As a young guy I drove an STi. As a guy who’s nearly 50, I see the Golf R as a refreshing alternative to the “race car” look. It’ll be nice to go to the store and not have an idiot in a Camaro want to race.
Yeah I'm 41 in a Tesla Model 3 performance and used to own a MK7 R and loved it. My Tesla lease is up about this time next year so I'm already starting to look at options and this is obviously high on the list. It'd certainly be cheaper than the Tesla. The S3 is another strong contender but is lacking in trunk space vs the Tesla and the R. The S4 is another but is pushing up into prices that I'm not 100% sure I NEED to pay given how many check boxes the R nails for about $10k less. Honestly the performance for money this car offers is practically untouchable if you want to avoid the aesthetics of the Elantra N and Toyota and have to have 4 doors like I do. Oh and I had a scatpack charger which was amazing but a complete axe murderer in the rain and got about 11mpg avg but had tons of room, was pretty quick and looked and SOUNDED amazing.
@@FastRedPonyCar Folks don't realize how great of a value the R is. You can't find another 4door, AWD, 300hp+ car with an adaptive suspension for less than $60k. You could get a fully loaded S3 and it will lack the heated rear seats/heated wheel that the Golf has....and you can't get the torque vectoring rear diff at all.
People are missing the point the golf r is by far and away the best hot hatch daily. The adjustable dampers make all the difference. Everything else rattles ur teeth out on rough roads.
Yep! I owned a 2021 VN and absolutely loved it. BUT, I went on a road trip with a bunch of luggage on board, and I was miserable. The suspension was already pretty rough on its own, but once loaded up with weight you felt every single bump. I now have a mk8 R and its night and day difference in regards to suspension
@@nicholasjacobs3862 which one would you say is more fun overall? I’m aware that the VN is far less refined and not at all in the same league as far as refinement
@@jameswillard1 VN is definitely more fun, even though it is quite a bit slower. I had fun every time I sat in it. The golf is much much more boring and less rowdy, even though its significantly faster
@@jameswillard1 I have modded veloster N and it still way cheaper than golf R, stage2 pushing around 305 whp, and yellow speed racing coil overs amongst many other mods and it still no where near golf R price. Very fun
Dude, let me tell you, like another commenter stated, I have watched dozens of Golf R reviews over the months and this might be the best one out there. Well done.
You made the best review for the Golf R, hands down. I have watched countless videos on this car this past week and they're so dramatic and negative. You are right to the point, sensible and concise. Just like the Golf R is an adults hot hatch, this is an adults youtube channel for car reviews. I was a BIG fan of the Mk4 R32 in that blue color and used to dream of the Mk4 being involved in WRC at the time. I am in the car market right now and for me it is the 2023 Golf R 20th Anniversary in lapiz blue metallic (tribute to the R32) or a Polestar 2 performance - black paint with the gold calipers and seatbelts.. looks effing amazing. I am leaning towards the Golf R but both are extremely compelling cars for me. The Polestar 2 is going to be around 72k or more (mark ups) which sucks but it's operating system (infotainment) looks unbeatable, android automotive is the future. Golf R 20th is going to be around 46k or more. I have a question for you; which would you pick out of the 2 and money wasn't a factor?
First: thank you so much for that! Second: the Polestar 2 is a different beast. I just drove the volvo clone, the C40, and it drives like a rocketship. Dual motor performance is out of this world. Android Automotive isn’t quite like Android Auto just yet, so it doesn’t have quite the same app support, but that may change. Given the state of EV infrastructure right now, and depending your charging situation, I’m leaning more towards the Golf R, even when money isn’t a factor.
Cool review, I do have to say that Ive driven my new R for around two months and most of the complaints about the infotainment system from people have been pretty much non existent for me.
Agreed. It’s pretty simple to use after a few days, very responsive, entirely customizable… If you’re into technology it’s a step further for sure. It makes previous cars feel dated. I honestly don’t get the usual infotainment criticisms !
