William Stopford
Volkswagen Golf hatch sales being paused in early 2023
Volkswagen is letting the chips fall where they may, accepting it will sell virtually no Golfs for three months due to a missing semiconductor chip.
3 Years Ago
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2022 Volkswagen Golf
New from
$29,550 excl. on-roads
Review Rating
Very Good
Safety Rating
5
Warranty
5 year, unlimited km
Fuel Efficiency
5.8 - 7.8 L / 100km
About the Volkswagen Golf
Last updated Sep 26, 2025The Volkswagen Golf needs no introduction. It's one of the world's best-known cars, and is now into its eight generation.
CarExpert Rating
Very Good
Read the 2022 Volkswagen Golf R reviewThis rating has been converted from our previous rating system. Read about our new review ratings.
Pros
- Modern-looking interior
- Smooth, quiet powertrain
- Balance between ride and handling
Cons
- Screens are flashier than they are functional
- Australia misses the best engine technology
- Those prices are steep
Comparative Rating
Quickly see how this car stacks up against its competition. Select any benchmark to see more details.
Power to Weight
78.52 - 153.09 kW/t
63.49 kW/t
154.87 kW/t
Boot Space
374 - 611 litres
273 litres
611 litres
Fuel Efficiency
5.8 - 7.8 L/100km
1.1 L/100km
9.9 L/100km
Vehicle Range
705 - 862 km
573 km
1,324 km
Price
$29,550 - $68,990
$23,420
$68,990
Warranty (Years)
5 years
2 years
7 years
Warranty (Distance)
Unlimited
Unlimited
Years on Sale
New this year
2 years
3 years
Service Interval
12 months
6 months
12 months
Towing & Off-Road Capability
Gross Vehicle Weight
1,810 - 2,140 kg
1,760 kg
2,140 kg
Braked Towing Capacity
1,500 - 1,600 kg
500 kg
1,600 kg
Ground Clearance Unladen
134 mm
101 mm
165 mm
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Volkswagen Golf News
2022 Volkswagen Golf Reviews
2022 Volkswagen Golf Price
Base
Life
R-Line
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 1.4L, 8-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | $37,650 |
| 1.4L, 8-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | $38,490 |
| 1.4L, 8-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | $39,990 |
GTI
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 7-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | $53,300 |
| 2.0L, 7-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | $54,490 |
| 2.0L, 7-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | $54,990 |
R
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 7-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, 4x4 | $68,990 |
| 2.0L, 7-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, 4x4 | $65,990 |
*excl. on-roads
All Volkswagen Golf Pricing
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2022 Volkswagen Golf Specs
See our comprehensive details for the Volkswagen Golf
2022 Volkswagen Golf Dimensions
1483mm
1789mm
4633mm
The dimensions shown above are for the base model.
See all 2022 Volkswagen Golf Dimensions2022 Volkswagen Golf Boot Space
Boot space is a claimed374Lin the hatch and611Lin the wagon with the rear seats in place. Their load volume expands to1230Land1642L, respectively, with the rear seats folded.
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2022 Volkswagen Golf Gallery
CarExpert High Resolution Photos of the Volkswagen Golf
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2022 Volkswagen Golf Exterior
The big choice in the Golf range is between the regular and R-Line models.
The latter gets bigger wheels, and a more aggressive look in line with the more powerful, all-wheel drive Golf R.
The Golf GTI has extra red detailing on its grille, along with a more prominent rear wing and unique wheels, while the R sits lower and is the most aggressive-looking Golf money can buy.
2022 Volkswagen Golf Interior
t’s not short on wow factor.
Volkswagen has committed to touchscreens and gloss black capacitive controls in place of the buttons and dials that have gradually evolved over three generations of Golf.
Unlike the entry-level car and its 8.0-inch central display, the mid-range Golf Life gets two 10.25-inch displays atop its dashboard. It almost looks like a concept car, especially if you’ve just hopped out of its predecessor.
