Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Volkswagen Golf, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system3
- Service brakes2
- Steering1
- Air bags1
- Engine1
- Seat belts1
- Power train1
- Unknown or other1
- Exterior lighting1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2021 Volkswagen Golf failed the safety check 0.68% of the time — 28% less often than the average 2021 passenger car (0.95%). Median odometer at inspection: 28,177 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2021
172,996 new Volkswagen Golf cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2021; the largest markets were Germany (91,525), Italy (15,012), France (14,962).
- Average mass
- 1,421 kg
- Average CO₂
- 117 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 111 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 54% · Diesel 31% · Petrol/electric 12% · Natural gas 1.6% · Electric 1.0%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
72,257 Volkswagen Golf cars first registered in Europe in 2021 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Diesel versions use 5.4 l/100 km on the road against 4.7 in the WLTP test (+16%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 23,883 | 7.3 | 6.3 | +17% |
| Petrol hybrid | 11,976 | 6.2 | 5.5 | +13% |
| Diesel | 25,799 | 5.4 | 4.7 | +16% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 10,599 | 4.7 | 1.1 | +318% |
Litres per 100 km from the cars' own fuel meters (OBFCM), collected in 2024; the year is the year of first registration. All years together · European Environment Agency · CC BY 4.0
Engines
The most common engines in 2021 Volkswagen Golf cars on Dutch roads are the 1.4 hybrid (110 kW, 148 hp), 1.5 hybrid (110 kW, 148 hp) and 1.0 petrol (81 kW, 109 hp), out of 12 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4 hybrid | 110 kW 148 hp | 4,145 |
| 1.5 hybrid | 110 kW 148 hp | 1,590 |
| 1.0 petrol | 81 kW 109 hp | 1,468 |
| 1.0 hybrid | 81 kW 109 hp | 1,314 |
| 1.5 petrol | 96 kW 129 hp | 881 |
| 2.0 petrol | 221 kW 296 hp | 878 |
| 2.0 petrol | 180 kW 241 hp | 846 |
| 2.0 petrol | 235 kW 315 hp | 623 |
| 1.5 hybrid | 96 kW 129 hp | 407 |
| 1.5 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 262 |
| 2.0 diesel | 85 kW 114 hp | 260 |
| 1.0 petrol | 66 kW 89 hp | 181 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
13,225 first registered in 2021 are on Dutch roads; 75% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €42,054.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde3,331
- Band onvoldoende profiel1,331
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld1,137
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm780
- Band beschadigd425
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht319
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage277
- Remschijf ernstig gecorrodeerd137
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
28,129 cars built in 2021 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 228 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 943 of these cars first registered in 2021 took their annual MOT test. 92% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2021 the figure was 91%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.1% | 3.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.3% | 2.9% |
| Visibility | 1.2% | 1.6% |
| Suspension | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Brakes | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.2% | 0.4% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
2,101 of these cars first registered in 2021 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 70,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
653 2021 cars are on the New Zealand register; 6% arrived as used imports, 94% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Volkswagen Golf 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 13.4 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 7.1–9.1 L/100 km (about 26–33 mpg US), CO₂ 166–213 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golf · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.0 | 6.1 | 7.1 |
| Golf · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.2 | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| Golf GTI · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.7 | 7.3 | 8.6 |
| Golf GTI · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.1 | 7.9 | 9.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 Volkswagen Golf.
| 2022382 20 Jul 2022 | Visual System Issue: Under certain conditions, the rearview camera image may not appear on the center screen. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display whe… |
| 2020556 18 Nov 2020 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to display or cause it to freeze. Canadian regulations require the re… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2021 Volkswagen Golf: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011377 | This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication for the airbag control module. For trouble code DTC B10001B. Driver airbag igniter resistance too high -N95 |
| 11011375 | moisture witin rear tail lamp assembly |
| 11011374 | HVAC duct cleaning and deodorizing |
| 11011371 | This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed and only order the successor parts going forward. |
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008866 | Inspecting sensors for damage |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008860 | Manual transmission noise diagnosing |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
| 11008852 | Recommended Gasoline Quality |
| 11008851 | Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid |
| 11008850 | Fuel additive to help with misfire faults |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007396 | Car-net 2.0 may not fully complete the initial Register and Pairing process (R&P) after removal of |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11005830 | Phyical condensation within Taillamp cluster is an optical phenomenon and does not affect the function of the taillights. |
| 11005826 | Car-net 2.0 may not fully complete the initial Register and Pairing process (R&P) after removal of |
| 11005825 | Engine oil quality standards |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)