Are Volkswagens good first cars?

Volkswagen’s local range currently comprises 10 main models, covering a broad spectrum from the entry-level to luxury SUVs and exclusive camper vans. While the brand only offers one sedan in their entire range, their wide spread of SUVs more than makes up for this limitation. Not all Volkswagens are equally suitable as new drivers’ first cars, however. 

 

Volkswagen Polo Vivo (From R 227 900)

First Car Rating: 3/5 or 4/5

As Volkswagen’s local entry-level offering, the Polo Vivo is also the most likely to be chosen as a first car. And, in many respects, a Vivo is excellent in this role: It’s reasonably affordable, easy to drive, compact, and has good safety credentials. But not all Vivos are created equal. 

Trendline trim comes with very few driver aids such as stability control, and rear parking sensors are the only available parking aid at this equipment level. Comfortline and Highline variants add the option of a rear-view camera, yet neither of those include parking sensors as standard, either. The same applies to the Polo sedan (which is derived from the same platform as the Vivo hatch). At least the 1.6-litre and automatic variants include stability control as standard...

This means that, for the best first-car experience in a Vivo, you’ll need to spend a bit more and tick some option boxes when ordering one. Alternatively, hunt down a used example with these options already fitted, for a hassle-free driving- and parking experience.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen Polo Vivo cars for sale here.

 

Volkswagen Polo Hatch (From R 298 800)

First Car Rating: 4/5 or 5/5

The Vivo’s newer, more-upmarket sibling has the same strong suits (and similar limitations) as the entry-level model, but addresses some detail shortcomings as well to get a higher rating for first car duties. Once again, parking sensors and a rear-view camera are optional, but the Polo does up the airbag count to 6 (instead of the Vivo’s 2), and adds stability control across the range.

Consequently, it get a better score than the Vivo in standard form, and, by adding some optional extras, can achieve a 5/5 rating in its suitability for new drivers. More standard safety equipment is always a good thing, and especially so when deciding on your first car.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen Polo cars for sale here.

 

Volkswagen Caddy (From R 339 900)

First Car Rating: 2/5 or 3/5

The Caddy is primarily a commercial vehicle, but different variants combine various levels of passenger-carrying ability, up to becoming a full-on family car in Trendline trim. It probably won’t be great as a first car, though, especially in the more-basic trim levels.

The reason here is very simple: The Caddy is a van, first and foremost, and consequently, it will have very restricted rearward sightlines in two-row “crew bus” format. This will matter less in the passenger-biased Trendline and Alltrack variants, which have side glass all around, but even in those, rearward vision will be limited due to thick roof pillars and lots of head rests.

The Caddy does have some redeeming features, however. Stability control is included across the range, and Trendline- and Alltrack derivatives feature 6 airbags (2 are standard in lower-trim examples, upgradable to 6 as an option). Parking sensors and a rear-view camera are still optional, unfortunately.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen Caddy vans for sale here.

 

Volkswagen T-Cross (From R 357 900)

First Car Rating: 4/5 or 5/5

Seeing as the T-Cross is derived from the Polo’s platform, it follows that the entry-level crossover will also be rated highly as a first car. And, possibly because it is a bit bigger than the Polo, it ups the ante with the standard inclusion of parking sensors at both ends. 

Stability control and 6 airbags are again included across the range, with a rear-view camera and self-parking available on the option sheet. Kitted out with these items, the T-Cross will suit a new driver very well indeed, and earns it a 5/5 rating for first car duties.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen T-Cross cars for sale here.

 

Volkswagen T-Roc (From R 508 400)

First Car Rating: 4/5 or 5/5

A larger and more-powerful iteration of the T-Cross concept, the T-Roc has the same upsides and negatives as its smaller sibling. Consequently, it gets an identical rating, with identical standard safety features and optional driver aids. 

It may be slightly less useful as a first car, however, simply because its slightly larger size may prove to be more of a challenge to a new driver in confined spaces. But, kitted out with the appropriate options, the T-Roc will nonetheless make a great deal of sense as a first car.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen T-Roc cars for sale here.

