Volkswagen Golf vs Toyota Corolla
Figures updated
The Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Corolla are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Mk8 (2020–) Golf and the Mk12 (2019–) Corolla on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 900,113 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Volkswagen Golf for the lower price, the bigger boot, the better MOT record and more performance, or the Toyota Corolla for lower fuel costs.
- The Volkswagen Golf is the cheapest to buy new: from £29,040, £1,805 less than the Toyota Corolla.
- The Volkswagen Golf has the biggest boot: 381 litres, 20 more than the Toyota Corolla.
- The Volkswagen Golf has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Toyota Corolla fails its MOT about 11% more often.
- The Toyota Corolla is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £145 a year less than the Volkswagen Golf at 7,500 miles a year.
| Figure | Volkswagen GolfMk8 (2020–), 5-door hatchback | Toyota CorollaMk12 (2019–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £29,040 to £48,380October 2026 price list (best) | £30,845 to £37,345September 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 381 litres / 1,237 (best) | 361 litres |
| Length | 4,282mm | 4,370mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,789mm | 1,790mm |
| Height | 1,483mm | 1,460mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 115–333 PS (best) | 140–178 PS |
| 0–62mph | 4.6–10.2 sec (best) | 7.4–9.1 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2019) | ★★★★★ (2019) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 34.0–64.2 mpg | 57.6–64.2 mpg |
| CO2 | 6–189 g/km | 100–110 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.6p a litre, today's UK average | £1,119 (52.3 mpg) | £974 (60.1 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,102 (61.4 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,102 (diesel) | £974 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 124Well above average (best) | 112Above average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 25.1% (best) | 32.2% |
| Failed at 3 years old | 9.5% | 9.2% |
| Failed at 5 years old | 12.0% | 11.7% |
| Failed at 10 years old | 21.9% | – |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (2.5% of tests) | Position lamp (4.7% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 839,338 | 60,775 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,600 | 8,300 |
| On sale | 2020 on | 2019 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Volkswagen Golf or the Toyota Corolla more reliable?
The Volkswagen Golf. Like for like on age and mileage, the Toyota Corolla fails its MOT about 11% more often (reliability scores 124 and 112, where 100 is average). 25.1% of Volkswagen Golfs and 32.2% of Toyota Corollas failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Volkswagen Golf or the Toyota Corolla?
The Toyota Corolla is 88mm longer (4,370mm against 4,282mm). The Volkswagen Golf has the bigger boot: 381 litres against 361.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Volkswagen Golf or the Toyota Corolla?
The Volkswagen Golf: new prices start at £29,040, £1,805 less than the Toyota Corolla (from £30,845). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Volkswagen Golf or the Toyota Corolla?
Comparing petrol versions, the Toyota Corolla costs about £145 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£974 against £1,119), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Volkswagen Golf or the Toyota Corolla?
Euro NCAP gave the Volkswagen Golf 5 stars (2019) and the Toyota Corolla 5 stars (2019). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Volkswagen Golf or the Toyota Corolla?
Pick the Volkswagen Golf for the lower price, the bigger boot, the better MOT record and more performance, or the Toyota Corolla for lower fuel costs. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.