Two of the Volkswagen Golf Estate’s closest rivals are the previous generations of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/leon/hatchback/used-review/n805">Seat Leon</a> ST and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/estate/used-review/n854">Skoda Octavia Estate</a>, both of which share many parts with the VW. However, while the Skoda is bigger and both are cheaper to buy, it is the VW that is the best of the trio to drive and should hold on to more of its value when the time comes to sell.

Other estate cars of this size with notably large boots include the previous-generation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/308/estate/used-review/n949">Peugeot 308</a> SW and the older&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/civic/hatchback/used-review/n898">Honda Civic</a> Tourer. Both have even more luggage capacity than the Golf but can’t match it for interior fit and finish, low running costs or driver enjoyment.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/astra/estate/used-review/n955">Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer</a> is the value option with its low purchase prices. It’s another solid all-rounder with an impressive range of petrol and diesel engines, although its interior isn’t as classy as a Golf’s.

<a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here</a>

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/golf?nearlynew=true&amp;used=true&amp;derivative.category=estate">used Volkswagen Golf Estate</a>, or any of the other cars mentioned, check out our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

Page 5 of 5

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<h3 dir="ltr">Lights may fail without warning</h3>

An issue with the programming of the on-board supply control unit means the driver may not be warned of a light bulb blowing. It’s also possible for a message to pop up suggesting there’s a fault when there isn’t. Speak to a VW dealer for further information because&nbsp;new software will need to be installed to fix the problem.

<h3 dir="ltr">Passenger air bag</h3>

Due to a faulty weld in the gas generator used in the air bag assembly, there’s a potential for parts of the assembly to break off and cause injury to occupants. Affected vehicles will need&nbsp;to have any faulty items replaced, so find out from your VW dealer if your car is affected by this.

<h3 dir="ltr">Air bag and seat belt tensioner</h3>

Some examples may have an issue with either the air bags, seat belt tensioners, or both. Due to an error in the manufacturing process, these may not trigger correctly in a collision, affecting passenger safety. Find out if your&nbsp;car is affected by this because it'll&nbsp;need to have all faulty air bags and seat belt tensioners replaced.

<h3 dir="ltr">Fuel leak</h3>

A tooling issue at the factory meant that some examples were fitted with engine cylinder heads that were not produced to the correct specification. This could then lead to an issue with the fuel rail loosening over time and allowing fuel to leak, with the potential for an engine fire.

<h3 dir="ltr">Front wheel bearing housing</h3>

The front wheel bearing housing on a small number of Golfs might not have been manufactured correctly and could potentially fracture. Your Volkswagen dealer should be able to check the casting date to find out if your car is affected and let you know whether replacements are required.

<h3 dir="ltr">Incorrect front brake discs fitted</h3>

Some Golfs might have been fitted with front brake discs that are not of the correct thickness, which could crack under extreme circumstances. Contact your local Volkswagen dealer to check if your car is affected by this recall and needs to have replacement discs fitted.

<h3 dir="ltr">Insecure head restraint</h3>

There has been an issue reported with the front head restraints of a limited number of Golfs where a burr created during the manufacturing process could prevent the locking mechanism from working correctly. Your Volkswagen dealer should be able to let you know if your car is affected.

<h3 dir="ltr">Child lock failure</h3>

The child locks on some examples might disengage without warning and allow occupants to open the rear doors. Speak to your dealer for further information because&nbsp;new locks will need to be fitted to sort the problem.

<h3 dir="ltr">Rear hub carrier</h3>

On certain Golfs there was an issue with the rear hub carrier not being manufactured to the correct standard, so in extreme circumstances, the car could lose a rear wheel. A recall was issued to replace the carriers on affected cars, so find out if your car is one of those affected by speaking with your local VW dealer.

<h3 dir="ltr">Seat backrest</h3>

A small number of Golfs may have been fitted with seats where the welds on the backrest head restraint mounting could fail in an accident. You Volkswagen dealer should be able to tell you if your car requires a replacement seat to solve the problem.

According to our most recent What Car? Reliability survey, petrol-powered&nbsp;Golfs are more dependable than the diesel equivilent. Petrol examples&nbsp;finished in 21st&nbsp;place out of 37&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey-family-cars/n20053">family car class</a>, while diesels were down in 33rd place.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/volkswagen">Volkswagen</a> as a brand finished in 22nd&nbsp;place out of 32&nbsp;car manufacturers&nbsp;in the same survey.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? Reliability Survey</a> pages for more information

Page 3 of 5

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

Classy, comfortable and spacious, the seventh-generation VW Golf Estate is one of our favourite estate cars.

Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2013 - present

<h3>MPG</h3>

The Golf Estate can be bought with the same 1.6 TDI&nbsp;engine as the hatchback. It’s an impressive unit as far as fuel economy is concerned, returning as much as an average 67.3mpg. The more powerful&nbsp;2.0 TDI gets 64.5mpg, while the GTD manages 58.9mpg.&nbsp;

The majority of petrol engines manage&nbsp;to get a combined figure&nbsp;of more than 50mpg. Indeed, the smallest 1.0 manages 58.6mpg, beating the 56.5mpg of the 1.2 it replaced. The earlier 1.4 petrol manages 53.3mpg in 123bhp, and 52.3mpg in 148bhp forms.&nbsp;The later 1.5-litre TSI petrol engined-car does better, getting 55.4mpg in 128bhp form and 53.3mpg in its higher output 148bhp version.

The only model that can be particularly thirsty is the Golf Estate R, but its 39.2mpg&nbsp;isn't so bad considering the performance.

<h3>Road tax (VED)</h3>

Unless you opt for the R, which emits 164g/km, most Golf estates have low emissions. The 1.6 diesel is best at 102g/km, but the 2.0 isn't far off with 113g/km. Not even the GTD is that much worse at 119g/km.

Petrol models put out a little more CO2. The lowest emissions come from the 112g/km of the 1.0, followed by the 117g/km of the 1.2. Both versions of the 1.4 emit 123g/km.

Cars registered after April 2017 will be charged a flat rate fee. This is currently £165 a year. To find out more about the current <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a>.

<h3>Servicing costs</h3>

Servicing costs for most models that are over three years old&nbsp;range from £184 for a basic check and fluid change to £354&nbsp;for a major service. That’s slightly more than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/vauxhall">Vauxhall</a> dealer would charge to service an Astra Estate or a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/ford">Ford</a> dealer for a Focus Estate, but it's by no means unreasonable for this size of car.

Page 2 of 5

Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2013-2020

Classy, comfortable and spacious, the seventh-generation Golf Estate is one of our favourites

Prices for the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf Estate (you can spot it from its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/estate/used-review/n771">2009-2013 Volkswagen Golf Estate</a> predecessor by the more angular rear lights)&nbsp;start at about £4500 for a high-mileage 1.6-litre diesel in the lower of its two available power outputs (104bhp versus 114bhp).

For a petrol Golf Estate, you’ll pay between&nbsp;£6500 and £7500 for one with average miles for the year on the clock.&nbsp;Put aside between £11,000 and £13,000 for a 2017&nbsp;car, and £14,000 to £16,000 for a&nbsp;2019 model; a tiny bit more, between £15,000 and £19,000, for the last 2020 cars.&nbsp;

The fact that the high-performance Golf Estate R was only launched in 2015, and&nbsp;prices are still very strong; you’ll need to budget at least £15,500 for such a car. It’s a similar story with the Golf Alltrack, a jacked-up, four-wheel-drive version of the family estate intended for those who occasionally need to venture off the beaten track. Launched at the same time as the R, it costs from £15,000 as a used buy, while a Golf GTD Estate&nbsp;can be yours for £14,000.

Check the value of a used Volkswagen Golf with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

<h3>Engine</h3>

Engine choice will depend primarily on your intended mileage, with diesels best suited to those who spend a lot of time on the road. However, for most people the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine in either of its two available power outputs represents the best all-rounder. If you're buying a post-facelift car then the 1.5 TSI 130 is the one to seek out.

Specification

As far as trim goes, we'd stick with SE, which has all the equipment you could reasonably want.

Our favourite Volkswagen Golf Estate: 1.4 TSI 125 SE

Page 4 of 5

<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.

As an estate car, it’s just possible that a <a href="www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/">Volkswagen</a> Golf has been used for regularly transporting very heavy loads, so it’s worth looking for excessive wear in the boot and listening out for any strange noises from the rear suspension. That aside, any problems you might encounter are the same as with any seventh-generation Golf hatchback.

<h3>Timing chain issues</h3>

That means insisting on a full-service history. Petrol cars, in particular, have been known to snap timing chains if not serviced to schedule, causing major engine damage, so look for a fully stamped service book.

Volkswagen appears to have largely sorted any major issues associated with its DSG automatic gearbox, but it’s still worth checking that any cars equipped with this shift smoothly up and down through the gears.

