2019 eGolf owner here. LOVE this whip for the price. If you can afford to spend more, consider the Kona electric or the Model 3. But, this is the cheapest EV on the market right now and is a great ride.
Nice deal! I got a 2017 about 20 months ago. I think it’s a great car - very relaxing to drive. I think it’s fun. The insta-torque makes it fun to drive in the city, so for me it’s perfect. But I will take on 125 mile freeway trips and it does okay. One thing that I hear so often is that a hill eats so much range and a downhill adds so much back. This is incorrect. What’s happening is the computer is constantly calculating the estimated range. If you’re using a lot of energy going uphill, the computer doesn’t know it’s just temporary, and will recalculate the range based on how much energy you’re using. Same thing going downhill. Yes you’re regenerating some electricity, but the range estimate is going up mainly because the car is using very little power which makes the computer think you’ll be able to go much farther based on reduced consumption. The range estimate is very crude. I understand they are working on incorporating topography into range calculations in order to make them more accurate.
Smart choice. I live my e-Golf. I think it is very exciting (coming from a 328iS) due to super handling in corners. I don’t drive fast in straight lines so don’t care about top speed. I bought a spare tire, jack and tire iron for my annual trip to the mountains. I don’t think it has affected range much at all. Enjoy!
So in my experience, I couldn't charge the car without tripping the plug within 15 seconds of plugging it in until I changed the car setting to max 13 amps. Maybe I have a different wire than the one you have?
Hm, so the base sound system (not the Dynaudio one, where it also says Dynaudio on the grilles on the A-pillars) does sound great already? Cause i've been looking at e-Golfs with the Dynaudio system, they're not easy to find. I want nice audio in my car, so just "decent" won't do... this is the first time i heard someone describe the stock sound system as great, so i'm not sure.
I own a 2017 eGolf & totally agree with EVERYTHING you said. I also came from a VW GTI prior to this vehicle (they feel pretty much the same). I always wondered whey my eGolf would top out at 85 mph--guess I know now! Great commuter car--NOT A GREAT ROAD TRIP vehicle!
Brilliant review , slainte from Ireland 🇮🇪, these cars are 27000 euros here with all deductions factored in. I used to have the gte. My main problem with these cars is ure always chasing range or a charge or worried about something. Diesel is the main fuel here and the cheapest but most likely will be phased out over time so I’m torn on just buyin a Gti and enjoying driving while I can even do the savings goin E are excellent
I'm interested in this e golf and GTE .I'm in Wicklow.Do a 9 mile work commute down hill to work and then back up hill home.I thought the Gte would be better but is about 10000 euros more.I could charge Gte on the down hill daily.
I’m assuming second hand , if not I’d buy the e golf if u have access to another car for the odd long range journey, some of the second hand gtes range have major degradation in the battery’s
This is the best deal for a commuter car. Which the model 3 is...but more expensive and greater features, which you will not use in stop and go traffic. With 120 miles range, range anxiety is not a problem from Minday to Friday. One can charge in their office if available.
Once you hit the 33% range what does the super eco speed limit u to? I live in Florida and do 65mile round trip and considering a egolf. Also how much is your range reduced with the ac on and constantly at max speed? Thx bro
I had the 2016 E-Golf with 83 mile range. Sounds like nothing has changed but the range. The 85 MPH cap was a surprise to me as well. Traveling at that speed really sucks up the battery. A level 2 charger is highly recommended... and you can use it on your next car, the Model 3.
Wow, 14000, just check it out today in canada, the only choice will be more than 44000cad deduct 5000 gov rebate will be 39000cad around 29300 which is way higher than the price you mentioned.
