2001 Volkswagen Golf Review
Price Estimate: $461 - $768





+14
Volkswagen Golf model years
Volkswagen Golf types
- Hatchback
- Diesel
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Fun to drive, comfortable ride, high-quality interior materials, solid construction, lots of standard goodies, practical hatchback design.
Cons
- Some controls hard to decipher, handling could be crisper, CD player should be standard.
What’s new
All Golf models get clear side marker lights, trunk entrapment buttons, new cupholders and head protection airbags. Golf GL and GLS get higher-quality interior fabrics and the GTI benefits from a new 16-inch wheel design, optional 17-inch wheels, and multi-function steering wheel controls.
Edmunds says
A fun-to-drive hatchback with plenty of features for the price you pay.
For sale nationwide
2 listings
- 131,738 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use only
- 20 City / 26 Hwy MPG
- American Dream Motors (1,166 mi away)
- Rear Bench Seats
- Fold Flat Rear Seats
Close
Located in Everett, WA
CASH special!! Vehicle has suspension issues / has cosmetic damage selling cheap as is
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
22 Combined MPG (20 City/26 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 9BWGS21J014004884
Stock: 004884
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 11-22-2024- 113,055 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use only
- 21 City / 28 Hwy MPG, Manual
- Empire Auto Salez (1,331 mi away)
- Rear Bench Seats
- Fold Flat Rear Seats
Close
Located in Modesto, CA
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
24 Combined MPG (21 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: WVWBT21J31W048383
Stock: 048383
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 05-16-2025
Vehicle overview
We've always liked the Golf, a fun-to-drive, chunky-but-spunky hatchback that has been a bestseller in Europe for more than two decades. Here in the States, the fourth-generation Golf does battle against a range of compacts, many of them with less sporting credentials.
The Golf is available as a base two-door GL, an uplevel four-door GLS, or a sporty two-door GTI in either GLS or GLX trim. There are three powertrains for the GL and GLS. The standard 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine is good for 115 horsepower, while an optional, fuel-sipping, 1.9-liter Turbo Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine is available. You can also opt for the turbocharged 1.8T motor, which increases horsepower to 150, produces lots of low-end torque across a wide rev range, and can now be had with an optional sports suspension.
The GTI comes standard with the 1.8T turbo engine and new sports suspension in GLS trim, or you can get the GLX version which serves up a smooth 2.8-liter narrow-angle V6 with a wide torque band. Horsepower is rated 174 at 5,800 rpm, while torque is 181 foot-pounds at 3,200 revs. This year the GLX gets a new 16-inch wheel design and standard multi-function steering wheel controls for the radio and cruise control system (steering wheel controls are optional on GTI models in GLS trim). New 17-inch alloy wheels are optional on all GTI models.
All Golfs are available with a standard five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission (except the GTI VR6, which is five-speed only). Silky and playful, both the turbo engine and the VR6 make for high-spirited driving. Ownership piece of mind comes from VW's two-year/24,000-mile limited warranty with free scheduled maintenance for the same period.
The Golf offers a long list of standard features, including side-impact airbags, four-wheel-disc ABS, 15-inch wheels and tires, clear halogen headlamps, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, sliding sun-visor extenders, a brake-wear indicator, an anti-theft alarm, remote keyless entry, a split-folding rear seat with three headrests and an optional, dealer-installed, in-dash CD player. An eight-speaker Monsoon sound system is also available. New standard features for 2001 include an improved cupholder design, a trunk entrapment button and head protection airbags.
Consumers will be impressed by Golf's structural rigidity, which not only provides a solid, quiet body with precise gaps between the doors and body panels, but an overall feel of quality. It all rides on front MacPherson struts and a rear independent torsion-beam axle. Separate shock and coil-spring mounts reduce intrusion into the luggage compartment and cut road noise.
Inside, the instrument panel is stylish yet functional, and the dark wood trim in the GLX model blends well with the high-quality fit and finish of the soft-textured surfaces. Like the New Beetle, gauges are backlit in blue with vibrant red pointers. Volkswagen wanted this combination to be marque-specific, noting that they are the same colors used by international air traffic on airfields at night. Seats are firm and supportive, and the back seat folds down for expanded cargo-carrying capacity.
Behind the wheel of the Golf, whether swayed by value or performance, drivers will be racing to start their engines.
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota
$161/mo for Golf GL
Golf GL
vs
$160/mo
Avg. Compact Car
See Edmunds pricing data
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Volkswagen Golf Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Best car I've ever owned!
5 out of 5 starsrhett, 09/17/2007
2001 Volkswagen Golf GL TDI 2dr Hatchback (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5M)
I have had many Toyotas. I have had many VWs but this is the best car I've ever owned! It has never laid down, cranks everytime. It has 248,000 miles on original engine, clutch, even brake pads with 50% left. It has never had an alignment and drives as straight as an arrow. This TDI gets 47-50 miles to the gallon avg for the life of the car. I have only used synthetic oil and rotate the … tires every 5k. If you are thinking of buying one you should.
lots of miles, lots of fun
4.5 out of 5 starsreclab1, 06/03/2009
2001 Volkswagen Golf GLS 1.8T 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
I purchased this car used in 2003 with approx. 28,000 miles on it and I just turned 218,450. I would have to say it has been a good experience overall. Most of the maint work has been done with a local VW independent garage and they really know their stuff. I usually get 29 to 33 MPG depending on the season. (Mi. resident) Most of my repair work has been related to front suspension … because of Mi. bad winter roads. I still have the original clutch and exhaust system, and have used synthetic oil with oil changes between 6-10,000 miles. I never owned a car for this long, but I find it's a blast to drive. I'll be looking for a good deal on a 4door GTI for my next ride.
Love the Golf
4.75 out of 5 starsRickss77, 11/29/2002
2001 Volkswagen Golf GLS 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Great vehicle. Fun to drive and great
on gas. Looking forward to moving
up to another VW.
I love my little car!
4.88 out of 5 starsDiesel Snob, 02/16/2009
2001 Volkswagen Golf GLS TDI 4dr Hatchback (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5M)
I love this little car! My brother talked me into a TDI (he has a Jetta). I get better mpg than my buddy's Prius, and a better looking car. Build quality is excellent. Attention to detail inside is unreal compared to US/Japan cars, like the tiny sun visor above the rear-view mirror. Only problems I've had: plastic window clips loosened up, had to replace MAF sensor when I upgraded the … turbo, which I did in an afternoon on my own. Other than oil and tires, it just keeps chugging along. I love the heated seats, a must with a TDI in the winter. I drove from Indy to Virginia on one tank! I love the look on people's faces when I tell them about my 49mpg in town.
2001 Golf Highlights
Hatchback
GL
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $14,900 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 24 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $161/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 2 years / 24,000 miles |
Safety
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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