With 2 recalls and 185 complaints, the 2017 Volkswagen Golf rates as moderate on the safety concern scale. Always run the VIN through NHTSA's lookup tool before signing.

Recalls

185

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recall Findings

18V4640002018-11-07

STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Volkswagen Golf and Golf Sportwagen vehicles. The build of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition while the vehicle shift lever is not in "Park." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

View at NHTSA

19V1880002019-06-03

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.

If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

View at NHTSA

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Top Complaint Areas

The 2017 Volkswagen Golf's biggest weak point? FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM. It leads 185 total complaints spanning 1 years. Budget for a thorough pre-purchase inspection, especially in that area.

01Fuel/propulsion System44

02Unknown Or Other21

03Engine14

04Structure11

05Suspension7

185 total across 1 model years (2017–2017)Full data at NHTSA.gov

Volkswagen Golf Fuel Economy

25–29mpg combined

22-25city

30-36hwy

$1,500-$2,300/yr

Fuel economy for the 2017 Volkswagen Golf ranges from 25 to 29 MPG combined across 10 setups. The table below breaks it down by trim so you know exactly what you're signing up for.

By Trim

Golf - Automatic (S6)

29mpg

1.8L 4-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive

25 city35 hwy~$1,500/yr7/10 Clean

Golf - Manual 5-spd

29mpg

1.8L 4-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive

25 city36 hwy~$1,500/yr7/10 Clean

Golf SportWagen - Automatic (S6)

29mpg

1.8L 4-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive

25 city34 hwy~$1,500/yr7/10 Clean

Golf SportWagen - Manual 5-spd

28mpg

1.8L 4-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive

25 city35 hwy~$1,550/yr6/10 Average

Golf Alltrack - Manual 6-spd

26mpg

1.8L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

22 city32 hwy~$1,700/yr6/10 Average

Golf SportWagen 4motion - Manual 6-spd

26mpg

1.8L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

22 city32 hwy~$1,700/yr6/10 Average

Golf Alltrack - Automatic (AM-S6)

25mpg

1.8L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

22 city30 hwy~$1,750/yr5/10 Average

Golf R - Automatic (AM-S6)

25mpg

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

23 city30 hwy~$2,300/yr5/10 Average

Golf R - Manual 6-spd

25mpg

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

22 city31 hwy~$2,300/yr5/10 Average

Golf SportWagen 4motion - Automatic (AM-S6)

25mpg

1.8L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

22 city30 hwy~$1,750/yr5/10 Average

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Where to Find 2017 Volkswagen Golf

35States

24%in top 3

The biggest cluster of inventory is in California (9%), but the remaining listings are spread across 34 other states nationwide.

CACalifornia

979%

FLFlorida

868%

TXTexas

727%

DCWashington DC

535%

ILIllinois

505%

PAPennsylvania

485%

MDMaryland

464%

AZArizona

434%

WAWashington

424%

GAGeorgia

424%

COColorado

384%

NYNew York

363%

DEDelaware

323%

OHOhio

293%

MIMichigan

273%

OROregon

262%

MOMissouri

262%

NJNew Jersey

232%

MNMinnesota

222%

NH19

NCNorth Carolina

192%

MA15

NV15

CT14

UT12

WI12

VT11

KY11

IN10

VA10

TN9

NE7

RI7

ME6

OK6

Geographic distribution reflects all active listings for this model, not just 2017.

Buying a 2017 Volkswagen Golf?

Answers to common buyer questions

Is the 2017 Volkswagen Golf a good car to buy?

The 2017 Volkswagen Golf has 2 recalls on record. There are 2 recalls on record, so check that they've been completed before buying. The most commonly reported issue area is fuel/propulsion system, which is worth inspecting during a test drive. Review the safety data and pricing breakdown above.

Are there recalls on the 2017 Volkswagen Golf?

There are 2 documented recalls for the 2017 Volkswagen Golf. Don't let that scare you; most are routine. Just make sure they're all resolved before you sign. Details in the safety overview.

What's the gas mileage of the 2017 Volkswagen Golf?

Fuel economy ranges from 25 to 29 MPG combined. If you drive 15,000 miles a year, that gap is worth about $290 annually. See the fuel economy section for per-trim data.

What are common problems with the 2017 Volkswagen Golf?

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM is the number-one complaint area for the 2017 Volkswagen Golf, based on 185 NHTSA filings. During a test drive, pay extra attention to this system. See the known issues section for the full breakdown.