Overview & Reviews

Beyond adjustments to its trim and options structure, the 2012 Volkswagen Golf is unchanged. Notably, however, one of those adjustments is the deletion of optional rear side airbags.

• Refined driving dynamics.
• Fuel-efficient diesel engine
• Outstanding cabin materials and construction
• Spacious hatchback body style

• Unrefined and inefficient gasoline engine
• Higher price than many rivals.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 32.00

• 

  Buy a GOLF!! - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By LaUN - March 6 - 3:51 pm

  This is the most fun car I have ever owned. As a die hard Honda owner, found this VW Golf on a used car lot when I had to replace my 2003 honda van. IT IS AWESOME. Ridiculous mpg and road handling. I heart this car. You should get one too.

• 

  Drives great, economical. Media interface and customer care, not so good - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By radsm - June 15 - 12:19 pm

  We purchased the Golf TDI to be a solid feeling, fun to drive, high mileage commuter car. It has all off those attributes. It gets 40mpg combined highway and city. Its much zippier than my Passat V6, and is solid and well-built. The media interfaces, however, are very buggy. For instance, I pug in my iPhone and am listening to a track, when the bluetooth pairs with the phone. On that event, the multimedia interface dies and no sound comes out until I unplug the iPhone and re-plug it back in. This and other annoying bugs make the navigation/multimedia package a very bad deal. Customer CARE will not pass along bug reports to the QA department for fixing, so dont expect it to work ever.

• 

  Above average car - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By na121w - January 22 - 2:16 am

  I have had this car for about 6 months so far having put 5000 miles on it. I saw many reviews on here that reflected the car returned an average MPG rating of over 44 mpg. My average since i have owned the car is 35mpg. While not as high as other have claimed it is still very good and higher than the 34mpg EPA estimate. Car is fun to drive for a fwd economy car. Only issue I have encountered with the car is the steering. Ever since i had the car the steering wheel needs to be turned slightly left to drive straight. The dealer said it was due to a crown in the road; however, it still requires the wheel to be turned to the left even on flat roads without crowns.

• 

  Delighted with the performance, not the interior - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By tedmontreal - October 11 - 7:49 am

  Overall I am extremely happy with this purchase, and the engine in particular has exceeded my expectations. I drove it brand-new (TDI) from Montreal to Chicago, with mostly highway driving and got a total _average_ of 49 + miles per gallon (4.7 litres / 100km), with peak segments getting 57 mpg. This was mostly at ~70 mph, and without cruise control. I took a little detour for curves and hills while on the trip and yes, the torque and the suspension is impressive. My only quibbles are the interior: my elderly (extremely skinny) dad said that after an hour of sitting the seats were uncomfortable for him, easily solved with a thick extra cushion. However, see my suggested improvements below.

• 

  Love/Hate TDI relationship - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By Marty - January 24 - 12:56 pm

