Volkswagen Golf Hatchback 1.4 TSI 160 GT 3dr

My car

We purchased our golf in November 2009 and although when it is working it is a lovely car to drive, fast and fun, it has been riddled with non stop engine and electric faults since day 1. So far, it has been in the garage almost monthly with new and unresolved issues. So far it has had replacement plugs, coils and supercharger. It also an engine squeak early on, which was temporarily resolved at the garage but returned within 8 weeks and has not stopped since. Voltswagen customer service has been less than satisfactory and has resulted in us now changing the car as we cannot stand the reliability issues any longer and would warn anybody to make sure they have good roadside recovery available if you choose to own this car. Other than this, the interior is fantastic and a really good build, the upgraded radio package with touch screen is a must, particularly with the parking sensors. The only car in a similar price range which we have found which competes with the handling is the BMW 1 series. Running costs are expensive when driving around town, working out at about 30mpg but raising to over 40mpg on the longer runs. If you want a fun car which you can forgive regular warranty-covered issues then this is for you but if you need a good reliable family car, perhaps think a little more....!