Top Safety Pick +

2016 Volkswagen Golf

small car / 4-door hatchback

Award applies only to vehicles with optional front crash prevention and applies only to 4-door models

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Small overlap front: driver-side
Small overlap front: passenger-side
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system	Advanced

Seat belts & child restraints

LATCH ease of use

Other available safety features

Optional blind spot detection
Optional lane departure warning

Key

G
Good
A
Acceptable
M
Marginal
P
Poor

Superior
Advanced
Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2015 Volkswagen GTI 4-door

The Volkswagen Golf and GTI were redesigned for the 2015 model year. The small overlap frontal crash test ratings also apply to the station wagon version of the Golf, known as the Golf SportWagen, introduced in the 2015 model year as a replacement for the Jetta SportWagen. Similarly, the ratings apply to the 4-wheel-drive variant of the wagon, the Golf Alltrack, introduced in the 2017 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but nearly slid off the left side, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure. Additionally, the seat belt allowed excessive forward excursion of the dummy’s head and torso. The side curtain airbag deployed and had sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects.

Action shot taken during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.

During the crash, the dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but then nearly slid off the left side. The seat belt allowed the dummy to move too far forward, as is evident from the gap between the seat back and the dummy's torso.

Intrusion into the driver's space was minimal, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID	CEN1422
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm)	10
Footrest (cm)	7
Left toepan (cm)	3
Brake pedal (cm)	1
Parking brake (cm)
Rocker panel lateral average (cm)	1
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column	3
Upper hinge pillar max (cm)	6
Upper dash (cm)	7
Lower instrument panel (cm)	6

Driver injury measures

Test ID	CEN1422
Head
HIC-15	243
Peak gs at hard contact	no contact
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.7
Extension bending moment (Nm)	17
Maximum Nij	0.31
Chest maximum compression (mm)	24
Femur (kN)
Left	1.1
Right	0.1
Knee displacement (mm)
Left	1
Right	0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left	0
Right	0
Maximum tibia index
Left	0.55
Right	0.53
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left	3.1
Right	0.7
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	75
Right	38

About the small overlap front test

Small overlap front: passenger-side

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Volkswagen GTI 4-door

The Volkswagen Golf and GTI were redesigned for the 2015 model year. Passenger-side small overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Volkswagen.

The passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test ratings also apply to the station wagon version of the Golf, known as the Golf SportWagen, introduced in the 2015 model year as a replacement for the Jetta SportWagen. Similarly, the ratings apply to the 4-wheel-drive variant of the wagon, the Golf Alltrack, introduced in the 2017 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the right side, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure. The side curtain airbag deployed and has sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects.
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side

Test ID	VTP1725
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm)	13
Footrest (cm)	9
Right toepan (cm)	5
Center toepan (cm)	3
Rocker panel lateral average (cm)	2
Upper occupant compartment
Center dash (cm)	9
Upper hinge pillar max (cm)	11
Upper dash (cm)	12
Right lower dash (cm)	11

Passenger injury measures

Test ID	VTP1725
Head
HIC-15	165
Peak gs at hard contact	no contact
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.5
Extension bending moment (Nm)	15
Maximum Nij	0.27
Chest maximum compression (mm)	26
Femur (kN)
Left	0.2
Right	3.9
Knee displacement (mm)
Left	0
Right	4
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left	0
Right	0
Maximum tibia index
Left	0.49
Right	0.29
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left	2.2
Right	1.7
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	65
Right	65

Driver injury measures

Test ID	VTP1725
Head
HIC-15	159
Peak gs at hard contact	no contact
Neck
Tension (kN)	0.8
Extension bending moment (Nm)	29
Maximum Nij	0.19
Chest maximum compression (mm)	33
Femur (kN)
Left	0.1
Right	0.4
Knee displacement (mm)
Left	0
Right	1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left	0
Right	0
Maximum tibia index
Left	0.35
Right	0.25
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left	0.5
Right	1.2
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	48
Right	44

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2015 Volkswagen GTI 4-door

The Volkswagen Golf and GTI were redesigned for the 2015 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Volkswagen.

