FaultScore

Subaru GL vs Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Subaru GL Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen
Complaints on file 99 246
Model years covered 1981–1993 2013–2019
Worst model year 2015
Best model year 2019
Crashes reported 9 18
Fires reported 5 2
Injuries reported 4 16
Deaths reported 0 0
Most complained-about part Seat Belts Electrical System
Share of complaints involving harm 18.2% 14.6%

Subaru GL by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Seat Belts 27 27.3%
Engine & Cooling 18 18.2%
Suspension 15 15.2%
Transmission & Drivetrain 8 8.1%
Body & Structure 8 8.1%
Brakes 5 5.1%
Acceleration & Cruise Control 5 5.1%
Electrical System 4 4.0%

Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 37 15.0%
Engine & Cooling 27 11.0%
Suspension 27 11.0%
Fuel & Propulsion 23 9.3%
Transmission & Drivetrain 14 5.7%
Body & Structure 14 5.7%