Plenty of the things that were good about the previous Golf remain. The driving position is excellent in the Life, thanks to comfortable cloth-trimmed seats that drop right down to the floor, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel is a quality item.
You still get plenty of soft-touch plastic trim, the stubby gear selector slots into place with a satisfying click, and the indicator stalk is beautifully damped. It’s all classic Volkswagen.
There are some signs of cost-cutting though. The cup holders aren’t hidden under a sliding lid anymore, and the fold-down cubby for garage keys or coins near the driver’s right knee his gone.
They’re small things, but they’re the small things that have always elevated the Golf above its competitors. In some ways, Volkswagen is a victim of its own high standards.
The screen in front of the driver is excellent, which is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Volkswagen Group products. The graphics are crisp, and it shows just the right amount of information.
It’s annoying you can’t change the colour of the display from what’s a pretty uninspiring shade of aqua unless you option the Comfort and Style Pack, though.
The central touchscreen is similarly sharp, but it’s being asked to do too much. If you want to change the fan speed, for example, you need to press a button on the dash and then fiddle with the touchscreen.
That means you lose your media display, and have to spend more time with your eyes off the road compared to how things worked in the old Golf with its physical dials.
Familiarity helps, but there’s no getting around the fact things that used to be easy are now harder. That’s not good enough in what’s meant to be an evolved take on the Golf.
On the plus side, wireless Apple CarPlay works flawlessly, and the infotainment system itself feels thoroughly modern.
Rear seat space is generous for what’s still a reasonably compact wagon, with space for adults or tall teenagers.
Rear passengers get their own temperature controls and air vents, along with a USB-C charge point and a fold-down central armrest.
2022 Volkswagen Golf Safety Rating
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf has a five-star ANCAP rating based on testing carried out by Euro NCAP in 2019.
It scored 95 per cent for adult occupant protection, 89 per cent for child occupant protection, 76 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 80 per cent for safety assist.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Multi-collision brake
- Lane-keep assist
- Front cross-traffic assist
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Reversing camera
All bar the base model include Emergency Assist and safe exit warning, while all models feature eight airbags as standard.
2022 Volkswagen Golf Fuel Economy
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf uses 5.8L/100km on the combined cycle in the automatic hatchback, 5.9L/100km in the automatic wagon, 6.0L/100km in the manual hatchback, and 7.0L/100km in the GTI.
All models require 95RON premium unleaded fuel.
| Volkswagen Golf | Fuel Type | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4L, 8-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | Premium Unleaded | 5.8 L/100km |
| 1.4L, 8-speed auto, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | Premium Unleaded | 5.9 L/100km |
| 1.4L, 6-speed manual, 5-door Hatchback, Petrol, FWD | Premium Unleaded | 5.8 L/100km |
Cost of ownership
What are the running and servicing costs of a Volkswagen Golf?
Maintenance is required every 12 months or 15,000km and Volkswagen offers three- and five-year prepaid service packages for $1200 or $2100 respectively.
The Golf GTI is more expensive to service; a three-year plan costs $1400 and a five-year plan will set you back $2450.
How does the 2022 Volkswagen Golf drive?
Our expert take on Volkswagen Golf drivability.
For all that’s changed, the Mk 8 Golf still feels like a Golf.
It’s smooth and quiet, with a planted feeling that wouldn’t be out of place in a bigger, more expensive car.
The switch from a dual-clutch transmission to a more conventional torque converter means the new Golf uses more fuel than its predecessor, but it also makes it smoother and easier to drive in the city.
Even the best dual-clutch transmissions carry some kind of learning curve, the eight-speeder in the new Golf doesn’t.
It’s smart enough to keep the 1.4-litre engine in its torque band most of the time, slurring inoffensively from gear-to-gear when you’re cruising.
As has always been the case, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the Golf is an effortless companion. Its outputs are down on what you get in the latest warm hatches from Hyundai and Kia, but its buttery smooth power delivery and torquey mid-range mean you never need to work it hard.
