Item: Volkswagen Golf R
Rating: 4.5

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Engineers for the Volkswagen Golf R must be tired of wrestling with the law of diminishing returns. So composed and complete was their high-performance reworking of the Mk7 VW Golf that they’ve struggled to make any big gains since, either through that car’s facelift or its subsequent transformation into the current eighth-generation machine.

Now there’s another mid-life refresh for the Wolfsburg wonder wagon and, once again, VW has elected to not really mess with a winning formula. There's a dash more power, some visual tweaks, revised coding for the driver modes and a couple of choice new options, but essentially the latest Golf R is much the same as its predecessor.

Nevertheless, against a legislative backdrop that makes it harder than ever to make these sorts of cars, it's hard not to admire the brand's commitment to the hot hatch cause. Of course Volkswagen was a pioneer of the go-faster family car genre, but with the GTE, GTI and GTI Clubsport sharing showroom space alongside the R, it's clear VW has got a severe case of the pocket-rocket virus.

In many respects, the Golf R could have an easy path to success, given that many of its rivals are either long dead and buried (Ford Focus RS), not long for this world (Honda Civic Type R) or exist in a more upmarket and pricier orbit (Mercedes-AMG A35). However, it's fair to say that VW dropped the ball in the transition from Mk7.5 to Mk8 Golf, with quality and usability taking a dive in particular. So can the Mk8.5 redress the balance?

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 9

Volkswagen Golf R

More powerful, more responsive and more fun to drive. The Golf R is at the top of its game with this new facelifted model

Good

Cross-country pace to leave you breathless but easy enough for anyone to drive

Superb four-wheel-drive security, only now with more driver engagement than any previous R

Facelift has improved the multimedia

Bad

Low-speed ride borders on the brutal on certain surfaces but improves with speed

Cockpit looks slick yet isn’t so easy to operate and doesn’t always feel £40,000’s worth

R is the only Golf to keep the capacitive steering wheel buttons

DESIGN & STYLING

Pros

Facelift subtly enhances the Golf's looks without harming the R's restrained character

Cons

Some might still miss the Mk7.5's less fussy looks

The exterior design changes are predictably subtle, taking their cues from the rest of the Mk8.5 Golf range. Look closely and you’ll spot the R’s reprofiled front bumper, complete with new ‘air blades’ that, VW tacitly admits, are as much about aesthetics as aerodynamics. At the rear, there are 3D-effect lights that offer you the option of three different strobing and flashing ‘welcome signatures’ when you lock and unlock the car.

Overall, it's understated in a typical Volkswagen way, but with a fittingly sporting stance that benefits greatly from a 20mm-lower ride height and a wider track than milder Volkswagen Golf models. Setting it all off is a new range of wheels, including the new optional forged-aluminium Warmenau items, which weigh 20% less than the standard 18in Jerez wheels at just 8kg each, saving a similar amount in overall unsprung mass.

As standard, the Golf R sports a neat rear spoiler, although the optional R Performance package adds a much more conspicuous split-level spoiler-cum-wing, as well as tickling the ECU to take top speed from 155mph to 168mph.
Matt Saunders
Road test editor

Under the bonnet, the venerable 'EA888' turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine now kicks out an added 8bhp at 328bhp. Torque remains the same as before at 310lb ft, but it is now developed on a 150rpm-wider range of revs between 2100rpm and 5500rpm. In a bid to imbue it with added character while retaining the linear power delivery for which it is renowned, the operation of the turbocharger has been revised. It now spins faster on a trailing throttle to ensure greater response when you get back on the power. The throttle valve is also kept open on the overrun, mimicking the properties of an anti-lag system.

It is all fed through a reworked version of Volkswagen's in-house-produced seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and a modified 4Motion four-wheel drive system with revised electronic torque splitter to vary the amount of drive sent to each individual rear wheel. Depending on the mode, it also adds greater torque bias to the rear and to the outside wheel of the back axle, inducing greater on-throttle adjustability when exiting a corner.

