Expert Volkswagen car reviews
Volkswagen
VW Golf GTI vs Toyota GR Yaris Drag Race - And all-auto showdown
The new Volkswagen Golf GTI 8.5 finally gives South Africans the full 195 kW that they've been craving, but it faces some tough competition in the sub-R1-million hot hatch category with the new, more powerful, 8-speed automatic Toyota GR Yaris. We lined these two pocket-rockets up to see how they fare over the 400m sprint.
Volkswagen Golf GTI 8.5 (2026) Road-Trip Review
We swapped the daily grind for the open road, taking the hotter, tech-heavier Golf GTI 8.5 on a road trip from Hermanus to Barrydale in the Little Karoo.
Did Volkswagen find its niche with the Amarok 2.3TSI PanAmericana 4Motion? (2026) Review
AutoTrader got the keys to one of the most anticipated bakkies, the Volkswagen Amarok 2.3TSI PanAmericana 4Motion. Why do you ask? Well, this particular derivative steps up the performance level to 222kW, and we explain why this is important for the brand.
Should you buy a hatchback in 2026?: Volkswagen Golf 1.4TSI Life Plus (2025) Quick Review
We ask the question: Should you buy a hatchback in 2026? Using the Volkswagen Golf 1.4TSI in Life Plus guise, we explore the pros and cons.
Volkswagen Amarok 2.3 TSI double cab PanAmericana 4Motion (2025) Review
The original Volkswagen Amarok rewrote the bakkie rulebook, replacing agricultural interiors with SUV luxury and introducing the legendary V6 diesel that remains a cult classic. In 2026, the Amarok 2.3TSI PanAmericana looks to recreate that "car-like" DNA. By swapping diesel clatter for a high-revving 222kW turbo-petrol heart, VW has created the quickest and most refined Amarok to date. What's it like to drive, though?
Volkswagen California Coast 2.0 BiTDi SWB - Road Trip Review
A last-minute arrival saw us packing our bags and heading to the mountains to see what the Volkswagen California Coast is really about. Is it as simple to go camping in the California as we've been led to believe, or would this be a challenging task? With only 48 hours to plan, we were hoping it was the former.
Long-Term Update 2: Volkswagen Golf 1.4TSI Life Plus (2025)
Spending the December 2025 holidays with the latest Volkswagen Golf sounds like a splendid idea. Here's how we got on.
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI R-Line Plus (2025) Quick Review
If you don't have GTI or Golf R money, can you still buy a decent enough Golf that will be a stylish and sophisticated daily driver? The R-Line Plus model was ours for a week; let's see if it's worth splashing out on or if you should opt for a different model or an entirely different brand.
Volkswagen Transporter 2.0TDI Kombi SWB Life (2025) - Review
All aboard! A mainstay and South African favourite , the Volkswagen Transporter. Does it still maintain its Kombi charm? Let's see.
Volkswagen Tayron 1.4TSI R-Line (2025) - Video Review
Replacing the Tiguan Allspace but a more bespoke product, the Tayron is here to rumble with the best of the people movers.
Volkswagen Golf 1.5TSI Life Plus (2025) Review - Welcome Our New Long-Termer
Usually, when we receive vehicles to test, the manufacturers provide us with the range-topping trim, kitted out with all the options to try and illustrate what the model range is capable of. So it's a breath of fresh air to receive a mid-tier variant for long-term testing. The Volkswagen Golf TSI Life Plus shows how much value you can still get, even if you don't spring for the 'last number'.