Used 2017 Volkswagen Golf Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2017 Golf, so we've included reviews for other years of the Golf since its last redesign.
Love the Golf TSI. Traded in for 2019 GTI Autobahn
R Lynch, 04/05/2016
updated 05/11/2020
2016 Volkswagen Golf TSI SE 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
13 of 15 people found this review helpful
Bought a loaded (except Nav) Golf 4door TSI SE in March 2016 and love it with some reservation. I think the value of this car exceeds the competition but they are catching up (eg. Mazda). The build quality mimics Audi and has performed well. My dealership service department (Coastal VW) has also been good to date but the Sales department has gone downhill. I owned the car for 3 years driving very low miles (20,500). My only complaints was the EPC error with engine hesitation which has occurred about 10 times before it was resolved with a software update. My other complaint (minor) is the automatic transmission down shifting could be smoother. If you are looking for a hatchback you must include the VW Golf TSI in your test drive line-up as the car is a good value. I got a good trade in value. Purchased a 2019 GTI Autobahn in Silver White Metallic with the new VW warranty offering (6/72k). Got a great deal and the Sales experience at Kelly VW was excellent!
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Too many rattles - sold at a loss
Paul A., 03/02/2017
updated 03/05/2018
2017 Volkswagen Golf TSI S 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
30 of 37 people found this review helpful
All true below, but this car was so poorly made -- five times at dealer in year and a half to correct squeaking, creaking, cracking noises from panoramic sunroof. Could never get it resolved, and despite it being a fun car to drive, overall feeling of driving a worthless piece of junk. Had to sell, and also thanks to VW, residual value dropped like a stone. Lost all my equity from previous trade-in so had almost no value now compared to loan payoff. VW in the US sucks. Maybe they're built better in Europe but this is my second VW made on this side of the ocean and it was again a rattling piece of junk made with poor quality control. ========================= This is my third VW and I love the idea of the brand, i.e., an affordable, well-made, fun-to-drive regular European car available in the US. This segment simply doesn't exist here -- we get Japanese efficiency boxes, highly reliable but dull; or expensive European luxury like Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Europeans have access to ordinary cars that perform well, carry 4-5 people, are well made, economical, and not "luxury" (VW, Peugeot, Seat etc). VW owns that entire segment in the US, so why they screw up so often with scandals and shoddy workmanship are beyond me. That said, despite the outrageous TDI error, I tried VW again after being happy with a Civic for 8 years (great car, not too fun to drive). I wanted economy this time as well, plus good seating for 4, plus more fun. New Golf seemed the trick, especially with the new turbo 4 replacing the ridiculous 5-cylinder knockbox. The Golf is built on the MQB platform, same as Audi A3 and other VW/Audi compacts. So with the turbo 4, it feels like an A3, which is fantastic. It is a traditional compact car so it feels a little old-fashioned inside, especially if you're used to the open, sweeping feel of a Civic interior. You can see VW tried very hard with lots of quality interior components -- soft-touch dashboard, leather steering wheel and shift knob, carpeted storage area in door -- yet still they messed up. The "panoramic sunroof" squeaked and rattled relentlessly for a year; had to bring it to dealer 3-4 times; once they replaced the entire glass panel (I was told the glass had been poured incorrectly) and the last time VW finally sent out a service bulletin and had a fix, a sealing tape the dealer installed that should muffle the squeaks. Still, it came back, and now I used some rubber deal lubricant I read about on a VW forum. In any case, VW really seems to shoot itself in the foot -- offering a great car at a good price, but with quality control issues that make it really unpleasant and seem like a cheap piece of junk. Given the annoyance after only one year, I'm watching with hesitation to see what breaks next. I wish I could like and trust VW, and it seems insane that owning an entire segment in the US, they would make so many mistakes. Consumer Reports is not happy with Golf's long-term reliability, so while the car is fun to drive and has many exceptional characteristics, I don't have the feeling of confidence and security in the purchase. Time will tell. I'll hope to update the review in a year or so with good news.
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2017 Volkswagen Golf for sale near you
Showing 3 of 32 listings
- TSI Wolfsburg Edition 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $13,500169 mi away
- TSI S 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $15,000155 mi away
- TSI S 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $12,995159 mi away
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Golf is a much better car than the Jetta
Sam Suen, 06/13/2016
2016 Volkswagen Golf TSI S 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
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!
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His name is Mulligan
Midwest Josh, 04/17/2020
updated 10/26/2023
2017 Volkswagen Golf TSI S 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
First, I bought a 2016 Golf with the large sunroof that always leaked. VW bought that car back, and I selected a 2017 w/o a sunroof that had been a dealership loaner. This car is perfect for 90% of drivers, 90% of the time. Solid on the road, very fast with the 1.8 turbo. Mileage is mid 30's on almost every tank. A few long road trips touched 42 mpg. Massive cargo room with the rear seats folded down. Plans are to keep Mully for 10 years, I see no reason to look for anything new. Simply a wonderful driving machine. 4/20/21 Update - just hit 60,000, and just paid off the note! Potholes in Michigan led to some recent suspension work, but otherwise the car is rock solid. Twice now I've needed to drive the 1600 miles round trip to South Carolina and back, the car makes the journey so easy. Plus it hauls a ton of stuff. I'll say it again - this car is perfect for 90% of drivers, 90% of the time. 10/2023 Update - at 109,000 miles. Have been battling a coolant leak issue, something to do with a bad gasket in the water pump. VW is reimbursing, but they should as it's been repaired 3 times. An annoying squeak around the glove box during colder months. Otherwise, still a terrific vehicle I plan to own for another 4-5 years.
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Love to drive it
John poitras, 05/24/2016
2016 Volkswagen Golf TSI S 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
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)👍
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