Great review and love the context with competitive Cars. And I really appreciate the “My Week With …” series as it’s great to get your initial impressions and then the thoughts after a whole week. Great job!
There is only one reason why the dsg and R dont wanna go fast and has delay. That is because this car is built in the way that if we dribe it normal for a day the learning ayatem that learns how we deive it changes to soft . If you juat floor it everyday and maximum of raping it basically it will %100 stay on its feet. As soon as you deive it chill for a day or two it will become that
Test drove a new GTI and we owned a 1.8T Golf. Experienced exactly what you described with both transmissions. It's just VW's poor programming. In regular mode, both were lethargic and didn't want to downshift. In Sport mode, they are too aggressive. If we buy another VW, we will do a TCU tune right away to make it more enjoyable to drive.
I don’t have the quite the same transmission lag in my R but putting the trans in S+ solves that issue for me. In that mode, it is very rev-happy and VERY responsive.
I would agree with the transmission comment. If you want it to go you have to drop gears manually but it WILL GO. You just have to take the reigns. That's what the paddles are for. Shifts are very quick. I drive some terrific country backroads and it's a beast especially in snow and ice. It is a fantastic transmission. An aftermarket tune can take care of that.
There is something seriously wrong here. My 23 R DSG does not behave like this. I do notice that if I put the car in comfort it's less eager to response but it's fine in normal mode. I believe that it probably adapted to how the previous driver drove and it will need some time to adapt to your driving style. DSG adaptation behavior has been a thing since they existed basically. edit: I saw the thing about the radio. Yeah this car has seen better days. I wonder what they did with the car before you lol.
@layne4376 nah dude it has nothing to do with turbo lag. I'm pretty sure Matt said a few times the "laggy" issue is non existent when he used it in manual mode.
Reminds me of my MK6 GTI ... It was either gas-sipping mode or rocket mode, no in between. The computer in my old GTI was not good at selecting gears for the situation so often times I would just take over on the paddles. I do like that this version of the Golf R comes without a sunroof. I'm very interested in this car.
I’m surprised that Matt doesn’t like the DSG in the Golf R. The DSG in my MK7 GTI is absolutely flawless and experiences non of the issues you spoke of in this video. I have RARELY caught it off guard. I think there was something seriously off with this car. The DSG is really the only auto transmission I have ever liked, coming from two manual cars previously. I personally would not recommend the manual Golf R. It feels like a total afterthought and really isn’t all that pleasant to row gears in. Also, if you plan to modify. The stock clutch is very weak and will begin slipping with only a stage 1 tune.
It sounds like the Mk7s are a lot better. After I posted this video my buddy with the tuned Mk8 Golf R texted me and said his actually is a dog around town too, and that his Mk7.5 R was better. And a couple other commenters here said there's does the same, so I really think it's a Mk8 thing.
@@MattMaranMotoringi have a 24R and a 2015 GTI both manual. I preferred the 2015 one better the 24R seems a little German clunky. I think its just better for normal driving or a more rested driving. I did have the option for a DSG and I found it was always in the wrong gear in the GTI i tested. And the downshifts with the paddles were clunky, they said to put it in sport and it would solve that but i was in the city and wanted to go .
I drive a rental 23 Golf currently. It's a DSG mild hybrid 1 liter, and it has the exact same problem. I only drive it with the transmission in sport. Regular drive basically useless. I'm very surprised to hear it's also an issue in the R..
I’ve my MK8 GTI for over a year and I’ve never had issues with the infotainment screen/system. Only issue was with the steering wheel but 99% of Golfs have them
I had a late model Audi TTS with basically the same power train. I was very disappointed with the transmission when I got it. I eventually did a tune on both he engine and the transmission. I think the transmission tune was more noticeable than the engine tune and if I could do only one it would be an easy choice. It changed the character on the car. I still really wanted a manual though so I ended up trading for an MX-5 RF GT. Slower but way more fun. I had an S3 for a while and the transmission tuning was better than the TTS. The Golf R used to be my dream car. I still like the idea of it but may never own one.
My 2018 (B9) Audi S4 has a similar transmission tuning issue despite being a totally different ZF 8-speed. The delay in kick down and throttle response in Comfort or Auto mode can be dangerous at times when you’re trundling along in traffic and suddenly need to give it boot to get around or otherwise avoid something. I’m now proactively shifting to Dynamic powertrain when I anticipate an issue getting around bicyclists, getting through intersections, or merging. Fortunately that can be done by pulling the gear selector back once, rather than digging through screen menus.
Just picked up my black R 20th anniversary today and it is a riot. 6spd manual and here in Canada it comes with a standard sunroof as well. Best money 💰 I have spent thus far! If you are thinking of getting one go buy it NOW!! Shout out to Matt for always providing great content. Cheers! Side note my R out the door price was $40000.00 usd
Test drove the Golf R and a JCW Mini Cooper convertible. Both cars seat four and handle very well. Once I drooped the top, I knew I had to get the JCW. That car has it all.
I think the DSG/transmission issue may be a fault of your car. If it wasn’t a press vehicle, I would try disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes, then driving it again to see how it handles.
