2012 Nissan Versa vs 2012 Volkswagen Golf
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2012 Nissan Versa | 2012 Volkswagen Golf |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 486 | 48 |
| Recall campaigns | 10 | 6 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 157 | 1,284 |
| Investigations | 7 | 5 |
| Crash reports | 40 | 4 |
| Fire reports | 6 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | 4/5 | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 27–33 | 26–32 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 63,000 mi | 17,775 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Nissan Versa | Volkswagen Golf |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 167 | 10 |
| Power Train | 163 | 9 |
| Engine | 50 | 11 |
| Electrical System | 34 | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 33 | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 29 | 1 |
| Suspension | 28 | 0 |
| Steering | 24 | 2 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 33 | 5 |
| Check engine light | 27 | 6 |
| Hesitation / surging | 24 | 0 |
| Airbag warning light | 16 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 11 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 10 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 10 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 5 | 0 |
2012 Nissan Versa
2012 Volkswagen Golf
Compare all Nissan Versa vs Volkswagen Golf years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.