Volkswagen Golf R (2014 – 2020) Review

If you're looking for the newer version, you need our Volkswagen Golf R review. 

The Volkswagen Golf R sits at the top of the performance tree for this hatchback range, yet it doesn’t shout about its abilities in the way it looks. Rather, the Golf R does its talking when you get behind the wheel and experience its turbocharged 2.0-litre engine with more than 300PS on tap. This is delivered through a four-wheel drive system to make sure every ounce is used to best effect, and you have a choice of manual or DSG automatic gearboxes. There are also three- and five-door hatches, and an estate for good measure.

For anyone who likes the subtlety of the Volkswagen Golf GTI but wants more performance, the German firm has offered the R version for many years.

Rather than a faster version of the GTI, the R is very much a standalone model and this is emphasised by this top of the tree model having 4Motion all-wheel drive where the GTI makes do with front-drive.

The R is certainly restrained by the standard of rivals such as the Honda Civic Type R or Mercedes-AMG A35, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything shy or retiring about its performance. When launched in 2014, the three- and five-door hatch and the estate models all packed a 300PS 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine. There was also a choice of six-speed manual or DSG auto gearboxes.

Under the bonnet of the Golf R is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol, putting out 300PS and 380Nm of torque. Importantly that torque is available right the way from 1800rpm to 5500rpm, so there is plenty of readily accessible overtaking performance almost regardless of which gear you are in.

In 2017, power was increased to 310PS and there was also the option of a Performance Pack. This did nothing to the power figure but relieved the R of its top speed limiter at 155mph. So, the hatch could march on to 166mph and the slightly more aerodynamic estate could hit 168mph.

The all-wheel drive system does a good job of transferring that power to the road. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 5.1 seconds with the manual transmission and cornering grip is huge. The R can be driven with absolute confidence, despite its impressive performance, with great body control and accurate steering.

The DSG version needed just 4.6 seconds for the same sprint. In anyone’s book, that makes the Golf R a very quick car indeed and one that only the very quickest of hatch rivals could get near, such as the Mercedes A35 and Ford Focus RS in its third generation with four-wheel drive and 2.3-litre motor.

Inside it’s as restrained and well-made as any other Golf, with three-door, five-door and estate body styles offered. It is well-equipped, with climate control, a touchscreen navigation system, auto lights, auto wipers and cruise control included as standard, along with selectable drive modes.

Some might find the interior a little too similar to the Golf GTI’s, but that’s no bad thing in our book as the Golf’s cabin is always a comfortable, superbly well built place to pass any journey.

It’s less exhilarating than a Honda Civic Type R, which feels more boisterous through corners, plus they both sound better under hard acceleration. But many buyers will appreciate the Golf R for being more mature and, in fact, it’s very easy to live with day to day.

Around town it’s as refined and easy to drive as any other Golf, plus it has cruise control and a speed limiter to make life on the motorway easier. The ride quality is firm, but rarely ever harsh or uncomfortable, even on the optional 19-inch alloy wheels. Also, buyers can specify dynamic chassis control which adds variable damping, with Sport, Comfort or Normal settings linked to the selectable driving modes.

Thanks to its 300PS power output of its 2.0-litre turbo engine, the Volkswagen Golf R gets from 0-62mph in as little as 4.6 seconds with the DSG auto transmission, or 5.1 seconds with the manual. 

The DSG gearbox makes the Golf R quicker off the line, but on the move there’s nothing to split it and Golf R models with the manual gearbox. If you choose the estate model, you are limited to the DSG six-speeder as your only option. We prefer the manual simply because it brings the car and driver a bit closer together in the action.

Volkswagen supplies the Golf R with its 4Motion all-wheel drive and later models gained Front Assist and City Emergency Braking. The R also comes with Hill Hold function, Adaptive Cruise Control, parking sensors and Lane Assist, as well as Dynamic Light Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition. This is in addition to automatic headlights and wipers also being included in the GTI’s specification.

The R also comes with twin front, side and curtain airbags, as well as a driver’s knee ’bag. Every occupant gets a three-point belt and there are Isofix child seat mounts in the two outer rear chairs.

