The Toyota GR Corolla’s addition of an automatic transmission places it in direct competition with the long-time hot hatch all-rounder, Volkswagen’s freshly-updated Golf R. Which is best?
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Summary
The Golf R is the master of all trades in its segment, managing to show no shortage of power, agility, and grip without sacrificing refinement and daily usability.
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Summary
The GR Corolla is more engaging to drive, and looks like a hot hatch should, but it’s slower, less refined, tighter inside, and does not as easily justify its near-$80K drive-away price.
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Rarely in its 20-year history has the Volkswagen Golf R – including its R32 forebear – had a rival capable of directly challenging it on all counts.
Hot hatchbacks come in all shapes, sizes, prices, power outputs, and drive layouts, but few have matched the Golf’s blend of a turbo four-cylinder, quick-shifting automatic gearbox, and all-wheel drive with five-door practicality, a humble badge, and a price accessible to more buyers.
Since the third-generation Subaru WRX STI bowed out a decade ago, that combination has been absent from showrooms – until now.
For 2025, the Toyota GR Corolla – the company’s five-door, all-wheel-drive, rally-inspired hero hatch – has added the option of an automatic transmission, and it carries an RRP just $500 shy of the Golf, which has also undergone a facelift this year.
It’s for that reason we’ve lined the two up for a head-to-head comparison to find out which is best: the special stage-loving new kid, or the long-time jack of all trades.
How much do the Volkswagen Golf R and Toyota GR Corolla cost in Australia?
The prices of these two hot hatchbacks before on-road costs are so close you’d think the brands are colluding: $70,490 for the Toyota, and $70,990 for the Volkswagen.
Optional extras grow that gap, the Toyota adding $575 metallic paint that’s standard on the Volkswagen, and the Golf a $1900 panoramic sunroof not available on the carbon-fibre roof-equipped Corolla.
In Sydney, drive-away prices according to each manufacturer’s website shake out as $76,796 for the GR Corolla, and $78,962 for the Golf R.
While they may be similar on price, there’s a big difference in equipment, favouring the Volkswagen.
Both cars offer LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats, keyless entry and start, puddle lights, a head-up display, wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, and a rear-view camera.
The Volkswagen exclusively offers trick matrix LED headlights with adaptive functionality (rather than a basic auto on/off high-beam), bigger 19-inch wheels, tri-zone climate control (vs dual-zone), a larger 12.9-inch touchscreen (vs 8.0-inch), four 45-watt USB-C (vs two), and a nine-speaker Harman Kardon stereo.
The list continues; ventilated and power-adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, a real leather steering wheel, and a 360-degree camera are all exclusive to the Golf.
2025 Volkswagen Golf
2025 Toyota Corolla
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As for the Toyota, it has a larger instrument display (12.3 vs 10.2 inches), an eight-speaker JBL stereo, speed sign recognition, and items that may come down to personal preference, such as leather and suede seats, and a manual handbrake lever.
Should you have more to spend on the Golf R, Model Year 2026 builds will offer the option of the $6500 Warmenau package, which adds lighter forged alloy wheels, genuine carbon-fibre interior accents, and an Akrapovic titanium sports exhaust.
Key details2025 Volkswagen Golf R2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS autoPrice (MSRP)$70,990 plus on-road costs$70,490 plus on-road costsColour of test carLapiz Blue MetallicLiquid MercuryOptionsPanoramic sunroof – $1900Premium paint – $575Price as tested$72,890 plus on-road costs$71,065 plus on-road costsDrive-away price$78,962 (NSW)$76,796 (NSW)
Volkswagen Golf R and Toyota GR Corolla best deals
Volkswagen Golf R vs Toyota GR Corolla: Interior space and comfort
The positives and negatives of these hot hatches are more a reflection of the strengths and weaknesses of their donor cars’ cabins – the Golf’s as one of the classiest in the small-car class, and the Corolla’s comparably cramped and dated – as both get the performance-car basics right.
The GR Corolla’s front sports seats are softer than the Golf R’s, and a bit roomier between the bolsters for larger frames, but they are not as supportive, and lack the VW’s driver’s side electric adjustment and dual ventilation, only offering heating. We like the suede centres in the GR, but the VW’s nappa leather feels more upmarket.
Golf R drivers sit lower in the car, with better visibility and greater reach adjustment in the steering column for taller owners, but we prefer the sportier feel of the GR Corolla’s smaller, thicker-rimmed steering wheel.
