Volkswagen Golf by model year

1,926 owner complaints are on file with NHTSA for the Volkswagen Golf across 30 model years. Choose a year for problems, recalls, fuel economy and crash ratings in one place.

See the best and worst years for the Volkswagen Golf

Complaints by model year

Older model years have had longer to collect complaints, so a taller bar on an older year is not necessarily a worse year. The best and worst years page corrects for this.

View the numbers

Model year	Complaints
1990	10
1991	11
1992	6
1993	11
1994	57
1995	84
1996	4
1998	28
1999	76
2000	118
2001	152
2002	99
2003	32
2004	33
2005	27
2006	16
2010	97
2011	151
2012	68
2013	67
2014	15
2015	185
2016	115
2017	147
2018	38
2019	90
2020	8
2021	12
2022	132

All model years

Model year	Complaints	Most reported	Recalls	MPG	Safety
2027				28
2022	132	Drivetrain & axles (17%)
2021	12		1	32 to 33
2020	8		2	31 to 32
2019	90	Engine (39%)	6	32	5 stars
2018	38	Fuel system (26%)	6	28 to 29	5 stars
2017	147	Fuel system (38%)	5	29	5 stars
2016	115	Fuel system (28%)	9	29	5 stars
2015	185	Engine (16%)	12	29 to 35	5 stars
2014	15		5	26 to 32
2013	67	Engine (21%)	5	26 to 32
2012	68	Fuel system (24%)	6	26 to 32
2011	151	Fuel system (35%)	6	26 to 32
2010	97	Fuel system (36%)	4	25 to 32
2006	16		1	24 to 34
2005	27	Air bags (22%)	2	24 to 35
2004	33	Fuel system (21%)	2	24 to 36
2003	32	Air bags (34%)	2	23 to 38
2002	99	Air bags (25%)	3	23 to 38
2001	152	Air bags (22%)	5	22 to 38
2000	118	Wipers, windshield & visibility (18%)	5	22 to 38
1999	76	Engine (20%)	4	22 to 24
1998	28	Engine (21%)	1
1996	4		1
1995	84	Electrical system (18%)	4	22 to 24
1994	57	Brakes (19%)	4	21 to 24
1993	11		4	21 to 24
1992	6		1
1991	11		2
1990	10		4