Item: 2021 Volkswagen Golf
Rating: 3.4
Author: Justin Cupler

Overview

What's New

The 2021 Volkswagen Golf closes out the seventh generation of this subcompact model. This year, it’s available in one Golf TSI trim. Therefore, its equipment list includes 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, keyless entry with push-button start, imitation leather seats, heated front seats, heated washer nozzles, and a panoramic tilt-and-slid sunroof.

Volkswagen has recently confirmed that the Golf will be discontinued in the U.S. following the 2021 model year. Meanwhile, the GTI and Golf R will benefit from a complete redesign for the 2022 model year.

Choosing your Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen offers the 2021 Golf in one TSI trim. With the standard manual transmission, this model costs $24,190, including the destination charge. Opting for the automatic adds $800, bringing the price tag to $24,990.

Engine Choices

A 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine motivates the 2021 Golf. This engine develops 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.

Volkswagen pairs this engine with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or to an 8-speed automatic transmission. While this model doesn’t have a limited-slip front differential, it utilizes an XDS Cross Differential System to supply computer-adjusted inputs to maintain stability.

The Golf makes an EPA-estimated 29 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway for a combined 33 mpg when equipped with the manual transmission or a combined 32 mpg with the automatic.

Passenger and Cargo Capacity

The Volkswagen Golf seats up to five individuals. The rear seat is ideal for two adults with decent legroom and headroom available.

What’s especially impressive is the Golf’s storage space, which measures a standard 23 cubic feet or a whopping 57.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. These numbers are better than some small crossovers.

Safety Features

The 2021 Golf comes with a suite of driver-assist safety features. These include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, and rear traffic assist.

What’s not included is adaptive cruise control. It isn’t available with this model.

Connectivity

Volkswagen equips the Golf with a 6.5-inch touch-screen display, an SD card, Bluetooth compatibility, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and a pair of USB ports. A six-speaker audio system comes standard.

TSI - From $24,190

The 2021 Golf comes with automatic headlights, LED daytime running lights and LED taillights, heated windshield washer nozzles, alloy wheels, a power sunroof, and power-operated and heated side mirrors.

Inside, the seats are wrapped in imitation leather. The front seats are heated and power-controlled. The rear 60/40 bench seat includes a folding center armrest. Full power accessories are also included.

Compare Golf Specs

CarsDirect Tip

With just one trim available, customers will find their choices limited to manual or automatic transmissions, no package upgrades, and to a few accessories. The price point, though, may be enough to get some to buy now, while others may want to wait until later in the year when the eighth-generation Golf debuts with more trim choices available.

Matthew Keegan

Contributing Editor - February 12, 2021

Read Less

Expert Review

Pros

Fun to drive in all trims
Mysteriously large on the inside
Well-equipped base trim

Cons

Not for the tight-budgeted buyer
Unexciting exterior design
Small standard touchscreen

Expert Rating

3.4

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

Justin Cupler

Automotive Editor - March 31, 2021

Do-it-all hatchback. The 2021 Volkswagen Golf is part of the model’s seventh generation and has no changes compared to the previous model year. But with a hatchback that does so many things so well, who needs change?

From its roomy cabin to its spacy cargo area to its zippy performance, there is very little to complain about on the 2021 Golf. Continue reading to see if this aging but functional hatchback still holds the lead against surging competitors like the Hyundai Veloster and Mini Cooper.

Forget about a budget-oriented model. Most of the Golf lineup is a good value for the features it offers, but its $24,990 (destination fees included) price tag is over $1,000 more than the already pricey $23,645 Mazda 3 2.5S Hatchback.

Where the Golf makes up for its price is in its value, as it comes standard with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay deal, heated front seats, leather-wrapped shifter, power front seats, keyless start, and two USB ports. The Golf’s 6.5-inch standard touchscreen is dinky compared to the Mazda 3’s 8.8-inch infotainment screen, but the Mazda’s screen is attached to a finicky rotary-knob infotainment system that lacks standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are big turn-offs.

Sure, there are cheaper hatchbacks, including the Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla Hatchback, but only the Corolla can match the Golf’s level of value.

Buyers looking for performance and value can look toward the Golf GTI. It starts from $30,490 (destination fees included) base price, which is about $3,000 less than the Veloster N and about $4,000 less than the Mini Cooper Hardtop John Cooper Works.

Volkswagen Golf

Fun to drive, no matter how you take it. The base Golf is no slouch in performance either. Sure, its 147-hp 1.4-liter turbo four-pot doesn’t sound like much on paper, but it delivers excellent midrange punch and 184 pound-feet of torque at just 1,400 rpm. This gives it a quicker in-the-seat feel. Plus, with a standard manual transmission, you have full control of where the revs stay, so you can always keep it near the powerband.

The Corolla Hatchback is close in straight-line speed thanks to its 169-hp 2.0-liter engine, but the Impreza’s 152-hp boxer-four is nearly 1.5 seconds slower to 60 mph. The Mazda 3’s base 155-hp 2.0-liter Is equally unimpressive, though its turbo 2.5-liter option is a crowd-pleaser.

Of course, the most fun is in the 2021 Golf GTI, with its 228-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and standard six-speed manual transmission. This zips it to 60 mph in about six seconds while its firm chassis delivers crisp performance in the corners.

