2017 Volkswagen Golf
small car / 4-door hatchback
Award applies only to vehicles with optional front crash prevention
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.
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
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 |
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 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power leather seat
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Power leather seat |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| 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.
Headlights
Trim level(s)
- S trim
- Wolfsburg trim
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.
The low beams never exceeded glare limits.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2017 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 55.8 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 30.5 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 45.5 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 32.7 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 38.0 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 31.4 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 128.7 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 108.4 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 52.7 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 50.6 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 42.3 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 40.3 m |
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
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 |
| Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s) | |
| No hardware available |
Details by seating position
| 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 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| none available | |
| 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 |
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 |