Volkswagen Golf reviews

A very comfortable, reliable car. We get an average 45 mpg over a year. Gear box very smooth as the changes are not really noticeable. One tiny quibble is that the car originally designed as left-hand drive so handbrake on wrong side and folding of the back seat also affected.

build quality very good feels safe and sturdy over all very good car.

very pleased

As yet I have had no real expense, However in the past VW spares/repairs have proved high. Very comfortable and practical.

Purchased with low mileage to use to travel to work a journey of 50 miles daily. I have found the vehicle extremely reliable and fairly economical. 45 to 50 mpg can be obtained in long journeys I have experienced the following faults 1 Electric window mechanism broke. required new fitting 2 New Coil pack 3 Warning lights re exhaust management Each fault repaired and high repair cost, The vehicle isn't uncomfortable for front I am 6 ft tall. However the rear is restricted in size for carriage of adult passengers

Four of my five previous cars had been hydropneumatic Citroens so when I wanted to downsize I first looked at the C4, but didn't like the ride or ergonomics. The Golf (without low profile tyres) was recommended for a good ride so I test drove one. Driving position and ride are very good for a small car. The 6-speed DSG (twin-clutch) auto gearbox is almost perfect: the convenience and safety (fewer demands on the driver's attention) match conventional automatics, while acceleration, engine braking and economy match those of a manual. My overall consumption averages about 52 mpg without having to pay great attention to driving economically, and on some journeys it manages 60 mpg or more. I bought it at about 18 months/17,000 miles. It's now done 52,000 miles with no breakdowns. Beyond book maintenance it has needed a replacement locking mechanism (offside rear door, from memory about £150) and an ABS control unit (more than £1,000, fortunately provided ex gratia by VW).

I have had other golfs during my life but this one is so comfortable and easy to drive. I had it from new as I wanted automatic transmission and a sun roof. I find it a little slower than a manual car at getting away at junctions but one gets used to this. the seats can be put at the right height for getting in; this is important for me as I have replacement hips. However I do find that services and parts are expensive but luckily so far it has had good reliability. Now it is over 8years old parts are wearing so it is becoming more expensive to run compared with a newer one but I am reluctant to sell it!

We need to be mobile so need a reliable car to get us from A to B. This car though 7 years old is the best one we have owned.Which is down to the improved technology.We are aware that later models are better but have no experience of them. It does the job well.

BEST CAR I HAVE OWNED

I bought my golf 7 years ago for £500. It had 70,000 on it and was in good shape. It now has 214,000 on it and has survived an 18 wheeler going down the side of it, various components ending their life and had all manor of loads piled into it but it still lives on and does the job great. This year the MOT cost £550 to get through. My partner was told her 4 year old car would cost over £1,000 to get through the MOT and so she upgraded to a new car which cost big money anyway. So, I drive a funny old car, I get waves from VW enthusiasts and I can't keep up with a Ferrari, but how much does it cost to run a Ferrari?

Always wanted a golf, very solid and reliable, and because this has the blue motion engine, it's so cheap to drive as well. I have the S model but with alloys - the steering wheel isn't leather, and has a pretty basic stereo as well, but other than that, great car, haven't regretted buying at all!

The golf is an ideal car for either single or a family to own. It is reliable, I have never broken down,comfortable to drive and I feel extremely safe. I have had 2 new Golfs and would consider another one. You can fit in 2 child seats with ease and the boot is,very roomy for a pushchair and shopping.

Keep coming across cheap parts that fail repeatedly. Shall buy Japanese next time.

Only had car for 6 months and it is a pleasure to drive. The DSG AUTO gearbox is so smooth and controllable. It's quiet and comfortable though all round visibility is not as good as my Mark 4 Golf

Having driven motorbikes and Land-rovers for most of my driving life, almost any car would seem comfortable in comparison. I have had two Mk 3 Golfs that I loved and I was sorry to see them go but I have not been disappointed with their replacement Mk 4. I am not a fan of air-bags but, apart from that, I find the safety-features such as power-steering and anti-lock brakes very reassuring once I had resolved to trust the vehicle rather than try to use the driving techniques, such as cadence braking, that I have learned to rely on in the past. I always thought of air-conditioning as an unnecessary luxury but find it's very useful for summer motorway driving when opening a window is uncomfortably noisy. Even with its small (1.4l) engine, motorway driving is effortless and at legal speeds there is always plenty of power in reserve for acceleration or inclines, even with a full load, as long as the correct gear is selected in good time. Having driven a Land-Rover (2.25l) for many years I do have a tendency not to change down early enough on steep hills and, once the revs drop to below 2000, it can take a while to get going again but this is more to do with my bad habits than a fault in the car. Dropping to third gear in good time prevents any problems. Fuel economy is extremely good when driven sensibly, in excess of 50mpg on non-urban roads. Even when pushed reasonably hard to cut journey times, consumption rarely exceeds 47mpg. Stability at 70mph is excellent and I always feel that I am in complete control of the vehicle as it is so responsive to braking and steering. When cornering, it feels as if the wheels are attached to the road with powerful magnets and I have never had that sudden lurch in my stomach that means you think you may have taken a bend too fast or too tight. My one criticism is that, when parked on a steep camber in very heavy rain, some water does seep through the door-seals leading to wet carpets. I have cleaned out all the drainage channels and drain-holes and treated all the rubber seals with liquid silicone, which has reduced the problem a lot but not cured it completely.

This is now my 3rd VW Golf. They have got progressively newer and I have loved every one. The first was an impulse buy, but have been deliberate choices since then. They are solid, comfortable, reliable and have never failed an MOT test yet. They make me feel safe and are an absolute joy to drive, as well as being stylish to look at - especially my current black one. And no, I'm not a boy racer!

Seemingly perfect in every respect!

The Golf Estate I own has always been extremely reliable and has never failed an MoT. The road handling is excellent. Being a petrol engine running costs have been a bit high, especially when I was driving 25,000 miles a year, and given the choice I would prefer a diesel engine.

I feel confident that I am in a car which is reliable and safe. It feels strong and heavy on the road. It drives well.

I use my car for short journays, shopping visits to friends etc and it is perfect for that. I do not often use it for long journeys but it is OK when I do. I do not want to change it as I like the fact that it does not have too many gadgets. It is a good car for someone who is not interested in cars but wants to get from A to B.