Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the brakes. The 5 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/5 checked
2023 Volkswagen Golf: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Engine off, key in hand0/1
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/2
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Volkswagen Golf. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD | 26 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Volkswagen Golf, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
The hill hold feature keeps the brakes applied on a slope after the driver lifts off the pedal, and it cannot be switched off. Both complaints say the car will not move quickly enough when the driver needs to pull away, with one describing a hold of about 3 seconds. On manual cars, the brakes grab hard instead of releasing as the clutch engages and throttle is applied. This can stall the engine, wear the brakes and clutch, and leave the car stopped in the path of traffic. The complaints show no mileage pattern.
Excerpts from complaints Golf owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
The vehicle has a feature called "hill hold" that can not be disabled where it holds the brakes when stopped on a hill untill 3 seconds after removing your foot from the brake pedal. This has resulted in many near miss safety hazards because I can not move the vehicle quickly enough to make a safety maneuver in the event of imminent collision from another vehicle when stopped on a hill.
Filed with NHTSA, October 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 7 Golf years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2023 is the second model year of the Golf's eighth generation (2022–2023).
Volkswagen updated the Golf for 2024, so a 2023 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2024 (not on a 2023)
Recall repairs are free at any Volkswagen dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Golf R, Golf GTI, 2024 Atlas, and 2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The rearview camera image may be delayed or deactivated after shifting into reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility.".
Risk: A rearview camera with a delayed or deactivated image reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 15, 2024, and July 16, 2024. Owners may contact VW customer service at 1-800-893-5298. VW's number for this recall is 91US.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Golf R A8 and Golf GTI vehicles. The strut mount may be deformed, loosening the bolted connections to the suspension strut mounting.
Risk: Loose suspension connections can cause steering instability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the right and/or left suspension strut mountings, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40T3.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Golf R A8 and Golf GTI vehicles. The radiator may not have been attached correctly to the intercooler, which can result in a damaged coolant hose.
Risk: A damaged coolant hose can leak, causing the engine to overheat, and increasing the risk of fire. In addition, large amounts of coolant spilling onto the roadway can increase the risk of a crash to other vehicles.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the radiator and replace any damaged parts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19Q8.
Cars shoppers compare with the Volkswagen Golf, with their own 2023 checklists.
2023 owner complaints, side by side