Starting with the basics, the Golf R gets it spot on with the driving position thanks to reach and angle adjustment for the steering column. The wheel itself is a flat-bottomed item and just the right thickness to feel sporty in your hands without being too chunky for a relaxed hold when cruising.

The front seats are not as heavily bolstered or sculpted as, say, a Honda Civic Type R’s but they offer plenty of comfort and support. There’s height and lumbar adjustment for the driver’s chair and it’s also set low enough for even the tallest driver to feel ensconced in the R.

The Golf R can still hold all of your weekly grocery shop without flinching and it will also carry a couple of adults in the back seats without making any occupant feel cramped or short on space.

Build quality is typical Volkswagen throughout the Golf R. Everything is solidly screwed together and material quality is excellent. The result is a car that fully justifies its added cost over other Golf models as it shows where that cash has been spent in the way it looks and feels. Even the R’s doors seem to shut with a more premium thunk.

As standard, the Volkswagen Golf R came with a 6.5-inch touchscreen in the centre console to begin with. This was uprated to an 8-inch item and then, finally, a 9.2-inch version. All come with satellite navigation and are as simple to fathom and use as they are in every other Golf model equipped with this kit.

Earlier versions now feel a little dated in their graphics and how quickly they respond to the input of your finger, but they still function smoothly and can be paired with a smartphone using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The last Golf R models make use of the excellent Discover Navigation Pro touchscreen with its 9.2-inch display that is a little bit easier to read on the move.

With the last of the line Volkswagen Golf R models from this seventh generation being sold with a list price of more than £35,500, a nearly new or pre-registered model makes sense. For anyone not bothered by being the second name in the logbook, you could save £5000 on the list price with a five-door, DSG-equipped R on sale for £30,500 with delivery mileage only on the clock.

Choosing to buy a used Golf R through Volkswagen’s own approved used scheme is a safe bet as all the cars come with a 12-month used car warranty. They also have a year’s roadside breakdown cover included, along with guaranteed mileage and history, and VW even offers five days of free insurance when you collect your car so you can just hop in and drive off.

For finance, Volkswagen’s Solutions personal contract plan allows you to pay an initial deposit and monthly instalments. At the end of the deal, you can hand the car back, use it to part-exchange against another car or pay the balance to own it outright.

Look to older versions and a seven-year old with 70,000 miles under its grille will start at around £13,500. Move that forward to a three-year old with 30,000 miles to its name and the price will be from £20,000 whether you want a hatch or estate, manual or DSG gearbox.

There is a bit of variation in the Volkswagen Golf R’s fuel economy figures, with the hatchback the most efficient on a claimed combined consumption of up to 40.4mpg with the DSG gearbox. However, Real MPG figures show this works out to 29.9mpg in daily driving. Using Real MPG data, we can see the 310PS DSG Estate comes out best with a true number of 32.4mpg.

As the last of the R models built on the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf platform rolled out of the showrooms, they pay first-year road tax at £1305 due to carbon dioxide emissions of 195g/km. After that, all Golf Rs registered on or after 1 April 2017 will pay a flat fee of £150 for their Vehicle Excise Duty.

Golf Rs registered up to 31 March 2017 will need you to stump up £305 every 12 months for road tax, though they avoid the added £325 penalty for cars with an original list price of more than £40,000 that hits the likes of the Audi S3 and some Mercedes-AMG A35 models.

The Golf R arrived in 2014 with 18-inch alloy wheels, R exterior body styling, matt chrome effect door mirrors, and dark light clusters.

There were also four oval tailpipes and a black diffuser under the back bumper. Inside, it has sport front seats, cloth and Alcantara upholstery, 6.5-inch touchscreen with DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and navigation. You also get climate control, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, auto lights, auto wipers and parking sensors.

The Performance Pack introduced in 2017 for £2300 brought 19-inch Spielberg alloy wheels, silver-painted and lighter R-Performance brake calipers and bigger front brake discs.

This pack also uncapped the top speed limiter, so the hatch could reach 166mph and the estate a flat-out 168mph. Towards the end of its life, the Golf R came with the Active Info 12.3-inch digital display that can be configured to suit the driver’s preferences to show speed, revs, sat-nav map and other data.