the Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Amarok (Pick-up of the Year), the Honda CR-V is the reigning SUV of the Year, and our Range Rover Evoque copped more than 100 international awards,” Okoye added.

The VW Golf beat finalists Ford Mustang and Hyundai Genesis.