I wasn’t all hyped up when the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI/R was introduced. I mean, the MK7 was such a hit, such an overachieving, well-engineered and oh-so German automobile. The car had accustomed us to being essentially a baby Audi sold at a more affordable price point. Well put together. Clean. Understated, and just brilliantly thought out. It was also available in a wide range of versions, like wagons and even as a full EV. It was the cleverest, most refined of the hot hatchbacks, and it will go down in history as the best generation in the Golf lineage.
The MK8? It was definitely improved from a technical standpoint. Faster and more agile. The R even came with a trick rear differential that allowed it to drift. It all seemed promising until I drove one. Each time I did, I was let down by its low-rent quality, signs of cost-cutting, and the obvious elephant in the room, its disastrous ergonomics and dumb-witted technology. It just never felt as special as the car it replaced.
Well, for the 2025 model year, Volkswagen has updated the entire Golf lineup in the areas that matter. The end result is a car that doesn’t quite manage to recapture the magic of its predecessor, but at least finally aligns itself with the car’s original promise. In other words, the MK8 Golf R is finally great.
Base Trim Engine
2.0L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
Base Trim Transmission
7-speed Dual-Clutch Automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Pros & Cons
Sports-car rivaling performance.
Always fun to drive.
All the practicality of a Golf.
Infotainment system is still a handful.
Optional performance exhaust isn’t cheap.
Automatic only.
The Golf R pictured here is a press unit that belongs to the Volkswagen Canada press office. We picked the vehicle up clean with a full tank. For detailed insight into testing procedures and data collection, please review our methodology policy.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R First Impressions
Slightly Restyled To Look Even Meaner, But Some Details Remain Kitsch
Strengths
Weaknesses
The redesigned front bumper has Lambo vibes.
Akrapovic exhaust just looks cool.
An elegantly designed hot hatch.
BLACK and R logos just look wrong.
Not a fan of black wheels.
Is that piano black on the front bumper?
Call me old-school, but in the past, there were things Volkswagen didn’t dare to do to its cars. The Golf R was never about flamboyant body kits or big wing spoilers. That was typically reserved for the Honda Civics of this world. Rather, the R was always presented through a classy, understated package.
The MK8 kind of throws all of that away. Yes, the car still looks good. It has that traditional two-box design that remains instantly recognizable as a Golf. The MK8 is also still properly sized, nice and compact in a world where everything is growing in size. But there are also elements that were tacked onto this car that I simply find kitsch, elements that, actually, even the current Civic Type R didn’t dare add to its body.
For instance, the BLACK logo on the B pillar, signaling my model’s trim level, is both overkill and just ridiculous. I don’t need the letters BLACK to remind me that I’ve opted for the Black Edition, which darkens some of the trim and mirrors. The R logo, redesigned for the MK8, also looks totally wrong, as if someone drew it with very little experience in art. It looks like it’s a cheap aftermarket part purchased at AutoZone. It was also tacked onto the car’s doors for some reason.
William Clavey | TopSpeed
Finally, the front fascia’s massive black area. First, it looks like the car is wearing bad makeup, but it also appears to be piano black. Under hard sunlight, the glare it creates is just awful. Add a couple of splattered bugs to the mix, and the entire thing turns into an absolute mess. That all being said, I do like the way the front bumper was redesigned, though. Its lower area, which comes upward towards the middle, has an almost Lamborghini-like appearance. Now imagine if it were more body-colored, how nice it would look.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R Exterior Dimensions
Length
168.9 in.
Width (Without Mirrors)
70.4 in.
Height
57.7 in,
Wheelbase
103.5 in.
Front Track
60.7 in.
Rear Track
59.7 in.
Curb Weight
3,397 lb
2025 Volkswagen Golf R: Differences Between The U.S. And Canadian Markets
William Clavey | TopSpeed
Both markets sell the Golf R in the same two trim levels: the entry-level Golf R and the Black Edition you’re seeing here. And both markets sell the exact same car from a mechanical standpoint, with the same three available paint colors: Pure white (as tested), Lapiz blue, and Mythos black. The only main difference lies in the available Euro Style package, which includes the pretty rad Akrapovic exhaust.
