Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 2019.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 e-Golf | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 e-Golf | 6 | 0 |
| 2018 e-Golf | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 e-Golf | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 e-Golf | 17 | 5 |
| 2015 e-Golf | 28 | 3 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Electrical system32
- Unknown or other14
- Fuel/propulsion system12
- Engine11
- Power train7
- Vehicle speed control3
- Steering3
- Service brakes2
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Crash-test ratings by year
NHTSA 5-star results for 3 model-year variants; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Year | Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2019 Volkswagen e-Golf 4 DR FWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2018 | 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf 4 DR FWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2017 | 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf 4 DR FWD | — | 0.0 % |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
MOT test results in Great Britain
6,563 e-Golf cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 87% passed first time, against 87% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,609 | 87% |
| 2019 | 3,644 | 87% |
| 2018 | 310 | 82% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | e-Golf | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 9.6% | 4.8% |
| Visibility | 2.1% | 3.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.4% | 3.2% |
| Suspension | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Brakes | 0.3% | 2.2% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Steering | 0.1% | 0.1% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
8,215 new Volkswagen e-Golf cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2014 and 2020, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2020 the largest markets were United Kingdom (2,688), Slovenia (331).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,019 | 0 (WLTP) |
| 2019 | 3,862 | 0 (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 1,015 | 0 (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 123 | 0 (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 52 | — |
| 2015 | 87 | — |
| 2014 | 57 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the e-Golf in 1 alert. European versions can differ from the North American car.
Due to a manufacturing error, the brake-pedal plate may not have been adequately welded and could become completely detached when the brake pedal is suddenly applied. As a result, the application of the brakes will be impaired, increasing the risk of an accide…
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
8 campaigns cover the e-Golf.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016. Vibrations, such as those created by opening and closing a vehicle door, may cause the rear child door locks to disengage, allowing a child to open a rear door while inside the vehicle.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 e-Golf vehicles manufactured May 21, 2014, to March 1, 2016. Oversensitive diagnostics for the high-voltage battery management system may falsely detect an electrical surge resulting in the vehicle's electric drive motor shutting down unexpectedly.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured September 8, 2014, to November 28, 2014, Golf vehicles manufactured April 2, 2014, to December 3, 2014, and E-Golf vehicles manufactured July 26, 2014, to October 18, 2014. The affected vehicles are equipped a Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) that may have been manufactured improperly. As a result, the front passenger seat occupant may be improperly classified or may not be detected.
NHTSA recalls