Friday, August 7, 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 Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2013 Ford Focus2013 Volkswagen GTI
NHTSA complaints2,10534
Recall campaigns112
Service bulletins (TSBs)154854
Investigations33
Crash reports491
Fire reports121
NCAP overall rating5/5
EPA MPG (combined)26–3025–27
Median reported mileage56,000 mi35,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord FocusVolkswagen GTI
Power Train1,0985
Engine34311
Electrical System2733
Steering2730
Fuel/propulsion System2087
Vehicle Speed Control1110
Structure832
Fuel System, Gasoline530

Symptoms owners describe

Vibration / shaking3840
Stalling3470
Hesitation / surging2930
Check engine light1800
Shifting problems1200
Loss of power980
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.