Hey, liked the comparisons with the other hot hatches. I just bought a ‘24 R a couple weeks ago, and I’m glad you were as amazed as I was when I drove it home. I had a 2018 GTI, but I got smushed sitting at a traffic light by a giant SUV. But good to know the golf is a car that will protect its occupants! First car I bought myself was a Civic Si, and this is the grown-up version of that car. But it’s hiding its beastly performance! I plan to tune it and put in a few mods once I’m not under warranty, but this thing has plenty of power stock (and my old car is a track-ready 1998 E36 M3 sedan) But the DSG is for people who don’t know how to shift. 🤣 take care, and I am so glad I bought this R!!!
I bought a 2018 7.5 R new. Yes, it's more expensive in maintenance than what I was used to in my Civic but the Golf R is a lot car. I was considering the GTI but loved the Lapiz blue. And the R was CHEAPER to insure than the GTI. Crazy. I can get up 30 mpg on 80 + mile trips. I want to see what 8.5 Golf R will look like. If VW brings back Spektrum I may jump right in.
45K is definitely not cheap, but I think the Golf R is such a useful car that it's worth the money. It's practical being a hatchback, and it's also fast and fun to drive. I also happen to love the looks of it. A great bang-for-your-buck kind of car IMO.
hey man hows your veloster n? i like your videos bruu . did u put new mods in your veloster n? i just got my veloster n 2022 3 days ago . followed your tutorial on how to put the aem intake that stututut sound sounds good in person. anyways keep it up broo love your videos 👍
I got used to the infotainment, but I dont get it that I have the cockpit display in my favorite view and if I press the blue R on the steering wheel for sport/race mode, the display changes to its race display (its like why? .... 😣).
I don’t think those are marketed to the same people. The R is for middle aged men, who want performance without fuss. GR is more boyracer to me. The price confirms it
@@geronimooo260 poor marketing by VW then. I only see teens and flat brimmed hat wearing 30 year olds blowing huge clouds of vape out the windows driving the golf r.
@@geronimooo260 yes and no. Plenty of folks who can afford a GR Corolla can afford a Golf R. It only seems like pricing dictated marketing, but had Toyota offered the same Hp and/or 2.0L motor as the Golf R, it would certainly come down to personal taste versus price point (just like the Type R and STi, both similarly priced).
@@steve8803 Agreed. But those kids are driving older Golf Rs. I don't see any kids driving a 2 year old or newer R. Older guys drive the late model Rs.
@@vandrosia I am not a VW enthusiast, so I don't have a trained eye when it comes to the differences. Honestly, a 2 year old and a 12 year old golf r looks the same to me. So as far are the "maturity" level of the car, they are all the same. These cars have great appeal to children. SO it's a false statement to say they are for "grownups".
I am a 57 year old man who loves this car but wonder if I would look out of place driving it ? Don't want to look like one of those guys having a mid life crisis or something. Any opinions ? Can a 57 yo pull it off ?
@@briannwo1900 1000% you can pull it off. That’s the beauty of these car. For the average driver this looks just like the regular Golf their grandmas drive to the doctors appointment. As a matter of facts very recently I saw what I could tell was easily a 70+ years old lady, driving a white MK 7.5 R. She was just cruising on the highway minding her own business. She didn’t look out of place at all. Besides, if it is the car you love go for it man. Forget about what others might think. It’s how you feel that matters.
I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it….plenty of old folks driving Type R’s and STi’s, let alone Golf R’s.🤪. It’s not what you’re driving, but rather how you feel driving it.
1200 miles on my Mk8 R and it’s in the shop with a misfire. The dealer says it’s a bad injector. It’s been a week and a half now with out my new car. I’ve almost put as many miles on the A4 loaner they gave me. 🤷♂️
Thats not good. How is the car now a year later. I got a 2015 GTI SE manual( original owner) and just put a deposit on a R manual. I got 220K miles on my GTI and its been pretty good so I thought of stepping into the R.. I assume the R would be better built than the GTI.
@@bucknut2000 I’m at 23k + and haven’t had any more issues I’m also runn stage 1+ racingline tune and should be a little over 400hp to the wheels. She’s a rocket. If only someone would crack the tcu so I could have my dsg tuned…. Once that happens I’ll actually try to get some dragy/ 1/4 mile times to see if I can get close to the 10’s.
