The 2022 Volkswagen Golf Gti marks a significant redesign for this iconic hot hatch, and with it comes a renewed focus on safety. For car buyers in the English-speaking market, understanding safety ratings is crucial when making a purchase decision. As experts at cardiagnosticnearme.com, specializing in automotive repair and diagnostics, we delve into the comprehensive safety assessments conducted on the 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI. This analysis is based on rigorous testing and data provided by leading safety organizations, offering you a detailed perspective on how well the Golf GTI protects its occupants.
Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Critical Protection Evaluated
The small overlap frontal test is one of the most challenging crash tests, simulating a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts an object. This test is crucial because it assesses how well the car’s structure holds up under concentrated force, and how effectively the safety systems protect the driver and passenger in such scenarios.
Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI achieved a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap front test. This is the highest possible rating, indicating exemplary performance. The evaluation criteria and measurements highlight the Golf GTI’s robust safety features:
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G (Good) |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G (Good) |
| Chest | G (Good) |
| Hip/Thigh | G (Good) |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G (Good) |
| Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics | G (Good) |
Technical measurements further illustrate the controlled intrusion into the occupant compartment and the minimal risk of injury to the driver:
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower Occupant Compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 7 |
| Footrest (cm) | 4 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 2 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 2 |
| Parking brake (cm) | 0 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 |
| Upper Occupant Compartment | |
| Steering column | 0 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 4 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 6 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 7 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 118 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.2 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 10 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.21 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 30 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 4.4 |
| Right | 0.1 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.29 |
| Right | 0.30 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 1.5 |
| Right | 1.1 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 46 |
| Right | 46 |
Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
Mirroring its driver-side performance, the 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI also earned a “Good” rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test. This demonstrates consistent protection for all front occupants.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G (Good) |
| Passenger Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G (Good) |
| Chest | G (Good) |
| Hip/Thigh | G (Good) |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G (Good) |
| Passenger Restraints and Dummy Kinematics | G (Good) |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G (Good) |
| Chest | G (Good) |
| Hip/Thigh | G (Good) |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G (Good) |
| Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics | G (Good) |
Detailed measurements for the passenger side test are as follows:
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower Occupant Compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 7 |
| Footrest (cm) | 5 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 3 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 2 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 |
| Upper Occupant Compartment | |
| Center dash (cm) | 7 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 6 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 6 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 5 |
| Passenger injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 160 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.2 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 18 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.23 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 24 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.4 |
| Right | 1.0 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 1 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 1 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.60 |
| Right | 0.44 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 2.1 |
| Right | 2.8 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 53 |
| Right | 53 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 126 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 29 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 26 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.1 |
| Right | 0.1 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 1 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.58 |
| Right | 0.20 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 0.3 |
| Right | 0.9 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 45 |
| Right | 38 |
Moderate Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Assessing Traditional Frontal Impact
In the moderate overlap frontal test, a significant portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a deformable barrier. This test has been a standard for safety evaluations and represents a common type of frontal collision.
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI achieved an overall “Good” rating in the moderate overlap frontal test. While most injury measures were rated “Good,” the right leg/foot injury was rated “Acceptable”.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G (Good) |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G (Good) |
| Chest | G (Good) |
| Leg/Foot, Left | G (Good) |
| Leg/Foot, Right | A (Acceptable) |
| Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics | G (Good) |
Measurements from this test provide more insight into the vehicle’s performance:
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 4 |
| Left (cm) | 6 |
| Center (cm) | 6 |
| Right (cm) | 3 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 5 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | -1 |
| Right (cm) | -1 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | -3 |
| Rearward (cm) | -4 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 175 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.4 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 9 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.23 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 33 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force – left (kN) | 0.2 |
| Femur force – right (kN) | 0.6 |
| Knee displacement – left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement – right (mm) | 1 |
| Maximum tibia index – left | 0.28 |
| Maximum tibia index – right | 0.70 |
| Tibia axial force – left (kN) | 1.7 |
| Tibia axial force – right (kN) | 3.2 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 72 |
| Right | 176 |
Side Impact Crash Test: Evaluating Protection in Side Collisions
Side impacts are particularly dangerous, and the side crash test assesses how well a vehicle protects occupants when struck on the side.