In the U.S., the package costs – ahem – $3,795 and includes other things, like a sunroof delete, cloth and ArtVelours seating surfaces, manually adjustable front seats with a power recline function, and a ventilated front seats delete. In Canada, you can purchase the exhaust as a standalone option for $3,000 CAD. This allows you to keep the sunroof. The cloth seats are also a no-cost option in Canada.
U.S. Versus Canada Lineup Breakdown And Starting MSRP (model tested in bold below)
U.S. Market
Canadian Market
Golf R ($47,100 USD)
Golf R ($53,660 CAD)
R Black Edition ($48,415 USD)
R Black Edition ($56,260 CAD)
Driving Impressions And Performance
Faster And Just As Fun As Ever, Even Without A Manual Transmission
William Clavey | TopSpeed
Of course, the biggest letdown from the 2025 Golf R is the deletion of the manual transmission. It’s really a shame, because the Golf R is such a car that deserved to hang on to the stick until it died. Thankfully, VW’s seven-speed dual-clutch (DSG) automatic unit remains highly effective, quick to react, and put plainly, so good that it quickly has you forgetting the third pedal. There’s also more power from the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine now, good for 328 horsepower (+13 hp) and 310 pound-feet (+15 lb-ft).
This means the Golf R is seriously quick. Thanks to the automatic transmission and the standard 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system, the new Golf R will sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in a brisk 4.2 seconds, closely approaching dedicated sports car performance. To put things into perspective, the overachieving Golf R is in a similar ballpark as a BMW M240i or a Nissan Z Nismo. And even once it passes the 60 MPH mark, the Golf R keeps on pulling hard thanks to an engine that seems to do everything right. There’s plenty of low to mid-range torque, but it also likes to rev up to its redline.
The Akrapovic exhaust also helps give the R more personality. Past models sounded a bit like a vacuum cleaner, even if VW tried to muffle that through pumped-in audio. Now, driving with the windows down allows you to enjoy some crackles and pops coming out the rear, giving the Golf R more of the rowdy characteristics we expect from these sorts of cars.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R Engine
William Clavey | TopSpeed
2025 Volkswagen Golf R Technical Specifications
Engine
2.0L Turbocharged Inline Four-Cylinder
Transmission
7-Speed Dual-Clutch Automatic
Driveline
AWD
Horsepower (Combined)
328 hp @ 6,500 rpm
Torque
295 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm
0-60 MPH
4.2 Seconds
And then there’s the way its suspension and chassis were calibrated. VW fine-tuned small details across the car’s overall dynamic geometry and even the way the traction control system behaves. It all translates into a car that’s simply more focused and playful. It’s also a car that communicates a lot more information to its driver, like how that trick rear differential behaves on hard throttle inputs while the steering wheel is turned.
William Clavey | TopSpeed
Throw the Golf R hard into a corner, and it’ll gracefully transform understeer into a rear-sliding drift, allowing you to gracefully slide your way out of the corner on throttle applications and catapult your way out using the abundant power on tap. It’s all easy to control, and definitely massive fun. There are several drive modes to choose from, but the special Nürburgring mode was obviously programmed for daily driving, as it softens up the suspension just enough to take on the sort of trash roads we have in my neck of the woods, all while leaving the exhaust, transmission, and steering at their most visceral levels.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R Fuel Consumption
William Clavey | TopSpeed
Although it sees increases in horsepower and torque, the 2025 Golf R gets the exact same fuel economy numbers as the 2024 model. The EPA rates the automatic car at 25 combined MPG, which is actually quite good considering how fast this thing is. I managed to pull just a hair under that after an entire week in the car. Mind you, I wasn’t really paying attention to my fuel economy as I preferred driving the Golf R like I stole it.
