Volkswagen Golf R v Golf GTI Clubsport – car pictures of the week

The Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf R and GTI models signal the final flicker of life for petrol-powered fast Golfs. In issue 328 of evo, we pit R against GTI Clubsport to find out which is the more rewarding everyday performance car. To read the full feature, pick up a copy of the magazine in-store or online via the evo shop. 

With the Mk8.5 Golf, Volkswagen made one or two missteps that made it a less desirable package than its predecessor overall. With the new Mk8.5, some of those wrongs have been righted, and the R and GTI Clubsport have gained minor mechanical updates to close the gap to the best current hot hatches. 

The changes are subtle, with both models receiving small styling updates and chassis calibration tweaks. The Clubsport generates the same 296bhp as before, but the R has been boosted to 328bhp to match the outgoing 20 Years model. Importantly for usability, the Mk8’s slow and fiddly infotainment system has been swapped out for Volkswagen’s latest MIB 4 setup, including – finally – illuminated temperature and volume controls.

As evo’s Sam Jenkins found out, the R remains a formidable point-to-point hatch, with the GTI Clubsport offering purer front-drive thrills. 

'The R’s all-wheel drive and torque-vectoring systems work well to provide more rotation and positivity mid-corner, but for me they will never be able to replicate the pure, satisfying feel of a lighter, front-drive model such as the GTI Clubsport. And while the R’s trick rear differential injects some energy into the car, it’s still difficult to fully take advantage of it on the road, with the rotation you’re looking for often turning to mild front-end push.’

To read the full test, pick up a copy of evo 328 in-store or online.