Skip advert
Advertisement

Volkswagen Golf R review – is the Mk8 R still relevant?

The Mk8 Golf R’s execution is found wanting; it’s less resolved, more complicated and not as engaging as previous iterations

Evo rating
  • Engine still pulls; strong resale
  • Every dynamic element feels like it’s taken a step or two backwards

The Volkswagen Golf R has become the everyday hot hatch icon of our times. In a new car market where lease and PCP dominate, its mix of value for monthly expenditure and extreme real-world performance have made it an unstoppable force.

It’s fair to say that the pressure is on then for this new iteration, taking the latest Mk8 Golf as a base to reinvent the R without messing too much with the proven recipe. Unlike before, it needs to fit into an even more crowded high-performance Golf range, with the GTI Clubsport now a permanent fixture.

Advertisement - Article continues below

> Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years 2023 review

To keep itself clear, the Golf R remains the only model to utilise all-wheel drive. On top of this, the Mk8 also brought with it a torque-vectoring rear differential with which it has had varying degrees of success.

There are now three forms of Golf R available: base, those fitted with the Performance Pack and the top-spec ‘20 Years’ version. All are fundamentally similar in their technical make-up, but the 20 Years model does feature a small uplift in power and new mapping to the engine and transmission.

Volkswagen Golf R: in detail 

Prices, specs and rivals:

The Golf R range has essentially grown to three different models, with the base R available with and without a Performance Pack, plus the new 20 Years flagship. There are no longer three-door and manual variant options. This makes the base £42,850 asking price a solid few thousand pounds more expensive than its premium rivals from Audi (S3) and BMW (M135i). The recently updated Mercedes-AMG A35 has gone up in price, now starting at £45,930.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

Despite its flagship status within the Golf range and a base price north of £42k, the latest R is rather underspecified when it comes to standard kit. That Performance Pack costs an extra £2050 and you’ll still need to find an extra £850 for the critical adaptive dampers. Want a decent stereo? That’s an extra £665, and while a rear camera sounds reasonable at £320, it should absolutely be standard for this price.

> 2022 hot hatchback battle: hyper hatches

There are expensive indulgences like the £3500 Akrapovič exhaust or £1060 panoramic roof, but the £2610 for leather upholstery is a lot for what essentially comes as standard on almost all rivals. The crux of the long options list is that to reach the point where a Golf R feels well-specced you’ll be knocking on the door of £50k…

The Golf R 20 Years costs from £48,250 and bundles in most of the desirable options including 19-inch wheels and leather upholstery, but the DCC dampers are still an additional extra.

The R’s strongest competitor in its little grouping is the recently updated Mercedes-AMG A35, a car closely modelled on the VW. Both offer digital cockpits, 300-or-so bhp and four-wheel drive, and while the A35 is fractionally more expensive at £45,930, it drives with more polish and composure.

Broaden your horizons into the wider hot hatch world and there are plenty of other choices, whether it’s the dynamism of the Toyota GR Yaris, the great all-rounder that is the Hyundai i30 N, the recently revised Renault Mégane RS or the mighty Honda Civic Type R. There’s a hot hatch for everyone, from the Fiesta ST to the Mercedes-AMG A45, with price, performance and driver appeal to suit.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024
The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024