It sure looks a beast. As the photos prove, the extra weight on this Golf R has gone in all the right places - lower, more flared, more poised - it looks like it means business but in VW’s customary understated way. It’s not just superficial, either...coupled with a brand new VW designed all-wheel drive system, uprated brakes and sports suspension is a quite simply brilliant 296 bhp powerplant. It’s VW’s most powerful incarnation of the Golf to date, and boy, does it show.
Naturally, power delivery was the first thing I noticed about the Golf R. The all-wheel drive system aside, this engine is full of torque and willingness right across the rev range. It’s only a 2.0L, but the turbo doesn’t feel dormant at slower speeds….chuck it into 4th or 5th at a relative docile pace and you’ll still get impressive acceleration. Keep the revs up and your right foot slightly heavier, however, and the performance is more or less supercar-worthy. 60 appears in slightly more than 5 seconds, but with no discernable lag it somehow feels faster, and it’ll easily goad you into pushing it further.
The all wheel drive system made me feel remarkably safe and comfortable. With rain bucketing it down as I chucked it round the road route at SMMT, there was no hint of anything going awry. With the car in race mode, adaptive dampers and an excellent stability control system keeps everything in check. The noise was also fantastic - I loved the rasp from the four tailpipes and the lift-off crackles….it all helps to create a great atmosphere inside the cabin.
The 6-speed manual I drove was delightfully precise. The short throw and small stick meant changes were quick and sharp - 3rd to 4th put a smile to my face every time - and the car would just go on pulling and pulling right into the high gears at almost any speed. It helped with the car’s general sense of poise and understanding, and meant that bonding with it on a relatively short test run was very easy.
The Golf R most certainly lives up to any super hot hatch superlative you can throw at it. Only 10 years ago, you’d be hard pushed to find a Porsche with this amount of kit and the associated performance figures to boot, but now we’re seeing it in a family hatch. Small performance cars are getting better and better, and I think this is probably the best of the lot.
Yes, Audi S3 I hear you cry. But, although these cars share a lot I'm not convinced they feel the same or have the same characteristics. If you want an Audi get the S1 instead, and consider the Golf R as your proper hot hatch. I think it's better, and you’ll remember it for a lot longer. A truly excellent car.