2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen: MPG and fuel economy
The 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 32 combined MPG, with 29 MPG in the city and 37 MPG on the highway. That lands well below the average for cars in the Small Station Wagons class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. The EPA rates 2 separate variants of this car (different engine, transmission, or drivetrain combinations), and you can compare them side by side in the trims table. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- Returns 20% worse combined MPG than the average car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2019 model year (40.2 MPG class average).
- The most efficient car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2019 model year is the Chevrolet Bolt EV at 119 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car saves around $1,500 in fuel over five years compared with an average new vehicle of the same model year.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
When the EPA tests several variants of the same nameplate (for example, a front-wheel-drive version and an all-wheel-drive version), each gets its own rating. The figures shown here are the headline variant, taken as the configuration with the best combined MPG. The trims table further down covers all 2 variants side by side.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 32 MPG |
| City MPG | 29 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 37 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $1,850 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 274 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen compares
The 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen returns 32 combined MPG. Cars in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year average 40.2 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 20%.
The most efficient car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2019 model year is the Chevrolet Bolt EV at 119 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2019 model year (across all classes) returns 26.8 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2019 model year is on its own page.
Trim variants rated for 2019
The EPA rates 2 separate variants of the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen. The differences come from the engine size, transmission type, and drivetrain (front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and so on). The same nameplate can land several MPG apart depending on the configuration you actually buy.
| Engine and transmission | Drive | Combined | City | Highway | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4L, 4-cyl, turbo, Manual 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 32 MPG | 29 MPG | 37 MPG | $1,850 |
| 1.4L, 4-cyl, turbo, Automatic (S8) | Front-Wheel Drive | 31 MPG | 27 MPG | 36 MPG | $1,950 |
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 468.8 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $925 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $1,850 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $3,083 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen
The EPA has rated the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen across 5 model years, from 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen through 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 32 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 32 MPG | this page |
| 2018 | 29 MPG | 2018 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen |
| 2017 | 29 MPG | 2017 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen |
| 2016 | 29 MPG | 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen |
| 2015 | 35 MPG | 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen |
Compare against other Small Station Wagons for 2019
If you are cross-shopping the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Chevrolet Bolt EV leads this group at 119 MPG, 87 MPG ahead of the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen.
Specifications
The 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen runs a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a manual 6-spd, sending power through front-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Small Station Wagons
- Engine
- 1.4L 4-cylinder turbocharged
- Transmission
- Manual 6-spd
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 9.3 barrels per year
Common questions about the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen.
-
Is the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen fuel efficient?
Not particularly. The 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen returns 32 combined MPG, which trails the average car in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year by about 20%. -
What MPG does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen get?
The EPA rates the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen at 32 combined MPG, 29 MPG in city driving, and 37 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $1,850 for the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
What fuel does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen use?
The EPA lists the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, 35 MPG) and most recent (2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, 32 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 274 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 4,110 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen?
City driving returns 29 MPG and highway driving returns 37 MPG, a gap of 8 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise. -
What engine is in the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen?
The 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen has a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (EPA description: SIDI). Smaller turbocharged engines like this one tend to deliver bigger-engine power on demand while keeping fuel economy closer to a non-turbo version of the same displacement. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen have?
The 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen comes with a manual 6-spd transmission and front-wheel drive. -
How does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2019 model year is the Chevrolet Bolt EV at 119 combined MPG. The Volkswagen Golf SportWagen returns 32 MPG, a gap of 87 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.