I was seriously considering one but just couldn't get over the touch buttons even after test driving. I'm picking up an integra type s instead because it's the more complete car in my opinion as it's got the bigger cargo space and more engaging drive. Yes the Golf R gets the Sunroof, memory seats, full rear bench, rear vents and probably heated rear seats but the reality for me is that I barely ever have 5 people in my car and I never use the Sunroof in my current car. I just had a bigger smile on when I drove the Integra type s which beats out any feature I'll rarely use. Yes it sucks that I don't get all that for 52k but other then awd for winter I think the Integra type s suits me better.
@@layne4376 yes to me it's a more complete car. As I mentioned the Golf has more luxury features but definitely no where near as fun behind the wheel. I was skeptical about getting a fwd hot hatch but I was convinced after a test drive you should definitely test drive one (and test drive it hard) if you can because you're missing out if you'd rather have a Golf R. Integra Type S is a master of almost everything other then price
I've got mk7.5 R and my car behaves the same way Matt describes. Very fast response if the throttle is 100% but there's delay when doing partial accelerations. Definitely a little annoying but got used to it at this point. Usually bump the transmission to S momentarily to get the revs up quicker.
Really interesting perspective Matt, as a now 8Y S3 owner, definitely do not feel this present in my car. Sure, the turbo has some lag but that’s to be expected. Wonder what happened in the transmission or engine calibration to cause the feeling.
I think you have to live with the car for awhile to understand it. This car is supposed to be an excellent city driver, that when demanded of it opens up. Great review.
I own a Golf R 20th and I know what you're talking about with the throttle response. I got used to the way it drives though. Anytime I wanna go quick, I just tap the transmssion in S, take off, then just tap in back in D to cruise so I don't have to worry about high rpms, changing modes, etc. It's easy to work around for me, but yes, comfort drive mode drives very lethargic.
Thanks for weighing in. After I posted this, my buddy with the Mk8 R texted me and said even with a tune his usually feels like a dog around town too. I'm glad you don't mind going back and forth with the S mode but I find it kind of ridiculous that VW chose to do it this way when other competitors and even stuff like the S3 is tuned to be responsive and still economical.
S3 was a stiff ride for me, steering wheel wasn’t as responsive, turbo lag. I bought a DSG Golf R Instead. You get use to switching modes after a couple weeks. The Comfort mode nerfs you a bit but definitely a smooth ride, always responsive in any mode.
Yeah, the regular drive mode in these 7 speed DSGs is so conservative. I have a 2019 GLI with the DSG and it’s quite boring in drive. I pretty much throw the transmission in sport mode in every situation.
I’ll never track any car. I have a manual Mk8 GR, coming from a 718 6speed, it’s okay. I’m not sure why people feel the manual sucks. I find it adequate for the experience of rowing your gears for normal or even fun driving experience. Once at speed the manual is easy to heal toe. I use it for comfortable commuting. But I do agree that if you are looking for a sports car, it is not. It’s a do all car. For a sports car, I have my 6 speed BRZ.
@@MattMaranMotoring Matt :) You have chosen, been the final opinion in all my car purchases since you began. Should I skip both of them? I am worried about R’s reliability. Apparently you consider new Minis to be solid. I would have to eventually put an LSD in the mini JCW. They are absent in them. I never modified a car, so that makes me think. Do you ever do a consulting fee sort of work type deal? You deserve much.
This is a little disheartening, so many reviews have praised this vehicle/transmission. You are the first I’ve seen having issues with the transmission. Definitely gotta get a test drive in at some point
Does this guy know how to drive? If the car is in comfort mode it doesn't snap off shifts. Otherwise the snaps shifts moving the car to 60mph below 4 seconds. Some folks shouldn't be allowed to review cars.. Almost evwrything he complains about is incorrect plus his whiny voice is unbearable
I love my mk8 40th anniversary gti but I have a rattle in my drivers door that’s been very consistent for a while. The whole car has a rattle in places and it kinda ticks me off considering how much I’m paying on it.
Hey Matt. Out of the factory is never great! A remap would fix that issue straight away!! Ironically I found the Tiguan R more responsive straight from the factory!! wanted to go all the time. Infotainment systems in VW cars are awful. Touch buttons suck also
I'd imagine a stage 1 ecu/tcu tune would fix this, and considering how cheaply that can be done, it's what I would do. I'll be looking to possibly upgrade my 2016 GTI to a 2025 R depending on the car market when it comes out.
The problem with the GTI and R is that this car is no longer attainable. From the mark ups and no availability. This use to be a good daily driver. This thing is now a rare sneaker for resellers.
Seems like a great car if you take the whole computer/software aspect out of the equation and get a manual transmission. Patching issues with something as critical as a transmission doesn’t really bode well for the longevity of the car.
Same comment I had on the GR Corolla -- I'd prefer a two-door version. I initiate every single up and down shift in my '15 V6 Mustang Auto, the computer never shifts for me, so I'd be fine with using manual mode in this Golf.
On/Off gas pedal feel. I got that in many cars with small turbo engines. You need to go 100% or they feel like luging for 4-5 seconds before turbo spools.
Yeah some small turbo motors do have a similar character where they're a bit peaky (Chevy Trax is one example) but this and the Taos are by far the most extreme case I've experienced sadly.
@@MattMaranMotoring very interesting. I think nobody reports on that till now for EA888`s. I never driven EA888 so far but planning to buy one car with it. Cupra Formentor / Golf R based small SUV /.
Can someone please explain to me why the Audi S3, which is virtually the same car as the Golf R but presumably more luxurious and more expensive.... does not have cooled seats?
