2024 Volkswagen Golf R

Pros

• Exciting how well the hot car drives.
• The hatchback is useful because.
• Nice seats and a smooth ride.
• All of the usual features are there.

Cons

• Touch functions can be annoying and take your attention away from what you’re doing.

What is the best way to drive a Golf R? The Golf R has one of the most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engines on the market right now. Our test car, a Golf R with an automatic transmission, went from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and went 108.3 mph in 12.7 seconds for the quarter mile. For a small performance car or hot hatchback, those are some fast times. With its strong and smooth engine and dual-clutch gear, this car’s changes are much smoother than those of some competitors’ standard automatics.

It was also very good at handling and stopping. The Golf R stopped from 60 mph in 105 feet, which is one of the best times we’ve seen from a small car. It pulled 0.99 g on the skidpad. With regular all-wheel drive, traction is never a problem, and the adaptive suspension does a great job of controlling body motions. The car feels lighter and more maneuverable on the road than its close relative, the Volkswagen GTI. This is because it has quick handling and well-tuned suspension. It’s not the fastest or most maneuverable car in its class, but it’s also not the strangest either. The Golf R is easy to park because the driving is lighter when the speed is low, even though some reviewers thought it was too heavy in Sport mode.

How does it feel to ride in the Golf R? The changeable suspension dampers in the Golf R make it easier to drive and more comfortable. The Comfort and Sport settings are very different, though the Sport setting stays the same. Also, the Golf R’s seats are great. They support you well because they have set bolsters that hug you without being too tight. The front seats are heated and cooled, and the seats on either side of the driver are also warm. The padding in both rows is comforting without being too stiff.

The Golf R doesn’t make much road or wind noise when it’s going fast on the highway. Even though the exhaust may be controlled, you won’t have any trouble talking to your riders even when it’s set to its loudest level. This engine has four cylinders, so the exhaust noise is pretty loud. When the turbo is turned all the way up, it makes a lovely whine.

In the car, the primary source of our dissatisfaction is the climate control system. The built-in three-zone automated temperature control works well, but finding the right settings is challenging. Volkswagen thought wrongly that the capacitive touch buttons wouldn’t need backlighting, which is why you can’t see them at night. Voice instructions are not a cure, but they can help. At the very least, the air conditioner makes cool air.

How is the state of the inside? The awful capacitive touch buttons in the climate control system are also used in the rest of the car. The only buttons are the ones that change the windows. We accidentally turned on the heated steering wheel more than once when our palms touched the capacitive button during a tight turn. The volume setting on the wheel doesn’t work when pressed or used as a slider.

Luckily, the inside is much better overall. Finding a comfortable position is quick and easy because the driver’s seat can be adjusted in many ways, and the front seat is roomy all the way around. The back seat is comfortable for adults, but this class of cars has more roomy compacts, and the middle seat isn’t very useful because of the center tunnel. Because the doors open wide and are small, it’s easy to get in and out. From the outside, the Golf R’s tall cabin and short pillars make it easy to see, but the side lights could use some work.

What’s wrong with the tech? There is a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and a 10-inch touchscreen display in all Golf Rs. You can change some settings on both of them. The USB-C port on your phone can be used to connect to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two popular wireless options. There is also a portable charging pad inside.

It’s not always easy to use the menu system, but the touchscreen buttons work better than the capacitive touch ones, which is good. The built-in navigation system usually works well, but there are times when it slows. It’s easy to read and move around on the map, and it’s also easy to give directions by speaking on the screen. The second one is more useful than the others in its class and has features like a radio and temperature control.

Volkswagen’s Golf R has a lot of tools to help the driver, like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, and lane-keeping aid. All of them work properly and are easy to set up. There are no false hits or beeps that are too loud. Even better, the manual gearbox has adaptive cruise control built in.

What’s going on with storage? The trunk space of the Golf R is 19.9 cubic feet with the back seats up and 34.5 cubic feet with them folded down. The back seats fold down almost all the way, and the cargo floor is big and low. It’s easier to move taller things with the rear load floor that can be raised or lowered and the back window that opens up. In front of the shifter is a bin for phones or sunglasses. There are also large door pockets, front cupholders that can be moved around (though they’re awkward), and a lot of storage room inside. On the back of each front seat, there are three map pockets. The door pockets in the back are also very roomy.

The Isofix anchors on the Golf R’s outer rear seats are easy to get to, but the seatback pin requires taking off the cargo cover. The big, flat roof and very wide doors give you a lot of room to move around. If you want bigger seats, you should raise the front seat a bit.

How much fuel does it use? The EPA says that the Volkswagen Golf R with an automatic transmission will get 25 mpg on the highway. If you choose the six-speed manual, the total gas mileage will drop to 23 mpg. The model with an automatic transmission gets better ratings than most of its competitors, and only a few cars can match the Golf R’s performance with a manual transmission. The Golf R automatic got an amazing 29.3 mpg on Invoice Pricing 115-mile mixed-driving test route.

Is the Golf R a good deal? The Golf R costs more than the regular Golf GTI, but it is still a good pick. You can only choose the color of the paint and the type of transmission. Other than that, it comes fully equipped as normal. The hot hatch or sport compact’s interior has a high-end feel that no other car can match, and the total build quality is great. The inside is made of more hard plastic than in other cars in the mid-$40,000 range but given how well the car drives, this is a fair trade-off.

In this class, Volkswagen’s basic and engine warranties last for four years and 50,000 miles, which is the standard. You also get free maintenance for two years and roadside help for three years, for a total of 36,000 miles.

The Golf R has been quiet in some ways. The older models were different enough from the regular Golf to be noticed as unique without being too noticeable. The eighth-generation car is the same, but Volkswagen has added a little more zing this time. Its front and back fascias are now more bold than they were before, which makes it sporty and quick. The back wing is much bigger than the front wing, but it still needs to be more noticeable. It looks and feels more grown-up than the Honda Civic Type R or the Hyundai Elantra N.

The Golf R only comes in one equipped trim level, so the only things that make it different are the color and gear. The automatic costs more, and the manual will only be available for one more year. That’s why we suggest you buy the stick.

Different types of Volkswagen Golf R

For the 2024 Volkswagen Golf R, there is only one fully-equipped trim level. You can choose between a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic engine when you order the R. A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive with rear-axle torque vectoring power these up. The Golf R has 315 horsepower and 280 pounds of torque, and its drive has six speeds. With the DSG automatic, the torque goes up by 15 lb-ft, making it 295 lb-ft in total.