- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 1
- on record
- MPG
- 32
- combined
Open recalls on record
1 safety recall. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Volkswagen Golf
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 1
- Owner complaints
- 6
- Complaints citing a crash
- 0
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
1 Recall on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
1 NHTSA campaign affecting this model year.
- 20V716000high
Rear-visibility system issue
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Volkswagen Golf.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 13.4%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2021 Volkswagen Golf 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 9 comparable 2021 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 13.4% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 Volkswagen Golf, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
29
City
36
Hwy
32
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,900
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 279 g/mi
How this compares
At 32 MPG combined, the 2021 Volkswagen Golf ranks 9th of 15 compact cars EPA rated for 2021 — 1 MPG short of the 33 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little below the middle of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $1,900, $50 more than the $1,850 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $9,500, a $250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 279 grams per mile — about 4.2 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
6 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 6
- Total
- 0
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE1
- LIGHTING1
- BRAKES1
- OTHER1
- AIR BAGS1
Normal Range
6 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Volkswagen Golf, newest first.
- Recall
A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sedan
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
29
City
36
Hwy
32
Comb
- Annual cost
- $1,900
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.