It's now been nearly 2 years since I put my deposit down at a dealer for the Mk. 8 R (in Canada). And the MSRP has gone up serveral thousand dollars since then. Still waiting...
The hot hatch king of acceleration. Your buddy had the DSG (TCU) tune. That plus a Stage 1.5 93 Octane Tune is an absolute monster. Dude something is probably wrong with this car. I test drove the MK8 GTI DSG and never had these issues. There is a point as a reviewer when you should contact your VW rep instead of guessing this is the same in every car.
The reason I thought it could be every car is that I had a Taos press car that drove just like this, so I either had the terrible luck of two glitchy VW press cars or there’s something going on. My only guess is maybe they didn’t put premium gas in it, but the Taos shouldn’t require that. That’s why my only conclusion was tuning.
That transmission behavior is really strange. My Mk7 GTI and later Mk7 GLI both had pretty good automatic programming. I think the GTI was a little more eager to go into high revs and lug the engine, though it was more of a Jekyll and Hyde situation than the GLI, which never felt as sporty. Either one was fine for daily driving, though. Don't know what VW is smoking these days.
Like I said in the video, I’m aware of the sport setting for the transmission, but doing that leaves the car in lower gears most of the time, killing fuel economy.
@@MattMaranMotoring when I want power I just switch trans in S. Take half à second ans then switch back to D. You are not using the car how it was supose to.
So every time I come to a stop I need to put the transmission into S mode? And then again every time I want decent response while rolling into the gas at speed? That's how the car is supposed to be driven? That's really what you think? lol
@@MattMaranMotoring it's on the fly, you do it when ever you want it. I feel spirit driving, then switch to S. First review I see Complaining about this. Like all freaking Automatic behave like this these dayss.
@@jean-francoisdupras2357 I'm not sure what cars you've experienced, but out of all the automatics I've tested in the past few years (hundreds of vehicles), none annoyed me with the transmission as much as this one did, and they all were more responsive even in their normal modes. And this includes boring stuff like minivans. It seems like VW does the Sport driving mode tuning too conservatively, and some others in the comments here agree. I understand that when in a spirited mood you leave the transmission in S. That's not what I'm getting at. I mean I just wanna do a 5 second acceleration burst and then go back to driving slow, and I can't do that without constantly playing with the transmission and basically anticipating that it won't automatically respond the way I want it to.
I will say I have to really disagree with everything you said about the DSG. I don’t drive it in race mode in auto, I prefer shifting it. I’m not sure why you didn’t touch on that, I find that if you’re going to push the car, don’t drive it in auto mode. That’s also the whole point of a DSG as well - you can shift it manually and it works amazing.
I did touch on that. I said your options for good response are to have the transmission in S mode or do the manual shifts, and I said how they're quick. I don't think most DSG owners drive around in manual mode all the time.
@@MattMaranMotoring Fair point, but really the DSG in my opinion was made to drive in manual mode. At a straight line track, auto is obviously best, but for fun road driving it is definitely best in manual mode. That said, I feel telling a story about how bad it is in sport driving while in auto is a complete moot point. In auto mode, we’re all just commuting and putting around town. I would expect similar behavior while driving any sports car in auto mode, but you don’t ever hear guys complain about it because the point is, when you want to have fun, put it in to manual mode :) Edit: I’m not most DSG owners, but I do drive my mk7 and mk8 R both in manual mode a LOT, because I think it’s fun listen to the gear changes and love how quickly it shifts.
I love the DCT in the Veloster N. Always responsive, manual shifts are basically just as snappy as this car, and just feels great. I had a Veloster N DCT for a week if you'd like to hear more thoughts on that setup but if you want a DCT hot hatch, I'd much rather have a Veloster N over this car if you don't need AWD.
You must set the custom mode drivetrain to SPORT. It completely solves that issue and drives and responds perfectly. Also it is not the same as keeping the transmission in sport it just changes the mapping for you. Otherwise it feels like shit. Basically the way you explained it
@@xClyptox unfortunately not. The one at the dealer I was possibly going to get for Msrp had a deposit. Then the guy ended up closing the deal on it so I went with a GTI. Every other dealer around my area wanted 10-15 k over msrp.
Are you sure you have it the transmission in Sport. Engine and transmission needs to be in Sport. I have a golf 8 GTI and a clubsport on order. I guess u have the transmission in a wrong setting. Some golf R is beating more expensive cars on drag race. Something ain’t right
Like I said in the video, I’m aware of the sport setting for the transmission, but doing that leaves the car in lower gears most of the time, killing fuel economy.
For some reason, this specific generation, every time the R is up against the S3, the S3 wins. Whether it's from a stop or from a roll. There's something weird with the tune on the R this generation. Either that or they're literally weaker from the factory.
I just bought a ‘23 GTI 40th anniversary edition. Would have loved an R but dealers seem to be marking them up quite a bit. A lot of dealers were also marking up the 40th edition GTI’s too but I managed to get mine at MSRP (shout out to Brandon VW here in FL). I am super happy with my new GTI but would love to take a spin in an R sometime.
I had the last version of this car and I liked it all but the hard seat bottom compared to my Audi S5. One thing I noticed was no looks or compliments at the gas pump or driving around town. Its looks are less than just pedestrian, let's face it, it is a bar of soap look. I still love the drivetrain and the R badge upgrades but it needs to be on a Scirocco shape or some better shaped 2 door coupe for me from now on.