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI received an overall “Good” rating in the side crash test. However, the pelvis/leg injury measure for the driver was rated “Marginal”.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G (Good) |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G (Good) |
| Torso | G (Good) |
| Pelvis/Leg | M (Marginal) |
| Driver Head Protection | G (Good) |
| Rear Passenger Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G (Good) |
| Torso | G (Good) |
| Pelvis/Leg | G (Good) |
| Rear Passenger Head Protection | G (Good) |
Technical data from the side impact test is detailed below:
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -17.5 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 144 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.5 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 35 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 28 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.24 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.37 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 2.1 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.2 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.8 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 314 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 44 |
| Passenger injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 196 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.3 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 46 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 41 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 31 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.46 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.67 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 0.3 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.7 |
| Combined force (kN) | 1.7 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 1.0 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 114 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 23 |
Roof Strength Test: Rollover Protection
The roof strength test evaluates the vehicle’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash, protecting occupants from roof crush injuries.
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI achieved a “Good” rating in roof strength, demonstrating robust protection in rollover scenarios.
| Overall Evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Curb Weight | 3,254 lbs |
| Peak Force | 21,544 lbs |
| Strength-to-Weight Ratio | 6.62 |
Head Restraints & Seats: Whiplash Protection
Whiplash is a common injury in rear-end collisions. The head restraints and seats evaluation assesses how well the vehicle’s seats and headrests protect against this type of injury.
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI earned a “Good” rating for head restraints and seats, indicating effective whiplash protection.
| Overall Evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Dynamic Rating | G (Good) |
| Seat/Head Restraint Geometry | G (Good) |
Technical measurements for this test are as follows:
| Seat type | Manual cloth seat |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 29 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | -9 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 11.7 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 60 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 0 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 327 |
Headlights Performance: Visibility Ratings Across Trim Levels
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime safety. The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI has been evaluated with different headlight variations across its trim levels.
Autobahn Trim Headlights
The Autobahn trim, equipped with LED projector headlights and high-beam assist, received an “Acceptable” rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | A (Acceptable) |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
SE Trim Headlights
The SE trim, also with LED projector headlights but without high-beam assist, received a “Marginal” rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | M (Marginal) |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
S Trim Headlights
The S trim, featuring LED reflector headlights and no high-beam assist, received a “Poor” rating, highlighting a significant difference in headlight performance across trims.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | P (Poor) |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Pedestrian
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI is equipped with a standard Front Assist system, designed to prevent or mitigate frontal collisions.
Vehicle-to-Vehicle Front Crash Prevention
The Golf GTI’s front crash prevention system earned a “Superior” rating in vehicle-to-vehicle tests, successfully avoiding collisions at both 12 mph and 25 mph.
| Overall Evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | Superior |
| Forward Collision Warning | Meets requirements |
| 12 mph test | Collision Avoided |
| 25 mph test | Collision Avoided |
Pedestrian Front Crash Prevention (Day)
For pedestrian front crash prevention in daylight conditions, the system achieved an “Advanced” rating, demonstrating significant speed reduction in various pedestrian crossing scenarios.
| Overall Evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | Advanced |
| Crossing Child | |
| 12 mph test | Impact speed reduced by 11 mph |
| 25 mph test | Impact speed reduced by 19 mph |
| Crossing Adult | |
| 12 mph test | Impact speed reduced by 11 mph |
| 25 mph test | Collision Avoided |
| Parallel Adult | |
| 25 mph test | Impact speed reduced by 5 mph |
| 37 mph test | Impact speed reduced by 10 mph |
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH): Ease of Use
Child seat anchors (LATCH) are evaluated for their ease of use, crucial for parents installing child seats.
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI received a “Good” rating for its LATCH system, indicating user-friendly child seat anchor access.
| Overall Evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Vehicle Trim | SE |
| Seat Type | cloth |
Conclusion: 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Safety Performance
Overall, the 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI demonstrates strong safety performance across various crash tests and preventative systems. While it achieved predominantly “Good” ratings in crashworthiness, some areas like headlight performance and side impact pelvis/leg injury show room for potential improvement. However, for a vehicle in its class, the 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI offers a commendable level of safety for drivers and passengers alike. For potential buyers prioritizing safety, the Golf GTI is a strong contender, especially when considering trims with better headlight options and acknowledging its robust crash prevention technologies.
