My 2019 VW Golf Sportwagen S

This page is about my 2019 Volkswagen (VW) Golf Sportwagen (GSW) S. This is, so far, the only brand new car I've ever purchased. If this article helps you, please donate.

Initial Price

When I bought it, I paid $19,800 for it 12 August, 2022. This is the base S model and it came equipped with 15 inch wheels and a doughnut spare. Unlike my previous one, it did not come with frontal collision warning, frontal braking assist, or lane change warning.

Dealership Experience

I will not say where I bought this vehicle. But I will say that if you're going to buy from a dealership, here are a couple things that helped me get a good deal:

Know the Kelly Blue Book price for the vehicle in its current state. The Fair Market Value is going to be a range of cost. And know whether the vehicle is in demand or not. If I can believe the various car magazines, this vehicle is not in demand. Thus I expected to pay on the low end of the Fair Market Value range.
If you see even one mistake on any document, make them fix it immediately before you sign it.
Don't get a loan from the car dealership. Your bank should be able to offer you a better APR and deal. In fact, this is why you should be a member of, and get a loan from, your credit union: credit unions on average have the best deals.
Get GAP insurance. Always. The $300 I spent, one time, on GAP insurance with my credit union is definitely worth a potential difference of $3,000 or more if I was to total the vehicle and owe more on the vehicle than it's worth.
Check out these money saving tips at Credit Karma.
Have the dealership change the oil and filter before you buy it and/or give you new tires. My last one had the oil changed prior, and this dealership for this car gave me brand new tires.

Owning Experience

I flew to another state in the USA to buy this car. Here's how the experience went.

Tire Pressure Monitoring

The tire pressure system warned me right as I got on the road. I pulled over to fill up at a gas station, and I put air in the tires, but I didn't know the gauge was not good. So I calibrated the system but then it warned me again an hour later. When I pulled over, I thought I had a hole in my tire

and proceeded to change it to the spare,

but the spare didn't have enough pressure (something the dealership should've checked). I waited an hour for the roadside assistance driver, who filled up all tired and/or brought them to 36 psi. Turns out the metal piece sticking out from the tire didn't puncture the tire. So I put the main tire back on, hit calibrate, and then hit the road again. It seems that the TPS is sensitive to pressure (needs to be 36 psi) but once you have that handled, it's fine.

Infotainment

While Bluetooth on the base model "infotainment" system worked very well, you can't navigate using it. For this, you need Android Auto (or Apple Play or whatever) installed. After reading about the potential security risks of Bluetooth, we disabled Bluetooth in the head unit. I recommend to everyone to do the same, as opening up Bluetooth in a Walmart parking lot to sync up my phone revealed many, many openly discover-able Bluetooth devices that looked like cars. On some rental cars I've had, you cannot disable Bluetooth on the car, so I would STRONGLY recommend that if you are thinking about buying a car, check that you can disable Bluetooth. If you can't, that's going to be both a security liability and a headache. Get a different car.

Plugging my phone directly into the head unit via USB for Android Auto is good, but I can't play YouTube videos for music. I don't watch the videos, but because I have YouTube Premium, I used it for music, such as Synthwave, Chillwave, and space ambient (because I recently bought a synthesizer, I'm listening to synthesizer music). But you can use Samsung Music or Google Play Music with actual MP3s on your phone, so that's what we did.

The integration of Google Maps (especially caching the maps to your phone) works very well! I'm glad I don't need a dedicated navigation system, nor do I need an expensive head unit.

The infotainment system's car info page is useful, and the Android Auto integration is very easy to use. The only thing I wish the infotainment system had for the car information page is more maintenance information (like when the next service and/or oil change is due) and maybe a way to reset the trip meter so that I can tell, for example, how good a gas mileage I have gotten on a road trip, and not just after I refilled the gas tank. As well, apparently you have to only plug in your phone at the right time, or the infotainment and phone don't want to link up. I found that it's best to get in my car, turn on the engine (don't plug in the phone while the car is off). Then fully set up navigation and tap "start", then plug my phone into the Infotainment and tap "Allow" on my phone.

I have some things to say about car infotainment system security. First, even if I don't click "allow" on my phone, that prompt gets bypassed and the infotainment system takes over. To me, that's a huge design flaw, and red flag. All such prompts on my phone should be taken seriously. But this is something I've been saying about android phone security for a while now: it's got holes. I'm not blaming android so much as android and all other vendors: they need to get on the same page with this and honor phone Allow/Disable prompts.

Also, keep in mind the Infotainment system often forgets that you've authorized it to connect to the phone. So my advice is set up the navigation before you begin driving towards the destination. Fiddling with the phone and infotainment system while driving could cause an accident.

Engine Transmission and Performance

I've driven many cars but I'm not a pro reviewer. I've driven vehicles from land yachts to golf carts to small imports to vans to industrial tow tractors and forklifts for the military. The feel of the VW GSW is a bit on the synthetic side, as it has electric throttle and steering. This makes it feel a bit less organic overall. However, once you get over (for instance) the lack of slack in the gas pedal towards the idle region (like older, mechanical gas pedal linkages had), and learn to fully reposition yourself before switching to reverse and/or to drive when starting out, the car is very predictable and easy to control. The steering, even if artificial in feel (if it has any artificial feel at all), feels solid and is very accurate.

I dodged a bullet getting the base model 1.4T without panoramic sunroof, so I'm not going to fault the 1.4T engine. It reminds me of the Oldsmobile VIN Y 5.0 V8 (which was NOT a Chevy). It's got tons of low torque (almost identical to that Olds V8) which makes acceleration no-fuss. You don't have to slam the gas to throw it into higher RPM to accelerate: acceleration at a moderate pace is buttery smooth and quiet. You'll miss it if you're not paying attention, which is a plus, like on road trips where I am driving during the very early morning while my family members snooze.

The transmission doesn't "hunt" or "search" for gears: the 8 gear automatic is composed and seems to know exactly what you're doing. The only down side to the 1.4T paired to this automatic is that if you need to slam the gas down, there's noticeable turbo lag. The automatic already knows what to do, and has usually already downshifted: it's waiting on turbo lag. Now this is a budget car, not a luxury sports car, so turbo lag isn't a detractor. In fact, you get used to it, so it shouldn't be that big an issue in this price range. Also, I suspect that if one wants to keep the engine in higher RPMs so that there's less turbo lag, they could simply drive the car in sports mode or manual shift mode.

The VW GSW isn't a race car, despite the word "sport" being in the name. But it's sporty enough. I can confirm that 0-60 is in 7 seconds, which is actually pretty impressive for a wagon. The 1.4T has been praised by other car magazines and websites, so that speaks for itself. Is it a true sports car? No. Could it be? Probably not without extensive modifications (the first of which probably to install the Audi 2.0T engine). But it's plenty sporty enough that one doesn't feel like they've sacrificed a lot when stepping down from a different luxury sports car.

Lane changes are often very easy. I have yet to really need to stomp down very hard to accelerate, and this is a tribute to the low end torque of the 1.4T and the transmission making smart decisions. Honestly, the transmission on this car is almost clairvoyant, as I've rarely had to intervene. It has the power to know what I want. Interstate on-ramps are easy, and rarely does one have to give it so much gas that the RPMs climb dramatically. But even in rare circumstances where this is necessary, the engine doesn't act like it's losing its composure like some cars I've driven. It remains composed, and seems to enjoy being pushed. This is how much German cars feel to me: composed and enjoy being pushed hard.

I appreciate how the engine doesn't pop and crackle like other turbo engines. First, I think it would be pointless on a wagon in the first place. If you want a race wagon, get an AMG E63 S wagon. Second, watching the Engineering Explained videos on YouTube points out that while on some cars, the pops are a technique used to keep the turbo spooled up, that's not the only way to do so, and Porsche has found a way to accomplish this without the pops and crackles. They simply keep engine RPM up a bit, even when decelerating, so that enough air is passing through the engine and into the turbo (from what I understand from those videos). To a point, my Sportwagen does something similar (that some people claim is typical with German cars): you get "rev hang" after accelerating. But as for tuning the 1.4T engine, my concern with pops and crackles is how likely it might be to destroy my EGR valve. If my Sportwagen came this way, stock, I would embrace it. But it doesn't, and it's not necessary to keep the turbo spooled, so in my opinion, I'm not a fan. If your car does it, stock, and it serves a purpose, cool, more power to you. I don't like fake performance in any form, whether it's fake pops (or bad ECU mods that make pops that serve no purpose and/or break your engine), fake air vents, fake camber, fake wings, etc. In my opinion, I agree with Santana: give me your heart, make it real, or else forget about it.

Yet the Sportwagen has the word "sport" in it. I tell skeptics that it's just a German thing. With a 0-60 of 7 seconds, it might be close to a sports car, but not in my opinion. It would need the Audi 2.0T (same engine family heritage) before I'd consider it a sports car. But don't take this the wrong way: I absolutely love this car. It's a "sporty" grocery-getter, but in my opinion it's not a "dyed in the wool" sports car. But feel free to disagree with me. In fact, if there's race heritage that I'm unaware of, email me and I'll change this article.

When using manual shift mode, the 8 gear automatic apparently doesn't give you any recommendation to shift up or down, not on the dashboard or the infotainment "Blue Trainer." This car will let me hold the RPMs at 3,000 in a lower gear and never tell me to shift. But it also doesn't feel like I am driving a Go Kart. Peak horsepower in this engine seems to be around 3,000 rpm, and so if you manual shift while keeping it at 3,000 rpm, your shift points seem to be roughly 15 mph, 25 mph, 35 mph, 45 mph, 55 mph, 65 mph, although I didn't test what speed I would end up at in 7th gear at 3,000 rpm: I'd have to test that out later. But note that if you're cruising in town at 45 mph and you put the automatic in manual mode, it displays "M8", meaning it's in 8th gear. This is probably done for fuel economy.

I have not tested how high a speed one can obtain, if one wanted to drag race this car. To be honest, putting the car in sport shift mode, rather than manual, would probably be more advantageous. In a safe place, I tested 0-60 and found it to be roughly 7 seconds, as have other car enthusiast websites. This is plenty fast.

The paddle shifters are sort of out of place on a wagon, at least in my opinion. I'd rather slap the gear selector forward and backwards, especially around corners when both hands are on the steering wheel. The paddles move with the wheel, but are awkward to reach while cornering, at least for me.

One note: I don't mind the auto-start/stop (AS) feature of the 1.4T engine. I think VW did a great job making this American-friendly. It's one of the first AS cars I've ever owned. I like being able to shut it off, but I wish there was instead a different button available: a "not this time" button. I find myself disabling the AS at stop signs and other situations in which I know there will not be but a second or two between stopping and starting again. My goal is to prevent unnecessary starter wear and tear (though I'm sure they designed the starter for this mode). So a "just not this time" button would be nice, instead of or in addition to a total disable button that I forget that I've pressed.

Tires and Wheels

My GSW came with four <INSERT NEW TIRES> tires in 195/65R15 and a doughnut spare. The wheels are ten spoke, and they're OK (part 5G0601025BA8Z8), but I plan to get a full size spare, same wheels.

I am not a fan of this wheel style, as I like the 2012 GTI wheels much more. You know, the iconic ones that look like a flat circular rim they cut five ovals out of. Maybe some day I'll upgrade mine. In lieu of that, I might get the 16" Aspen winter style rims, as they're five spoke.

Fuel Economy and Driving Range

This is less on my mind than the driving experience, but I am very pleased with fuel economy and driving range. Filling up on whatever the highest octane is at the station, so long as it's 91 or less, I get an average of about 39 mpg to work and 44 on the highway. But I drive a bit differently than some people. I use cruise religiously, and almost always go the speed limit in the right lane. However, I use cruise to free my eyes to look around more, as I like to look ahead and predict traffic. I prepare early for the need to pass.

So I have no complaints here: it gets great gas mileage.

At first I got confused as to why the Blue Trainer screen and gas mileage economy indication on the instrument area were different, until I realized that I can press the enter/"OK" button on the right side of the steering wheel to switch between what type of economy is being displayed. The options available, such as "since last fill-up" and "since start" are very useful.

Interior, Infotainment, and Cargo

The interior is very comfortable. I can go on road trips (I have lower back spasms sometimes) and not feel like my back is snapped in half, like with other cheaper cars I've owned, so this car already scores big points with me.
The interior is useful. I wish the detents on the A/C controls had more strength to them, as you can spin the dial all the way without knowing where you are. I like being able to feel the detents so I can keep my eyes on the road as much as possible. It's a tactile thing. But it works, so I can't say it's a bad thing.

The infotainment system is nice, but I ran into a few minor annoyances. First, I've found (Android Auto) that I need to either tell my phone to navigate to a location and THEN plug it into the infotainment system, or plug my phone in and use Google Assistant (convenient button on the steering wheel) to navigate to a location. In my experience, trying to input where I want to go via the infotainment center is a pain, and Google Assistant can sometimes not find what I'm looking for. So sometimes I need to pull my phone off the USB that's connecting it to the infotainment, type in what I need, start navigation, and then plug it back in.

But Google Assistant is incredibly useful nonetheless. I love being able to use the voice assistant, hands free of course, to text someone. I love being able to put reminders into my phone almost instantly, although I've had to figure out the slight preference Google Assistant has for the order in which I say the various parts of the phrase when asking it to put a reminder in my phone. I've ended up with "Reminder in my phone" as the title to reminders in my phone, etc. But it's improving, and at least the texting part is easy. It's gotten even better at discerning when I am asking a question and putting an automatic question mark at the end of texts I send to people.

Another minor gripe is that even if someone replies to my text, I have to reach over to the infotainment screen while driving and press "Play" to hear it. I wish this was automatic. Next time it happens, I will try hitting the Voice Assistant button and see if it automatically plays their text.

Group text notifications get played right by Google Assist, in that it tells me who said what, which is helpful.

Cargo space is amazing on this car. It's not earth shattering, like a 27 foot U-Haul, but it's nice nonetheless. I can transport a lot of musical equipment to/from concerts. I am not a big fan of the cargo cover, but it works well and is easy to remove and install. And if the already large cargo area wasn't enough, I can also fold the rear seats down and have almost enough cargo space to stuff a Honda Fit inside.

One other minor gripe is that, like other smaller cars I've owned, the rear seat head rests get in the way of my view. So I tend to drive the car without them installed. I have them sitting on the seats in case someone needs them. The center head rest doesn't get in the way, but the other two slightly obstruct the view out the back. Maybe it won't bother you, but I just like having a lot of visibility.

Visibility in this car is very good. Maybe it could be better if car manufacturers used very thin pillars, but this car still has very good visibility. And the rear backup camera helps (even though I was taught to always turn my face in the direction I'm driving).

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The safety and assistance features in this car are good. Get the frontal collision warning package if you can, it may save your life.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with this vehicle! Sure, the all-wheel with 1.8T would've been better. Sure, I'm not very excited on the prospects of having to have the cylinder heads walnut blasted (a common problem, I read, with all TDI engines, not just VW). Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase!

Note that this car comes with a "VW Recommends Castrol" pamphlet inside it. I usually prefer Royal Purple, but because I'm still within the warranty, I'll stick to a Castrol oil that conforms to SAE 0W-20 VW 508 00.

Blog / Maintenance Record

From here, I'll chronicle my experience and maintenance records. I hope someone will find some of this information useful. As I own the car, I'll notate my experience.

Other Info