2016 VOLKSWAGEN Golf R

1st Month - No buyer's remorse yet - LOL

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: Reliability Rating: Safety Rating: Technology Rating: Value Rating:

Got a '16 SE on closeout. Had I been able to get it with a manual, I'd be supremely happy, as I'd say the only flaw in this otherwise fine machine is the odd and irritating shifting of the auto transmission. The computer and I are rarely in agreement. I find it to be over-eager to upshift and then lug (esp. on an incline) at 900 RPM or so, and in so doing, the normally peppy demeanor of the car is lost. It also seems to get confused when coasting, downshifting as one decelerates, only to then think the revs are too high and upshift again, and then back again. This issue aside, I continue to be impressed with the Golf's able handling, surprisingly good noise isolation for such a small car, firm seats, logical controls, clean design and other general German virtues. Just wish I could have gotten the SE's 17" rims and leather seats on the S, OR a manual tranny on the SE. But ultimately my aversion to the S's 15" rims outweighed my desire for a manual transmission (not available on the SE).

1st 1,000 miles and still loving it

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: Interior Rating: Reliability Rating: Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

Very happy with my Golf. It wasn't my top choice but with mfg rebates the price was to good to pass up. Car handling is great and I appreciate the interior and how quiet the car is. Only regret so far is I didn't get sunroof. As I live in the northeast I'm curios to see how it handles in the snow.

Excellent Quality

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

I have had this car for for 8 months and I love it. I literally researched different cars for years before I bought this one, and definitely made the right choice. I've had no problems, and I feel the quality and luxury every time I drive it. The only things that are a "con" would be these: the gas mileage is not as good as my old car (which was a 2001 Kia Rio), I still have problems fiddling with the windshield wiper lever, and I wish that every model came with an option for a blind spot monitor. I wanted that feature, but didn't want to buy an entire package for thousands of dollars just to get a blind spot monitor.

Fantastic Buy!

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

Purchased the SE model with automatic transmission. It's a blast to drive. The car rides like a luxury car and is super quiet at highway speeds. The doors close with a solid thud and overall the car feels more expensive than it is. There are w lot of small touches that are really cool like the cooled glovebox, carpet lined bin in the doors, and rear view camera that deploys from the logo when in reverse. The fender audio system is amazing! The car looks small on the outside but is very roomy for the class. Handling is exactly what you'd expect from a Volkswagen. It handles corners with ease. Plenty of power. Mileage is at 28 mpg or so but I have a lot of stop and go traffic and the car isn't broken in yet. My only gripe is the transmission. It can be a bit clunky at lower speeds as Edmunds says. It's eager to up shift and seems to have trouble finding the right gear when coming to a stop. There is of course the option to shift yourself. It's not enough to stop me from loving the car but something to consider. Perhaps a transmission reprogram would help. Can't comment on reliability yet. Overall this car would be a great buy for many people but always seems to get overlooked by all the Civics, corollas, and even jettas.

Vault solid and great value.

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 28

This car drives sublimely. Quiet, stable and agreeably fun. Excellent highway MPG (40) OK city (25). Manual takes a little getting used to after precise 6 speed manual 14 Mazda6. Fit and finish are great. Wish the aluminum wheels were a little less boring on the S, but the suspension is way more refined than anything close price-wise. Inside, its all logical and nothing feels base. I got this with a huge discount off MSRP and in many ways it is like a 2005 Acura TSX I owned for 5 years. I hope that the reliability is good and that VW gets on track following the scandal. This is an icon of simple design refinement.

So Glad I Bought It

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

This little car is awesome. It's zippy and handles the road like a champ. Plenty of flexible cargo space. Great visibility, plenty of "get-up," fantastic turn radius, great for city driving also good on the highway. Very fun to drive, definitely the best small car I've driven. I was hesitant to buy a brand new car, but this turned out to be well worth it. I often get over 40 mpg on the highway cruising at ~72/mph. In the city I get around 25 mpg so it is a little worse than my cheap old hyundai in the city, but vastly better. The cargo space is not as big as the Jetta but it's more flexible and the car looks a lot cooler. If you are bored by the Civic or Elantra and have an extra ~ $3,000 go for this.

Nice little city car

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 5

2016 golf looks very clean, distiller almost. In general the ride is very enjoyable: plush and quite. Ride wise my two biggest complains are: cornering and handling uneven pavement on stock 15" wheels/tire is entirely unpredictable, the car tilts and bobs diagonally at highway speed at times. The second complain is down-shifting of an automatic transmission: especially at lower gears, when downshift occurred the sound and the vibration comming from transmission is to much, almost feels as some sort of malfunction.

Golf is a much better car than the Jetta

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating:

The basic S model in the 4 door with cloth interior is a great value. The beige interior with brushed aluminum trim looks very upscale and the materials feel expensive. The 15 inch wheel contribute greatly to ride comfort over the broken pavement and pot holes and the car still tracked well. It feels solid and well put together. Its quiet and smooth and easy to see out of. I drove the Jetta Sport in a five speed and I was disappointed. That particular Jetta also seems to have been abused as a demo so it might not be representative. Then I drove the Golf 6 speed auto and what a difference. If VW offered a 6 speed manual in the TSI I would have no hesitation in buying one. As it were, I am very tempted with the 6 speed auto. The paddle shifter on the steering wheel gave it a sporting touch and they also worked very well. Everything about the car is spot on!

