Used Volkswagen Golf Estate 2013-2020 review

This generation of the Volkswagen Golf Estate married the excellent driving manners, fine build quality and frugal engines of the contemporaneous 2013-2020 Volkswagen Golf hatchback with more than enough space to keep most families happy.

In fact, the biggest problem you are likely to encounter when looking for a used Golf Estate is finding one. That’s because Golf hatchbacks on the used market outnumber estates by about ten to one.

Although the used market for the Golf Estate is also primarily diesel-engined, for buyers who don’t clock up at least 15,000 miles per year it’s worth spending the time and effort to find one with a turbocharged petrol engine such as VW’s excellent 1.4-litre TSI unit. This will give a great blend of performance and economy, as well as being quieter to drive than either the 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre diesels. VW’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is also impressive in terms of performance and economy, although no cheaper to buy than the 1.4-litre.

The Golf was treated to a mid-life makeover in 2016 after which it came with a new 1.5 TSI Evo engine, replacing the 1.4-litre unit, that upped both the power and the efficiency.

For those wanting a family estate with a good dollop of pace to match all the space, VW sold the Golf Estate in rapid GTD diesel form or the sensational four-wheel-drive R with 296bhp from its turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine. Both manual and automatic gearboxes are available, though, and both are good to use.

The Golf Estate range starts with S trim and features air-conditioning, a 5.8in touchscreen with DAB radio and 15in steel wheels, although many will have been upgraded to 16in alloys. SE adds those 16in wheels as standard, along with electric rear windows and an autonomous emergency braking system that alerts the driver if they are about to hit the vehicle in front. If the driver fails to react, the car can automatically apply the brakes. GT-spec cars come with sports suspension and 17in wheels that result in a firmer ride, plus front and rear parking sensors.

It’s not just the GTD and R flagship models that are great to drive, though. In fact, all Golf Estates offer a relaxed, comfortable ride with precise steering and a great sense of stability for motorway cruising. What’s more, with good visibility and plenty of safety features (some were standard, others optional), the Golf Estate is just as happy driving around town as it is trekking up and down the motorway.

Compared with the already roomy Golf hatchback, this estate offers approximately 35% more boot space. What’s more, the low loading lip, easy-to-fold rear seats and adjustable boot floor mean it ticks as many boxes as it can hold.

You get a decent amount of space for passengers too, with four adults able to travel in comfort in what remains one of the classiest interiors of any mainstream car. In short, it’s a very practical machine.

As ever with a Golf, you’ll pay more for one of these Estates than you would an equivalent model from Ford, Vauxhall et al. However, in this instance, the VW’s cavernous boot and classy interior help justify the extra cost. In short, you get what you pay for.

If you're interested in buying a used Volkswagen Golf Estate or any of the other cars mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Prices for the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf Estate (you can spot it from its 2009-2013 Volkswagen Golf Estate predecessor by the more angular rear lights) start at about £4500 for a high-mileage 1.6-litre diesel in the lower of its two available power outputs (104bhp versus 114bhp).

For a petrol Golf Estate, you’ll pay between £6500 and £7500 for one with average miles for the year on the clock. Put aside between £11,000 and £13,000 for a 2017 car, and £14,000 to £16,000 for a 2019 model; a tiny bit more, between £15,000 and £19,000, for the last 2020 cars.

The fact that the high-performance Golf Estate R was launched in 2015, and prices are quite strong; you’ll need to budget at least £15,500 for such a car. It’s a similar story with the Golf Alltrack, a jacked-up, four-wheel-drive version of the family estate intended for those who occasionally need to venture off the beaten track. Launched at the same time as the R, it costs from £15,000 as a used buy, while a Golf GTD Estate can be yours for £14,000.

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MPG

The Golf Estate can be bought with the same 1.6 TDI engine as the hatchback. It’s an impressive unit as far as fuel economy is concerned, returning as much as an average 67.3mpg. The more powerful 2.0 TDI gets 64.5mpg, while the GTD manages 58.9mpg.

The majority of petrol engines manage to get a combined figure of more than 50mpg. Indeed, the smallest 1.0 manages 58.6mpg, beating the 56.5mpg of the 1.2 it replaced. The earlier 1.4 petrol manages 53.3mpg in 123bhp, and 52.3mpg in 148bhp forms. The later 1.5-litre TSI petrol engined-car does better, getting 55.4mpg in 128bhp form and 53.3mpg in its higher output 148bhp version.

The only model that can be particularly thirsty is the Golf Estate R, but its 39.2mpg isn't so bad considering the performance.

Road tax (VED)

Unless you opt for the R, which emits 164g/km, most Golf estates have low emissions. The 1.6 diesel is best at 102g/km, but the 2.0 isn't far off with 113g/km. Not even the GTD is that much worse at 119g/km.

Petrol models put out a little more CO2. The lowest emissions come from the 112g/km of the 1.0, followed by the 117g/km of the 1.2. Both versions of the 1.4 emit 123g/km.

Cars registered after April 2017 will be charged a flat rate fee in road tax. This is currently £180 per year.

Servicing costs

Servicing costs for most models that are over three years old range from £184 for a basic check and fluid change to £354 for a major service. That’s slightly more than a Vauxhall dealer would charge to service an Astra Estate or a Ford dealer for a Focus Estate, but it's by no means unreasonable for this size of car.

Engine

Engine choice will depend primarily on your intended mileage, with diesels best suited to those who spend a lot of time on the road. However, for most people the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine in either of its two available power outputs represents the best all-rounder. If you're buying a post-facelift car then the 1.5 TSI 130 is the one to seek out.

Specification

As far as trim goes, we'd stick with SE, which has all the equipment you could reasonably want.

Our favourite Volkswagen Golf Estate: 1.4 TSI 125 SE

Two of the Volkswagen Golf Estate’s closest rivals are the previous generations of the Seat Leon ST and the Skoda Octavia Estate, both of which share many parts with the VW. However, while the Skoda is bigger and both are cheaper to buy, it is the VW that is the best of the trio to drive and should hold on to more of its value when the time comes to sell.

Other estate cars of this size with notably large boots include the previous-generation Peugeot 308 SW and the older Honda Civic Tourer. Both have even more luggage capacity than the Golf but can’t match it for interior fit and finish, low running costs or driver enjoyment.

The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer is the value option with its low purchase prices. It’s another solid all-rounder with an impressive range of petrol and diesel engines, although its interior isn’t as classy as a Golf’s.

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If you're interested in buying a used Volkswagen Golf Estate or any of the other cars mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.