The rest of the car remains largely unchanged, which means it rides on an evolved version of the MQB platform that made its debut in the Mk7, with strut front suspension and a multi-link rear end. Speaking of which, VW claims to have left the springs and dampers largely unchanged, with any alterations in handling behaviour effectively down to some tweaks to the software code of the driver modes, plus that revised all-wheel drive system.

INTERIOR

Pros

Multimedia is much improved

Fairly roomy and practical

Cons

Capacitive steering wheel buttons remain

Still feels a cut below Mk7 and Mk7.5 Golfs

Inside, the 2025-model-year Golf R benefits from many of the same changes as the less feisty Golf models. Central to these is a new touchscreen infotainment display, which is larger than before, at 12.9in instead of the previous 10.2in.

The home screen is now customisable, while the controls for the air ventilation and seat heaters are now permanently displayed in the lower section as part of a comprehensive reworking of the user interface. The slider touch bar to regulate the volume and temperature remains, but it now features backlighting. It's a definite improvement on its immediate Mk8 predecessor, but the latest Golf still lacks the quality and clarity of the more analogue Mk7 - a car that, when launched in 2013, forced Mercedes to delay the introduction of its 'S205' C-Class because it couldn't match the VW's premium ambience.

Gone are the pathetic old shift paddles, whose stubby shape made them unengaging. The new ones are far larger and sweeter to pull, if still a little light in action.
Matt Saunders
Road test editor

It is all supported by a new software package that forms part of Volkswagen’s MIB4 multimedia system. It provides added response as you scroll through the menus and more intuitive commands, making the new Golf R more satisfying to operate than the model it replaces. With wireless operation for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a wireless charging pad, the digital interface is well up to the standards of the hot hatch competition.

There’s one curious exception, though: unlike other facelifted Golf models, the R retains the capacitive steering wheel controls but with greater pressure required to engage them. The reason stems from the unique control layout, which enables a direct switch into Race mode in the R. This move has no doubt saved a few cents, but it comes at the cost of a more frustrating user experience, which seems like a false economy on a car so squarely aimed at keen drivers.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Pros

Very fast, with better response than before

Strong brakes

Cons

Not the most charismatic of powertrains

No manual gearbox option

VW Golf R 2024 review front tracking 0101

Despite the slight uplift in power (torque is unchanged at 310lb ft), the 'EA888' turbocharged 2.0-litre feels much as it did before. Almost lag-free, it doles out satisfyingly elastic performance as it pulls hard and smoothly from idle all the way through to the 6800rpm cut-out. Combined with the four-wheel drive, it makes the Golf a clinically efficient point-to-point machine with the sort of easily accessible pace that delivers slingshot corner exits and stress-free overtaking.

Outright urge is as strong as you'd expect, with VW claiming 4.6sec for the 0-62mph sprint and a top speed pegged at an electronically limited 155mph. Our Black Edition test car also featured the R Performance Package (usually a £1950 option on the standard version), which raises the top speed to 168mph – and adds a ‘Drift’ mode, natch.

Its composure, traction and faithful responses make it an easy car to drive quickly, but keen drivers who really push it will be rewarded by tail-engaging torque vectoring.
Richard Lane
Deputy road test editor

Also available is a lightweight and wallet-crunchingly expensive (£3315) Akrapovic exhaust that promises to give the Golf greater voice, especially if you press and hold the start button for at least a second and a half without touching the brake pedal to initiate a theatrical flare of revs to 2500rpm once the engine churns into life. One for those neighbours you can’t abide, perhaps…

Even so, when fired up in this manner, the Golf still lacks the instant aural drama of the old Audi RS3, or even the admittedly much pricier Mercedes-AMG A45. There’s a greater baritone timbre than before, but the R remains a fast hatch that would rather let others play the peacocking game.

