Model year guide

2019 Volkswagen Golf R

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2019 Volkswagen Golf R is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 2 on record.

2019 Volkswagen Golf R — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2019 Volkswagen Golf R at a glance

Safety recalls2
Owner complaints6
Combined24–26 mpg

Free: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2019 Volkswagen Golf R recalls 2

Unknown Or Other NHTSA Campaign #21V321000 · 05/05/2021

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 …

Fix: Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.

Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems NHTSA Campaign #22V815000 · 31/10/2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all fou…

Fix: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 an…

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2019 Volkswagen Golf R common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 6 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Forward Collision Avoidance
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Back Over Prevention
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Wheels
Inspect wheels for bends, cracks and curb rash, and feel for vibration at highway speed.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.

2019 Volkswagen Golf R MPG & running costs

Combined24–26 mpg
City22 mpg
Highway30 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,275
EPA size classCompact Cars
TransmissionAutomatic (AM-S7) or Manual 6-spd
Forced inductionTurbocharged
Engine start-stopOn some versions
Passenger volume93 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$4,375 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2019 Volkswagen Golf R costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$16,375
Fuel only$16,375
Per mile$0.22

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2019 Volkswagen Golf R trims & engines on record

Trims
Base
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl 288 hp

2019 Volkswagen Golf R vehicles on record

Other Volkswagen Golf R model years

2019 Volkswagen Golf R — frequently asked questions

Does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf R have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2019 Volkswagen Golf R. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are free.

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Volkswagen Golf R?

Across all 6 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are forward collision avoidance, back over prevention, wheels.

What gas mileage does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf R get?

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf R has U.S. EPA estimates of 24–26 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.