Skip advert
Advertisement

Volkswagen Golf R review – performance and 0-60 time

Flagship 316bhp figure makes the Golf R about as quick as VAG hatchbacks get, Audi RS3 aside

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

In all rational sense the Golf R is a quick car, but it does feel somewhat blunted by its 1553kg kerb weight, which is over 100kg more than the larger, but admittedly front-wheel-drive Honda Civic Type R. When we put it on our scales, the Golf R 20 Years actually sat underneath the quoted weight at 1529kg, but for a four-cylinder hot hatchback it’s still a big enough figure to cause some problems.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Thanks to the heady combination of a high-torque turbocharged engine, 4Motion all-wheel drive and a dual-clutch transmission, the Golf R will get to 62mph from rest in 4.7sec. The 20 Years car reduces this down a further tenth to 4.6sec – a number that borders on being genuinely rapid.

In-gear performance is impressive, but get on the throttle when in a high gear and it can feel like an age until the turbo’s full potency is delivered. This sluggish feeling is typical of lots of modern performance cars that have been tuned to stay out of the powerband as much as possible to keep MPG, and therefore CO2, as low as possible.

This can be remedied by selecting one of the Golf’s more dynamic driver modes that keeps the engine on the boil more willingly. The 20 Years model has a similar problem, but seems to hit even harder at the top of the rev band to compensate.

The ability to decouple the transmission mode from the engine mode is also a big plus, and if you do decide to take over there is a new set of paddles behind the steering wheel to give you control. It’s one of the few, but much appreciated, improvements the Mk8 has introduced.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

'Jaguar’s rebrand isn’t the problem, its new cars will be'
Jaguar Type 00
Opinion

'Jaguar’s rebrand isn’t the problem, its new cars will be'

Jaguar’s biggest challenge isn’t the fallout from its new brand marketing, but that it’s entering a market that’s showing very little signs of life
3 Dec 2024
Original Ford Escort returning in 2025 as reborn classic
Boreham Motorworks Ford Escort tease
News

Original Ford Escort returning in 2025 as reborn classic

No it won't be an electric SUV. The new Ford Escort for 2025 is a manual, petrol recreation of a classic.
3 Dec 2024
Best Jaguars – big cats that defined the breed
The best Jaguars
Best cars

Best Jaguars – big cats that defined the breed

As Jaguar stares down the barrel of a polarising new era, it’d do well not to forget some of the brilliance from its past. We list Jag’s modern greats…
6 Dec 2024