Highway passing times are nearly identical in the DSG Golf R vs the GTI. Unless you are going to be doing brake-torque launches or driving in snow often, the Golf R does not make sense at $50k+.
Please explain what I’m doing wrong. If your answer is drive around with the transmission in S all the time I’d get tired of sitting at 3k rpms and getting crap fuel economy.
@slow8r So you're saying VW is okay with the car behaving like garbage with horrible drivetrain/throttle input lag, unless and until you use sport mode? In a car of this tier and price? Yikes.
@@MattMaranMotoringlove the videos. I agree something seemed wrong with this car but the fuel economy in sport isn’t bad. I have 19 MK7.5 R and just commuted 30 miles into Baltimore for work (mixed highway, backroads, and city) and averaged 28.4 mpg with the car set to race and the transmission in sport. One thing I do find weird is that my car in D will readily kick down a gear or two without going full throttle. I haven’t driven the MK8 so hopefully this isn’t a widespread issue. I also drove a DSG MK5 GTI before my R and never had an issue with transmission responsiveness. I would say that I have been very happy with my MK7.5 and you convinced me not to look at the 8 lol
@@GTIFan07 Thanks for the info on fuel economy, that's better than I expected from constantly higher rpms. My buddy with the tuned Mk8 texted me after this video was posted and said even with the tune his car feels like a dog around town too, and he said he actually likes the way his old Mk 7.5 was set up better, so if you like yours I'd stick with it.
It has a kickdown switch on the gas pedal and a sluggish transmission?! Throw in VWs crappy reliability and I'm not sure why anyone would buy this thing.
A comparable WRX would be the GT, which is $42k with no cooled seats, heated wheel, or proper dual clutch, plus it’s down 30 hp and has no torque vectoring diff.
IMO, anyone buying this soul-less, sterile, German appliance, over a generational Toyota passion project aka the GR is absolutely missing out, but hey.. we all have our preferences.
@@xClyptoxGet on the list at an MSRP dealer (I did April 2022). I just got an allocation for a Circuit Edition and passed (too much $). They have a Core incoming that I’m going to take.
Dealers: and I just started marking it up until it hit 10x the package original cost
Great review and love the context with competitive Cars. And I really appreciate the “My Week With …” series as it’s great to get your initial impressions and then the thoughts after a whole week.
Great job!
Thanks Ted!
There is only one reason why the dsg and R dont wanna go fast and has delay. That is because this car is built in the way that if we dribe it normal for a day the learning ayatem that learns how we deive it changes to soft . If you juat floor it everyday and maximum of raping it basically it will %100 stay on its feet. As soon as you deive it chill for a day or two it will become that
Test drove a new GTI and we owned a 1.8T Golf. Experienced exactly what you described with both transmissions. It's just VW's poor programming. In regular mode, both were lethargic and didn't want to downshift. In Sport mode, they are too aggressive. If we buy another VW, we will do a TCU tune right away to make it more enjoyable to drive.
I don’t have the quite the same transmission lag in my R but putting the trans in S+ solves that issue for me. In that mode, it is very rev-happy and VERY responsive.
Right, it's just annoying to me to have to do that every time I want decent response. Other cars don't make you do that.
I would agree with the transmission comment. If you want it to go you have to drop gears manually but it WILL GO. You just have to take the reigns. That's what the paddles are for. Shifts are very quick. I drive some terrific country backroads and it's a beast especially in snow and ice. It is a fantastic transmission. An aftermarket tune can take care of that.
There is something seriously wrong here. My 23 R DSG does not behave like this. I do notice that if I put the car in comfort it's less eager to response but it's fine in normal mode. I believe that it probably adapted to how the previous driver drove and it will need some time to adapt to your driving style. DSG adaptation behavior has been a thing since they existed basically.
edit: I saw the thing about the radio. Yeah this car has seen better days. I wonder what they did with the car before you lol.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I dunno what was up with this car then.
@layne4376 nah dude it has nothing to do with turbo lag. I'm pretty sure Matt said a few times the "laggy" issue is non existent when he used it in manual mode.
Reminds me of my MK6 GTI ... It was either gas-sipping mode or rocket mode, no in between. The computer in my old GTI was not good at selecting gears for the situation so often times I would just take over on the paddles. I do like that this version of the Golf R comes without a sunroof. I'm very interested in this car.
Thanks, glad it’s not just me!
I’m surprised that Matt doesn’t like the DSG in the Golf R. The DSG in my MK7 GTI is absolutely flawless and experiences non of the issues you spoke of in this video. I have RARELY caught it off guard. I think there was something seriously off with this car. The DSG is really the only auto transmission I have ever liked, coming from two manual cars previously.
I personally would not recommend the manual Golf R. It feels like a total afterthought and really isn’t all that pleasant to row gears in. Also, if you plan to modify. The stock clutch is very weak and will begin slipping with only a stage 1 tune.
It sounds like the Mk7s are a lot better. After I posted this video my buddy with the tuned Mk8 Golf R texted me and said his actually is a dog around town too, and that his Mk7.5 R was better. And a couple other commenters here said there's does the same, so I really think it's a Mk8 thing.