Man that little nub shifter along with the haptic infotainment on top of the very high price tag is just a big turn off for me. I do love the drift mode though. I think I'll stick with my veloster n. It's more aggressive on almost every level. And as he said in the video, a little tune here and a little something there and you got more power than the golf r and still have close to $10k in your pocket lol
I wouldn't get one just because of the infotainment. An absolute dumpster fire. It also just doesn't have the playful, childish fun that you get in the Hyundai N cars. It's also much more expensive. I'd either save the money and get an Elantra/Veloster N or wait and get a GR Corolla.
As a young guy I drove an STi. As a guy who’s nearly 50, I see the Golf R as a refreshing alternative to the “race car” look. It’ll be nice to go to the store and not have an idiot in a Camaro want to race.
lol you only really have to worry about idiots in GTI's now!
But if u decide to "go for it" u will be happy with your end results :)
@@vroomgc 😂
Yeah I'm 41 in a Tesla Model 3 performance and used to own a MK7 R and loved it. My Tesla lease is up about this time next year so I'm already starting to look at options and this is obviously high on the list. It'd certainly be cheaper than the Tesla. The S3 is another strong contender but is lacking in trunk space vs the Tesla and the R. The S4 is another but is pushing up into prices that I'm not 100% sure I NEED to pay given how many check boxes the R nails for about $10k less.
Honestly the performance for money this car offers is practically untouchable if you want to avoid the aesthetics of the Elantra N and Toyota and have to have 4 doors like I do.
Oh and I had a scatpack charger which was amazing but a complete axe murderer in the rain and got about 11mpg avg but had tons of room, was pretty quick and looked and SOUNDED amazing.
@@FastRedPonyCar Folks don't realize how great of a value the R is. You can't find another 4door, AWD, 300hp+ car with an adaptive suspension for less than $60k. You could get a fully loaded S3 and it will lack the heated rear seats/heated wheel that the Golf has....and you can't get the torque vectoring rear diff at all.
Had absolutely zero issues with my 2019 Golf R, so far. I love it !
People are missing the point the golf r is by far and away the best hot hatch daily. The adjustable dampers make all the difference. Everything else rattles ur teeth out on rough roads.
Yep! I owned a 2021 VN and absolutely loved it. BUT, I went on a road trip with a bunch of luggage on board, and I was miserable. The suspension was already pretty rough on its own, but once loaded up with weight you felt every single bump.
I now have a mk8 R and its night and day difference in regards to suspension
@@nicholasjacobs3862 which one would you say is more fun overall? I’m aware that the VN is far less refined and not at all in the same league as far as refinement
@@jameswillard1 VN is definitely more fun, even though it is quite a bit slower. I had fun every time I sat in it. The golf is much much more boring and less rowdy, even though its significantly faster
Lmao I have aftermarket coil overs so no problem there still saved thousands of dollars
@@jameswillard1 I have modded veloster N and it still way cheaper than golf R, stage2 pushing around 305 whp, and yellow speed racing coil overs amongst many other mods and it still no where near golf R price. Very fun
Dude, let me tell you, like another commenter stated, I have watched dozens of Golf R reviews over the months and this might be the best one out there. Well done.
Thank you!!! Hope you’ll subscribe for more!
You made the best review for the Golf R, hands down. I have watched countless videos on this car this past week and they're so dramatic and negative. You are right to the point, sensible and concise. Just like the Golf R is an adults hot hatch, this is an adults youtube channel for car reviews. I was a BIG fan of the Mk4 R32 in that blue color and used to dream of the Mk4 being involved in WRC at the time. I am in the car market right now and for me it is the 2023 Golf R 20th Anniversary in lapiz blue metallic (tribute to the R32) or a Polestar 2 performance - black paint with the gold calipers and seatbelts.. looks effing amazing. I am leaning towards the Golf R but both are extremely compelling cars for me. The Polestar 2 is going to be around 72k or more (mark ups) which sucks but it's operating system (infotainment) looks unbeatable, android automotive is the future. Golf R 20th is going to be around 46k or more. I have a question for you; which would you pick out of the 2 and money wasn't a factor?
First: thank you so much for that! Second: the Polestar 2 is a different beast. I just drove the volvo clone, the C40, and it drives like a rocketship. Dual motor performance is out of this world. Android Automotive isn’t quite like Android Auto just yet, so it doesn’t have quite the same app support, but that may change.