Hey Rob, it’s worked out for me strictly as a commuter/errands car. I have found on occasions when family visited that it was tough because we essentially had one car that could do more than the 125 max range, and be used continuously without needing a longer “refuel” time, especially when we had weeks of need to continuously be in and out. If you’ve got a back up for times like these or have a very low frequency of these types of events, I’d say it’s a good way to save some money. I am also a heavy footed driver so the 85mph cap is probably one of my greatest regrets with this car, but having said that it’s probably helped me realize that the addition 5mph I’d like to have doesn’t really have a real impact on my ability to reach places on time. From GTI to this car also realize your acceleration (and cap on acceleration above a certain speed) will be noticeably lower, so if that matters to you, take that into consideration. Not a yes or no, just a few nuances you should be aware of.
Thanks for the review! Current 2017 GTI SE owner who is also thinking about the e-Golf (but not a replacement, most likely an addition). Looking forward to your additional videos about the car, particularly reports on how the regular charging works in the day to day operations. P.S. Did you find the deal on Slick Deals? :)
Will definitely post updates/how to videos. I actually reached out to the dealers through Edmunds and one dealer offered this deal. That dealer didn't end up having the car in stock so I reached out to others that offered the same deal and after 4-5 dealers I finally found a dealer with the car available. Did the paperwork online and picked up the car.
Thanks. The infotainment system is fantastic and the touch screen is very responsive. The driver assist package hasn't brought me any value so far and if availability was greater I would have gone with a completely base version.
Thanks for the great review in reality. What was the top speed that you tried? it says 93MPH rather than 85MPH. I am trying to buy SEL Premium model as there is no SE model avaialble for purchase. my work round trip is 150 so definitely I need to recharge at work. I also take 73 toll road as this is typical hills and dont want to stuck in toll road w/o AC. Any recommendation on this vehicle?
85mph top speed. You take the 73 from where to where? If you're going up hill for 50+ miles a day I wouldn't recommend this car. Also if you don't have a fast charger at home, you will only be able to use the car for commute and nothing more. If your round trip is 150 miles, without free or reduced charging fees, you will not likely save any money depending on what you drive today....so if this is to save money, think twice...let me know if you have any other questions before you buy
theMostUNinterestingManAlive Thank you so much for fast response. I drive from carlsbad to Irvine, UCI so about 10 miles hill driving in mission viejo to irvine in 73 toll road. I am planning to install level 2 charger in my garage so ok for charging but not sure about charging cost. I used to spend about $400 per month on gas and how much you think i will spend on electricity? We have charging station at work and about $6 per 4 hours? Sick of stop by gas station almost twice a week so..would you recommend to buy higher range ev than e-golf? I drive 70% freeway with average 85mph and 85 top speed is real bummer.
My electric went up I think around 80/mo, but I also have discounted charging at work...if you charge during down time, your electricity shouldn't go up too much, maybe a bit more than me?
@@theMostUNinterestingManAlive Thanks again! I assume your bill went up $80 plus the cost you charge from work. VW dealer in SD offering good deal but still not sure to buy this or wait for ID4 or something with higher range such as Kona.
Is there any restrictions to sell the car once you got all the discounts and tax refund? Sincerely I would buy one too for 15-16K but I don't have the 10K discount in my state.
California requires you to keep the car 30 months (unless you have some kind of hardship). I haven't checked federal yet, but the IRS has a whole site dedicated to this tax credit and you should be able to find the answers you need there.
Dealer finance guy at both dealers that I talked to told me about it, but I should look through my financing papers to see if there is any mention of it in there. Did you get the same 10k off deal?
@@theMostUNinterestingManAlive Got it. Yeah, the dealerships want you to pay at least 3 months of the loan with VW credit because that's where they make their cut and are able to give the initial $10k off in incentives. I refinance the loan within a month and didn't receive a penalty. Great overall deal, though. I got the same $10k off plus the $10k in tax incentives. Can't beat it.
The actual 0-60 time on the egolf is 8.4 seconds and the GTI is 5.9, but I can't tell if I notice it so much more because it has no engine noise or because 2.5 seconds really does make that much of a difference. When I drive I get the acceleration I need for taking over for the most part (unless I'm at my cap 85mph). All in all the GTI is a much more exciting car. The egolf is a very boring car so if you get it, you have to be convinced of the value proposition.