@@MattMaranMotoringi have a 24R and a 2015 GTI both manual. I preferred the 2015 one better the 24R seems a little German clunky. I think its just better for normal driving or a more rested driving. I did have the option for a DSG and I found it was always in the wrong gear in the GTI i tested. And the downshifts with the paddles were clunky, they said to put it in sport and it would solve that but i was in the city and wanted to go .
I drive a rental 23 Golf currently. It's a DSG mild hybrid 1 liter, and it has the exact same problem. I only drive it with the transmission in sport. Regular drive basically useless. I'm very surprised to hear it's also an issue in the R..
Glad it’s not just me, thanks!
I’ve my MK8 GTI for over a year and I’ve never had issues with the infotainment screen/system. Only issue was with the steering wheel but 99% of Golfs have them
I had a late model Audi TTS with basically the same power train. I was very disappointed with the transmission when I got it. I eventually did a tune on both he engine and the transmission. I think the transmission tune was more noticeable than the engine tune and if I could do only one it would be an easy choice. It changed the character on the car. I still really wanted a manual though so I ended up trading for an MX-5 RF GT. Slower but way more fun. I had an S3 for a while and the transmission tuning was better than the TTS. The Golf R used to be my dream car. I still like the idea of it but may never own one.
Thank you for the in depth review on the trans!
My local VW dealer in Greensburg PA has had one sitting in their showroom with a 10k markup for about 2.5 months now.
It's crazy how terrible most Western PA dealers are. This is why every time I buy a car I go out of state lol.
Downington pa had one they sold for about 60k but got ours in Virginia for msrp
My 2018 (B9) Audi S4 has a similar transmission tuning issue despite being a totally different ZF 8-speed. The delay in kick down and throttle response in Comfort or Auto mode can be dangerous at times when you’re trundling along in traffic and suddenly need to give it boot to get around or otherwise avoid something. I’m now proactively shifting to Dynamic powertrain when I anticipate an issue getting around bicyclists, getting through intersections, or merging. Fortunately that can be done by pulling the gear selector back once, rather than digging through screen menus.
Just picked up my black R 20th anniversary today and it is a riot. 6spd manual and here in Canada it comes with a standard sunroof as well. Best money 💰 I have spent thus far! If you are thinking of getting one go buy it NOW!! Shout out to Matt for always providing great content. Cheers!
Side note my R out the door price was $40000.00 usd
Congrats on getting one with the manual! I hope it treats you well!
I have one too. Sure about 40K out the door???
@@peptors6686
Absolutely! Here in Canada when converted over it was just a hair over 40 USD. $53500 Canadian. Got it for MSRP with a slight discount:)
Test drove the Golf R and a JCW Mini Cooper convertible. Both cars seat four and handle very well. Once I drooped the top, I knew I had to get the JCW. That car has it all.
Such a fun choice, congrats! I'd love to try one out someday, convertible hot hatch sounds like such a cool experience.
I think the DSG/transmission issue may be a fault of your car. If it wasn’t a press vehicle, I would try disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes, then driving it again to see how it handles.
I hope that's all it is, but yeah I wouldn't wanna mess with a press vehicle. I assume they're all at 100% when they're dropped off.
I was seriously considering one but just couldn't get over the touch buttons even after test driving. I'm picking up an integra type s instead because it's the more complete car in my opinion as it's got the bigger cargo space and more engaging drive.
Yes the Golf R gets the Sunroof, memory seats, full rear bench, rear vents and probably heated rear seats but the reality for me is that I barely ever have 5 people in my car and I never use the Sunroof in my current car. I just had a bigger smile on when I drove the Integra type s which beats out any feature I'll rarely use. Yes it sucks that I don't get all that for 52k but other then awd for winter I think the Integra type s suits me better.
I’d rather have the Integra too, congrats!
@@layne4376 yes to me it's a more complete car. As I mentioned the Golf has more luxury features but definitely no where near as fun behind the wheel. I was skeptical about getting a fwd hot hatch but I was convinced after a test drive you should definitely test drive one (and test drive it hard) if you can because you're missing out if you'd rather have a Golf R. Integra Type S is a master of almost everything other then price
I’ve had 4 vws with dsgs including the mk7.5 R and never had this issue
Thanks for sharing. I dunno, maybe they changed the tuning for the Mk8?
@@MattMaranMotoringNope, the MK8 DSG Golf R is even better than the MK 7. This sounds like you need to talk to your VW rep.
I've got mk7.5 R and my car behaves the same way Matt describes. Very fast response if the throttle is 100% but there's delay when doing partial accelerations. Definitely a little annoying but got used to it at this point. Usually bump the transmission to S momentarily to get the revs up quicker.
Could all the throttle issues be to the quality of fuel be available at gas stations.
Really interesting perspective Matt, as a now 8Y S3 owner, definitely do not feel this present in my car. Sure, the turbo has some lag but that’s to be expected. Wonder what happened in the transmission or engine calibration to cause the feeling.
I think you have to live with the car for awhile to understand it. This car is supposed to be an excellent city driver, that when demanded of it opens up. Great review.
Intersitng my MK8 GTI doesnt do this. The DSG in mine is great, excited to get a TCU/ECU tune once my warranty runs out.
Thank you for that throttle/DSG launch….I wish I could see more manual downshifting engine noice….cheers!!