The moderate overlap frontal crash test ratings also apply to the station wagon version of the Golf, known as the Golf SportWagen, introduced in the 2015 model year as a replacement for the Jetta SportWagen. Similarly, the ratings apply to the 4-wheel-drive variant of the wagon, the Golf Alltrack, introduced in the 2017 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID	VTF1401
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm)	3
Left (cm)	4
Center (cm)	2
Right (cm)	1
Brake pedal (cm)	2
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm)	0
Right (cm)	0
Steering column movement
Upward (cm)	-2
Rearward (cm)	-7
A-pillar rearward movement (cm)	0

Driver injury measures

Test ID	VTF1401
Head
HIC-15	301
Peak gs at hard contact	26
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.9
Extension bending moment (Nm)	43
Maximum Nij	0.33
Chest maximum compression (mm)	33
Legs
Femur force - left (kN)	0.2
Femur force - right (kN)	0.3
Knee displacement - left (mm)	0
Knee displacement - right (mm)	0
Maximum tibia index - left	0.37
Maximum tibia index - right	0.98
Tibia axial force - left (kN)	2.7
Tibia axial force - right (kN)	1.9
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	95
Right	82

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2015 Volkswagen GTI 4-door with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags

The Volkswagen Golf and GTI were redesigned for the 2015 model year. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Volkswagen.

The side crash test ratings also apply to the station wagon version of the Golf, known as the Golf SportWagen, introduced in the 2015 model year as a replacement for the Jetta SportWagen. Similarly, the ratings apply to the 4-wheel-drive variant of the wagon, the Golf Alltrack, introduced in the 2017 model year.

Driver injury measures
Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID	VTS1402
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm)	-22.0
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID	VTS1402
Head HIC-15	154
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.0
Compression (kN)	0.5
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	43
Lateral force (kN)	1.2
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	34
Average deflection (mm)	32
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	2.67
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	0.40
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	2.1
Acetabulum force (kN)	1.7
Combined force (kN)	3.6
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	0.8
L-M moment (Nm)	266
A-P moment (Nm)	41

Passenger injury measures

Test ID	VTS1402
Head HIC-15	112
Neck
Tension (kN)	0.3
Compression (kN)	0.1
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	43
Lateral force (kN)	1.5
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	37
Average deflection (mm)	31
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	3.47
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	0.44
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	0.3
Acetabulum force (kN)	2.8
Combined force (kN)	2.8
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	1.0
L-M moment (Nm)	65
A-P moment (Nm)	28

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2015 Volkswagen GTI 4-door

Rating applies to the GTI 4-door (tested), Golf 4-door, and the structurally similar Golf SportWagen and Golf Alltrack.

Overall evaluation
Curb weight	3,166 lbs
Peak force	18,303 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio	5.78

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leather seat

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry

Technical measurements for this test

Geometry
Seat type	Power leather seat
Backset (mm)	29
Distance below top of head (mm)	12
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail	Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g)	15.1
Head contact time (ms)	60
Force rating	1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N)	6
Max neck tension (N)	397

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

Optional Front Assist (with Autonomous Emergency Braking)

Package name

Optional Driver Assistance Package

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2016-17 models

Advanced

with optional equipment

This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
In the 12 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 10 mph.
In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 1 mph.

About the original front crash prevention test

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2016-21 models

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trim	SE TSI
Seat type	leather

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trim	SE TSI
Seat type	leather

G	Good
A	Acceptable
M	Marginal
P	Poor
	Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol	Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol	Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol	Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
	No hardware available

Details by seating position

1
1	Tether anchor
	easy-to-find location
	no other hardware could be confused for anchor
	Lower anchors
	not too deep in seat
	not too much force needed to attach
	difficult to maneuver around anchors
2
2	Tether anchor
	easy-to-find location
	other hardware could be confused for anchor
	Lower anchors
	none available
3
3	Tether anchor
	easy-to-find location
	no other hardware could be confused for anchor
	Lower anchors
	not too deep in seat
	not too much force needed to attach
	difficult to maneuver around anchors

Technical measurements for this test

Seat position 21

Lower anchor A
Open access rated	Yes
Depth	Visible
Force (lbs)	0
Clearance angle (degrees)	0
Lower anchor B
Open access rated	Yes
Depth	Visible
Force (lbs)	0
Clearance angle (degrees)	0
Tether anchor
Location	Middle seatback
Confusing hardware present	Yes
Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor	Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH	Not measured

Seat position 22

Lower anchor A
No lower latch for this seat position
Lower anchor B
No lower latch for this seat position
Tether anchor
Location	Middle seatback
Confusing hardware present	Yes
Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor	No
Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH	Not measured

Seat position 23

Lower anchor A
Open access rated	Yes
Depth	Visible
Force (lbs)	0
Clearance angle (degrees)	0
Lower anchor B
Open access rated	Yes
Depth	Visible
Force (lbs)	0
Clearance angle (degrees)	0
Tether anchor
Location	Middle seatback
Confusing hardware present	Yes
Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor	Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH	Not measured

About the child seat anchor evaluation