@@theMostUNinterestingManAlive What's more exciting about it? I guess I assumed you were referring to acceleration, but it seems you don't notice a difference. So what do you notice?
The GTI sounds fantastic, it's quick whether from 0-60 or 60-100, etc...it always has more power to provide, the egolf does not. To add to that the GTI seats are more comfortable (plus they're plaid and have a history to them), the wheels are nicer, all in all I think the GTI is a fun car (personal opinion). The egolf is not quick and even less so when accelerating from higher speeds, seats are just basic, styling isn't exciting. That said, I didn't buy the car for excitement, I bought it because it's an extremely affordable electric car and will save me a lot of money over the next few years. My point is if you get it and you are a car person, don't expect to be excited, expect to save money.
Wow great deal you got on the car , will you install a level 2 charger in you’re garage ? I suggest you do it because you will get way more use of the car that way because when you get in from work you plug it and after a few hours you can go and do other things. And I also assume that it has level 3 charging ?
I'm actually renting an apartment so unfortunately I can't install a charger, but I definitely will when I get a place. Fortunately I get two free hours of charging at work and between that and the basic charging at home I'm good on range each day. And yes, it has level 3 charging which puts you at ease knowing you can always go to a nearby level 3 and in 30 minutes you'll get 80% charge.
Thank you for this video. It was very informative. I am looking at possibly getting this car. I did though have one question that I hope you could expound on. How did you get the 10k discount from VW? Was that the dealer or VW? Here in Washington State no dealership has such a huge discount. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks, Ryan.
In short it was a VW factory offer and was offered to me at many different dealers here in Southern California (after I found out about it at a different dealer and brought it up when talking to dealers). I would ask your dealers about deals that require VW financing to be given. I was though told that it was a limited time deal. Keep in mind that the depreciation on this car is substantial, so the deal essentially normalizes the depreciation (2016, though it had a lower range, depreciates around 66% in the first 3 years--check autotrader). I think that is why this deal was offered (considering other brands offer greater range for a similar pricing).
i just returned my 2019 egolf .. The mile range just killed it for me. it defeats the whole point of getting an E-golf. i drive 40 miles to work each way and having to Charge the car as often as your cellphone it all becomes an inconvenience. reason that the egolfs are very affordable compared to others.
Hey bro been in the market for this car. Appreciate your review any chance you can tell me the dealer that gave you that deal. I am close to the Pasadena dealership in SoCal. Thanks!
Puente Hills VW. Alhambra was the first to offer the deal, but didn't have the car in stock. Norm Reeves and Corona offered it as well but also didn't have the car in stock. Since it was a deal VW offered, all dealers were able to offer the same. Only Ontario VW wouldn't (low volume, bad dealer).
2019 eGolf owner here. LOVE this whip for the price. If you can afford to spend more, consider the Kona electric or the Model 3. But, this is the cheapest EV on the market right now and is a great ride.
Nice deal! I got a 2017 about 20 months ago. I think it’s a great car - very relaxing to drive. I think it’s fun. The insta-torque makes it fun to drive in the city, so for me it’s perfect. But I will take on 125 mile freeway trips and it does okay. One thing that I hear so often is that a hill eats so much range and a downhill adds so much back. This is incorrect. What’s happening is the computer is constantly calculating the estimated range. If you’re using a lot of energy going uphill, the computer doesn’t know it’s just temporary, and will recalculate the range based on how much energy you’re using. Same thing going downhill. Yes you’re regenerating some electricity, but the range estimate is going up mainly because the car is using very little power which makes the computer think you’ll be able to go much farther based on reduced consumption. The range estimate is very crude. I understand they are working on incorporating topography into range calculations in order to make them more accurate.
