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The 'Volkswagen A platform' is an automobile platform shared among compact and mid-size cars of the Volkswagen Group. It was originally based on the architecture of the Volkswagen Golf and is adaptable to either front- or all wheel drive.
Volkswagens based on this platform have been referred to by generation number, ie. a very early Golf would be called an "A1 Golf." A common substitute for the "A" is to use the "Mark" (Mk) nomenclature to denote generation, however, this is a term coined by the motoring press and is not official. For example, both the Mk1 and Mk2 Scirocco's are both based on the A1 platform.
Under Volkswagen's revised platform naming system, the "A4" platform is now known as the 'PQ34' platform[1], and what would have been called the 'A5' platform is officially the 'PQ35' platform. The new nomenclature is derived as follows:

★ 'P' indicates a passenger car platform

★ 'Q' (''quer'') indicates a transverse engine

★ '3' indicates the platform size or class

★ '5' indicates the generation

Contents

A1

A2

A3

A4 (PQ34)

A5 (PQ35)

See also

A1

'A1' platform cars:

★ VW Rabbit Convertible/Cabriolet

★ VW Golf/Rabbit I

★ VW Jetta I

★ Volkswagen Caddy (pickup truck)

★ VW Scirocco I

★ VW Scirocco II

A2

'A2' platform cars:

★ Volkswagen Corrado

★ VW Golf II

★ VW Jetta II

★ SEAT Toledo I

A3

'A3' platform cars:

★ Volkswagen Cabrio

★ VW Golf III

★ VW Jetta/Vento III
The Polo 6N (A03 platform) is based on the A3 platform as well, and shares many components.
The SEAT Ibiza II (6K) is also based on this platform, sharing many parts and components.

A4 (PQ34)

'A4' platform cars:

★ Audi A3 I

★ Audi TT I

★ VW Golf IV

★ VW Jetta/Bora IV

★ VW New Beetle

★ SEAT León

★ SEAT Toledo II

★ Skoda Octavia

A5 (PQ35)

The 'PQ35' platform is designed to be more modular and flexible than previous A platforms. For the first time, a fully independent suspension will be present in all A platform vehicles. There is also a derivative version of this platform (with larger variations expected in the future) called PQ46.
PQ35 is intended for compact-size vehicles, and PQ46 is an enlarged version for mid-size vehicles, such as the VW Passat. A common misconception is to call the PQ46 generation of the Passat the "B6" Passat. However, this is confusing, as this transverse-engined Passat has little in common with the longitudinally-engined "B6" Audi A4.
Current and expected PQ35 platform cars:

★ 2003 Audi A3 II

★ 2003 Volkswagen Touran

★ 2004 Volkswagen Caddy

★ 2004 SEAT Altea

★ 2004 VW Golf/Rabbit V

★ 2005 Skoda Octavia II

★ 2005 SEAT Toledo III

★ 2006 VW Jetta/Vento/Bora V

★ 2006 SEAT León II

★ 2007 VW Eos

★ 2007 Audi TT II

★ 2008 Volkswagen Tiguan (compact crossover SUV)
Current PQ46 platform cars:

★ 2006 Volkswagen Passat

See also

★ List of Volkswagen platforms