Item: Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2009 - 2013
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/used-review/n345">Ford Focus</a> Estate offers a more involving driving experience, while a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/astra/hatchback/used-review/n17406">Vauxhall Astra</a> Estate looks like better value for money in terms of age, mileage and spec, but lags behind for future resale values, interior quality and driving experience.

Don’t overlook models from <a href="http://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen">Volkswagen</a>’s sister brands either, as both the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/leon/estate/review/n17368">Seat Leon ST</a> and in particular the <a href="http://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/estate/used-review/">Skoda Octavia Estate</a> offer a lot of space for the money and a similar driving experience, if not quite matching the Golf’s overall sense of class and refinement.

Find a used Volkswagen Golf Estate in the What Car? Classifieds <a href="http://www.whatcar.com/classifieds/used-cars/volkswagen/golf">here</a>

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The life of the Mk6 Golf Estate also coincided with VW struggling to get its seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox to be fully reliable, so look for service history that indicates regular oil changes. Signs of the gearbox beginning to fail include if it judders when cornering or makes unusual noises as it changes down through the gears. A flashing spanner in the instrument cluster in place of the gear display is also bad news, particularly when you factor in that the cost of a replacement gearbox can run to approximately £4,000.

This generation of VW diesel engine also suffered from failure of the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve in as little as 20,000 miles. The first clue is often the diesel glow plug light illuminating, while if the car goes into 'limp home mode', it could be caused by a blocked DPF (diesel particulate filter), which means the car has probably done too many short runs. Either way you’re looking at an expensive fix.

Air conditioning compressors can also fail after about three years, so look for a system that produces chilled air and doesn’t make any unusual noises

No doubt some Golf Estates of this generation have suffered expensive engine and DSG gearbox problems. However, there are also a great many - indeed, the majority - that have been problem-free, and so while the Golf’s reputation for unfaltering reliability might not be quite what it once was, it’s still generally a solid bet. This is reflected in an above-average score in the What Car? Reliability Index. The average repair cost of almost £500 is, however, more expensive than rivals such as the Skoda Octavia Estate and Ford Focus Estate.

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Estate

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

GOLF

The Volkswagen Golf Estate adds extra practicality to an already impressive formula

Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2009 - 2013

Because the vast majority of Golf Estates are diesel-powered, running costs are low. The 1.6-litre engine in Bluemotion Technology guise with stop-start technology returns an official average of 67mpg while emitting just 109g/km of CO2, meaning it costs just £20 per year to tax. The non-Bluemotion Technology 1.6 TDI is marginally more expensive to tax at £30 per year.

Even the more powerful 2.0 TDI delivers impressive figures, recording 56.5mpg in EU fuel economy tests and emitting between 128 and 144g/km of CO2 depending what age and version of Golf Estate you choose, meaning it will cost at most £145 per year to tax.

Depending on driving style, servicing schedules can run up to two years or 20,000 miles, but we’d strongly recommend having your Golf Estate serviced every 12 months or 10,000 miles. The good news then that VW’s fixed-price servicing helps to keep costs transparent.

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The Volkswagen Golf Estate adds extra practicality to an already impressive formula

Prices for this version of the <a href="http://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen">Volkswagen</a> Golf Estate start at about £3000, but for that you’re getting a diesel with a mileage that suggests it might well have been to the moon and back. For something with less than 80,000 miles on the clock you’ll pay close to £5,000, which opens up the possibility of both 1.6 and 2.0-litre TDI-engined models.

The market tops out at about £14,000, for which you’ll get a very well equipped, low-mileage 2013 car from a franchised main dealer.

If you regularly carry heavy loads in the boot then the extra cost of the 2.0 TDI engine with 138bhp will be worth it. If not, then the 1.6-litre TDI diesel with 103bhp still performs well enough for most people, uses less fuel and is significantly cheaper to tax.

The entry-level S model features air-conditioning and electric windows but you need to upgrade to our favourite SE trim to also get alloy wheels, cruise control and an eight-speaker sound system. Top-of-the-line Sportline Golf Estates feature sports suspension, larger alloy wheels and a multi-function steering wheel.

Our favourite Volkswagen Golf Estate: 1.6 TDI SE

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

There are some terrific estates at most price ranges. The humble Skoda Fabia Estate offers cavernous space for not much cash at all, for example.

Further up the price range, another of our perennial favourites is the Skoda Superb Estate;&nbsp;it’s great to drive and as practical as most people should ever need. Meanwhile, for serious mile-munching ability and a premium, well-finished interior, it’s hard to look beyond the BMW 5 Series Touring.

A lot of <a href="http://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen">Volkswagen</a> Golf Estates will have led a hard life, so check for signs of accident damage or crash repairs under the bonnet and boot floor in particular. Ensure that the clutch in cars with a manual gearbox has a positive biting point that’s not too near the top of the pedal’s travel, and listen out for any knocks from the suspension, particularly at the rear of the car, which could indicate worn suspension bushes.

Any engine warning or diesel glow plug (coil) lights on the instrument cluster that don’t extinguish within a few seconds of the engine starting could suggest big trouble is imminent and are a sign that you should walk away.

Speaking of the engine, almost all of this generation of Golf Estate used the diesel engines that were at the heart of the 2015 VW dieselgate emissions scandal. Many will have already been recalled (the 1.6-litre required a modified part to be fitted and software to be updated, whereas the 2.0-litre only needed a software change), but some owners have been holding off, arguing that they are happy with the way their car drives. Either way, ensure that the engine pulls smoothly from low revs.

If you’re looking at a car equipped with a DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox check that it changes up and down the gears smoothly and quietly, and that it doesn’t roll on a flat surface.

Last but not least, the doors of the Mk6 Golf Estate are known to collect rainwater, so check that the carpets inside are dry.

It’s no great secret that the sixth-generation <a href="http://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen">Volkswagen</a> Golf was actually more like an improved version of its predecessor, and can thus trace its roots back to 2003. However, the Mk5 Golf was still a great starting point, and while this Estate version might not look quite as stylish as its hatchback equivalent it does add useful additional practicality to the formula.

For that you can thank a boot that’s 30% larger than the hatchback’s with the rear seats in place, making it ideal for families or those with dogs to transport (further helped by the low loading height and absence of a load lip). Another useful feature is that the rear seats fold at the touch of a button.

The rest of the formula is as you’ll find in a Mk6 Golf hatchback, which is to say very good. In particularly, it’s a quieter car than the Mk5 it replaced, making it relaxing to drive on a long journey, where it shuts out wind and tyre noise better than many cars from the class above. Handling is also neat and tidy, with the Estate showing little discernable difference to the hatchback unless it’s fully loaded.

Then of course there's the high-quality interior, which even today makes the Mk6 Golf Estate a pleasure to be in, being both very well built and easy to use.

The Estate missed out on some of the more powerful engines of the hatchback, but for most buyers the 1.6 or 2.0-litre diesel options will prove sufficient, as will the modest amount of trim levels. Those who prefer petrol power will have a tougher search; on the used car market, diesel Golf Estates tend to outnumber their petrol equivalents by approximately 60 to one.

As is the way with any Golf, you’ll pay a premium over most of its mainstream rivals, but will then be in possession of a car that will hold on to more of its value when time comes to sell.

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Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2009 - 2013 review

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