I own a Golf R 20th and I know what you're talking about with the throttle response. I got used to the way it drives though. Anytime I wanna go quick, I just tap the transmssion in S, take off, then just tap in back in D to cruise so I don't have to worry about high rpms, changing modes, etc. It's easy to work around for me, but yes, comfort drive mode drives very lethargic.
Thanks for weighing in. After I posted this, my buddy with the Mk8 R texted me and said even with a tune his usually feels like a dog around town too. I'm glad you don't mind going back and forth with the S mode but I find it kind of ridiculous that VW chose to do it this way when other competitors and even stuff like the S3 is tuned to be responsive and still economical.
S3 was a stiff ride for me, steering wheel wasn’t as responsive, turbo lag. I bought a DSG Golf R Instead. You get use to switching modes after a couple weeks. The Comfort mode nerfs you a bit but definitely a smooth ride, always responsive in any mode.
What do you tap to get in S? The gear shifter? I have a 7.5 and I'm waiting on my 8.
@@mattmckay5054 Correct.
Yeah, the regular drive mode in these 7 speed DSGs is so conservative. I have a 2019 GLI with the DSG and it’s quite boring in drive. I pretty much throw the transmission in sport mode in every situation.
Great video as always Matt! I definitely prefer the GR Corolla but it’s wild the mark ups on all these I’ve seen these going for $60k all day haha
Wow crazy, I dunno how this dealer I found was offering a discount.
I'm calling BS. The Golf Rs are easily found under MSRP all over the country. No one wants these things and for good reason.
Why is the exhaust so loud. Has it been changed for and aftermarket unit? You can barely hear your voice over the sound of the exhaust????
I had the exhaust in the Race mode to make it as loud as possible for fun.
I’ll never track any car. I have a manual Mk8 GR, coming from a 718 6speed, it’s okay. I’m not sure why people feel the manual sucks. I find it adequate for the experience of rowing your gears for normal or even fun driving experience. Once at speed the manual is easy to heal toe. I use it for comfortable commuting. But I do agree that if you are looking for a sports car, it is not. It’s a do all car.
For a sports car, I have my 6 speed BRZ.
I remember my 1996 Dodge Neon had a kickdown switch too. There is a half inch more depth beyond the floor. Pretty cool.
Oh Wrxfan. Do you have an opinion on Golf R 20th manual vs. Mini JCW loaded with manual? Both new.
Unfortunately I haven't driven the JCW so it's hard for me to say.
@@MattMaranMotoring Matt :) You have chosen, been the final opinion in all my car purchases since you began. Should I skip both of them? I am worried about R’s reliability. Apparently you consider new Minis to be solid. I would have to eventually put an LSD in the mini JCW. They are absent in them. I never modified a car, so that makes me think. Do you ever do a consulting fee sort of work type deal? You deserve much.
Can you get a manual golf r in this generation with the sunroof?
Yep, the regular ones come standard with it.
This is a little disheartening, so many reviews have praised this vehicle/transmission. You are the first I’ve seen having issues with the transmission. Definitely gotta get a test drive in at some point
Does this guy know how to drive? If the car is in comfort mode it doesn't snap off shifts. Otherwise the snaps shifts moving the car to 60mph below 4 seconds. Some folks shouldn't be allowed to review cars.. Almost evwrything he complains about is incorrect
plus his whiny voice is unbearable
I love my mk8 40th anniversary gti but I have a rattle in my drivers door that’s been very consistent for a while. The whole car has a rattle in places and it kinda ticks me off considering how much I’m paying on it.
Yeah, it’s sad that the consensus seems to be that the Mk8 isn’t as solid as the Mk7. Even Jason Cammisa thinks that.
Hey Matt. Out of the factory is never great! A remap would fix that issue straight away!! Ironically I found the Tiguan R more responsive straight from the factory!! wanted to go all the time. Infotainment systems in VW cars are awful. Touch buttons suck also
I own this car and can assure you that the acceleration problem is not true in my car. Even in sport mode, it's peppy
Good to know, thanks for sharing!
I'd imagine a stage 1 ecu/tcu tune would fix this, and considering how cheaply that can be done, it's what I would do. I'll be looking to possibly upgrade my 2016 GTI to a 2025 R depending on the car market when it comes out.
A dealership in New Jersey had marked up the golf R for $85k😮😂
Sounds like the prices here in CA.
This illustrates why instrumented testing only means so much. I found the Arteon to drive awesome.
The problem with the GTI and R is that this car is no longer attainable. From the mark ups and no availability. This use to be a good daily driver.
This thing is now a rare sneaker for resellers.
Seems like a great car if you take the whole computer/software aspect out of the equation and get a manual transmission. Patching issues with something as critical as a transmission doesn’t really bode well for the longevity of the car.
Same comment I had on the GR Corolla -- I'd prefer a two-door version.
I initiate every single up and down shift in my '15 V6 Mustang Auto, the computer never shifts for me, so I'd be fine with using manual mode in this Golf.
On/Off gas pedal feel. I got that in many cars with small turbo engines. You need to go 100% or they feel like luging for 4-5 seconds before turbo spools.
Yeah some small turbo motors do have a similar character where they're a bit peaky (Chevy Trax is one example) but this and the Taos are by far the most extreme case I've experienced sadly.
@@MattMaranMotoring very interesting. I think nobody reports on that till now for EA888`s. I never driven EA888 so far but planning to buy one car with it. Cupra Formentor / Golf R based small SUV /.