The Volkswagen’s wheel is easier to grasp, and its paddle shifters feel higher-quality, but the brand has persisted with touch-sensitive controls, rather than reverting to traditional buttons as with other Golf models, as it could not (or was unwilling to spend the money to) fit the R’s drive mode button on a GTI’s wheel.
Volkswagen says the touch controls are now less prone to accidental presses, and we can vouch for that – though we still managed to activate the heated steering wheel by accident on one occasion
The Golf R’s interior feels like the price being asked for it. It’s bright and airy, helped by the sunroof optioned on this test car; the materials are soft and high-quality where it counts (note we didn’t say everywhere), and the ergonomics are better, fitting an extendable and height-adjustable centre armrest the Corolla lacks.
There’s more storage, with deeper flock-lined door pockets, under-armrest centre storage, and a rubberised tray above the wireless charging pad to both keep your phone out of sight, but also unlock more space for keys and wallets.
In contrast, the GR Corolla is, well, a Corolla. It’s much darker inside, there are fewer softer finishes and metallic accents, and storage is limited, with no centre armrest to hide items under, a narrow centre console, and a wireless charger that phones slide out of at the first hint of a corner.
Its switchgear is more conventional, though. There are traditional air-conditioning dials and buttons rather than the VW’s on-screen controls and touch-sensitive sliders, a normal gear shifter rather than a stub, and a purposeful AWD mode selector.
Space in the rear of the GR Corolla is tight, with modest kneeroom for a 186cm-tall passenger behind a similarly-sized driver, not much headroom, and a narrow cabin not helped by small windows, a large central tunnel, and a dark headliner.
It’s light on amenities, with only one USB-C port that’s shared with the front seats, and no air vents, though map and door pockets act as some consolation.
The Golf R is not the roomiest vehicle in the hot-hatch class, but there’s more head, knee and toe room than in the GR Corolla, with a more comfortable middle seat, better side visibility, and features such as a fold-down armrest and phone pockets on the seatbacks above the map slots.
It also gains a zone of climate control specifically for the rear seats, plus two USB-C ports for rear passengers only, capable of supplying 45 watts – enough for a slow charge of a laptop.
Both cars carry outboard ISOFIX and three top-tether points for fitting child seats, though the Golf’s door openings are larger. The seats fold in a 60:40 split in both, with the VW adding a ski port opening in the centre for long and thin items.
Boot space separates the two even further. There’s just 213 litres behind the rear seats in the Corolla, barely enough for a full-sized suitcase, while the Golf quotes a more usable 341 litres before the seatback is folded.
Neither car has a spare wheel, but the Volkswagen offers meaningful under-floor storage as a result – whereas most of that space is taken up by foam in the Toyota – as well as lights and a 12-volt socket.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS autoSeatsFiveFiveBoot volume341L seats up
1197L seats folded213L seats up
No seats folded figureLength4296mm4408mmWidth1789mm1851mmHeight1467mm1479mmWheelbase2630mm2640mm
Volkswagen Golf R vs Toyota GR Corolla: Infotainment and technology
The GR Corolla retains an 8.0-inch touchscreen with its 2025 update, running Toyota’s about-to-be-superseded software with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, and AM, FM and digital DAB radio.
It is an effective system, and CarPlay worked reliably on test, but the screen is small, the bezels are big, and the software isn’t the easiest to use, with average response times and a confusing menu layout.
In contrast, the Golf R’s infotainment has been given a glow-up with its Mk8.5 facelift.
The 10-inch screen has been swapped with a 12.9-inch unit, backed by increased processing power, and running new software that’s more logically laid out, as well as more customisable, with a row of configurable shortcuts for key functions along its top edge.
Key climate-control functions are now pinned to the bottom of the screen, to complement the touch-sensitive sliders which are now illuminated, though adjusting the fan speed is still a few taps away, and it is all fiddlier than the Toyota’s conventional dials and buttons.
Both cars feature digital instrument clusters – 12.3 inches in the Toyota and 10.25 inches in the Volkswagen. The Golf’s is slightly more customisable, as it can show a full-screen map, and there’s a broader choice of layouts, but the Toyota offers sportier views for track driving the Golf can’t match.
The nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is one of the better stereos in a small car on sale today, and it’s streaks ahead of the Toyota’s ‘premium’ eight-speaker JBL unit.