 

Volkswagen Tiguan (From R 528 800)

First Car Rating: 3/5 or 4/5

Volkswagen’s mid-level SUV can be ordered in its basic trim level, but we suspect that most buyers would opt for a Life or R-Line variant instead. There’s some logic to this: the base Tiguan has to make do without some of the cool things that make a Tiguan so nice in the first place. 

Its driver aid package is one casualty, because there are no parking sensors or cameras fitted as standard to the entry-level variant, while Life trim at least adds parking sensors on both ends. Because the Tiguan is a rather large car, and the 7-seater Tiguan Allspace is larger still, it may not be ideally-sized for a new driver in base trim. So, while the Tiguan’s basic safety credentials are first rate, it really needs to be specced-up with one of the optional camera systems to make it more suitable as a first car.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen Tiguan cars for sale here.

 

Volkswagen Transporter/Caravelle/California/Kombi (From R 440 300)

First Car Rating: 1/5 or 3/5

The Transporter family gets marked down to the bottom of the scale, simply because they vary in size between big and huge – thus making them rather unsuitable as first cars. This issue is compounded in its panel van and crew bus configurations, due to restricted outward vision from the driver’s seat. 

From the Transporter Trendline Kombi (lower-trim passenger vehicle) trim upwards, a rear-view camera is included as standard, along with parking sensors on both ends. Combined with the passenger bus’s full-length side glass, this mitigates the size problem to some degree, but it’s still an intimidating vehicle to drive. Not really ideal as anyone’s first car, then, unless the ability to cart around lots of people is part of the job description.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen Transporter/Kombi/Caravelle vans for sale here.

 

Volkswagen Golf (From R 669 300)

First Car Rating: 4/5 or 5/5

Now only available in high-performance GTI trim (with an even quicker R variant to follow soon), the Volkswagen Golf kicks off its eighth generation with a big vrrrr-pha. But, in spite of an all-new electronic architecture enabling a full suite of modern driver aids, buyers of this premium-priced hot hatch are still expected to pay extra for a camera of any description – as well as for self-parking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and so on.

Nonetheless, the latest Golf is very safe (with 6 airbags, parking sensors front and rear, stability control, and a 5-star Euro NCAP rating), so it should protect its driver pretty well, even in base trim. And, thanks to those available high-tech options, a Golf 8 GTI can be equipped to a earn a full score for first car duties... if you think that a new driver’s first car should be such a rocketship, that is! 

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen Golf cars for sale here.

 

Volkswagen Amarok (From R 738 800)

First Car Rating: 2/5 or 3/5

Volkswagen’s leisure- and family-oriented double cab is due to be replaced soon, but even the outgoing model remains highly desirable. It won’t do that well for a new driver’s first car, though, because big and butch bakkies are trickier to drive and park than smaller, nimbler hatchbacks or compact crossovers.

To mitigate its size, all Amaroks are equipped with parking sensors on both ends, and stability control and 6 airbags are also standard across the board. 3.0 V6 TDI derivatives have a rear-view camera included in the base price as well, but, even with these assistants, the Amarok will likely remain too big to serve as a new driver’s first car.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen Amarok bakkies for sale here.

 

Volkswagen Touareg (From R 1 254 600)

First Car Rating: 3/5

The Touareg is another massive Volkswagen, but it redeems itself in first-car duty by including self-parking, parking sensors and a reverse camera in the standard equipment list. That self-parking will be particularly useful, given the Touareg’s 2-odd meters of width.

It's also loaded to the hilt with safety kit, including the obligatory 5-star Euro NCAP rating, adaptive LED headlights, 8 airbags, and available lane-keeping assist and head-up display. While these gadgets may make it much more useful as a first car, the opposite could unfortunately also be true: the technology is so prevalent and obvious, that it may intimidate some new drivers instead of easing their driving experience. For its size and potential tech overload, the Touareg ends up with a first car rating of 3/5.

Related: Shop for new and used Volkswagen Touareg cars for sale here.

* Prices and specifications listed in this article were current at the time of publication, but are subject to change without prior notice.