Given the state of EV infrastructure right now, and depending your charging situation, I’m leaning more towards the Golf R, even when money isn’t a factor.
@@ShiftingLanes My charging situation where I live is far from ideal. I'm leaning towards the R as well.
@@KeepinItSurreal
Have you decided yet? I’d go R with a cheap, ugly, Bolt ev. Change the tires & it’s pretty fun.
Thanks!
Much appreciated!!!
7.5 R Zero issues since new !
Great review, I’m on a waitlist at my local VW dealer. Confident I can master the infotainment system (I hope!). 👍
Cool review, I do have to say that Ive driven my new R for around two months and most of the complaints about the infotainment system from people have been pretty much non existent for me.
Interesting. Could you elaborate on this please?
Agreed. It’s pretty simple to use after a few days, very responsive, entirely customizable… If you’re into technology it’s a step further for sure. It makes previous cars feel dated. I honestly don’t get the usual infotainment criticisms !
Hey, liked the comparisons with the other hot hatches. I just bought a ‘24 R a couple weeks ago, and I’m glad you were as amazed as I was when I drove it home. I had a 2018 GTI, but I got smushed sitting at a traffic light by a giant SUV. But good to know the golf is a car that will protect its occupants!
First car I bought myself was a Civic Si, and this is the grown-up version of that car. But it’s hiding its beastly performance! I plan to tune it and put in a few mods once I’m not under warranty, but this thing has plenty of power stock (and my old car is a track-ready 1998 E36 M3 sedan)
But the DSG is for people who don’t know how to shift. 🤣 take care, and I am so glad I bought this R!!!
Just picked mine up and absolutely love it how quick it is and how it handles and so much fun
How'd you get your hands on one? None in GA been looking at all the vw dealers here :(
I bought a 2018 7.5 R new. Yes, it's more expensive in maintenance than what I was used to in my Civic but the Golf R is a lot car. I was considering the GTI but loved the Lapiz blue. And the R was CHEAPER to insure than the GTI. Crazy. I can get up 30 mpg on 80 + mile trips. I want to see what 8.5 Golf R will look like. If VW brings back Spektrum I may jump right in.
Great review.
45K is definitely not cheap, but I think the Golf R is such a useful car that it's worth the money. It's practical being a hatchback, and it's also fast and fun to drive. I also happen to love the looks of it. A great bang-for-your-buck kind of car IMO.
In Europe a Golf 8R is about 60K or more.
"The shifter has been sitting in the pool too long" I caught that!! 😂😂
hey man hows your veloster n? i like your videos bruu . did u put new mods in your veloster n? i just got my veloster n 2022 3 days ago . followed your tutorial on how to put the aem intake that stututut sound sounds good in person. anyways keep it up broo love your videos 👍
I modded mine stage 2 pushing about 290-300whp stock turbo. Still cheaper than Golf R
I got used to the infotainment, but I dont get it that I have the cockpit display in my favorite view and if I press the blue R on the steering wheel for sport/race mode, the display changes to its race display (its like why? .... 😣).
I have modded VN stage2 305 whp, coil overs intercooler intake, I can go on and on and it still no where near golf R price and it's just as fan
Still fwd
Hard to overlook the Golf R’s annoyances when it’s Hp is understated. 😁….but they’re enough to push me towards the GR Corolla.😜
You can't get a GR Corolla even if you wanted to.
I don’t think those are marketed to the same people. The R is for middle aged men, who want performance without fuss. GR is more boyracer to me. The price confirms it
@@geronimooo260 poor marketing by VW then. I only see teens and flat brimmed hat wearing 30 year olds blowing huge clouds of vape out the windows driving the golf r.
@@geronimooo260 yes and no. Plenty of folks who can afford a GR Corolla can afford a Golf R. It only seems like pricing dictated marketing, but had Toyota offered the same Hp and/or 2.0L motor as the Golf R, it would certainly come down to personal taste versus price point (just like the Type R and STi, both similarly priced).
Golf R Killer? Did the Golf R lose tuning support?
Volest3r N is gone so I hope everyone got a golf r lmao
To compare a gti to an r is very very different
this was 45k before? can i still get that price now?
