Item: Used Volkswagen Golf R 2016-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/civic/hatchback/review/n143">Honda Civic Type R</a> is a fantastic machine. It handles brilliantly, yet is surprisingly comfortable and easy to live with. It’s practical, and fantastically enjoyable to drive.

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The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n17153">BMW M140i</a> offers staggering performance, its engine sounds great and inside its infotainment system is first class. You can have it in three or five-door forms, and its eight-speed auto and rear-wheel drive handling only add to the pleasure of driving this car.

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Find a used VW Golf R in the What Car? Classifieds <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/golf?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Hatchback

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

GOLF R

With superb performance and four-wheel drive, the VW Golf R is one of the quickest hot hatches in a straight line, and an excellent used buy.

Used Volkswagen Golf R 2016-present

There’s no economy penalty for choosing either the three or five-door variants of the R. They both claim an average figure of 37.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 180g/km, according to the older NEDC tests.

Annual tax for cars registered before the changes of April 2017 came into force are based on CO2 emissions and, by a neat coincidence, will cost roughly the same as cars registered after that date; the current annual flat rate is £140 a year. Be warned that if the Golf R you’re looking at cost more than £40,000 new it could fall into the luxury car tax supplement sector, which could cost an additional £310 a year. Insurance groupings have been kept low for the Golf R and it sits in group 39.

Servicing costs are moderate next to some of its high-performance brethren, but perhaps more than you’d pay for the average Ford or Vauxhall. VW also offers a number of differing servicing plans that help you plan for and spread the cost of the next two services.

 
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With superb performance and four-wheel drive, the VW Golf R is one of the quickest hot hatches in a straight line, and an excellent used buy.


You can buy a high-mileage or Cat D Golf R in its previous-generation Mk6 form for around £10,000, or a well-maintained one with an average mileage for around £13,000, but we’d recommend spending a little more and buying a Mk 7 version that comes with an average mileage for the year and a full service history. Put aside roughly £20,000 to £22,000 to secure a 2016 car that satisfies all of those criteria. Up the wedge to between £23,000 and £25,000 and you’ll find them at independent dealers, and good 2017 cars from franchised dealers for around £25,000 to £27,000. &nbsp;

As well as three or five-door hatchback versions you can also choose a five-door estate. As well as that, you can choose between six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearboxes. We like them all, but if pushed we’d go for a five-door hatchback with a DSG automatic gearbox, as it’s faster both on paper and on the road, and more practical. &nbsp;

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Our favourite Volkswagen Golf R: 2.0 TSI R DSG

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Engaging handling </li> <li>Thrilling performance </li> <li>A characterful engine with an enticing soundtrack </li> <li>Reasonable running costs </li> <li>Not hard to live with day to day</li></ul>

A popular choice with UK buyers since the days of the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, the hot hatchback mixes everyday practicality with higher performance and the sort of handling and agility that’s ideally suited to British roads. A good hot hatch should be fun and, since it’s likely to be your daily drive, it should also deliver respectable running costs.

The Golf GTI remains one of the best hot hatches on the market, along with its main competitor,&nbsp;the&nbsp;equally as responsive and cheaper to buy Hyundai i30 N. But there are some terrific options for even less money than both of these cars. We're big fans of the Ford Fiesta ST, which is definitely one of the best hot hatches ever and certainly one of the most fun to drive. It's full of character and its engaging handling makes it a bit of a hoot at all speeds.&nbsp;

If you’ve got a bit more money to spare, there are even faster cars available, such as the Honda Civic Type R. This latest version is sublime to drive, either on road or on a track, as it's so sweetly balanced. It's also incredibly quick in a straight line&nbsp;and round a corner, and yet it's as practical as a regular Civic.&nbsp;

Hot hatch

Although the Golf R’s a hoot on open roads, it will of course have been subjected to the ravages of supermarket car parks and school runs, so check the extremities of the car for any scuffs or dents. Look at those handsome alloy wheels for any kerb damage – they are susceptible to scraps and repair can be expensive.

