Used Volkswagen Golf cars for sale

Used Volkswagen Golf pros and cons

Is a used Volkswagen Golf a good car?

The Volkswagen Golf is one of those cars that can be all things to all people. It manages to have great badge appeal without being too pricey, rivalling premium brands such as BMW and Mercedes as well as more mainstream companies like Ford and Vauxhall.

If you’re looking for a practical hatchback, the Golf has long been the first name on the shopping list. The latest model isn’t such a clear-cut winner, though. For a start, its front end styling is rather Marmite, then when you get inside it has a fiddly infotainment system and some baffling ergonomics.

It’s spacious, though no more roomy than the old one, and its 381-litre boot is bang on the money, being identical to an Audi A3. Material quality isn’t quite posh enough to rival the Audi, nor the BMW 1 Series, but it compares favourably with the likes of the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra.

There’s a good range of engines too, with diesel for those who spend a lot of time on the motorway, a plug-in hybrid for those who can charge and mainly do shorter journeys, and petrols if you do a mix of the two.

It’s very comfortable on a bumpy road, but the trade off is that it’s not as much fun on a twisty road as the Focus. There’s a capable hot hatch version if you want a bit more performance and handling prowess. The Volkswagen Golf R has a 315hp petrol engine and all-wheel drive for all-weather ability.

What to look for when buying a second hand Volkswagen Golf

The eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf had a rocky start to life, with software issues plaguing early cars in particular. The 2019 launch was delayed because of this and owners’ forums indicate it could be an ongoing issue.

Some owners recommend avoiding 2020 and 2021 cars. Volkswagen used over-the-air updates to iron out the most common issues, but there are still some small gremlins.

Unsurprisingly, ownership surveys haven’t shone a particularly positive light on Golf ownership. Although running costs are good, reliability and the infotainment system consistently score poorly.

When shopping around, ask the owner or dealer if the car has received all of its software updates. If you’re not worried about these software issues, the Golf seems to be otherwise mechanically reliable.

However, if your budget only stretches to early eighth-generation cars, it could be better to get a late, high specification/low mileage used seventh generation Volkswagen Golf.

Volkswagen Golf FAQs