Compare the2022 Toyota Corolla HatchbackVS 2021 Volkswagen Golf

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Corolla Hatchback has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Golf doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Corolla Hatchback’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Golf doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Corolla Hatchback’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Golf doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Corolla Hatchback and the Golf have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Volkswagen Golf:

	Corolla Hatchback	Golf
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	187	286
Neck Injury Risk	27%	34%
Neck Stress	243 lbs.	336 lbs.
Neck Compression	50 lbs.	61 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	43%
Neck Stress	165 lbs.	210 lbs.
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	91 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Volkswagen Golf:

	Corolla Hatchback	Golf
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	185
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.2 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	217 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	368
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	63 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	588 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
HIC	239	274
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	623 lbs.	674 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Corolla Hatchback is 2.9% less likely to roll over than the Golf.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” to “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Hatchback the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 139 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Golf last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Corolla Hatchback 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Golf. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Golf ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Corolla Hatchback’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Golf’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Hatchback’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Corolla Hatchback’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Golf’s camshafts. If the Golf’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 24th.

Engine

The Corolla Hatchback’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 21 more horsepower (168 vs. 147) than the Golf’s 1.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is faster than the Volkswagen Golf (manual transmissions tested):

	Corolla Hatchback	Golf
Zero to 60 MPH	7.3 sec	7.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89.9 MPH	88.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Hatchback gets better mileage than the Golf:

			MPG
Corolla Hatchback
	Auto	SE/Nightshade 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
		XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
Golf
	Auto	1.4 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/36 hwy

Transmission

The Corolla Hatchback offers an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Golf doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Toyota Corolla Hatchback has a downshift rev synchronizer that automatically raises engine speed to make downshifts perfectly smooth. This keeps the car from lurching during downshifts, preventing loss of control during cornering. The Golf doesn’t offer a downshift rev synchronizer.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Corolla Hatchback’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Golf:

	Corolla Hatchback	Golf
Front Rotors	11.5 inches	11.3 inches

The Corolla Hatchback stops shorter than the Golf:

	Corolla Hatchback	Golf
70 to 0 MPH	175 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Corolla Hatchback’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Golf (225/40R18 vs. 205/55R16).

The Corolla Hatchback’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Golf’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Corolla Hatchback offers optional 18-inch wheels. The Golf’s largest wheels are only 16-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Corolla Hatchback is 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Golf.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE handles at .85 G’s, while the Golf TSI pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Golf TSI (26.9 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Corolla Hatchback has .8 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Golf.

Cargo Capacity

The Corolla Hatchback has a larger trunk than the Golf with its rear seat up (17.8 vs. 17.4 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Corolla Hatchback’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Golf has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Hatchback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Golf can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Corolla Hatchback has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Golf only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Corolla Hatchback’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Golf’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Corolla Hatchback detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Golf doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Corolla Hatchback XSE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Golf doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Corolla Hatchback has standard extendable sun visors. The Golf doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Golf doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Corolla Hatchback’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Golf doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Corolla Hatchback has a standard Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Golf doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Corolla XSE Auto offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Golf doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Volkswagen Golf isn’t available as a sedan or wagon.

Economic Advantages

The Corolla Hatchback will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Corolla Hatchback will retain 54.79% to 55.65% of its original price after five years, while the Golf only retains 49.63% to 49.77%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Corolla Hatchback is less expensive to operate than the Golf because it costs $582 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Corolla Hatchback than the Golf, including $216 less for a water pump, $85 less for a muffler, $30 less for front brake pads, $227 less for a starter, $88 less for front struts and $75 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Corolla Hatchback as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Volkswagen Golf/GTI by almost 22 to one during the 2021 model year.