Used Volkswagen Golf GTI 2020-present reliability

Although the Golf GTI’s a hoot on open roads, it will of course have been subjected to the ravages of supermarket car parks and school runs, so check the extremities of the car for any scuffs or dents. Look at those handsome alloy wheels for any kerb damage – they are susceptible to scrapes and repair can be expensive.

There have been issues with the touchscreen infotainment system failing to respond quickly or even failing completely. It's worth checking with your local dealer if any remedial work has been carried out on the Golf you are thinking of buying.

There have been two recall notices so far:

Reason for recall

On affected vehicles the e-call service may not function

How the manufacturer will repair: Update the Online Control Unit software on the affected vehicle.

Number of affected vehicles: 4630

Reason for recall

Faulty crash sensors for airbag and restraint systems may have been fitted in the front doors.

How the manufacturer will repair: The crash sensors in the front doors are to be checked and if necessary replaced.

Number of affected vehicles: 124

Gearbox issues

VW had largely sorted out the most expensive of its DSG automatic gearbox problems before this generation of Golf was launched, but there are still some early cars for which problems have been reported, so make sure the gearbox changes smoothly and there are no signs of temperamental behaviour. Timing chains fitted to petrol engines have been known to snap prematurely; this can cause significant engine damage but is often mitigated by having the car serviced according to guidelines.

Oil consumption

This means a full service history is critical. GTI models can also suffer from high oil consumption, so it’s important to keep checking the oil level, even between services. If the level gets too low, it can cause damage to the engine or timing chain.

Electrical issues

Faults with the navigation and entertainment system, as well as other electrical niggles, have been reported on some models, so it’s worth checking that all the electrics work as they should.

This Mk8 version of the Golf finished in 34th place out of 37 cars in the family car class with a disappointing score of 84.1%. Petrol versions were more reliable than diesel-powered ones.

Our survey had this to say about the regular Golf.

In many ways the Golf is a highly recommendable family car: it has tidy handling, a range of strong and frugal engines and the latest cars have an upgraded interior that is better than many rivals.

However, the Golf has been plagued by issues with infotainment and other electrical systems, with diesels also suffering gearbox glitches. Thirty percent went wrong, a third taking at least a week to fix. Only 41% were fixed for free; 11% of owners faced bills of £1000 or more.

Owner's comment: "A lot of the electrical technology has been very unreliable and took several updates to work properly."

• Most common faults: Gearbox/clutch 11%, sat-nav/infotainment 11%, non-engine electrics 11%, air-con 8%, bodywork 8%, brakes 5%, engine 5%

• Average repair cost: 41% £0, 11% more than £1500

• Typical time off road: 35% one day to a week, 33% more than a week

Volkswagen finished down a little in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, in 18th place out of 31 manufacturers with an overall score of 90.5%. That put it above Audi and Mercedes, but below other rival brands, including BMW, Ford, Mazda, Seat and Skoda.