I’ve got something to come clean about at the outset of this review. I used to own a Mk7.5 Golf R. Well, I say ‘own’, I was one of the myriad folks who leased one. Yes, it was white, of course it was. As much as I like the Lapiz blue paintwork, I wasn’t forking out more per month for the pleasure. White was fine. And so was the car. In fact, it was more than fine. My wife used it for her daily commute, the kids’ seats slotted easily in the back and I took it on track days. It was as happy on the M25 in rush hour as it was on Paddocks Hill Bend at Brands Hatch. For a one-car family, it was perfect.
I was, therefore, rather excited about the prospect of reviewing the Mk8 Golf R. It’s been three years since ‘my’ 7.5 was collected and taken to a field somewhere near Milton Keynes. Would the Mk8 represent a step forward for the Golf R? Would I feel compelled to shout and swear at the infotainment system like everyone else? Could it possibly retain the steady upward trajectory of the Golf R from its Mk7 days, a car which compelled other manufacturers to come to market with powerful, four-wheel drive hatchbacks in an attempt to take a slice of the pie from Volkswagen?
We’ve already reached that fork in the review: will it be another article full of adoration from a Golf R fanboy, or will it be the contrarian take?
First things first, it’s a Golf. That means it has to cover all of the practicalities that entails. My first assignment in it was a trip to Blackburn. Jumping in, it was very easy to set my phone up. I had deliberately left it as a first take to see how easy the infotainment system was to get to grips with. It’s all touchscreen supplemented by a rather congested steering wheel. If you prefer physical buttons, it’s a bad start.
Yet it’s easy enough to get to grips with. The layout is intuitive enough, although the previous occupant had cranked the bass up to an unliveable level. I tried to grit my teeth but after 100 miles of driving through heavy rain I deigned to sort that out. Such procedure undoubtedly distracts your attention from the road ahead as you click through menus. Set the adaptive cruise control as a safety net.
The HVAC also takes a moment to get used to. It’s again operated via the touchscreen which can be fiddly. One issue of reading reviews such as these is that journalists tend to get ‘only’ a week with the cars. The downside of that is constantly swapping between infotainment systems. If you had a Golf R and lived with it, the idiosyncrasies would iron themselves out after a short while once you learn instinctively where everything is.
The only major annoyance was operating it at night. There’s a lip beneath the screen which you automatically use as a rest for your other fingers whilst the index one prods at the screen. The trouble here is that the ledge contains touchpads for the heating and volume. Neither is backlit, so at night you’re forever bringing up new menus over the ones you’re trying to alter. That bit is annoying.
A return journey up the M25, M40 and M6 isn’t the Golf R’s natural environment, but it impressed nonetheless. The Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adds £875 to the price but offers 15 different settings for the dampers. I’d say it’s worth the outlay, because you can really finetune the Golf R to the environment and driving style you’re in at that moment. Once you get off the motorway onto something a little more enjoyable, you can embrace a more focussed setup.
Whichever environment you’re in, there’s always plenty of power. The 2-litre turbo-charged EA888 engine produces 316bhp and 420Nm of torque. This kicks the Golf R from 0-60mph in just 4.7secs. Whilst it always feels quick, it never pins you back in a frenzy of acceleration, being more considered in feel than the numbers suggest. Whatever the case, a heavy right foot produces all the results you need to pull off quick overtakes and keep progressing along the motorway.
On a decent B-road, the Golf R feels a little more comfortable. The four-wheel drive system with its R-Performance Torque Vectoring does a remarkable job of keeping things well under control. You’d have to do something exceptionally stupid to lose control completely.
You can really feel the system moving power around between the rear wheels in bends. A week of heavy rain, damp roads and cold weather provided a consistent test of its abilities. It gives you confidence to place the Golf R through corners and get back on the power early. There are times when its abilities leave you laughing out loud to yourself. If it puts a smile on your face, then the Golf R has certainly done something right.
The Mk8 Golf R lands the punches that it needs to. Ultimately, it’s a Golf, so it handles practicality and comfort with ease. Being the Golf R, it also packs the performance you’re paying for. Speaking of which, the price…
Life has become rather expensive and the Golf R as tested here comes in at £52,862. It starts at £44,170. So, which options could you live without?
The first to go would be the Akrapovic exhaust at £3,605. It looks fabulous, with four menacing pipes protruding from the rear. It also provides aggressive pops and bangs but this isn’t the most sonorous of engines. It’s probably best to make peace with that fact.
The R Performance Pack costs £2,245. It’s one to consider. Larger, 19” wheels, a more aggressive spoiler plus drift and special modes. I’ve got no idea who uses drift modes (at least on the road) but special mode is perfect for UK roads having been honed at the Nürburgring. The previously mentioned DCC provides a wide range of individuality, though.
Overall, however, the Golf R is a compelling package. It’s perfect for a one-car family, and that’s the entire point. It’s not as focussed as a GR Yaris or Civic Type R. But it’s more subtle and more practical. I’d never convince my wife that a Civic Type R is the car for her, and the Yaris is too small.
If you need a family car that morphs into a track day weapon and the click of a drive mode, then few do it better than the Golf R. It retains an astonishing breadth of capability, from sportscar chaser to simply just being a Golf.
