Used 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen Consumer Reviews
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2nd VW
Ss, 12/22/2015
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI SE 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
35 of 35 people found this review helpful
Great car ! Writing review after owning it for a month. Bought in SF Bay Area. Superb ride quality, excellent visibility and top notch fit and finish. Plenty of cargo space. Definite looker like its cousin Audi A4 wagon. Drives as a German car for sure, responsive, very easy to drive and rock solid feel. Not yet rated for 2016, but based on 2015 Golf safety ratings from last year, most likely a top IIHS safety pick and 5 star NHTSA safety rating since no change to body structure. Couple of cons to keep in mind - noticeable Turbo lag at the start from 6 speed transmission but brilliant at highway speeds, pretty much point and shoot at 4, 5 and 6th speeds. No power seats for SE. Come on VW, that is lame. All in all a versatile, safe, nimble car for young families that is a blast to drive. If you are shopping for a mid range car (the usual Fords, Hondas, Toyotas or Subarus), this is a must test drive car. Better yet, test drive this right after your top choice from other brands, before you decide. You don't have to drive a crossover for added cargo space and worry about rollover later.
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3 Months and Still In Love
Don Thomson, 02/08/2016
updated 02/08/2018
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI S 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
24 of 24 people found this review helpful
Granted, options are limited for the wagon enthusiasts out there, but I'm really loving this car. A lot. I of course did my homework and drove several cars (Civic, Accord, Mazda 3, and others) before driving the Sportwagen. Like the reviews elsewhere have noted, it's a drivers car; crisp handling, reasonable acceleration, solid as a rock, and very quiet on the inside. That this combination of subtly surprising performance is cloaked in a wagon's exterior makes it all the more awesome. It does seem to search for the right gear at low speeds (<15 mph), but it find it's groove quickly thereafter. The 1.8 turbo is nicely suited to the car and it never feels under-powered. The seats are also very comfortable, front and back. The resolution of the 5" audio display/back-up camera is a little low, but it's about the only gripe I have about the car. We also have a Subaru Forester, and we find ourselves driving the Sportwagen whenever we can, even on longer trips, as it's a much more comfortable (and fun) ride. We find that the cargo area actually holds more of our stuff than does the Subie. The cargo area is deeper (though not taller) than the Forester, and 4 of our travel suitcases fit perfectly in the back. You routinely feel like you're driving a much more expensive car, and I am deeply and smugly satisfied with it. 2 year update: Still liking the car a lot. A few issues with the electronics/radio, but they were small and easily fixed. Had to replace a simple relay switch in the shifting column because it was signaling a transmission error (no issue with the transmission), but it was under warranty. There was also a recall on a seal in the fuel tank which was repaired without cost. Still a really fun car to drive. Rattles are minimal and fuel economy is as stated. I'd recommend the car for sure.
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The best value , real sport and a wagon !
Rudy, 01/25/2016
updated 02/02/2017
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI S 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
21 of 22 people found this review helpful
I bought it without even test driving, I had a a 2012 Golf TD six manual that I sold, and previous a A3 hatchback, this 2016 is the best ever made by VW, solid, sport and all the room for you travel ! I pass on Subaru , nothing come close for price and quality like the new 2016 Sportwagen, for the price and what the standard rear camera,XM radio, manual is a must for me, there is nothing in the market that come close. Love to drive, people that want to go from point A to B look for a Honda or Toyota, boring but good I guess, I had those before. From the unique steering wheel, dash configuration, gearbox smooth, confort seats, the cargo space ? no wagon or some SUV comes close. Torque and city driving is great, if you like to drive manual like me, need the extra cargo space, fun to drive..do not look further .
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Poor Quality
tobyhatesmemes, 10/22/2016
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI Limited Edition 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
Great car if you're not worried about quality and reliability issues. I had to bring the car to the dealer for three separate repairs before I hit 10,000 miles. Twice for a leaking sunroof, and I've also had issues with vibration at highway speeds, window squeaks, and peeling paint on the rear bumper. Engine is alright, but the transmission is completely out of its element at speeds between 20 and 60 mph. If you keep it in drive, it will have you lugging the engine up a hill in 6th gear at 30 mph. On a positive note, the ride is excellent (when the car isn't vibrating), the interior is great, and the seats are comfortable.
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Way Too Many Electrical (and other) Problems
PJBilotta, 05/08/2018
updated 05/11/2022
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI Limited Edition 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
18 of 19 people found this review helpful
Our 2016 Golf Sportwagen is a lovely vehicle - good performance, decent mileage, great cargo and convenience. If only it would run. Over four years, we've had six major electrical failures on this vehicle. Four times, the car has simply died, leaving us stranded. We've replaced keys because it says the key isn't in range of the vehicle. The battery drains completely with the car seemingly possessed, rotating through a series of electrical glitches while parked - lights on, lights off, wipers on, wipers off, faults and warning chimes - until it's dead. One time, the electronic ignition button failed, making it impossible to start or turn off the car. And then, there was the LED instrument cluster de-laminating and failing. In addition, the radio/info system has begun to glitch intermittently, with all of its controls completely disabled. We have also experienced a recurring issue with the tires "grinding" against the alloy wheel rims, producing a constant variable interior and exterior rubbing sound that makes it sound like the car has bad bearings. VW has remounted the tires three times and are baffled by the noise, which always returns after a few days or weeks. At four years, the seal around the moon roof has also started to leak - an issue our VW dealership noted they have also recently encountered on 4-5 other 2016 Sportwagens they have serviced. 5/10/22 UPDATE - Have just come in from an hour+ installation of a new headlight bulb. This is a relatively easy procedure on most cars. On this VW Golf it requires complete disassembly of the grill, wheel well lining, and removal of the entire headlight assembly. What an engineering cluster----. VW should be ashamed and embarrassed. One more strike. We bought this GOLF Sportwagen to replace the TDI we turned in in the dieselgate debacle, and now wish we had abandoned VW and opted for another brand of car. This will be our last VW.
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