Built to drive and have fun

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

It took a 10 minute drive to fall in love with this car.... and I've driven a LOT of cars. I didn't want to have anything to do with Volkswagen --- I wanted something that had a more reliable reputation -- but I suddenly find myself a devoted follower. The car is built to drive, to have fun and enjoy. Somewhere between the paddle shifters (makes the car FAST), technology and lighting packages, I just lost it. And I'm still loving it!

Love to drive it

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

I look forward to going anywhere knowing i get to drive if there and back 😊 The automatic in shift mode ( paddle or stick) is just as fast as the manual and faster if you don't power shift. 0 to 30 is really fast ! My wife likes to tool around in auto drive mode and is more than happy with the response. Feels like i am in an Audi. Interior is high quality. This baby will do until I get the wherewithall to buy an S3. (Audi)👍

Exceptional Golf

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

This car's handling far exceeded my expectation. Awesome acceleration! Purchased base S automatic in white. Installed aftermarket leather and tinted windows. The car looks fantastic! Got a great deal from VW Royal in San Francisco from James!

This is a fantastic automobile

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

The 2016 Volkswagen Golf TSI S 4-door hatchback equipped with the 5-speed manual transmission is truly a great car. I chose the model without the sunroof for the reason that it costs around $1,000 more for that model, and the sunroof was not worth it for me. Starting with the exterior, the Golf looks sporty yet refined (not as bold as the GTI, yet still retains some sportiness). The standard 15" Lyon wheels look good, and the 195/65 tires transmit almost zero road noise, which makes the ride very quiet and comfortable, especially when coupled with the suspension setup. The four-door model offers plenty of space as well. I am 6' 3", and with the driver's seat in my setting, I have 1.5"-2" of leg room in the back seat, which is more than I have in most sedans which outsize the Golf considerably. The hatchback design also allows for a ton of cargo room, which is great when compared to sedans. The door panels are tight and make a solid "thunk" when closed. The halogen lights on the Golf are good (the lighting package cannot be had on this trim, an $1,100 option) and give you good visibility at night. I was surprised that the signals on the mirrors are LEDs, and the Golf has heated mirrors standard (great for the northern folks). Moving to the interior, the Golf's seating surfaces are a sort of cloth, but it is thick and durable, not like that found in a Toyota or Honda. The steering wheel is the same as the one found in the GTI model, leather-wrapped and having a flat bottom, which is very comfortable and feels great. The gauge cluster is very appealing, with easy-to-read font and a well-spaced layout. The steering wheel controls allow the menus to be navigated easily on the mini-screen between the tachometer and speedometer. This moves me to one of my favorite aspects about the car, and that is the Volkswagen Infotainment System. I have driven many cars (Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota, Honda, Porsche, and many more) and this is one of the top systems I have ever used. This is because it is simple, yet loaded with useful features that other vehicles lack. For instance, the VW system offers Apple Carplay and Android Auto, which essentially converts the screen to appear just like the phone you are using. It also has a wealth of vehicle information, such as MPGs, a ThinkBlue Trainer (which measures how much fuel the drivers' style saves or loses), and much more. This system arguably works better than vehicles with price tags double or triple of my Golf ($21,495). In the glove box, there are outlets for three SD cards and a CD player as well. In the center stack there are the USB and AUX input jacks for your telephone. The Golf also has three 12V power outlets, one by the E-brake, one in the center arm-rest, and one in the right side of the trunk. This allows for plenty of charging of any devices. The seats in the Golf are not as supportive as those found in the GTI, but they do the job. They are manually adjusting for forward/backward and height, but the backrest is electric for whatever reason (I found that rather odd) However, the overall quality of the interior is good. You can tell the quality of the materials used is economical, but altogether it is pretty good for the price point. Mechanically, the engine in this vehicle was one of the reasons I chose to go with the Golf. For the price point, you get the most power (170 hp, 200 lb-ft tq) and it is fantastic. The engine sounds great when it is revved up to around 5-6 thousand RPMs, and it does not sound annoying like some inline-4 cylinder turbos of today do. The 5-speed manual transmission is great as well, it is smooth, and the clutch is firm, which I like. The windows in the Golf are all auto up and down, and the actuators work well and do not feel/sound cheap at all. Driving the car is a blast. Though it is front wheel drive, there is virtually no torque-steer under full acceleration, and this car takes corners like a champ, despite the 195/65 tires. There are also many different accessories available for the Golf to make it an even better car than I have described it to be here. Overall, I give this car a 5/5 for the power, value, build quality, and overall fit-and-finish.

Get it

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

Just purchased in March 2016

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

Bought a loaded (except Nav) Golf 4door TSI SE in March and love it so far. I think the value of these cars exceeds the competition. The build quality seems like Audi which I have owned in the past. The dealership was also great to deal with. If you are looking for a hatchback you must include the VW Golf TSI in your test drive line-up.

Unity

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

Smooth engine, precise responsive steering, clean tasteful styling, better ride height and visibility won me over from the 2016 Civic. I wanted the lighting package so migrated to the SE which gives you an amazing Fender stereo. Wasn't planning on the driver assist safety package but given the how distractable life can be, and the non-obtrusive nature of this German version, I decided to fork out the extra $1500 in hopes it may safe my life in some way. The seats don't look impressive but are very comfortable and supportive. The new Honda Civic is their best version yet with lots of features on the touring. The best way to describe the difference between these two cars is the German car reflects the near perfection of unity between car and driver and the Japanese car reflects excellent car parts put together well but you still know it's a puzzle and not a photo. The Apple car play is a nice feature. Wind noise is exceptionally low. Not a fan of Mazda, but always rated high by professional reviewers.