USED: Fun to Drive and Great Electric Range, Is a Used 2017 VW e-Golf a Good Electric Car?

Vw Egolf
2017 VW e-Golf ? Sara LaFountain

If electric is what you’re looking for, this is a great place to start.

Electric vehicles – or EVs –have become more and more prevalent over the past few years with many car manufacturers jumping into the category. Cars, in general, serve many purposes, but most people need their vehicles specifically to get them to work and back each day. But maybe you don’t have the budget for a brand new one. Could a used EV be a good choice. We think so. Decide for yourself and read on.

The 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf is a good choice for cost-conscious drivers who don’t want to skimp on features. The car drives very smoothly, has great VW-style handling and no lack of power, which many drivers expect in EVs; it has plenty of acceleration. Driving this EV was a joy, in part because of the 134 horsepower engine. The battery range is 125 miles. All of this gives you plenty of get-up-and-go while not using any gas. You also get a roomy and practical hatchback with great features and can qualify for up to $7,500 in federal tax credits as well as state tax credits with a purchase. What more could you ask for?

Further reading: EV tax credits and rebates can save you big bucks 

Vw Egolf
2017 VW e-Golf ? Sara LaFountain

Who This Car is For

  • Commuters who drive less than 125 miles daily
  • Buyers who have ready access to charging, especially level 2 or higher
  • Buyers who are interested in going electric
  • Buyers who need flexible cabin and cargo space
  • Drivers who care about value and want the most for their money
  • Drivers who want a car that is fun to drive every day
  • Buyers who can benefit from the federal and state EV tax credits

What This Car Costs

  • SE trim starts at $30,495
  • Limited trim $33,795
  • SEL Premium trim starts at $36,995
Vw Egolf
The large 7″ display clearly shows the e-Golf’s current range. ? Sara LaFountain

125 Miles of Electric Range Means Drive All Day, Charge at Night

The 2017 e-Golf’s best trick is that it gets 125 miles of range out of a lithium-ion battery pack. VW did this by optimizing the battery, the holy-grail of electric cars.

Related: 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan: A Compact SUV With a 3rd Row for Under $30k

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e-Golf dashboard is easy to glance at and read. ? Sara LaFountain

Who Says Practical Has to Be Boring?

Driving the e-Golf was a joy, in part because of the new MQB architecture, which is a modular design matrix that is the foundation of VW’s design. This means the e-Golf is roomy and practical hatchback similar to VW’s other models, and like them, fun to drive, too. One thing we loved is the amount of space and the flat floor in the back seat. It was the perfect place to put my handbag and it didn’t fall over!

VW offers the e-Golf in three trim levels: the base SE model, the loaded SEL Premium, and a Limited Edition model which offers some of the SEL Premium features.

Vw Egolf
?Sara LaFountain

Enjoy Lunch & Shopping While The VW e-Golf Charges

The 7.2-kW onboard charger is standard on all three models, meaning a common Level 2 240-volt charger will recharge the car in less than six hours. While that sounds like a long time for a refill, it’s fine for most situations; if you only have 30 miles to travel, recharging to that level is all you need. And if you charge at home at night, you not only can fully charge the car each day, but most likely will benefit from lower power rates at night.

And DC fast charging, which is an option on the SE but standard on SEL Premium and Limited Edition models, can recharge the battery to 80 percent in an hour.

Used Electric Car
Conveniences include a cubby and USB ports under the center console in the e-Golf. ? Scotty Reiss

One Pedal Driving: This Might Be the Top Reason to Go Electric

It’s this simple: lift your foot off the accelerator and the car starts to slow, right? EVs take this to another level; you can put it in B mode and engage greater regenerative braking. The car slows significantly when you lift off the accelerator because the car is putting all that power back into the battery! So you can actually gain back miles from regenerative braking. Imagine leaving home in the morning, driving 100 miles and still having 40 miles left on the battery. With some skillful management of your driving, it can happen.

Related: When a Hot New Car is Also a Fun Club Experience: Jetta Haus

Quiet Inside, Quick Outside

Don’t let the e-Golf’s silence fool you; it’s quick and agile. But still, silent, which can be a challenge on the road. You don’t want to hear trucks and other cars roaring down the highway, and you don’t want to hear wind whipping through the car. The e-Golf is nicely insulated to keep noise out so conversation is comfortable.

And at low speeds and in reverse, when the e-Golf might encounter pedestrians or bicyclists, it makes a hum to let people know of its presence.

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Happy passengers in the VW e-Golf. Photo: Sara LaFountain

Tons of Safety Features to Keep You Safe

We love this: Many of the active safety tech features in the e-Golf are standard, such as brake force distribution and stability control. But one feature is automatic post-crash braking. This means that in the event of a crash the e-Golf will actually apply the brakes afterward to keep you from further danger.

Also, buyers can opt for the Driver Assist package ($1,395) which adds lane departure assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitors, park steering assist semi-autonomous parking and VW’s very popular digital cockpit driver information cluster.

Used Electric Car
The VW E-Golf includes Apple Car Play and Android Auto on the infotainment system. ?Scotty Reiss

Tech for the Techie in Us All

The e-Golf also got an upgrade in the touch screen, which is now an 8.0-inch screen, and the Digital Cockpit is a 12.3-inch instrument cluster. The infotainment system was easy to use, easy to customize and configure. Plus, the steering wheel controls made it easy to control the things you need while driving.

Used Electric Car
The door panel on the e-Golf has some nice design details and side mirror controls. ? Sara LaFountain

What we loved:

  • 8” touch screen
  • One pedal driving
  • Heated and cooled front seats
  • Steering wheel controls
  • Plenty of trunk space for your stuff
  • Bluetooth
  • Blind spot and lane detection systems 

What you should know:

  • Battery range is listed at 125 miles, but it’s possible to do better
  • We easily connected multiple phones to Bluetooth
  • This car is perfect for those who need to drive under 100 miles daily and easily have access to a charge station
  • Seating options are available for 4 or 5 passengers and the back seat is roomy

The 2017 VW e-Golf is fun to drive, safe and economical. The ride, the features, the large touch screen, the safety features all remind us that driving environmentally friendly doesn’t have to be boring.

Disclosure: The e-Golf was provided for this review; all opinions are my own.

Sara LaFountain
Sara LaFountain

Sara LaFountain is a former teacher and current Blogger and Caterer. Five years ago Sara founded her blog, Cook With 5 Kids. Sara can be found in the car day and night driving her kids all over the DC metro area.

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