Can someone please explain to me why the Audi S3, which is virtually the same car as the Golf R but presumably more luxurious and more expensive.... does not have cooled seats?
Yeah it’s weird I agree.
It's now been nearly 2 years since I put my deposit down at a dealer for the Mk. 8 R (in Canada). And the MSRP has gone up serveral thousand dollars since then. Still waiting...
That sucks, they don't seem that rare here in the U.S. I hope yours comes soon!
great reviews and agree with your comments compare to FL5 and GR Corolla
The hot hatch king of acceleration. Your buddy had the DSG (TCU) tune. That plus a Stage 1.5 93 Octane Tune is an absolute monster. Dude something is probably wrong with this car. I test drove the MK8 GTI DSG and never had these issues. There is a point as a reviewer when you should contact your VW rep instead of guessing this is the same in every car.
The reason I thought it could be every car is that I had a Taos press car that drove just like this, so I either had the terrible luck of two glitchy VW press cars or there’s something going on. My only guess is maybe they didn’t put premium gas in it, but the Taos shouldn’t require that. That’s why my only conclusion was tuning.
That transmission behavior is really strange. My Mk7 GTI and later Mk7 GLI both had pretty good automatic programming. I think the GTI was a little more eager to go into high revs and lug the engine, though it was more of a Jekyll and Hyde situation than the GLI, which never felt as sporty. Either one was fine for daily driving, though. Don't know what VW is smoking these days.
D is for ECO!
Put it is S mode on de trans and you will have response!
Like I said in the video, I’m aware of the sport setting for the transmission, but doing that leaves the car in lower gears most of the time, killing fuel economy.
@@MattMaranMotoring when I want power I just switch trans in S. Take half à second ans then switch back to D.
You are not using the car how it was supose to.
So every time I come to a stop I need to put the transmission into S mode? And then again every time I want decent response while rolling into the gas at speed? That's how the car is supposed to be driven? That's really what you think? lol
@@MattMaranMotoring it's on the fly, you do it when ever you want it. I feel spirit driving, then switch to S. First review I see Complaining about this. Like all freaking Automatic behave like this these dayss.
@@jean-francoisdupras2357 I'm not sure what cars you've experienced, but out of all the automatics I've tested in the past few years (hundreds of vehicles), none annoyed me with the transmission as much as this one did, and they all were more responsive even in their normal modes. And this includes boring stuff like minivans. It seems like VW does the Sport driving mode tuning too conservatively, and some others in the comments here agree. I understand that when in a spirited mood you leave the transmission in S. That's not what I'm getting at. I mean I just wanna do a 5 second acceleration burst and then go back to driving slow, and I can't do that without constantly playing with the transmission and basically anticipating that it won't automatically respond the way I want it to.
I will say I have to really disagree with everything you said about the DSG. I don’t drive it in race mode in auto, I prefer shifting it. I’m not sure why you didn’t touch on that, I find that if you’re going to push the car, don’t drive it in auto mode. That’s also the whole point of a DSG as well - you can shift it manually and it works amazing.
I did touch on that. I said your options for good response are to have the transmission in S mode or do the manual shifts, and I said how they're quick. I don't think most DSG owners drive around in manual mode all the time.
@@MattMaranMotoring Fair point, but really the DSG in my opinion was made to drive in manual mode. At a straight line track, auto is obviously best, but for fun road driving it is definitely best in manual mode. That said, I feel telling a story about how bad it is in sport driving while in auto is a complete moot point. In auto mode, we’re all just commuting and putting around town. I would expect similar behavior while driving any sports car in auto mode, but you don’t ever hear guys complain about it because the point is, when you want to have fun, put it in to manual mode :)
Edit: I’m not most DSG owners, but I do drive my mk7 and mk8 R both in manual mode a LOT, because I think it’s fun listen to the gear changes and love how quickly it shifts.
How would you compare this to the Veloster N DCT? The only other hot hatch that came with a DCT.
I love the DCT in the Veloster N. Always responsive, manual shifts are basically just as snappy as this car, and just feels great. I had a Veloster N DCT for a week if you'd like to hear more thoughts on that setup but if you want a DCT hot hatch, I'd much rather have a Veloster N over this car if you don't need AWD.
@MattMaranMotoring Yeah it looked like you had a lot more fun in your drive in the VN DCT, thanks.
You must set the custom mode drivetrain to SPORT. It completely solves that issue and drives and responds perfectly. Also it is not the same as keeping the transmission in sport it just changes the mapping for you. Otherwise it feels like shit. Basically the way you explained it
I was in the Sport mode basically the whole week, and even in the custom mode I had the drivetrain in Sport. Still had this behavior.
VW dealers in Canada marking standard Golf R up by $15k, would love to know how much they think an ED20 would be worth....
I paid $53500.00 Canadian out the door! Amazing value for what it offers.
first 3 minutes of this review is pure bs. if you wanna go fast put it in R mode. done
love my manual mk8 gti. wish i could of got an R but couldn't get one at msrp. gti is still a lot of fun to drive
I'd rather have a GTI anyway, more fun per dollar in my opinion. Glad you're loving yours!
Were you able to test drive a R? If so, was it a huge difference?
@@xClyptox unfortunately not. The one at the dealer I was possibly going to get for Msrp had a deposit. Then the guy ended up closing the deal on it so I went with a GTI. Every other dealer around my area wanted 10-15 k over msrp.