VW had largely sorted out the most expensive of its DSG automatic gearbox problems before this generation of Golf was launched, but there are still some early cars for which problems have been reported, so make sure the gearbox changes smoothly and there are no signs of temperamental behaviour. Timing chains fitted to petrol engines have been known to snap prematurely; this can cause significant engine damage but is often mitigated by having the car serviced on time. This means a full service history is critical. These models can also suffer from high oil consumption, so it’s important to keep checking the oil level, even between services. If the level gets too low, it can cause damage to the engine or timing chain.

Faults with the navigation and entertainment system, as well as other electrical niggles, have been reported on some models, so it’s worth checking that all the electrics work as they should.

On the whole, owners report favourably on the Golf R. In our most recent reliability survey, the standard Golf finished midway in the table of family cars, with a respectable score of 75%. Most issues centred on non-engine electrics, but nearly all problems were fixed within a week and under warranty. VW as a brand finished in 21st place out of 37 manufacturers in our study.

 
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Human nature being what it is, there’s always the temptation to try and improve even the very best of things. Evidence of this is rife in the car world, and nowhere is it more obvious than in the case of the Volkswagen Golf R. You see it’s basically a tarted-up version of the Mk 7 Golf GTI, and those in the know know that the GTI is a very nice thing indeed. However, working on the basis that there is nothing made by man that is not capable of improvement, VW has made the R more powerful and equipped it with four-wheel drive, and the result of all this fettling is a car that’s a definite improvement over what is already an outstandingly good all-round hot hatch.

Outside, the styling tweaks are subtle - this is definitely a Golf, first and foremost. However, the R has its own special front bumper, air intakes, grille, sills, wheels and tailpipes, to add a bit of sparkle. The magic really starts under the bonnet. Power from VW’s 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine has been boosted up to 296bhp, and this means the Golf R can sprint from 0 to 62mph in under five seconds in automatic DSG form, and that’s considerably quicker than the GTI. The car was tweaked in 2017 and later models, known as the R 310, boast 306bhp from the same size engine, with impressive increases in efficiency. However, tougher emissions tests in 2018 meant that later cars were detuned back to the level of the older cars, in order to meet new legislation.

Standard kit is fairly comprehensive and includes LED head and rear lights, front and rear parking sensors, LED foglights, electric heated folding mirrors, tinted rear windows, adaptive cruise control, and automatic lights and wipers on the outside. Inside there are plenty of luxuries to enjoy too such as dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, <a href="https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-reviews/volkswagen">Volkswagen's 12.3in digital instrument cluster</a>, and the inclusion of an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system complete with sat-nav, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, a DAB radio and smartphone integration. &nbsp;

On the road that performance is seriously impressive, and good fun. You’ll never want for power, in almost any situation. Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph, but those who want to go faster could specify an R Performance Pack that derestricts the top speed and adds bigger wheels and bigger brakes. In truth, the standard versions will be fine for most people, and the car goes, stops and handles with considerable aplomb. True, one or two of its stiffer rivals, cars such as the Honda Civic Type R and the RenaultSport Megane, handle in a more eager fashion, but none of its rivals are as refined when you want it to be, and few are as comfortable over rough roads - it really can smooth over lumps and bumps on rougher roads with ease.

Inside is a typically Golf-like interior of solid quality and one that uses an excellent choice of high-class materials. It’s classy, and there are comfortable seats, finished in Alcantara and leather, which grip and support a driver without the long-term discomfort of something racier. The driving position is first class, with plenty of adjustability to the steering wheel and seat. Visibility is excellent, too, and there’s plenty of space up front. Rear seat passengers get plenty of head and leg room, too, and the boot is an excellent size and shape.

The dashboard and surrounding areas are all logically laid out. An 8.0in high-definition, glass-fronted, colour touchscreen is standard. Either side of it are touch-sensitive shortcut buttons (so you can flit between the main functions) and two knobs: one for volume control and the other for scrolling through lists or zooming in and out of maps on the sat-nav. There was also the option to upgrade to a 9.2in screen, too. &nbsp;

Either way, the menus are easy to figure out, so you won't need to resort to the handbook to connect your phone or create radio station presets. You can also see the sat-nav maps on the excellent 12.3in digital instrument binnacle. This standard feature replaces regular instrument dials and, as well as maps, displays lots of useful information right in front of your eyes.

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Find a used Volkswagen Golf R in the What Car? Classifieds <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/golf?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

Used Volkswagen Golf R 2016-present review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Volkswagen Golf R hatchback?