EPA And As-Tested Fuel Consumption
City
Highway
Combined
EPA Fuel Consumption
22 MPG
31 MPG
25 MPG
As Tested Fuel Consumption
24.8 MPG
Interior Design And Comfort
Comfortable And Practical, With (Slightly) Improved Ergonomics
Strengths
Weaknesses
Spacious and practical enough for four adults.
Amazing front seats.
Very easy to live with.
Stop it with the piano black.
Annoying haptic buttons on the steering wheel.
The Golf R’s best asset is its ability to remain a Golf, meaning it’s incredibly easy to live with. When it’s not busy slapping a grin on your face through the canyons, it tones things down and transforms back into just another compact car. It’s also a five-door hatchback, making it incredibly versatile and practical. I had no issues strapping the rear-facing child’s seat back there, and once I had done my dad duties, it was just as easy to remove the seat for my three buddies to hop in for a ride.
William Clavey | TopSpeed
There are, however, some issues with the Golf R’s interior. Issues that VW tried to fix for this updated model still plague the car. For starters, I personally hate piano black. It just ends up loaded with finger smudges and dust. But on a more functional level, the MK8’s general ergonomics remain quite frustrating. I’ll get back to the technology a bit, but the haptic feedback buttons on the steering wheel – while improved to be more precise – remain highly annoying. If you happen to slide your finger on the wrong one by accident, you’ll end up doing things you never asked for in the first place, like cranking up the music on the audio system or accidentally activating cruise control.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R Interior Dimensions
First Row
Second Row
Headroom
38.5 in.
38.1 in.
Shoulder Room
55.9 in.
53.9 in.
Hip Room
53.4 in.
46.3 in.
Legroom
41.2 in.
35.0 in.
Technology And Ease Of Use
Better, But Still Not Great
The MK8 Golf R’s technology was obviously its Achilles heel. It was just a mess when it arrived, laggy, hard to understand, loaded with non-logical menus and graphics, and haptic sliders that didn’t respond well, or not at all. It all led to a disastrous user experience. Things got even more embarrassing when you realized some of the car’s most vital functions, like the climate control settings, did not illuminate at night.
Most of that has been fixed, and while VW is in the process of developing new software and ergonomics for its next batch of cars, the Golf R still needs to work with what it’s got for now. The system is now much quicker to react. The main menu is still a hot mess of tiny icons, but it just feels easier to grasp and understand. The four quick physical keys on the dashboard were always there, but when you smash them now, it’s much more obvious which menu you’ve landed on. It all just feels better, more polished. Is it perfect? Not at all. Are there still many better systems out there? Absolutely. But it definitely helps tolerate the MK8 a bit more on a daily basis.
Cargo And Storage Space
Not A Segment Leader, But Still Very Practical
William Clavey | TopSpeed
The Golf R’s hatchback configuration obviously gives it an advantage in cargo space, and the MK8 doesn’t disappoint in that regard. It’s not the most practical hot hatch on the market, but its rear opening area remains highly spacious, allowing the Golf R to slot between a Honda Civic Type R (24.5 cu-ft/46.2 cu-ft) and a Toyota GR Corolla (17.8 cu-ft/23.0 cu-ft).
2025 Volkswagen Golf R Cargo Space
Default Cargo Space (Rear Seats In Place)
19.9 cu-ft
Total Cargo Space (Rear Seats Folded Flat)
34.5 cu-ft
Less Of A Pain, More Greatness
William Clavey | TopSpeed
The last time I drove the Golf R, I said that only one thing prevented it from being perfect. That “thing” was its ergonomics and technology. Now, VW has improved much of it. While not perfect, it makes the car less annoying to live with, allowing you, the driver, to focus more on the things the car does well.
And boy does it deliver on the latter. The Golf R is both fast and incredibly easy to live with. It’ll out-handle some purpose-built sports cars, but it remains safe enough to carry your family through a robust winter blizzard. It looks super cool, it’s properly sized, and its trunk is large enough to carry everything from a full order of groceries to bags of dirt for landscaping. It really is a superhero dressed up as a civilian. While some of it still needs work, the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R is back up there as one of the best hot hatchbacks currently on sale.
