The 2021 Volkswagen Golf is associated with 11 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS, accounting for 1 reports (9% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.4l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 32 to 33 MPG combined. The 2021 Volkswagen Golf belongs to the 7th generation (Mk7 / Typ 5G) Golf platform spanning model years 2015–2021.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 11 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS (1 / 9%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 0 crash / 0 fire / 1 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 32–33 MPG (2 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Golf | 1.4L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 29 MPG | 39 MPG | 33 MPG | — | $1,850 / yr |
| Golf | 1.4L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 29 MPG | 36 MPG | 32 MPG | — | $1,900 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| 4 DR FWD | | | | | 13.4% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 Volkswagen Golf models.
View complete 2021 Volkswagen Golf crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2021 Volkswagen Golf problems & component breakdown (11 categories) →
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect Summary: 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."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2021 Volkswagen Golf recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →