YearToAvoid

2018 Volkswagen e-Golf Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

25/100

#4 most-complained of 5 e-Golf years

The 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf has 1 NHTSA complaint and 1 recall, with a complaint index of 25, ranking 4th out of 5 model years for reported problems. It has one of the lower complaint counts among e-Golf years, well below 2015 and 2016.

Complaints
1
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
119
126 city / 111 hwy

Top 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other1 (100%)

2018 Volkswagen e-Golf recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V803000Nov 14, 2018Structure & Body169 vehicles

    Seats:mid/rear assembly

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.

    Risk: If the guide sleeves are incorrectly welded, in the event of a crash, the rear seat head restraints may have reduced stability, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners, and dealers will inspect the guide sleeves for incorrect welds, replacing the rear seat frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72H8 (VW) and 72H9(Audi).

2018 Volkswagen e-Golf fuel economy and fuel cost

City
126 MPG
Highway
111 MPG
Combined
119 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Electricity
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2018 compared with other e-Golf years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020152016201720182019
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Avoid75185116
2017No verdict012119
2018No verdict2511119
2019Caution5060119

All Volkswagen e-Golf years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf reliable?
NHTSA lists only 1 complaint for the 2018 e-Golf, giving it a complaint index of 25, which ranks 4th of 5 model years. That is lower than the 2015 (100) and 2016 (75) e-Golf years.
Does the 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 1 recall (campaign 18V803000) covering rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves that may have incorrect welds. It is not a do-not-drive recall.
What is the median mileage at failure for the 2018 e-Golf?
NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 13,000 miles for the 2018 e-Golf.
How does the 2018 e-Golf compare to other years?
The 2018 e-Golf has a complaint index of 25 and ranks 4th worst of 5 years. The 2015 and 2016 e-Golf years are rated Avoid, while 2019 is rated Caution.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.