Item: Volkswagen Golf R
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The Golf’s R 2.0-litre turbocharged engine packs 316bhp – more than the Audi S3 and BMW M135i can muster – and that power is transferred to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. In our tests, 0-60mph took just 4.3 seconds in the hatch and 4.4sec in the estate.

2.0 TSI 320

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

There’s only one trim level for the Golf R and it gives you plenty of standard goodies, including adaptive cruise control, matrix LED headlights, three-zone climate control and wireless phone-charging. You'll have to pay extra if you want any colour other than white, though.


2.0 TSI 320 R 4Motion 5dr DSG

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Abarth 595

Audi RS3

Audi S3

BMW M135i

Cupra Leon

Ford Fiesta ST

Ford Focus ST

Honda Civic Type R

Hyundai i20N

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Mercedes A35 AMG

Mercedes AMG A45

Peugeot 308 GTi

Renault Megane RS

Skoda Octavia vRS

Suzuki Swift Sport

Toyota GR Yaris

Vauxhall Corsa VXR

Volkswagen Golf GTD

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Volkswagen Golf R

Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen Up GTI

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Volkswagen Golf R's price – roughly the same as its premium&nbsp;rivals the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/review/n17152">Audi S3</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208">BMW M135i</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;might raise eyebrows, but there are some mitigating circumstances. It has a more powerful engine and comes with more standard equipment, including&nbsp;adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and three-zone climate control (with controls for back-seat passengers).

Mind you, you have to pay extra if you want a paint colour other than white or heated seats. There are plenty of other options worth considering, including adaptive suspension (DCC). The R Performance Pack adds larger 19in alloy wheels (you get 18s as standard), increases the top speed to 166mph and adds a gimmicky drift mode, but it's pricey so we'd think carefully about adding it.

Standard safety equipment includes&nbsp;automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a>, lane-keeping assistance and traffic-sign recognition. You also get&nbsp;something called Car-to-X as standard, which allows cars fitted with the same feature (not just VWs) to share information on the traffic conditions and any hazards within a radius of 800m to&nbsp;give you an early warning.&nbsp;

The Golf R comes with a three-year warranty, but <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/volkswagen">Volkswagen</a> didn’t perform brilliantly in the 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, finishing in 20th place (out of 30 brands). That’s below Audi and BMW but above&nbsp;Ford.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/review/n17371">VW Golf</a> achieved a five stars (out of five) <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> safety rating, with excellent category scores that all but matched the best cars in the class. For even better protection, you can add front side and rear curtain airbags for a reasonable price.

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So, just how fast is the Volkswagen Golf R? Well, in our tests, the hatchback managed to sprint from 0-60mph in just 4.3sec – faster than the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/review/n17152"> Audi S3</a> and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208"> BMW M135i</a>&nbsp;on the same day. The estate version, despite the weight of its extension on the back, did the same sprint in 4.4sec.

To help it achieve that time, a launch control system is standard. This is essentially a computer that makes it super-easy to get the perfect getaway every time, no matter what your skill level. And because the Golf R has four-wheel drive, there’s plenty of traction in the sort of slippery conditions that the cheaper front-wheel-drive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf-gti/hatchback/review/n149">Golf GTI</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i30/hatchback/review/n183">Hyundai i30 N</a> would struggle in.

It’s a shame the engine doesn’t sound a bit more tuneful, though. The noise it makes isn’t unpleasant but it is very obviously synthesised. The optional Akrapovic titanium sports exhaust might remedy this (we haven’t tried it yet), but it doesn’t come cheap.

Some four-wheel-drive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-hot-hatches-2022/n17005">hot hatches</a> feel rather sterile through corners, gripping the road well but without any sort of playfulness to their handling. The Golf R is different because you can feel power being sent to the rear wheels to help the car rotate on the way out of corners, especially in Race&nbsp;mode. Much the same way as happens in the brilliant&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/gr-yaris/hatchback/review/n22315">Toyota GR Yaris</a>.

