Used 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf Consumer Reviews
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2016 e-Golf, so we've included reviews for other years of the e-Golf since its last redesign.
Fun electric commuter car
John Heyer, 01/19/2017
2016 Volkswagen e-Golf SE 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
33 of 33 people found this review helpful
I wanted to get a second car for electric commuting to supplement my old Subaru. After looking extensively at the Volt, Soul, Focus, i3, and 500e, I felt the e-Golf was the best option to handle my twisty Highway 17 commute and it was the right decision. The design is solid, the ride is quiet and comfortable, and handling is good, although front tires will spin if the accelerator is hit hard. Range is generally 80 miles, even with mostly highway driving using the A/C. I generally charge at home on a standard outlet and recover the 60 miles used in about 15 hours (fortunately I only drive it every other day). Updated infotainment system on the 2016 models is really nice and does CarPlay, although I was disappointed to realize the base SE has no steering wheel button to activate Siri. The SE also lacks cruise control.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Great, but know what you're getting into.
Jeff Rut, 08/27/2015
2015 Volkswagen e-Golf SEL Premium 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
32 of 32 people found this review helpful
I own an E-Golf, and generally I love it, but I don't think general discussion touches on two important points. First, my only real negative to the car: the Navigation/Entertainment System is a complete joke. The entertainment/navigation console takes a minute to boot up. So if you're going to use navigation, you have to turn on your car and wait a minute before you can get on your way. Then, the screen is slow, it's small, etc. I do like the little dashboard screen. Overall, Google Maps is incomparably better than VW's navigation. There's also a problem that it doesn't have standard USB power, and they just assume you have an iPhone, so no micro-USB/Android charger is available for their proprietary slot (I got a 3rd party wire off Amazon, but it's crazy slow). Also, it has a weird bluetooth problem where it switches up music sometimes. It's just generally clunky and ugly and problematic. It does allow an SD card full of MP3s, I know that's like 2003 tech but I actually really like it. Also, about the range: I drive with a heavy foot, mostly on freeway, I don't use the annoying auto-brake or evo modes, and I get 85 miles or so. Before I got the car, I thought charging stations were going to be a big deal. But unless you have charging at work, charging stations are really not a large part of the EV experience. Even in the Bay Area, you just can't count on one being available - somebody else is parked there, and will be parked there for at least another hour or two more. Or it's broken. Or a non electric vehicle parked there. You just can't rely on it 100%. Anyway, who wants to wait around an hour to charge up enough to get home? A better way to think about it is, every morning your car starts with a quarter tank of gas. Sure, if there's an EMERGENCY, or you need to BARELY extend your trip past the car's range, something will probably be available. But if you think this will be a regular occurrence for you, buy a gas or diesel car. OK, not to scare off buyers, because yeah I do love this car. If you have a regular daily commute it's incredibly cheap to operate, especially with the lease deals out there. Quality isn't luxury car, but it's very high-end for a low-end car. With the torque and tight turns, it's really fun to drive around town - I feel like I'm driving a go-kart around on city streets. It's not quite as good on the freeway, but it's not bad. I'm six and a half feet tall and my wife isn't all that much shorter, and it's still surprisingly spacious inside, I don't keep the slider all the way back. However, tall people up front does mean that the people in the back row have basically no space at all.
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Definitely 5 stars overall
Richard Zimmer, 05/20/2018
2016 Volkswagen e-Golf SEL Premium 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
38 of 39 people found this review helpful
A comment about each of the two single-star reviews from other owners: 1. If the software to time the charging is spotty, then simply make it a pattern to check on the car once during the night to ensure it is charging. Make it a routine, just like taking the dog or cat outside. While having to drive the car without heat in 45F is chilly, it is definitely not "freezing". Have you noticed the many electric car reviews (of any make) in the winter, the driver is bundled up? 2. For the owner who moved from California to Georgia: Yes, the dealer should have mentioned that VW dealers in GA cannot service the car, but that should be a negative rating on the dealer and not on the car itself. Anyway, the maintenance on E-Golf is pretty much limited to tire rotations, 12-volt battery check, windshield wash fluid fill, and other things which you or your local mechanic can do, and don't worry about violating warranty. I really think VW dealers' service of E-Golfs are just money makers to pad their own pockets - - there's no oil to change, no spark plugs, no radiator. Brakes last twice as long. And yet they charge more than they would charge for regular Golf maintenance.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
Great car
M, 03/04/2016
2016 Volkswagen e-Golf SE 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
37 of 38 people found this review helpful
I bought the 2016 SE as a commuter and being my first electric, I was surprised how fast the acceleration was. The interior has a lot of room, XM radio controlled by the wiper control, and the range has been great. I am averaging about 100 miles range. I have only been charging at night with the Level 1 charger and can recharge my 60 mile commute in about 11-12 hrs on a 110v outlet. iPhone app and carnet software has some nice features, but there are some glitches here and there. The lower rate charger on the SE has not been an issue for me as i just charge at night and have a pretty predictable commute. I also have other cars, so if this were my only car, I'd get the higher model with the higher rate charger.
- Performance
City Stealthmobile BEV
Randy, 10/17/2015
updated 10/19/2016
2015 Volkswagen e-Golf SEL Premium 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
22 of 22 people found this review helpful
This is a 2nd car for me, for driving around in the city. The car does have limited range, I can get 5.5-5.8 miles per kwh, but I am retired and I do drive at or under the speed limit at all times, with most consumer devices turned off. What I like most about the e-golf is that it is just another Golf. It does not draw attention to itself. It does not say "hey, look at me, I'm a hybrid or electric car". It's low key, it's quiet, it's stealthy, and most importantly, it drives, due to it's heritage, like a german engineered car. Not like a japanese electric or hybrid econobox. It is purposeful, it's a city car, pure and simple. If I need to do a long distance trip, or get out of town and do some major driving, the TDI I have is for long distance trips. It's hard to put into words how a german car drives, compared to a japanese car... but you know it was designed to drive on Autobahns, and in the German, Swiss, and French alps too, in the twisties. And for all the mountains and canyons I drive in, I demand the way a german car drives, and gladly pay the premium for it. Update after 6 months: Still a nice car for the city and short trips. Key is to charge it at home, overnight, where filling up isn't so burdensome, and the cost of electricity is reasonable at $0.16 per kw, instead of using public infrastructure for recharging, which is quite a bit more expensive and time consuming, 2.5 to 3.25 hours each session. Forget about mooching electrons for free if you need a recharge, it's a business model doomed to failure. Provide your own infrastructure to charge, and you'll do fine Update after 1 year of use: Battery life has dropped to about a 7% loss in maximum range. I am averaging 6.0 miles per kwh with careful driving, over the last 2000 miles. My route remains a constant. What was 129 miles of range on a charge when new has dropped off to 120 miles now. Loss first started in the warm weather of May, and continues to drop in the heat of the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, CA. Odometer now reads 7750 on 10/19/16
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