Smart choice. I live my e-Golf. I think it is very exciting (coming from a 328iS) due to super handling in corners. I don’t drive fast in straight lines so don’t care about top speed. I bought a spare tire, jack and tire iron for my annual trip to the mountains. I don’t think it has affected range much at all. Enjoy!
At the 5:28 mark, there's no need to adjust the amperage settings for charging. The Level 1 charger that comes with the car will draw at most 10 amps.
So in my experience, I couldn't charge the car without tripping the plug within 15 seconds of plugging it in until I changed the car setting to max 13 amps. Maybe I have a different wire than the one you have?
@@theMostUNinterestingManAlive You probably have other items on the same circuit that put it over the 15 amps.
Hm, so the base sound system (not the Dynaudio one, where it also says Dynaudio on the grilles on the A-pillars) does sound great already? Cause i've been looking at e-Golfs with the Dynaudio system, they're not easy to find. I want nice audio in my car, so just "decent" won't do... this is the first time i heard someone describe the stock sound system as great, so i'm not sure.
I own a 2017 eGolf & totally agree with EVERYTHING you said. I also came from a VW GTI prior to this vehicle (they feel pretty much the same). I always wondered whey my eGolf would top out at 85 mph--guess I know now! Great commuter car--NOT A GREAT ROAD TRIP vehicle!
lol I take my 2016 se egolf on road trips all the timeeee
Brilliant review , slainte from Ireland 🇮🇪, these cars are 27000 euros here with all deductions factored in. I used to have the gte. My main problem with these cars is ure always chasing range or a charge or worried about something. Diesel is the main fuel here and the cheapest but most likely will be phased out over time so I’m torn on just buyin a Gti and enjoying driving while I can even do the savings goin E are excellent
I'm interested in this e golf and GTE .I'm in Wicklow.Do a 9 mile work commute down hill to work and then back up hill home.I thought the Gte would be better but is about 10000 euros more.I could charge Gte on the down hill daily.
I’m assuming second hand , if not I’d buy the e golf if u have access to another car for the odd long range journey, some of the second hand gtes range have major degradation in the battery’s
@@bruts82 thank for that info on the GTE'S
Dazza 👍
I have a 2019 executive version in Dublin. Great car, you get used to planing charging.
This is the best deal for a commuter car. Which the model 3 is...but more expensive and greater features, which you will not use in stop and go traffic. With 120 miles range, range anxiety is not a problem from Minday to Friday. One can charge in their office if available.
Once you hit the 33% range what does the super eco speed limit u to? I live in Florida and do 65mile round trip and considering a egolf. Also how much is your range reduced with the ac on and constantly at max speed? Thx bro
I would say eco plus and at 60 just ride in slow lane with other Tesla's lol you'll get there comfortable
My credit liability for this year is less than 10k$. What should I do? Still want to buy this car.
I had the 2016 E-Golf with 83 mile range. Sounds like nothing has changed but the range. The 85 MPH cap was a surprise to me as well. Traveling at that speed really sucks up the battery. A level 2 charger is highly recommended... and you can use it on your next car, the Model 3.
I get 105 on 2016 egolf se on full chargee
@@jaerbenjamin There is a 26.5 kWh and 35.8 kWh version of the eGolf.
Wow, 14000, just check it out today in canada, the only choice will be more than 44000cad deduct 5000 gov rebate will be 39000cad around 29300 which is way higher than the price you mentioned.
Considering trading my 2015 gti for a new e-golf. Are you still happy with your choice?
Hey Rob, it’s worked out for me strictly as a commuter/errands car. I have found on occasions when family visited that it was tough because we essentially had one car that could do more than the 125 max range, and be used continuously without needing a longer “refuel” time, especially when we had weeks of need to continuously be in and out. If you’ve got a back up for times like these or have a very low frequency of these types of events, I’d say it’s a good way to save some money. I am also a heavy footed driver so the 85mph cap is probably one of my greatest regrets with this car, but having said that it’s probably helped me realize that the addition 5mph I’d like to have doesn’t really have a real impact on my ability to reach places on time. From GTI to this car also realize your acceleration (and cap on acceleration above a certain speed) will be noticeably lower, so if that matters to you, take that into consideration. Not a yes or no, just a few nuances you should be aware of.