That said, the sound actuator that pumps synthetic engine noise into the cabin has been given a more gravelly delivery, the synthetic nature of which won't be to all tastes. Thankfully, it can be switched off through the enhanced driver mode set-up that offers greater customisation and even a new Eco mode, which softens the throttle response and serves up earlier shifts from the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

That gearbox shuffles cogs quickly and decisively. Better still, in the raciest driver modes the transmission now holds gears when in manual mode, refusing to shift up when you hit the rev limiter. It can still get wrong-footed at low speeds, especially when pulling onto a roundabout or out of a junction, but in all other situations, it performs with snappy precision. Even so, we can't help feel a pang of sadness that there's no six-speed manual alernative to inject a little extra driver involvement.

The brakes are up to snuff too. With ventilated 357mm front and 310mm rear discs, there is strong stopping ability even after repeated use during track driving. There's a little too much bite at the top of the travel, which means a delicate touch is required, but past that point pedal feel is good, providing the driver with confidence when wiping off speed in a hurry.

RIDE & HANDLING

Pros

Huge grip and composure

Four-wheel drive gives some throttle-adjustability

Cons

Not as involving as some

Low-speed ride on the firm side of unacceptable

The team behind the chassis tuning of both the new Golf GTI and Golf R is headed by Florian Umbach, who previously held the same position at Bugatti, where he was responsible for the Veyron and Chiron. He says the goal with the new model was to provide it with added feel and feedback and a generally more engaging and more dynamic driving experience.

Even so, according to VW, the suspension has largely been left alone, although unlike their continental counterparts, UK buyers have to pay extra (£720) for the DCC adaptive dampers. Normally this set-up offers the best of both worlds at the touch of a button – executive-saloon suppleness when you want to mosey and track-honed tautness when you're in a hurry. Yet even with DCC dialled in to its comfiest mode, the low-speed ride fails to shine on Britain’s typically torn and tattered Tarmac, where the Golf feels strangely stiff-legged and relays the contours of the road rather too accurately.

I’d love to try one of these on 18in wheels and with the Bridgestone rubber swapped for Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4S tyres, which in my experience are softer in feel and even more grippy. That might make the car an even more rounded package.
Matt Saunders
Road test editor

Pick up the pace, however, and the suspension gets into its stride, offering confidence-inspiring control and a deftness of damping no matter how wicked the surface. The tautest R mode is best left for the track, but in all the other settings, the Golf is a paragon of even-keeled poise as it slices keenly from entry to apex to exit.

As ever, the R feels a little one-dimensional at everyday speeds - like any Golf, just with enough straight-line performance to pull a Porsche 718 Cayman’s pants down. Yet push on and you’ll discover the steering is decently weighted and naturally paced and offers just enough feedback to keep you connected. There’s also bags of turn-in grip and satisfying neutrality mid-corner. The all-wheel drive system has been recalibrated to offer greater throttle adjustability too, the R actively tightening its line as you power out of a corner. And of course, when the weather turns grim, few cars breed as much confidence.

It’s still not the greatest of entertainers, but then it’s the R’s adaptability that really makes it such a compelling proposition: acting the clown when you want to have fun and playing it straight when you just want to get from here to there. Ultimately, a Honda Civic Type R is more expressive and involving, but few other fast hatches have the VW’s ability to slip so effortlessly into your life.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Pros

Not a huge price jump compared with the GTI

Capable of good cruising economy

Cons

Still hard to come to terms with the idea of a Golf costing north of £40,000

In an EV age, the Golf's company car tax bills will sting

The Golf R is now an unambiguously expensive car, although that applies to the entire class these days. The Audi S3, BMW M135i xDrive and Mercedes-AMG A35 have all left the £40,000 mark far behind them.

Considering all the changes, the updated Golf R looks comparatively decent value. At £43,895, it’s only £4495 more than the recently facelifted Golf GTI and just £1740 more than the latest GTI Clubsport, both of which lack the R's shattering turn of speed and all-weather apptitude. That said, the half-decent value comes with a certain ubiquity - numerous attractive finance deals over the years have made the R the most populous fast Golf, while the GTI variants remain relative rarities.