This may ring in a little slower than the 250-hp Veloster N, but that $3,000 in savings is more than enough to make up for a few tenths of a second.

Surprisingly roomy. The 2021 VW Golf has a tiny footprint, but its cabin is roomy with 23 cubic feet of room with the rear seats up and 53.7 cubes with them folded. The Veloster offers just 19.9 cubes with the seats up and 45.5 with them folded. The Cooper is laughable at 8.7 cubes with the seats upright and 34 cubes with them folded.

The Golf’s rear seats are also decently spacy with 35.6 inches of legroom and loads of headroom. The Veloster comes up 1.5 inches short, and the Cooper is a whopping 4.8 inches tighter in legroom.

The only complaint – if you can call it that – is the snugness of the Golf GTI’s sport seats. While a performance lover will be used to this tight embrace from the bolstered front seats, a casual driver may feel uncomfortable.

Final thoughts: The 2021 Golf is an impressive combination of roominess, upscale features, technology, and performance. Few can compete with it in every segment. Sure, you can the faster Veloster N or the more unique-looking Cooper John Cooper Works, but there are huge tradeoffs in each.

Check prices for the 2021 Volkswagen Golf »

Read Less

Specs & Features

Highlights

Overall Crash Safety Rating

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque

1.4L I-4 / 147 HP / 184 ft.lbs.

Transmission

Standard: 6-spd man w/OD

Available: 8-spd Tiptronic w/OD

Drive Type

Front-wheel

Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined

29 / 39 / 34 Mpg

Passenger Capacity

Bumper to Bumper Warranty

48 Months / 50,000 Miles

Mechanical Specs

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque	1.4L I-4 / 147 HP / 184 ft.lbs.
Drive Type	Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined	29 / 39 / 34 Mpg
Brakes	4-wheel Disc
Front Suspension	Strut
Rear Suspension	Independent Multi-link
Spare Tire And Wheel	Compact Steel
Fuel Tank	13.2 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type	Regular Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank	$50

Dimensions & Capabilities

Maximum Cargo Volume	53.7 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume	93 Cu.ft.
Exterior Length	167.6 "
Exterior Width	70.8 "
Exterior Height	58.2 "
Front Headroom	38.4 "
Rear Headroom	38.1 "
Front Legroom	41.2 "
Rear Legroom	35.6 "
Front Shoulder Room	55.9 "
Rear Shoulder Room	53.9 "
Front Hip Room
Rear Hip Room
Curb Weight	2,945 Lbs. / 3,012 Lbs.
Wheel Base	104 "
Turning Radius	17.9 '

Exterior Features

Door Count	4 Doors
Wheels	16.0 " Silver Aluminum
Paint	Clearcoat Monotone
Exterior Mirrors	Dual Power Remote Heated
Bumpers	Body-colored With Chrome Insert
Grille Moldings	Black W/chrome Accents
Rear Spoiler
Exhaust	Stainless Steel

Interior Features

Seating

Passenger Capacity	5
Seat Trim	V-tex Leatherette
Front Seat Type	Bucket
Heated Front Seats	Driver And Front Passenger Heated-cushion, Heated-seatback
Front Driver Seat Direction Controls	6-way (2-way Power)
Front Passenger Seat Direction Controls	6-way (2-way Power)
Front Armrests	6-way (2-way Power)
Rear Armrests	Center With Pass-thru
Rear Seats	60-40 Bench

Radio & Infotainment

Radio	Am/fm Stereo, Seek-scan
Speakers	6
Radio Steering Wheel Controls
Apple Car Play
Android Auto
Bluetooth w/ Hands-Free Connectivity

Convenience Features

Steering Wheel Type	Telescopic Tilt
Climate Control	Climatic
Cruise Control	With Steering Wheel Controls
Sun Roof	Express Open/close
Rearview Mirror	Day-night / Auto-dimming Day-night
One Touch Open Window	Front And Rear
Tinted Windows	Light
Vanity Mirrors	Dual Illuminated
Remote Keyless Entry	Keyfob (all Doors)
Power Outlets	3

Safety Features

Overall Crash Safety Rating
Overall Front Crash Safety Rating
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating
Rollover Crash Safety Rating
Front Impact Airbags	Driver And Passenger
Driver Side Impact Airbags	Seat Mounted
Knee Airbag
Passenger Side Impact Airbag	Seat Mounted
Rear Side Airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners	Front
Anti-Lock Brakes	4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (abs)
Forward Collision Warning	Front Assist (forward Collision Warning And Autonomous Emergency Braking) Forward Collision Mitigation
Blind Spot Sensor	Blind Spot Monitor Blind Spot
Lane Departure Warning
Autonomous Cruise Control
Pedestrian Detection	Pedestrian Monitoring Front Pedestrian Detection Prevention
Driver Attention Alert
Daytime Running Lights
Auto High Beams
Adaptive Headlights
Parking Sensors
Security Systems	Security System
Panic Alarm
Ignition Disable	Immobilizer

Warranty

Bumper To Bumper Months Miles	48 Months / 50,000 Miles
Major Components Months	48 Months / 50,000 Miles
Included Maintenance Months	24 Months / 20,000 Miles
Roadside Assistance Months	36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Corrosion Perforation	84 Months / 100,000 Miles
Accessories Months

Used 2021 Volkswagen Golf for Sale

3 vehicles found within 100 miles of your area