Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2020-present reliability
Category: Estate car
The latest Volkswagen Golf Estate is a practical, spacious and very comfortable family holdall. It suffers from poor reliability, though.
What should I look for in a used Volkswagen Golf estate?
Most of the Mk8 Golf’s issues relate to the touchscreen infotainment system, which can fail to respond quickly or even fail completely. It's worth checking with your local dealer if any remedial work has been carried out on the Golf you are thinking of buying.
What are the most common problems with a used Volkswagen Golf estate?
There have been two recall notices so far:
Reason for recall
On affected vehicles the e-call service may not function
How the manufacturer will repair: Update the Online Control Unit software on the affected vehicle.
Number of affected vehicles: 4630
Reason for recall
Faulty crash sensors for airbag and restraint systems may have been fitted in the front doors.
How the manufacturer will repair: The crash sensors in the front doors are to be checked and if necessary replaced.
Number of affected vehicles: 124
Reason for recall
On certain vehicles with electromechanical brake servo and a DSG automatic gearbox of a limited production period, there is a possibility that a heat protection mat was incorrectly fitted. In individual cases the brake fluid reservoir can melt and cause a brake fluid leak into the engine compartment.
How the manufacturer will repair: A check of the installation of the heat protection mat on affected vehicles will be conducted. If necessary the correct heat shield condition will be restored and the damaged components will be replaced.
Number of affected vehicles: 26,721
Reason for recall
The bolted connection of the pull rod between the electromechanical brake servo and brake pedal may come loose resulting in a loss of all service braking ability.
How the manufacturer will repair: Vehicles are not to be driven and the bolted connection of the input rod between the electromechanical brake servo and brake pedal must be checked and if necessary retightened.
Number of affected vehicles: 145
Is a used Volkswagen Golf estate reliable?
The Mk8 Golf performed very poorly in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, with the diesel model finishing last place out of 25 cars in the family car category. The petrol version did a bit better, but it still finished in a disappointing 22nd place. This makes the Golf one of the least reliable family cars you can buy, with issues surrounding the infotainment and electrical systems being the main sources of fault.
Volkswagen as a brand finished in 18th place out of 31 contenders. That puts it above MG, Nissan and Seat, but below brands like BMW, Mazda and Toyota.
Like most Volkswagens, the Golf Estate comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty and one year’s roadside assistance. That's not exceptional these days, falling short of the five-year warranty that Hyundai and Toyota offer, let alone the seven years of cover provided by Kia.
Used Volkswagen Golf Estate: the owners' view
Our latest Reliability Survey revealed a range of experiences among Volkswagen Golf Mk8 owners. Many reported problems with warning lights, electrical issues and infotainment system malfunctions, while software glitches required multiple trips to the dealer for some.
On the mechanical side, reliability was generally strong, though a few diesel owners encountered AdBlue system troubles. Petrol models performed better, though some owners noted occasional engine warning lights and sensor failures.
Feedback on dealer service was mixed. While some owners praised their local dealerships for efficiency and support, others experienced long repair wait times, particularly for electronic faults. Delays in sourcing replacement parts also frustrated a handful of owners, leading to extended downtime.
Despite its continued popularity, owners expect greater reliability from a car in this segment. Volkswagen’s dealer network could also improve in addressing recurring issues more effectively.