The Golf R Estate rotates just as well, if not better, than the hatch because it has a more evenly split weight distribution due to its elongated boot area adding more weight to the rear.&nbsp;If that sounds scary or intimidating, it really isn’t – it just adds another layer to the driving experience. Mind you, the GR Yaris is a rawer and altogether more thrilling drive, and has steering that gives you a more natural sense of connection with the road.

The Golf R can carry a similar amount of speed through corners as the mechanically similar S3, and noticeably more than the M135i. That’s partly because the M135i has&nbsp;less sticky tyres, but also because the Golf R’s body control is better during really quick changes of direction.

So far, we’ve sampled the Golf R with standard springs,&nbsp;18in wheels and the optional adaptive suspension (DCC in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/volkswagen">Volkswagen</a> speak).

The standard set-up provides excellent body control and a perfectly agreeable ride for a hot hatch that avoids feeling harsh over potholes. With the adaptive system switched to its most comfortable setting, there's extra suppleness and it's a little more forgiving at town speeds than a similarly equipped S3.

Whether you tick the adaptive suspension box or not, the Golf R is a car you can use every day without fear of ending your journey feeling bruised and battered. It’s even a reasonably hushed cruiser on the motorway.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

20-tsi-320

Is the Volkswagen Golf R a sizzling hot hatch or estate car, or an out-and-out performance car that just happens to be wrapped up in a practical body?&nbsp;It’s a genuine question, because this latest Golf R is indecently powerful and savagely quick.

What it's not, though – whether you go for the hatchback or estate version – is inexpensive. Indeed, if you think the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-hot-hatches-2022/n17005">best hot hatches</a> are all about cheap thrills, you might be taken aback when you see the price.

Sure, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/volkswagen">Volkswagen</a> sells the Golf R for considerably less than the mighty<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n17170"> Mercedes-AMG A45</a>&nbsp;but it still costs roughly the same as other similarly fast and arguably more premium alternatives, including the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/review/n17152"> Audi S3</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208">BMW M135i</a>.

Your money goes towards some serious kit, though. The Golf&nbsp;R's 2.0-litre turbocharged engine packs 316bhp – more than the S3 and M135i can muster – and that power is transferred to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Officially, that combination can hurl this range-topping version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/review/n17371">Volkswagen Golf</a> to 62mph in just 4.7sec, but in our own tests it comfortably beat that time.

So, the Volkswagen Golf R is clearly fast – but how much fun is it to drive? Is it as easy to live with as a common or garden Golf? Will the Golf R estate be able to get all your garden waste to the dump before everyone else? And is it a better buy than its closest rivals, namely the S3 and M135i?

We’ll be answering all those questions and more over the next few pages of this VW Golf R review.

Once&nbsp;you’ve decided which make and model of car is for you, make sure you get it for the lowest price possible by searching our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying pages</a>. There's no haggling involved, and it&nbsp;has lots of the best&nbsp;new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch deals</a>.

The driver’s seat in the Volkswagen Golf R is figure-huggingly bolstered and holds you in place well during quick changes of direction. It has adjustable lumbar support as standard and there’s plenty of reach adjustment in the steering wheel. We also love that the pedals are placed neatly in line with the wheel and seat, helping you to feel right at home.

Visibility isn't a problem, either. The large windows and relatively slim windscreen pillars make it easy to see straight ahead and to the sides. The rear pillars are fairly chunky, but front and rear parking sensors are fitted as standard, so you shouldn’t find slotting into a tight parking space too tricky.&nbsp;

A rear-view camera is optional, while adaptive matrix LED headlights that you can keep on main beam with dazzling other drivers are standard.

So far so good, then&nbsp;– but then we come to the Golf R’s dashboard. It has no physical buttons, just silly touch-sensitive controls for the lights and a few other features, plus touch-sensitive sliders to adjust the interior temperature and volume. This makes everything needlessly distracting to operate while you're driving, because a touch-sensitive button is impossible to find unless you take your eyes off the road.