@@evanbevere1376 Oh ok, not sure where everybody is but in the midwest they arent show over MSRP atm.
Are you sure you have it the transmission in Sport. Engine and transmission needs to be in Sport.
I have a golf 8 GTI and a clubsport on order.
I guess u have the transmission in a wrong setting.
Some golf R is beating more expensive cars on drag race.
Something ain’t right
Like I said in the video, I’m aware of the sport setting for the transmission, but doing that leaves the car in lower gears most of the time, killing fuel economy.
For some reason, this specific generation, every time the R is up against the S3, the S3 wins. Whether it's from a stop or from a roll. There's something weird with the tune on the R this generation. Either that or they're literally weaker from the factory.
Yeah, S3 felt quicker to me too.
That yellow 20th anniversaty GTI was best. DSG aka slush box automatic.
These are fun to play with in traffic
I just bought a ‘23 GTI 40th anniversary edition. Would have loved an R but dealers seem to be marking them up quite a bit. A lot of dealers were also marking up the 40th edition GTI’s too but I managed to get mine at MSRP (shout out to Brandon VW here in FL). I am super happy with my new GTI but would love to take a spin in an R sometime.
Matt, you’re forgetting that you can get a Mercedes CLA 35 amg for this money!!
Not really, a base CLA 35 with no options is $50,650, and comparably equipped to this, the CLA 35 ends up being $61k.
I had the last version of this car and I liked it all but the hard seat bottom compared to my Audi S5. One thing I noticed was no looks or compliments at the gas pump or driving around town. Its looks are less than just pedestrian, let's face it, it is a bar of soap look. I still love the drivetrain and the R badge upgrades but it needs to be on a Scirocco shape or some better shaped 2 door coupe for me from now on.
Pretty cool look, pricey tho!
Highway passing times are nearly identical in the DSG Golf R vs the GTI. Unless you are going to be doing brake-torque launches or driving in snow often, the Golf R does not make sense at $50k+.
I live for the quarter to half throttle pulls. Cars like this are a deal breaker for me.
My dealer wanted 15k over
That transmission tuning sounds very disappointing for a sporty car. Not a fan of the engine sound either, sounds overly artificial
Just get a Unitronic stage 1 ecu and tcu tune
My 2019’golf r was not that bad at all. Was kind of boring though
The VW Mk8 Golf R is the consolation prize for not getting an allocation for a GR Corolla.
Looks to me you don't know how to use the modes properly.
Please explain what I’m doing wrong. If your answer is drive around with the transmission in S all the time I’d get tired of sitting at 3k rpms and getting crap fuel economy.
@slow8r So you're saying VW is okay with the car behaving like garbage with horrible drivetrain/throttle input lag, unless and until you use sport mode? In a car of this tier and price? Yikes.
@@MattMaranMotoringlove the videos. I agree something seemed wrong with this car but the fuel economy in sport isn’t bad. I have 19 MK7.5 R and just commuted 30 miles into Baltimore for work (mixed highway, backroads, and city) and averaged 28.4 mpg with the car set to race and the transmission in sport. One thing I do find weird is that my car in D will readily kick down a gear or two without going full throttle. I haven’t driven the MK8 so hopefully this isn’t a widespread issue. I also drove a DSG MK5 GTI before my R and never had an issue with transmission responsiveness. I would say that I have been very happy with my MK7.5 and you convinced me not to look at the 8 lol
@@GTIFan07 Thanks for the info on fuel economy, that's better than I expected from constantly higher rpms. My buddy with the tuned Mk8 texted me after this video was posted and said even with the tune his car feels like a dog around town too, and he said he actually likes the way his old Mk 7.5 was set up better, so if you like yours I'd stick with it.
Man 47k for the Golf R. There are betters for the price or just a bit more. New mustang, supra at 53k or S3
by far the best version of this car is the six speed manual. DSG only good if using the paddles in sport.
Dsg is like a whole second faster than manual though.... I've also heard the clutch is wonky.
Nonsense 5 seconds to respond it does 0-60 In that time
I literally demonstrate it in this video...I'm not talking about a launch...
0/10, no autos.
It has a kickdown switch on the gas pedal and a sluggish transmission?! Throw in VWs crappy reliability and I'm not sure why anyone would buy this thing.
Kind of a disappointment
Fully loaded WRX is only $35K. So I think that is the true "best value" of this segment.
Lmao no it’s not. A limited starts at $37.5k.
A comparable WRX would be the GT, which is $42k with no cooled seats, heated wheel, or proper dual clutch, plus it’s down 30 hp and has no torque vectoring diff.
IMO, anyone buying this soul-less, sterile, German appliance, over a generational Toyota passion project aka the GR is absolutely missing out, but hey.. we all have our preferences.
Yeah, imma go ahead and pass on this thing 💩
GR Corolla negates this. "Nuff said
*IF* you can find one around its MSRP.
@@xClyptoxGet on the list at an MSRP dealer (I did April 2022). I just got an allocation for a Circuit Edition and passed (too much $). They have a Core incoming that I’m going to take.
I have a mk7 and I still can’t get over how ugly the mk8 is. I thought it would grow on me but I think it’s uglier now than I did when I first saw it.
Best way to get around the issues with the DSG is to get the manual lol.
47K for a Golf. LOL
DSG > Manual
End of story
Not in this case
New story.