YearToAvoid

2019 Volkswagen Golf R Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

50/100

#6 most-complained of 11 Golf R years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf R has a Complaint Index of 50 and ranks 6th worst out of 11 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 6 complaints, 2 recalls, and 1 crash, with Collision Avoidance & Cameras issues making up 33% of complaints.

Complaints
6
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25
22 city / 29.5 hwy

Top 2019 Volkswagen Golf R problems

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

  1. Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (33%)
  2. Brakes1 (17%)
  3. Electrical System1 (17%)
  4. Other1 (17%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (17%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden, unexpected engine acceleration during slow turns, with the vehicle unable to stop before hitting a fixed object even with foot on the brake.
  • Front collision warning and front assist emergency braking engaged unexpectedly while driving straight at 35 mph, dropping speed sharply to 20 mph.
  • The 12V fuse powering the included tire air pump repeatedly burned out, since the car has no spare tire.
  • A rear alloy wheel was found bent on both the inside and outside during a routine inspection, with no known impact event reported.
  • Owners describe the adaptive cruise control as impossible to disable in favor of standard cruise control, and it stops working entirely if the sensor gets dirty.
2019 Volkswagen Golf R complaints: complaints filed per month1Sep 2020May 2021Jul 2022Jul 2023Sep 2023Jun 2026
6 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2020 to Jun 2026; peak Sep 2020 (1).

2019 Volkswagen Golf R recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 22V815000Oct 31, 2022Suspension, Wheels & Tires296,044 vehicles

    Tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems

    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 four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

    Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: 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 and 45J8.

  2. NHTSA 21V321000May 5, 2021Other46 vehicles

    Unknown or other

    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 various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

    Risk: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.

    Remedy: 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.

2019 Volkswagen Golf R fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22 MPG
Highway
29.5 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,175
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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.

2019 compared with other Golf R years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020122013201520162017201820192022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Avoid9015025
2018Good409424.5
2019Caution506225
2022Caution7010524.5
2023Caution606324.5

All Volkswagen Golf R years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Volkswagen Golf R reliable?
Compared to other Golf R years, 2019 carries a Complaint Index of 50 and ranks 6th worst of 11 model years, landing it a Caution verdict, not the best or worst in the lineup.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Golf R?
NHTSA complaints point to Collision Avoidance & Cameras issues (33% of complaints, including one crash), plus single reports each for Brakes, Electrical System, and Suspension, Wheels & Tires.
Does the 2019 Golf R have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2019 Golf R: a TPMS software update campaign and an internal-use vehicle repurchase campaign, neither marked do-not-drive.
What mileage do problems show up at on the 2019 Golf R?
The median mileage at failure across reported issues is 8,950 miles, with the brake-related complaint occurring at 9,900 miles and the electrical issue at 8,000 miles.
How does the 2019 Golf R compare to other years?
2019's Complaint Index of 50 is lower than 2016 (80), 2017 (90), and 2024 (100), all rated Avoid, but higher than 2018 (40), which was rated Good.

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.