Thanks for the review! Current 2017 GTI SE owner who is also thinking about the e-Golf (but not a replacement, most likely an addition). Looking forward to your additional videos about the car, particularly reports on how the regular charging works in the day to day operations. P.S. Did you find the deal on Slick Deals? :)
Will definitely post updates/how to videos. I actually reached out to the dealers through Edmunds and one dealer offered this deal. That dealer didn't end up having the car in stock so I reached out to others that offered the same deal and after 4-5 dealers I finally found a dealer with the car available. Did the paperwork online and picked up the car.
Thanks for your great review! What are your thoughts on the driver assist package and the touchscreen infotainment system?
Thanks. The infotainment system is fantastic and the touch screen is very responsive. The driver assist package hasn't brought me any value so far and if availability was greater I would have gone with a completely base version.
Thanks for the great review in reality. What was the top speed that you tried? it says 93MPH rather than 85MPH. I am trying to buy SEL Premium model as there is no SE model avaialble for purchase. my work round trip is 150 so definitely I need to recharge at work. I also take 73 toll road as this is typical hills and dont want to stuck in toll road w/o AC. Any recommendation on this vehicle?
85mph top speed. You take the 73 from where to where? If you're going up hill for 50+ miles a day I wouldn't recommend this car. Also if you don't have a fast charger at home, you will only be able to use the car for commute and nothing more. If your round trip is 150 miles, without free or reduced charging fees, you will not likely save any money depending on what you drive today....so if this is to save money, think twice...let me know if you have any other questions before you buy
theMostUNinterestingManAlive
Thank you so much for fast response. I drive from carlsbad to Irvine, UCI so about 10 miles hill driving in mission viejo to irvine in 73 toll road. I am planning to install level 2 charger in my garage so ok for charging but not sure about charging cost. I used to spend about $400 per month on gas and how much you think i will spend on electricity? We have charging station at work and about $6 per 4 hours? Sick of stop by gas station almost twice a week so..would you recommend to buy higher range ev than e-golf? I drive 70% freeway with average 85mph and 85 top speed is real bummer.
My electric went up I think around 80/mo, but I also have discounted charging at work...if you charge during down time, your electricity shouldn't go up too much, maybe a bit more than me?
@@theMostUNinterestingManAlive Thanks again! I assume your bill went up $80 plus the cost you charge from work. VW dealer in SD offering good deal but still not sure to buy this or wait for ID4 or something with higher range such as Kona.
Higher range, trust me
I have a 2017 Fiat 500e this is the car I wanted but dealers are selling them for $26k
Is there any restrictions to sell the car once you got all the discounts and tax refund? Sincerely I would buy one too for 15-16K but I don't have the 10K discount in my state.
California requires you to keep the car 30 months (unless you have some kind of hardship). I haven't checked federal yet, but the IRS has a whole site dedicated to this tax credit and you should be able to find the answers you need there.
Where did you hear about the early termination fee? I called VW credit multiple times before refinancing my auto loan and there's no termination fee.
Dealer finance guy at both dealers that I talked to told me about it, but I should look through my financing papers to see if there is any mention of it in there. Did you get the same 10k off deal?
@@theMostUNinterestingManAlive Got it. Yeah, the dealerships want you to pay at least 3 months of the loan with VW credit because that's where they make their cut and are able to give the initial $10k off in incentives. I refinance the loan within a month and didn't receive a penalty. Great overall deal, though. I got the same $10k off plus the $10k in tax incentives. Can't beat it.
Really great video thank you!!!
Was the 10k discount advertised?