The GR Corolla offers Toyota Connected Services support, with a phone app incorporating vehicle tracking, remote lock/light controls, and automatic SOS calls in a crash. A handful of the features are always free, but some are only included for the first year reverting to a subscription.
Volkswagen Golf R vs Toyota GR Corolla safety rating
Only the Volkswagen Golf R carries an ANCAP safety rating, based on 2022 testing conducted by sister organisation Euro NCAP under now-superseded protocols.
Such is the extent of the changes to the Toyota GR Corolla that it cannot inherit the regular version’s five-star safety rating, though it is about to expire regardless, having been issued in 2018 under even less stringent crash-test criteria.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS autoANCAP ratingFive stars (tested 2022)UnratedSafety reportANCAP reportNone
Volkswagen Golf R vs Toyota GR Corolla: Which has better-tuned safety features?
Volkswagen and Toyota are among the more skilled brands in tuning advanced safety features that work with the driver, rather than prompting them to switch the systems off.
The lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring systems in both cars work well, though only the GR Corolla offers traffic sign recognition.
One area where the Volkswagen pulls ahead is in its lane-centring assist feature, known as Travel Assist, which is more assertive than that of the Toyota, but also more accurate and dependable upon reaching curves in the road.
It has additional airbags, fitting one in each of the rear-side door panels to protect back-seat passengers’ torsos, not just their heads, as covered by the curtain airbags in both cars.
The Golf offers front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera, against the Corolla’s front/rear sensors and rear camera. Neither camera system is of a very high resolution, but the Toyota’s unit is particularly poor.
At a glance2025 Volkswagen Golf R2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS autoAutonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)Includes pedestrian, cyclist, junction awareness, plus low-speed rear AEBIncludes pedestrian, daytime cyclist, junction awareness, plus low-speed rear AEBAdaptive Cruise ControlWith stop-and-goWith stop functionBlind Spot AlertAlert only, with exit warningAlert onlyRear Cross-Traffic AlertAlert and assist functionsAlert and assist functionsLane AssistanceLane departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane centring assistLane departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane centring assistRoad Sign RecognitionNot fittedSpeed signs onlyDriver Attention WarningDistraction monitor via touchscreen, steering inputsNot fittedCameras & SensorsFront and rear sensors, 360-degree/front/rear/side camerasFront and rear sensors, rear-view camera
Volkswagen Golf R vs Toyota GR Corolla: Which is cheaper to service?
Both cars are sold with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, but it’s Toyota that will extend the coverage on the engine and driveline by two years, if the car is serviced on time at the brand’s dealers.
Service intervals are set every 12 months or 15,000km for the Golf, whichever comes first – the industry standard for a petrol-powered car – but the GR Corolla requires a far tighter six months or 10,000km.
Mechanically-minded customers may appreciate the shorter intervals – particularly given the complexity of the GR’s engine and all-wheel-drive system – but for others, it may prove to be a hassle.
Despite the differing intervals, service prices are similar on a time basis, at $4246 for the VW over five years and five dealer visits, and $4206.61 for the Toyota over five years but 10 visits.
Follow the distance intervals, and the VW’s comparatively pricey dealer check-ins bite, for a 60,000km maintenance cost of $3686 for the Golf (over four visits) and $1860 for the GR Corolla (over six visits).
Volkswagen will sell you pre-paid Care Plans, priced at $1966 over three years/45,000km, and $3640 over five years/75,000km.
A year of comprehensive insurance coverage is quoted at $2727.31 for the Golf, and $2489.64 for the GR Corolla, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male, living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
At a glance2025 Volkswagen Golf R2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS autoWarrantyFive years, unlimited kmFive years, unlimited kmService intervals12 months or 15,000kmSix months or 10,000kmServicing costs$2204 (3 years)
$4246 (5 years)$1860 (3 years)
$4206.61 (5 years)
Volkswagen Golf R vs Toyota GR Corolla: Which is more fuel efficient?
Across a mix of environments, fuel consumption claims ring in at 8.3L/100km in the VW, and 9.5L/100km for the Toyota – the variance largely due to a stark difference in urban fuel use (10.6L/100km vs 13.6L/100km respectively).
In our back-to-back testing, the difference was much narrower.
The same route on motorways and major suburban roads saw the trip computers list 7.0L/100km in the Golf and 7.4L/100km in the Corolla. Adding performance driving, and some more suburban running into the mix brought the final fuel figures to 9.9L/100km and 10.3L/100km.
