Volkswagen Golf/GTI

1985–2026 · Gasoline

The headline figure for this car is 25 MPG, but the EPA rates 2 different versions of it, from 25 to 27 MPG. Which engine and drivetrain you order is worth $110 a year in fuel — a decision made once at the dealership and paid for every week afterwards.

25 mpg Combined ~~EPA rated~~

22 mpg City

31 mpg Highway

$3,100 EPA annual fuel ~~at 15,000 mi~~

Your cost per mile

Every version, 2026

Version	Combined	City	Highway	Fuel	EPA annual
2.0L 4cyl · FWD · Auto AM-S7	27	24	32	Regular	$2,300
2.0L 4cyl · AWD · Auto AM-S7	25	22	31	Premium	$3,100

2 configurations, 25–27 MPG. 1 of 2 require or recommend premium — worth checking before you sign, because it is not something you can change afterwards.

Every model year

Year	Combined	City	Highway
1985	35	31	41
1986	35	31	40
1987	23	21	26
1988	25	22	30
1989	34	31	39
1990	23	21	26
1991	22	19	26
1992	25	22	29
1993	24	21	29
1994	24	21	29
1995	24	21	29
1996	23	20	28
1997	22	19	26
1998	24	21	28
1999	22	19	26
2000	33	29	40
2001	24	22	28
2002	33	29	40
2003	33	29	40
2004	36	32	42
2005	35	32	41
2006	34	31	40
2007	24	21	29
2008	25	22	29
2009	25	21	31
2010	25	22	30
2011	27	24	31
2012	26	23	33
2013	22	19	27
2014	32	29	37
2015	28	25	33
2016	25	23	30
2017	25	22	31
2018	24	21	29
2019	31	27	36
2020	27	24	32
2021	27	24	32
2022	28	24	34
2023	23	20	28
2024	27	23	34
2025	25	22	31
2026	25	22	31

Straight from the EPA certification database, one row per model year, showing the best-rated version of each. Trims with identical figures are collapsed.

What owners report

Year	Owners	Average reported	Spread
1985	5	40.8	33–46
1986	5	43.3	39–49
1987	1	34.0	34–34
1988	1	31.9	32–32
1989	1	42.2	42–42
1991	1	30.1	30–30
1992	5	31.3	27–40
1993	1	28.0	28–28
1994	1	30.0	30–30
1995	2	34.5	31–39
1996	2	30.2	28–32
1997	1	23.0	23–23
1998	2	30.8	30–32
1999	2	22.3	20–25
2000	1	37.0	37–37
2001	1	30.4	30–30
2002	2	37.6	37–39
2003	2	37.0	34–40
2004	13	43.2	37–50
2005	12	43.9	40–52
2006	7	44.1	39–51
2007	8	26.0	21–35
2008	3	24.7	23–27
2009	2	24.2	21–29
2010	1	27.9	28–28
2011	1	28.2	28–28
2012	2	28.6	28–29
2013	5	24.0	22–27
2014	1	44.7	45–45
2015	2	29.1	25–34
2016	1	24.5	25–25
2017	1	29.0	29–29
2018	1	31.3	31–31
2019	2	35.1	32–38
2021	2	31.9	32–32
2022	1	34.0	34–34
2024	2	29.7	30–30

103 owners filed these through the EPA's own My MPG tool. That is a sample, not an average — read them as anecdotes. They are here because they are the only owner-reported figures in public federal data.

How this is worked out

Cost per mile is the fuel price over the combined MPG of the version you pick, at the price and mileage you enter. Where a version requires premium, it is costed at the premium price — that is a real and permanent difference between two cars wearing the same badge.

Every figure comes from the U.S. EPA's public fuel economy data. We add no estimates of our own; a missing number shows as a dash rather than a guess.

Add your numbers

Federal data has at most a handful of owners per car and nothing at all on servicing. If you own one, send what you actually get. It goes on this page with the sample size next to it.