Volkswagen Golf Estate (2013 – 2020) Review

Volkswagen Golf Estate (2013 – 2020) At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
A compelling blend of quality, practicality and attractive styling, the Volkswagen Golf Estate makes a throughly sensible buy.

+Good looking, well thought-out design. Quality interior. Refined at speed.

-Boot isn’t the biggest in the class.

Insurance Groups are between 11–30
On average it achieves 79% of the official MPG figure

The Volkswagen Golf Estate is a quietly handsome wagon with all the benefits of the hatch, plus a large cargo bay that gives plenty of cars from the class above a hard time. The Skoda Octavia Estate can carry more and a Ford Focus Estate is more engaging to drive, but the German model is hard to fault. Read on for our full Volkswagen Golf Estate review.

The load-carrying version of the Volkswagen Golf offers the same excellent build quality, relaxed driving and high levels of technology as the hatchback, but with the added benefit of increased practicality thanks to a usefully large and well shaped load area.

From the driver’s seat, it’s more or less impossible to tell the Volkswagen Golf Estate apart from its hatchback counterpart.

Not only does it look the same, but everything from the steering feel and ride quality, to the comfort and performance, is recognisably similar. So there’s no compromise for choosing an estate version – even the engine range and trim structure are the same.

The differences only really become apparent when you open the boot, which has a capacity of 605 litres with the seats in place, and 1620 litres with them folded forward.

The boot floor is flat and low, so loading and unloading is very easy, plus you can hide items underneath it, and there are two storage bins for odds and ends.

The engine range kicks off with a 1.2-litre 85PS petrol, with a choice of a further three petrol units up to 140PS.

There are also four diesel engines ranging from a 90PS 1.6 TDI to a 150PS 2.0-litre TDI. The most efficient engine is the 110PS BlueMotion, which is claimed to deliver an official 85.6mpg, with emissions of 87g/km.

The Volkswagen Golf Estate manages to combine everything that’s good about the hatchback with all the advantages you’d expect of a wagon, which makes it a compelling used buy.

However it is worth remembering that the SEAT Leon ST and Skoda Octavia Estate offer a very similar package – in fact, they’re both based on the same platform – but are cheaper.

Looking for a new Volkswagen Golf Estate? Read our review here.

Ask Honest John

The gearbox system has failed in my newly-bought 2017 car. Is the dealer liable?

"I need your advice, please. I purchased a 2017 Volkswagen Golf Estate 4 months ago from an independent dealer. The car had done 15,000 miles with an elderly lady and had been well maintained under the lease agreement with the dealer. Last week, the clutch suddenly failed on the A303, with a subsequent investigation by the garage finding the mechatronic system had failed so I have a huge bill for the repairs. Although the car is out of the VW standard 3-year warranty, do I have any form of redress with VW? Surely for this to happen after 24,000 miles seems extraordinary given that VW is a good quality brand. Grateful for any advice you have on this. Thank you."
The dealer that sold you the car is liable for the faulty gearbox. I think you have strong grounds to claim the gearbox problems were present or developing at the time of sale. Given that you've had the car for less than six months, the dealer should repair the car or give you a refund, minus a fair deduction for the use you've already had from the vehicle. For your consumer rights, see: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/problems-with-a-new-or-used-car-your-consumer-rights
Answered by Dan Powell

A car I'm interested in is registered as another model - is this a mistake?

"I've found a Volkswagen Golf Estate that seems a good buy in a car supermarket. I thought I would check the MoT history and it comes up as a Jetta. When I rang the dealer he says he’s not sure why that would be, and it can only be some kind of mistake. The MoT mileages seem to match up pretty well and everything else looks ok. Is it possible that an error like this could occur? Also, if I purchased it and it was proved to be dodgy, would I be entitled to a refund?"
It sounds like a mistake made somewhere between the dealer and the DVLA when registering the car, but I'd definitely want to see it in person before any money changes hands. Whether you could reject it would depend on what the hypothetical issue was. If it was a major issue, or the car wasn't fit for purpose then you could reject it under the Consumer Rights Act.
Answered by Georgia Petrie

Can you suggest a family car for London and occasional longer drives?

"We have a maximum budget of £14,000 for a reliable, used SUV or estate with good economy and lots of space. We were originally drawn to the Renault Kadjar having hired them a few times, liking the panoramic roof, the great sound system, driving comfort and huge boot. But living in London we really want to avoid diesel cars. The real MPG/economy of the petrol Kadjar engines raised concerns. Ok for driving around London but worried the much longer runs to we regularly do would cost more than other more economical cars. We're finding it difficult to find something that fits our needs. Thanks."
It's a tricky one, but don't write off a diesel Kadjar. It might make sense, as long as you take it for a good run every 300 miles or so for the diesel particulate filter (DPF) to regenerate. It'll be ULEZ compliant and more efficient than a petrol on your trips further afield. If you do want a petrol, you'll probably have to swallow worse fuel economy. An estate like the Skoda Octavia might be a good compromise. You could also look at a Volkswagen Golf estate if you'd prefer a slightly plusher interior. Also look at the Renault Megane.
Answered by Andrew Brady

My new car seems to have an issue with the paintwork - what can I do to rectify this?

"I have a new Volkswagen Golf Estate with metallic paint. I purchased the car on February 1 2020 and have covered 223 miles. Today is the first day the car has been out in prolonged sunshine and I have noticed that it has a very visible hologram in the back wing. On close inspection, I can see the impression of a rotary polisher and - where this can be seen - the paint is dull and has lost its shine. I have cleaned the car once with a running hose, soft sponge and microfibre cloth. I have emailed the garage and would be grateful if you would let me know what sort of response I should expect. Can this be rectified?"
This reads like the dealer has gone overboard with the pre-sale bodywork prep and damaged the paintwork. They might be able to fix it with a specialist paintwork polish. Otherwise the wing will need to be resprayed. For your consumer rights, see: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/how-to-reject-a-car-your-consumer-rights
Answered by Dan Powell
More Questions

What does a Volkswagen Golf Estate (2013 – 2020) cost?