Even the controls on the steering wheel are part touch-sensitive, so it’s all too easy to trigger a driving mode change accidentally by brushing the wrong part of the wheel. Overall, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/review/n17152">Audi S3</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208">BMW M135i</a> have much more user-friendly interiors.

Those functions that are not controlled using the touch-sensitive buttons are operated using the touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard – and that's no better. The software is clearly designed to look good, but Volkswagen forgot to make it intuitive, so you find features buried in menus that make no sense. For example, the traction control switch is in a sub-menu for the brakes. We much prefer the infotainment systems in the S3 and M135i.

On the plus side, the screen is mounted high up, is a decent size (10.0in) and is fairly high definition. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> smartphone integration are included in the price, along with wireless phone-charging and a DAB radio. A more powerful Harman Kardon sound system is a reasonably priced option.

The Golf R's interior quality isn’t bad by any means, but it's not as upmarket as the premium-badged rivals it's priced in line with, and the S3 and M135i have fewer hard plastics and more lavish materials.

Fast and more fun than its direct rivals, but the Golf R doesn't thrill like the best hot hatches

There's loads of space in the front of the Volkswagen Golf R. The interior is broad, so you sit with breathing room between you and your passenger, and there's more than enough head and leg room to accommodate anyone tall.&nbsp;

Rear-seat space is a little less generous. The latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/review/n17371">VW Golf</a> has dropped behind the leaders in this area, and&nbsp;both the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n141"> Ford Focus ST</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/review/n17187">Skoda Octavia vRS</a> (especially in estate form) will offer your rear passengers more room to lounge about in. Mind you, the R is fractionally roomier in the back than its closest rivals – the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/review/n17152">Audi S3</a> and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208"> BMW M135i</a>&nbsp;– and&nbsp;two tall adults will fit just fine in the back.

There's more than enough storage space, with compartments and cupholders in the front for pretty much every need, plus a decent-sized glovebox and door bins to boot.&nbsp;

Speaking of which, the boot is okay in the hatchback version, but, like the rear seats, isn’t mammoth compared with in some <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-hot-hatches-2022/n17005">hot hatches</a>. It'll fit a buggy but will struggle to swallow a set of golf clubs lengthways.

In our test, the Golf R hatch swallowed five carry-on suitcases beneath its parcel shelf, the same number as the S3 and M135i. The estate swallowed nine, the same number as our 2022 Best Family Car for Practicality, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/car-of-the-year-awards-2022-best-family-car-for-practicality/n24017">Skoda Octavia Estate</a>.

You get a height-adjustable boot floor on both the hatch and estate versions for added flexibility, plus 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and a ski hatch.

Fast and more fun than its direct rivals, but the Golf R doesn’t come cheap and won’t thrill you quite like a Toyota GR Yaris.


<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

Volkswagen Golf R review

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Read review covering Volkswagen Golf R boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

There's loads of space in the front of the Volkswagen Golf R. The interior is broad, so you sit with breathing room between you and your passenger, and there's more than enough head and leg room to accommodate anyone tall. ,Rear-seat space is a little less generous. The latest VW Golf has dropped behind the leaders in this area, and both the Ford Focus ST and Skoda Octavia vRS (especially in estate form) will offer your rear passengers more room to lounge about in. Mind you, the R is fractionally roomier in the back than its closest rivals – the Audi S3 and BMW M135i – and two tall adults will fit just fine in the back.,There's more than enough storage space, with compartments and cupholders in the front for pretty much every need, plus a decent-sized glovebox and door bins to boot. Speaking of which, the boot is okay in the hatchback version, but, like the rear seats, isn’t mammoth compared with in some hot hatches. It'll fit a buggy but will struggle to swallow a set of golf clubs lengthways.,In our test, the Golf R hatch swallowed five carry-on suitcases beneath its parcel shelf, the same number as the S3 and M135i. The estate swallowed nine, the same number as our 2022 Best Family Car for Practicality, the Skoda Octavia Estate.,You get a height-adjustable boot floor on both the hatch and estate versions for added flexibility, plus 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and a ski hatch.

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