2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. Its Competition

2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen
Andrew Ganz Andrew Ganz Senior Editor

No lineup matches the breadth of the VW Golf, although some automakers come close.

For sporty, frugal commuting, the Mazda 3 is a favorite—but its infotainment system frustrates at every opportunity.

The Honda Civic lineup lacks a practical wagon body, but the sedans and hatchbacks are polished, poised, and well-priced.

Look to the Subaru Impreza for its standard all-wheel drive and its Crosstrek and WRX siblings for four-wheeling and sporty driving.

The Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte are good value choices with excellent tech—and the Elantra GT nearly matches the Golf GTI’s performance.

2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen2019 Volkswagen Golf
#7 in Wagons
Get Your Price		2019 Honda Civic Si2019 Honda Civic
#8 in Compact Cars
Get Your Price		2019 Hyundai Elantra GT N Line2019 Hyundai Elantra
#27 in Mid-Size Cars
Get Your Price		2019 Kia Forte2019 Kia Forte
#21 in Mid-Size Cars
Get Your Price		2019 Mazda 32019 Mazda MAZDA3
#5 in Compact Cars
Get Your Price		2019 Subaru Impreza2019 Subaru Impreza
Get Your Price
Quick Specs
6.5
The practical 2019 VW Golf is a smart choice whether as a frugal hatchback or a zippy GTI.
6.5
Safety upgrades this year make the 2019 Honda Civic as compelling as ever.
5.7
The 2019 Hyundai Elantra delivers good handling and a lot of value for the money.
6.0
The 2019 Kia Forte pairs stylish good looks with a lot of features, making it a compact sedan standout.
6.8
The 2019 Mazda 3 keeps the zoom, but all-wheel-drive practicality and a vastly upgraded interior make it much more than that.
6.3
The 2019 Subaru Impreza is a sensible, right-price, low-compromise compact car.
MSRP From     
$21,845$19,450$17,200$17,790$21,000N/A
Gas Mileage     
21 MPG City / 37 MPG Hwy22 MPG City / 42 MPG Hwy22 MPG City / 40 MPG Hwy27 MPG City / 41 MPG Hwy24 MPG City / 36 MPG Hwy
Engine     
Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4Regular Unleaded I-4Regular Unleaded I-4Regular Unleaded I-4Regular Unleaded I-4N/A
EPA Class     
Compact CarsCompact CarsMid-Size CarsMid-Size CarsCompact CarsN/A
Style Name     
1.4T S AutomaticLX CVTSE ManualFE ManualFWDN/A
Drivetrain     
Front Wheel DriveFront Wheel DriveFront Wheel DriveFront Wheel DriveFront Wheel DriveN/A
Passenger Capacity     
55555N/A
Passenger Doors     
N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Body Style     
HatchbackSedanSedanSedanSedanN/A
Transmission     
Automatic w/ODCVT w/ODManual w/ODManual w/ODAutomatic w/ODN/A
Detailed Spec Comparison
 2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Honda Civic2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Hyundai Elantra2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Kia Forte2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Mazda MAZDA32019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Subaru Impreza