Home › Cars › Models › Volkswagen Golf/GTI
Cars · Volkswagen
Should I keep my Volkswagen Golf/GTI?
Keeping an 8-year-old (2018) Volkswagen Golf/GTI at typical mileage costs about $5,001 a year: $784 in value it loses, $1,049 insurance, $1,523 fuel, $1,546 maintenance and repairs and $100 registration. A new one costs about $8,147 a year to own, mostly because new cars lose value faster.
By model year
What a Volkswagen Golf/GTI costs to keep, by year
Next 12 months for a paid-off car at 12,000 miles a year, average insurance costs, $3.30 gas. Click a year to run your own numbers in Keep or Switch.
| Year | Value today | Cost to keep next year | Value lost | Maintenance and repairs | Efficiency | Repair complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,885 | $6,037 | $2,425 | $729 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2024 | $16,936 | $5,477 | $1,882 | $755 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2023 | $14,603 | $5,296 | $1,597 | $923 | 27 MPG | About average |
| 2022 | $12,615 | $5,006 | $1,328 | $962 | 27 MPG | About average |
| 2021 | $10,949 | $4,896 | $1,073 | $1,259 | 30 MPG | About average |
| 2020 | $9,579 | $4,952 | $1,041 | $1,350 | 29 MPG | About average |
| 2019 | $8,282 | $4,919 | $808 | $1,446 | 27 MPG | About average |
| 2018 | $7,250 | $5,001 | $784 | $1,546 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2017 | $6,272 | $4,844 | $570 | $1,650 | 27 MPG | About average |
| 2016 | $5,531 | $4,838 | $553 | $1,759 | 28 MPG | About average |
| 2015 | $4,828 | $4,865 | $483 | $1,873 | 28 MPG | About average |
| 2014 | $4,215 | $5,016 | $422 | $1,992 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2013 | $3,680 | $5,071 | $368 | $2,115 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2012 | $3,212 | $5,138 | $321 | $2,243 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2011 | $2,804 | $5,189 | $280 | $2,375 | 27 MPG | About average |
Should you keep it?
Keeping vs replacing your Volkswagen Golf/GTI
- Cheapest year to keep: 2016, at about $4,838 a year.
- Older isn't always cheaper: value lost shrinks as a car ages, but maintenance and repairs grow, from $729 a year for a 2025 to $2,375 for a 2011.
A paid-off car is usually the cheapest car you can drive, even with repairs: a replacement starts losing value the day you buy it and comes with tax, fees and often a loan. Switching tends to pay only when repairs get large and frequent, or a much more efficient car cuts fuel costs enough. Keep or Switch compares your Volkswagen Golf/GTI against any replacement, including the costs of switching.
Questions
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a Volkswagen Golf/GTI per year?
For a 2018 model at typical mileage, about $5,001 a year in value lost, insurance, fuel, maintenance, repairs and registration, not counting any loan. Years in the table range from $4,838 to $6,037.
More models
Other sedans and hatchbacks
Audi A4BMW 3 SeriesChevrolet Bolt EVChevrolet MalibuFord FocusFord FusionHonda AccordHonda Accord HybridHonda CivicHonda HR-VHyundai ElantraHyundai Sonata