Not that I'm aware of. I just happened to stumble on it as I was researching and calling dealers.
How is the acceleration compared to your GTI?
The actual 0-60 time on the egolf is 8.4 seconds and the GTI is 5.9, but I can't tell if I notice it so much more because it has no engine noise or because 2.5 seconds really does make that much of a difference. When I drive I get the acceleration I need for taking over for the most part (unless I'm at my cap 85mph). All in all the GTI is a much more exciting car. The egolf is a very boring car so if you get it, you have to be convinced of the value proposition.
@@theMostUNinterestingManAlive What's more exciting about it? I guess I assumed you were referring to acceleration, but it seems you don't notice a difference. So what do you notice?
The GTI sounds fantastic, it's quick whether from 0-60 or 60-100, etc...it always has more power to provide, the egolf does not. To add to that the GTI seats are more comfortable (plus they're plaid and have a history to them), the wheels are nicer, all in all I think the GTI is a fun car (personal opinion). The egolf is not quick and even less so when accelerating from higher speeds, seats are just basic, styling isn't exciting. That said, I didn't buy the car for excitement, I bought it because it's an extremely affordable electric car and will save me a lot of money over the next few years. My point is if you get it and you are a car person, don't expect to be excited, expect to save money.
@@theMostUNinterestingManAlive Thanks, that helps. Look forward to more videos with your e-Golf!
Wow great deal you got on the car , will you install a level 2 charger in you’re garage ? I suggest you do it because you will get way more use of the car that way because when you get in from work you plug it and after a few hours you can go and do other things. And I also assume that it has level 3 charging ?
I'm actually renting an apartment so unfortunately I can't install a charger, but I definitely will when I get a place. Fortunately I get two free hours of charging at work and between that and the basic charging at home I'm good on range each day. And yes, it has level 3 charging which puts you at ease knowing you can always go to a nearby level 3 and in 30 minutes you'll get 80% charge.
Thank you for this video. It was very informative. I am looking at possibly getting this car. I did though have one question that I hope you could expound on. How did you get the 10k discount from VW? Was that the dealer or VW? Here in Washington State no dealership has such a huge discount. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks, Ryan.
In short it was a VW factory offer and was offered to me at many different dealers here in Southern California (after I found out about it at a different dealer and brought it up when talking to dealers). I would ask your dealers about deals that require VW financing to be given. I was though told that it was a limited time deal.
Keep in mind that the depreciation on this car is substantial, so the deal essentially normalizes the depreciation (2016, though it had a lower range, depreciates around 66% in the first 3 years--check autotrader). I think that is why this deal was offered (considering other brands offer greater range for a similar pricing).
i just returned my 2019 egolf .. The mile range just killed it for me. it defeats the whole point of getting an E-golf. i drive 40 miles to work each way and having to Charge the car as often as your cellphone it all becomes an inconvenience. reason that the egolfs are very affordable compared to others.
100% agree. The range is horrible.
Hey bro been in the market for this car. Appreciate your review any chance you can tell me the dealer that gave you that deal. I am close to the Pasadena dealership in SoCal. Thanks!
Puente Hills VW. Alhambra was the first to offer the deal, but didn't have the car in stock. Norm Reeves and Corona offered it as well but also didn't have the car in stock. Since it was a deal VW offered, all dealers were able to offer the same. Only Ontario VW wouldn't (low volume, bad dealer).
Dude, you are my hero
People shouldn’t rag on the wheels. The wheels look fine.
wait you only paid 14k for this car?
Yes, after $10k off from the dealer and $11k in rebates (7.5k fed, 2.5k state and 1K SCE)
Drive a 13 leaf. TOP SPEED 94. 85 wouldn't choose the e golf over my leaf. That said love EVs. I am hopeful my next one will be a TESLA. MODEL S
Cool deal.. I like it..
Wow you stole that car! Great deal.
Got 2 bolts for $89 each wooo