<h3>Electrical glitches</h3>

The same goes for the electrics, including sat-nav, if fitted. On the vast majority of cars, it works as its maker intended, but a few owners have experienced glitches, so be sure to test all of the systems as part of your test drive, including pairing your phone via Bluetooth.

<h3 dir="ltr">Adaptive cruise control</h3>

Examples fitted with automatic cruise control (ie cruise control that senses the distance from the car in front) can suffer from problems whereby the system gets confused and slams on the brakes. Often, there’s little that can be done to solve this. The system can be recalibrated, at a cost.

The seventh generation of the Volkswagen Golf Estate&nbsp;married&nbsp;the excellent driving manners, fine build quality and frugal engines of the contemporaneous <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/used-review/n776">2013-2020 Volkswagen Golf hatchback </a>with more than enough space to keep most families happy.

In fact, the biggest problem you are likely to encounter when looking for a used Golf Estate is finding one. That’s because Golf hatchbacks on the used market outnumber estates by about ten to one.

Although the used market for the Golf Estate is also primarily diesel-engined, for buyers who don’t clock up at least 15,000 miles per year it’s worth spending the time and effort to find one with a turbocharged petrol engine such as VW’s excellent 1.4-litre TSI unit. This will give a great blend of performance and economy, as well as being quieter to drive than either the 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre diesels. VW’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is also impressive in terms of performance and economy, although no cheaper to buy than the 1.4-litre.

The Golf was treated to a mid-life makeover in 2016 after which it came with a new 1.5 TSI Evo engine, replacing the 1.4-litre unit,&nbsp;that upped both the power and the efficiency.

For those wanting a family estate with a good dollop of pace to match all the space, VW sold the Golf Estate in rapid GTD diesel form or the sensational four-wheel-drive R with 296bhp from its turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine. Both manual and automatic gearboxes are available, though, and both are good to use.

The Golf Estate range starts with S trim and features air-conditioning, a 5.8in touchscreen with DAB radio and 15in steel wheels, although many will have been upgraded to 16in alloys. SE adds those 16in wheels as standard, along with electric rear windows and an autonomous emergency braking system that alerts the driver if they are about to hit the vehicle in front. If the driver fails to react, the car can automatically apply the brakes. GT-spec cars come with sports suspension and 17in wheels that result in a firmer ride, plus front and rear parking sensors.

It’s not just the GTD and R flagship models that are great to drive, though. In fact, all Golf Estates offer a relaxed, comfortable ride with precise steering and a great sense of stability for motorway cruising. What’s more, with good visibility and plenty of safety features (some were standard, others optional), the Golf Estate is just as happy driving around town as it is trekking up and down the motorway.

Compared with the already roomy Golf hatchback, this estate offers approximately 35% more boot space. What’s more, the low loading lip, easy-to-fold rear seats and adjustable boot floor mean it ticks as many boxes as it can hold.

You get a decent amount of space for passengers too, with four adults able to travel in comfort in what remains one of the classiest interiors of any mainstream car. In short, it’s a very practical machine.

As ever with a Golf, you’ll pay more for one of these Estates than you would an equivalent model from <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/ford">Ford</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/vauxhall">Vauxhall</a> et al. However, in this instance, the VW’s cavernous boot and classy interior help justify the extra cost. In short, you get what you pay for.

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/golf?nearlynew=true&amp;used=true&amp;derivative.category=estate">used Volkswagen Golf Estate</a>, or any of the other cars mentioned, check out our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

Page 1 of 5

Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2013-2020 review

Why the overall winner won

Best small SUV

Best family car

Best small electric car

Best luxury car

Car of the Year Awards 2023 >>

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Two of the Volkswagen Golf Estate’s closest rivals are the previous generations of the Seat Leon ST and the Skoda Octavia Estate, both of which share many parts with the VW. However, while the Skoda is bigger and both are cheaper to buy, it is the VW that is the best of the trio to drive and should hold on to more of its value when the time comes to sell.,Other estate cars of this size with notably large boots include the previous-generation Peugeot 308 SW and the older Honda Civic Tourer. Both have even more luggage capacity than the Golf but can’t match it for interior fit and finish, low running costs or driver enjoyment.,The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer is the value option with its low purchase prices. It’s another solid all-rounder with an impressive range of petrol and diesel engines, although its interior isn’t as classy as a Golf’s.For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter hereIf you're interested in buying a used Volkswagen Golf Estate, or any of the other cars mentioned, check out our used car classifieds site here. ,Page 5 of 5

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Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2013-2020 review

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