  After owning this Golf TDI car for only one month, here is what I think so far: PROs: - Gas Mileage: I average 36 mpg. Plus, diesel is 30 cents/gallon cheaper than 87 octane gas in California. - Front Seats: The heavy bolstering holds me in place during aggressive cornering. Larger individuals may hate it. The cloth material is thick, durable, and textured for additional grip. - Interior: the soft touch dash and leather steering wheel make the interior feel a bit upscale. - Tire Pressure Sensor: I had 2 defective tires, both of which went flat. They were not noticeable without the sensor. - Steering: The steering ratio is a little aggressive with medium effort to steer. It adds to a sporty feel. - Suspension: Good compromise of firmness and compliance over bumps. It feels sporty, but is still useful as a daily driver. - Diesel power: This engine wont wow anyone with straight line acceleration. It does extremely well at low RPMs where all the torque is made. Climbing hilly roads feels effortless for the vehicle. Diesel engines also have a record of being very reliable. We will see if that holds true in this car. - Sound/infotainment system: The sound quality is above average for a non-premium system. It comes stock with a 6 disc changer, which is useful if you want to dust off your old CD collection. The infotainment system does not take long to learn. Also, the radio can turn on with no key in the ignition. That is convenient for entertaining children/passengers, if you dont trust them alone with the keys in the car. CONs: - Diesel Availability: Diesel fuel is not always easy to find when you are looking. About 1 in 3 gas stations in my area have it. - DSG: This transmission is probably the worst transmission Ive ever used. Have you ever been stopped, push the throttle and not go anywhere for 1-2 seconds. The car will inch forward for another second, and then react appropriately to your input. This is dangerous when making a left hand turn in front of oncoming traffic. It only happens about 25% of the time, so it is completely unpredictable and happens in both standard drive mode and sport mode. Similar delays happen when trying to pass, but Im used to cars getting confused about downshifting. There is no downshifting from a stop, at least I hope not. Engine braking is weird as well. It is most noticeable when coasting to a stop. The DSG engages 1st gear at about 12-13mph, decelerating the car quickly to 6-7mph, then coasting again. When coasting from high speeds to low speeds, such as coasting to 35mph from 55mph, the engine revs to 3100 RPM in preparation for a downshift. The diesel engine free reving at 3100 RPMs is loud. This has lasted up to 20 seconds until it finally downshifts to induce engine braking. Its odd to experience this from the drivers seat. - Engine Noise: The engine sounds like a gasoline engine with valve knocking. It turns heads in a parking lot and not in a good way. However, once at cruising speeds the noise is no longer intrusive in the cabin. - Doors: The door settles into positions to hold itself open for getting in/out. The first position is just wide enough to squeeze out of the car. The second position threatens neighboring cars in many parking situations, and hits the wall in my garage. There is no easy in-between because the door pushes/pulls its way to one of those positions. Its a weird nuisance I rarely needed to think about with other cars. - Bluetooth: Set to interrupt music with navigation updates from my phone, it also cuts off my music every two minutes for a voicemail recording that doesnt exist on my phone. - Blind spots: The massive B-pillar is in my way for checking blind spots. My seating position plays a part. I am 6 2" tall. - Phone charging: Im using the same USB adapter from my old car to charge my phone and it charges noticeably slower. - Locking system: The car honks when you lock the car with the key fob. I asked the dealership to disable that honk, and they said they cant on this particular model. Additionally, the lock button in the car door only works when all the doors are closed, so you cannot use it to lock your car as you exit the vehicle. Im stuck annoying sleeping neighbors when I come home at night. Additional conveniences I think this car should have: - Automatic headlights - this has been in some cars for decades, why is it not a feature in all cars. - Automatic climate control - Put in a temperature and forget. Same logic as above, all cars should have this by now. Conclusion: Overall, I think the car is a compromise. I really enjoy the gas mileage, interior quality, and sporty upgrades, but I really hate the DSG and engine noise. The price premium eats most of the gas savings over a regular Golf. If you really want a TDI and are comfortable with a manual transmission, I highly recommend going that route.

• 

  Great Car...but its like an iPhone - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By volvogirl5 - April 1 - 12:41 pm

  I was torn between a Golf and the Ford Focus. Ultimately, the interior detail and materials sold me on the Golf. It looks like an Audi on the inside (especially at night!). My cloth seats are comfortable and ergonomically correct. I can fit 4 adults in the car without it feeling cramped. Currently getting approx 315 miles per tank. Its really a quality vehicle. The only downside is that my service light has come twice in the past year that Ive owned it. The computer on the vehicle needed an update. Although the updates are free at VW, its time consuming and annoying. Service guy told me its like owning an iphone and theres no warning when you might get the light.

• 

  7K miles in 3 months - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By ct_to_nc - April 20 - 9:21 pm

  My top 2 criteria for buying this car: 1. fuel economy, 2. performance. I average around 39 miles / gallon with mostly highway driving. As far as performance, it feels more like a sports car. In fact, it has a sport suspension. Acceleration is quick, whether looking to spontaneously pass on the highway or off the line from a stop. It is a solidly built quality vehicle. As of now, I have no regrets for spending the money to purchase this vehicle. It is truly a joy to drive.

• 

  4 Door Golf - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By danjv - March 9 - 5:24 am

  Ive owned this car for just a couple weeks, but I can already tell this is the great car I hoped it would be. It doesnt come with the most features, it doesnt get the best gas mileage, and it doesnt have the most back seat room. But if you want a car that makes you say "Ahhhhhh" every time you get in and cant spend $35k, get a Golf. Think of it like the iPhone of the car world: the best designed, most well executed, solid-feeling car you can buy for the money. Drive this, then drive something else - youll be frustrated. The engine is smooth and surprisingly powerful. The transmission is good, but regular mode is a bit economy minded - Sport mode is where I leave it most of the time.

• 

  1st Volkswagen - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By jdhtx87 - October 3 - 9:42 pm

  After approx 2 years of reviewing everything out there, i finally decided on a car that had the best balance of everything I was looking for. Entertaining to drive, practical, versatile, and high quality interior. It is designed for those who love to drive. MDI is the best feature. Being able to select from your connected ipod, iphone, am/fm, sat, and sd card is amazing. Voice control is icing on the cake. DSG works exactly as written. You have to understand that this is not an automatic but an automated manual. Averaging 41mpg after 800 miles. So far, all the positive hype has proven true. Coming from Honda and not looking back!!