Volkswagen
Germany · parts cost /5 · specialist network:
Model families
| Model | Segment | Generations covered | Variants | Price span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golf Mk5 · Mk6 · Mk7 · Mk7 Variant | compact hatchback | 4 | 15 | €1,400–€26,300 |
| Passat B6 · B6 Variant · 3G · 3G Variant | mid | 4 | 14 | €1,250–€21,750 |
| Tiguan 5N | compact SUV | 1 | 3 | €5,000–€16,350 |
| Polo 6R | supermini | 1 | 3 | €3,400–€11,450 |
| Touran 1T | compact MPV | 1 | 3 | €1,800–€10,700 |
Only families with researched data appear here. See coverage for what is planned next.
Brand-wide ownership notes
The Golf is the highest-volume car in this database and the cheapest to run, which cuts both ways: parts and independent specialists are everywhere, and so are neglected examples. Mk5 and Mk6 share most of their mechanical risk: the EA888 chain tensioner on petrols, the PD and later common-rail diesels' emissions hardware, and the DSG's mechatronic and clutch packs. The bodies and interiors last well; the drivetrains decide the car.
Chassis
| Chassis | Body | Years | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mk5 | hatchback | 2003–2009 | The generation that made the Golf feel expensive again, and now the cheapest way into a modern one. Rides and steers better than its price suggests; the risk is entirely in which engine and gearbox it left the factory with. |
| Mk6 | hatchback | 2009–2013 | A heavily revised Mk5 rather than a new car: quieter, better finished, and carrying the same drivetrain questions with slightly better answers. |
| Mk7 | hatchback | 2012–2019 | The generation where the Golf got lighter, quieter and considerably better, and the one most people should be shopping for now. |
| Mk7 Variant | wagon | 2013–2019 | The estate, which costs a little more than the hatch and is worth it if you carry anything at all. |
| B6 | sedan | 2005–2010 | The car the Golf grows into, with the same engines in a quieter and much roomier shell. |
| B6 Variant | wagon | 2005–2010 | The estate that sold in far greater numbers than the saloon, and deservedly so. |
| 3G | sedan | 2014–2023 | A big, quiet saloon with a cabin that feels a class above its price. It's the car the Superb is built from and it drives with the same composure. |
| 3G Variant | wagon | 2014–2023 | The Passat estate and the volume car of the generation, with one of the largest boots in the class. It's a genuinely excellent long-distance car. |
| 5N | SUV | 2007–2016 | A Golf with a higher roof and an optional Haldex system, which is exactly what most buyers in this class wanted. It drives better than almost anything else here and hides its height well. |
| 6R | hatchback | 2009–2017 | A supermini built like the class above it, quiet on a motorway and solid in a way its rivals aren't. It's dull to drive and that has never hurt it. |
| 1T | MPV | 2003–2015 | A Golf-based people carrier with seven seats on many trims and a driving position people keep for years. It's plain and practical, and very well built. |