Used 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen Consumer Reviews
Used Golf SportWagen for sale
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2nd VW
Ss, 12/22/2015
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI SE 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
37 of 37 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)
26 of 26 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)
22 of 23 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)
13 of 13 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)
19 of 20 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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Least Dependable VW We Have Owned
PJBilotta, 10/10/2016
updated 01/22/2020
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI Limited Edition 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
As owners of a much beloved 2012 Jetta Sportwagen TDI, we thought long and hard about purchasing another VW. After evaluating many options, we decided on a new 2016 Golf Sportwagen TSI as our second vehicle. We initially found the Golf Sportwagen to be a strong equal. A more responsive engine, superior transmission, smoother and quieter ride, more controlled handling and braking , better interior and exterior fit and finish, and a slightly higher seat position and more interior and storage space were all in its favor. The cargo space is cavernous, and significantly larger than most comparable small SUV's Towing capacity with an added hitch has also proven excellent. We effortlessly drove 1,500 miles this fall with a 1,600 lb teardrop trailer over mountainous western terrain, and we hardly noticed we were towing anything. Despite these positives, however, after 3+ years, and have encountered more reliability issues with the Sportwagen than with any car we have owned in 20 years. We have had three major electronic defects we have had to deal with, including the failure of the instrument cluster, and two occasions where the electronic ignition simply died with no explanation. A car is pretty useless if you can't even start it, and the lack of a emergency keyed ignition was very frustrating. Our local dealership handled the troubleshooting and repairs very poorly, requiring multiple return trips to get it right. Now, the radio/info system is failing, with all audio functions periodically cutting out 2-3 times a week. Bluetooth and voice controls are also unreliable, and the speed-dependent volume control doesn't work at all. Mechanically, shifting is not as smooth as it was initially and there is excessive roll forward/back after the car is placed in park. We have also had the car in several times for a speed-dependent rubbing noise that sounds like the early stages of a wheel bearing failure, but they insist nothing is wrong. They lube it, it goes away for a few weeks, and then returns. The car has also developed an unusual vibration/hum when in low rpms in second gear. In addition, the front collision avoidance system is very erratic, and at times has reacted to nonexistent hazards. On several occasions, it has activated and suddenly applied the brakes out of the blue in reaction to things like a telephone pole on the side of the road or nothing at all, causing a very dangerous situation. This is the worst fuel efficiency of any of the five VW Jetta/Golf models we have owned, averaging just 20-22 mpg city. This poor mileage, combined with the small 13-gallon tank, gets you an average range of only about 250 miles per tank - also the worst we have ever gotten from a VW. After owning four consecutive VWs, based on our experience with this vehicle, we are far less likely to buy another VW in the future.
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Pleasure to Drive!
Denver Silk Blue, 05/07/2016
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI Limited Edition 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
This is my 2nd Golf wagon in a row. I owned a 2015 Golf hatchback TSI briefly last year and loved the car, but my kids got tired of doing the Jenga thing with their backpacks under the hatch, so after a family road trip in the regular hatchback I bought a GSW TDI S with a 6MT. That was a really good car. However, with time I regretted that I was a little cheap and stopped short of getting the trim with heated seats and a panoramic sunroof. I had been following the diesel scandal quite a bit being a TDI owner and had planned to hang on to that car for a while. I was on a local dealer's web site a month ago looking for a number to schedule a service appointment for my wife's 2016 Jetta and I saw the attractive pricing on the Limited Edition trim with a bunch of features I wanted for the same price I paid for my TDI S last summer. Having owned the Golf TSI, I knew the type of economy I could get from the 1.8t as well as how that engine was to drive (super smooth and responsive around town). I asked the dealer if they were interested in a TDI trade in and they were, because the inventory has dried up on that front. I found a 2016 GSW in silk blue and the rest is history. Overall, the car is fantastic. I added an aftermarket compact sub/amp, and the sound is great. I'm averaging 32 mpg per fill up. Highway economy is slightly better than EPA at around 36 to 38 depending. I do miss the range of the diesel and the slight fuel savings, and I'm not opposed to having one again. The TDI ruled highway cruising, but that is maybe 25% of my mileage. The TSI to me is superior in every other way. I enjoy having fully independent rear suspension in the TSI as well as the broader torque curve and higher horsepower. The TSI is a joy to drive and light on it's feet. I don't think there's a better value in the compact segment than the VW Golf and it's wagon or sport tuned (GTI) variants. After having all the creature comforts in the LE, the one feature that trumps all 2nd only to the rear-view camera is APPLE CARPLAY, IMO. It really makes me a safer driver and is just a seamless extension of my iPhone.
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Back in a VW Once Again
Teneo, 07/03/2016
updated 01/14/2019
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI S 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
With VW's woes I decided to look at the VWs, as I always liked they're driving dynamics. I bought the VW Golf Sportwagen S, (MK7) to be a "runabout" for local driving. It was a good deal and the test drive convinced me of the fun factor. I traded in an Acura RDX with 80K miles, a car I was very happy with without exception. No regrets on the VW purchase, its fun to drive and very nimble on city streets, lots of cargo room, good fuel economy. Best part its quite and has great handling. Its now our car of choice, when we pick the keys as we go into the garage. The other option is the "Queen Mary" our 2016 Honda Pilot, also a great car, just not as agile as the VW Golf. I owned three VWs in the 1970s and 80s including a MK1 Golf (Rabbit), so its great to be back in a VW Golf.
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fun wagon with some quality issues
Max Ruzanov, 11/17/2016
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI Limited Edition 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Got this after my lease on Sportwagen TDI expired. Two major gripes about the car - automatic transmission is jerky when car slows down to about 30-20mph and right before stopping. As if it doesn't know what to do, downshifting gears abruptly. Unpleasant. Second - after about 5 months of driving it, noticed a sizable stain on the roof (moonroof) liner right where it meets rear tailgate. It has overtime became slightly less than a foot long and is as wide as the whole roof. Car is being taken care of right now by the dealer, who is doing great job keeping me updated on the progress. But it seems like serious manufacturing defect due to improper welding around moonroof. A smaller thing, but also annoying. When accelerating, if I press the pedal quickly nothing happens at all for the first half a second or so, then it suddenly jumps. There is a certain amount of lag and it seems to become more and more noticeable as I drive the car more. Everything else about the car is fantastic, I was able to hit 40 mpg on my way to work during 22 mile drive many times. Usually, if driven carefully, the car achieves 35mpg no problem. Very spacious and sporty at the same time. Interior quality is so much better than many Japanese cars and design is more subtle, minimalistic, just right for me.
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Bad electrical issues
Alex Mark, 09/16/2018
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TSI Limited Edition 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
The car is good looking for sure and gets very good highway mpg but there are glaring issues with this car. Electrical issues have really soured us on this lease. Even if we don't need to pay for the repair we are stranded at the repair shop on a regular basis. The entire steering wheel went dead and that included the airbag. There has been a poltergeist like phenomenon that occurs every time we go out of town and leave the car sitting. It gets a mind of its own and starts turning things on which in turn kill the battery but usually when we get back it still has enough juice to provide a whole show of strange possessed behavior that is hard to describe. Suffice to say that it has repeatedly stranded us and it's not what I expect out of a two year old vehicle with 19k on it.
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