No, they are now 48k MSRP, good luck with dealer markups
You should have got the manual
The Golf R is for grownups, instead of children.
I've seen plenty of kids driving a golf r.
@@steve8803 But how many of those kids drive a 2 year old or newer R?
@@vandrosia IDK, all I even see driving a golf r is kids. That's my experience.
@@steve8803 Agreed. But those kids are driving older Golf Rs. I don't see any kids driving a 2 year old or newer R. Older guys drive the late model Rs.
@@vandrosia I am not a VW enthusiast, so I don't have a trained eye when it comes to the differences. Honestly, a 2 year old and a 12 year old golf r looks the same to me. So as far are the "maturity" level of the car, they are all the same. These cars have great appeal to children. SO it's a false statement to say they are for "grownups".
Manual better though
Less practical
@@f22jax is it?
@@ssamcobalt4956 to me maybe not you
Why do you care what others think about what you drive..you should drive whatever you want…
I am a 57 year old man who loves this car but wonder if I would look out of place driving it ? Don't want to look like one of those guys having a mid life crisis or something. Any opinions ? Can a 57 yo pull it off ?
I'd say so. Get an unassuming color and you'll blend right in. To most people it just looks like a Golf.
@@markkibbe1802 Thanks
@@briannwo1900 1000% you can pull it off. That’s the beauty of these car. For the average driver this looks just like the regular Golf their grandmas drive to the doctors appointment. As a matter of facts very recently I saw what I could tell was easily a 70+ years old lady, driving a white MK 7.5 R. She was just cruising on the highway minding her own business. She didn’t look out of place at all. Besides, if it is the car you love go for it man. Forget about what others might think. It’s how you feel that matters.
@@luisjalvareztorres8481 Well said.
I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it….plenty of old folks driving Type R’s and STi’s, let alone Golf R’s.🤪. It’s not what you’re driving, but rather how you feel driving it.
1200 miles on my Mk8 R and it’s in the shop with a misfire. The dealer says it’s a bad injector. It’s been a week and a half now with out my new car. I’ve almost put as many miles on the A4 loaner they gave me. 🤷♂️
Thats not good. How is the car now a year later. I got a 2015 GTI SE manual( original owner) and just put a deposit on a R manual. I got 220K miles on my GTI and its been pretty good so I thought of stepping into the R.. I assume the R would be better built than the GTI.
@@bucknut2000 I’m at 23k + and haven’t had any more issues I’m also runn stage 1+ racingline tune and should be a little over 400hp to the wheels. She’s a rocket. If only someone would crack the tcu so I could have my dsg tuned…. Once that happens I’ll actually try to get some dragy/ 1/4 mile times to see if I can get close to the 10’s.
Man that little nub shifter along with the haptic infotainment on top of the very high price tag is just a big turn off for me. I do love the drift mode though. I think I'll stick with my veloster n. It's more aggressive on almost every level. And as he said in the video, a little tune here and a little something there and you got more power than the golf r and still have close to $10k in your pocket lol
this way more refined
I see these in Austria everywhere and the normal golfs are ok but the r‘s and gti are unnecessarily overpriced and there’s no use for it here lmao
I mean if you’re just commuting normally then there’s no use for any fast car…
I own a 2019 mk7.5 GTI and would love to upgrade to a mk8 R. I do both suburban and highway driving in Australia.
Just get a turbo S.
I wouldn't get one just because of the infotainment. An absolute dumpster fire. It also just doesn't have the playful, childish fun that you get in the Hyundai N cars. It's also much more expensive. I'd either save the money and get an Elantra/Veloster N or wait and get a GR Corolla.
You coming to Carlisle this year!?
@@ShiftingLanes Hopefully! Schedule is pretty packed that week but I'm gonna try to make it work
Nice! Will shoot you a message on IG.
Gr corolla lol. Good luck
@@snikersnack I mean yeah for the first few months it'll probaby be near impossible to get one, let alone at a decent price.
Waste of time, dude doesn’t even drive it FFS
I wouldn't buy one, just because I know people had one and it just became a big pain in the butt. For the cost of that thing to. Hell no
Thanks for that insightful , knowledgeable piece of information
@@vroomgc 😂😂