Monday, September 21, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2013 Ford Focus vs 2013 Volkswagen GTI

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2013 Ford Focus2013 Volkswagen GTI
NHTSA complaints2,11034
Recall campaigns112
Service bulletins (TSBs)154856
Investigations33
Crash reports491
Fire reports121
NCAP overall rating5/5
EPA MPG (combined)26–3025–27
Median reported incident mileage56,000 mi35,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord FocusVolkswagen GTI
Power Train1,1015
Engine34311
Electrical System2753
Steering2730
Fuel/propulsion System2087
Vehicle Speed Control1110
Structure842
Fuel System, Gasoline530

Symptoms owners describe

Vibration / shaking3840
Stalling3480
Hesitation / surging2930
Check engine light1810
Shifting problems1200
Loss of power990
Clunking / rattling570
Steering problems460

Compare all Ford Focus vs Volkswagen GTI 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.