Where it does feel like a backwards step is when you’re in a hurry. Even in Sport mode the eight-speed Golf doesn’t snap through the ratios with the confidence of a DSG, and taking charge with the paddles isn’t as satisfying.
Is that likely to worry the average owner? Probably not, although it’s arguably more of an issue in the sporty Golf R-Line than in its more demure siblings.
The coat of polish applied to the engine extends to the ride and handling, too. The R-Line sits 15mm lower than the regular Golf, but it soaks up the worst the city can throw at it without breaking a sweat.
It’s a bit firmer than the related Skoda Octavia, but it’s still perfectly usable day-to-day.
In traditional Volkswagen fashion, body control is tight without feeling outright sporty. It deals with speed bumps in one movement, the body settling quickly.
Unlike some of its rivals, Volkswagen has stuck with a multi-link rear suspension on the Golf. That has a negative impact on boot space, but it also contributes to the car’s planted, neutral feeling from behind the wheel.
Flick it into a corner and the nose just goes where you want it to, with very little in the way of understeer or lairy, lift-off oversteer.
Even in R-Line guise the Golf majors on low-fuss stability rather than outright thrills, although it’ll put a smile on your face if you’re willing to take it by the scruff of the neck.
It’s not perfect, though. The tyres are noisy on the highway, especially Australian coarse-chip highways, and Volkswagen’s adaptive cruise control won’t pass to the left of a slower car.
In Europe, where lane discipline is drummed into drivers from day one, that’s a good thing. In Australia, where it’s common for drivers to sit in the right lane doing 10km/h below the limit, it’s annoying.
2022 Volkswagen Golf Colours
What colours are available for the Volkswagen Golf
On the core range, metallic paint is a $600 option while premium metallic paint is a $900 option.
The following shades are available on the core range:
- Candy White
- Deep Black
- Dolphin Grey
- Reflex Silver (excludes R-Line)
- Moonstone Grey (R-Line only)
- Atlantic Blue
- Pomello Yellow
All shades are a no-cost option in the GTI, but for Kings Red which costs $300. The following shades are available:
- Pure White
- Dolphin Grey
- Deep Black
- Moonstone Grey
- Atlantic Blue
- Kings Red
2022 Volkswagen Golf Warranty
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
2022 Volkswagen Golf vs other Smalls to consider
BMW
1 Series
Very Good
Skoda
Superb
Very Good
Skoda
Fabia
Very Good
Mazda
Mazda 3
Good
Mazda
Mazda 2
Good
Volkswagen
Polo
Good
Hyundai
i30
Very Good
Kia
Picanto
Very Good
MG
MG4
Very Good
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Should you buy the 2022 Volkswagen Golf
Is this the right car for you? Out experts buy or not guide.
While the Volkswagen Golf is pricier than before, it still stacks up well against its competition (especially against its Skoda rival, funnily enough) and packs more standard equipment than the old car. That the IQ. Drive suite of technology is standard from the base level is commendable.
There’s also still that basic Golf goodness, with a polished ride/handling balance and a smooth powertrain that is none the worse for having dropped the dual-clutch auto.
The Golf has long been a benchmark in the European C-segment plus a consistent top-seller. A higher base price and increasing movement to SUVs over here in Australia may dent Golf sales but the Mk8 should still be at the top of your list if you’re in the market for a circa-$35k hatchback.
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Volkswagen Golf FAQs
The cheapest Volkswagen Golf is the Base that starts from $29,550.
The most expensive Volkswagen Golf is the R that starts from $68,990.
The best towing capacity of a Volkswagen Golf is offered by the GTI which can tow 1600 kg
The largest Volkswagen Golf is the Base which measures 1789mm wide, 4633mm in length and sits 1483mm tall.
The most powerful Volkswagen Golf is the R which has 235kW of power from its 2.0L Turbo engine.
The Volkswagen Golf is built in Germany and shipped to Australia.
The heaviest Volkswagen Golf is the R which weighs 2140 kg (kerb weight).
The Volkswagen Golf uses Premium Unleaded.