As for fuel economy, the Golf R is one of those cars that will return whatever you want it to return. Our pre-facelift road test car recorded a touring figure of 43.9mpg, for an outright range of almost 500 miles. That isn’t to be sniffed at in a car that can comfortably carry four and dispatch 60mph in under 4.5sec, although get greedy and you’ll see nearer 20mpg. For the record, this Black Edition R has claimed WLTP figures of 34.7mpg and 186g/km of CO2 - the latter figure meaning the VW falls into a rather ouchy 37% benefit-in-kind banding for company car drivers.

VERDICT

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 9

Volkswagen Golf R

More powerful, more responsive and more fun to drive. The Golf R is at the top of its game with this new facelifted model

Good

Cross-country pace to leave you breathless but easy enough for anyone to drive

Superb four-wheel-drive security, only now with more driver engagement than any previous R

Facelift has improved the multimedia

Bad

Low-speed ride borders on the brutal on certain surfaces but improves with speed

Cockpit looks slick yet isn’t so easy to operate and doesn’t always feel £40,000’s worth

R is the only Golf to keep the capacitive steering wheel buttons

It's over 20 years since the launch of the first R-badged Golf, but the proposition remains largely unchanged: if you want a fast and unflappable four-wheel-drive family hatch, then look no further. In many respects the Mk7 and Mk7.5 versions remain the high-water marks for the model, their combination of performance, poise and premium appeal helping to create one of the ultimate all-rounders of the past decade. However, with its recent round of tweaks, the latest car comes closest to capturing their spirit.

The styling of the Mk8.5 is still a little overwrought for many tastes. The interior's space and everyday utility remain undermined by a cost-cutter finish and an over-reliance on screens for everyday functions, but they are both an improvement on the Mk8. Crucially, the Golf retains the trademark adaptability that allows it to slip so effortlessly into your life and its ability to mix the humdrum driving experiences with the humdinger marks it out as a true automotive chameleon.

As ever, you have to work hard to winkle out the rewards, because the Golf only really starts to loosen up when you're pushing on, but in these circumstances, the Mk8.5 is arguably the best version yet. The tweaks to the drivetrain in particular have helped to unlock a little more playfulness in a car that previously preferred to play it straight. Factor in the availabilty of a capacious estate version as well as the hatch, and the Golf R's appeal remains as strong as ever.

TECHNICAL SPECS

Model tested:

Volkswagen Golf R

Price:

£43,895

Engine:

4 cyls in line, 1984cc, turbocharged, petrol

Transmission:

7-spd dual-clutch automatic

Driveline layout:

Front engine, 4WD

Model tested

Volkswagen Golf R

Price

£43,895

Engine

4 cyls in line, 1984cc, turbocharged, petrol

View all specs and rivals

Transmission

7-spd dual-clutch automatic

Driveline layout

Front engine, 4WD

Power

328bhp

Torque

310lb ft

0-62mph

4.6sec

Top speed

168mph

Kerb weight (DIN)

1548kg

Fuel economy

33.2-34.9mpg

CO2

184-193g/km

BIK tax band

37%

Rivals Mercedes-AMG A35 Audi S3 BMW M135i xDrive

Power

328bhp

Torque

310lb ft

0-62mph

4.6sec

Top speed

168mph

Kerb weight (DIN)

1548kg

Fuel economy

33.2-34.9mpg

CO2

184-193g/km

BIK tax band

37%

Rivals Mercedes-AMG A35 Audi S3 BMW M135i xDrive

James Disdale

Title: Special correspondent

James is a special correspondent for Autocar, which means he turns his hand to pretty much anything, including delivering first drive verdicts, gathering together group tests, formulating features and keeping Autocar.co.uk topped-up with the latest news and reviews. He also co-hosts the odd podcast and occasional video with Autocar’s esteemed Editor-at-large, Matt Prior.

For more than a decade and a half James has been writing about cars, in which time he has driven pretty much everything from humble hatchbacks to the highest of high performance machines. Having started his automotive career on, ahem, another weekly automotive magazine, he rose through the ranks and spent many years running that title’s road test desk. This was followed by a stint doing the same job for monthly title, evo, before starting a freelance career in 2019. The less said about his wilderness, post-university years selling mobile phones and insurance, the better.