Given the nature of traffic on our winding-road test loop, the Golf was perhaps pushed fractionally harder, but both cars were generally driven by both of our drivers in alternating conditions – so we’d call fuel economy a tie. As always, your mileage will vary.
Where customers are likely to notice a difference is at the pump, where the facelifted ‘Mk8.5’ Golf R can now accept 95-octane fuel, rather than the 98-octane minimum of its predecessor, as well as the GR Corolla.
Oddly, the sticker behind the Golf’s fuel flap still specifies 98RON, but Volkswagen has confirmed that’s not the case.
Many owners are likely to spend up on the most expensive fuel regardless, but it is something worth considering – especially if you take the cars into country areas, where not every petrol station may stock 98-octane.
Fuel efficiency2025 Volkswagen Golf R2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS autoFuel cons. (claimed)8.3L/100km (mixed)
10.6L/100km (urban)
7.0L/100km (extra-urban)9.5L/100km (mixed)
13.6L/100km (urban)
7.1L/100km (extra-urban)Fuel cons. (on test)9.9L/100km (mixed)
7.0L/100km (suburban/highway)10.3L/100km (mixed)
7.4L/100km (suburban/highway)Fuel type95-octane premium unleaded98-octane premium unleadedFuel tank size55L50L
Volkswagen Golf R vs Toyota GR Corolla: Engine and driveline technical deep dive
For all their similarities on paper, the Golf R and GR Corolla approach the task of delivering more than 220kW from their engines to the road surprisingly differently.
The Volkswagen is more conventional, with the most powerful production version of the brand’s 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol ‘EA888’ four-cylinder to date, an engine dating back to the Mk5 Golf GTI of the early 2000s.
It now quotes 245kW and 420Nm – up from 235kW/400Nm previously – and despite the fitment of an emissions-reducing petrol particulate filter, VW says it can now accept 95-octane fuel.
Tricks associated with the new engine tune include turbocharger ‘pre-loading’, where the turbo is kept spinning under low and intermittent throttle load to improve response should you call for maximum power, plus an ‘Emotion Start’ feature that revs the car to 2500rpm when the engine start button is held, not pressed.
Volkswagen claims 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds – 0.2sec quicker than before – matched with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Meanwhile, the GR Corolla opts for a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder initially developed for the smaller GR Yaris in the World Rally Championship.
It’s not as potent as the Golf, with 221kW and 400Nm – up 30Nm with the 2025 update – and it’s matched with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, unusual for a performance car. Zero to 100km/h takes an estimated 5.4 seconds with launch control.
Both cars are all-wheel drive (AWD), but they operate quite differently.
The Golf R uses on-demand AWD capable of sending up to 50 per cent of engine torque to the rear wheels. Using a clutch pack, it can then send 100 per cent of that 50 per cent to either wheel, allowing more torque to be sent to the outside tyre to help it rotate through corners or, in Drift mode, overpower it to break traction and kick the car into a slide.
The GR Corolla almost always powers its rear axle, and can send more of it there, though three modes: 60:40 front-to-rear in Normal, 50:50 in Gravel, and a variable ratio between 60:40 and 30:70 in Track mode.
It works by gearing the rear axle to spin faster than the front, and fitting a clutch pack in the centre of the car to act as a brake, of sorts – such that the more it locks up, the more torque the rear wheels ‘steal’ from the front, spinning the tyres.
Given the axles are geared differently, it means that in normal driving, the plates inside that clutch pack are constantly slipping – in liquid, to reduce wear and keep them cool – to allow the rear wheels to turn in sync with the front, and prevent the driveline binding.
Rest assured, that clutch pack is covered under warranty. But what does that all mean on the road?
Volkswagen Golf R vs Toyota GR Corolla: Which is better to drive?
The GR Corolla offers one of the more old-school driving experiences in a hot hatch today. The turbo three-cylinder is a cracker, with some lag down low traded for strong mid-range pull as the speed builds, backed by a characterful, bassy note with plenty of the turbo spool and blow-off enthusiasts love.
It’s a quick car, no doubt. Zero to 100km/h in the mid-five-second range is easily enough to lose your licence on command, and it never feels wanting for grunt.
Until you step into the Golf R, that is. It makes the Corolla feel like a 737 to the Volkswagen’s Concorde; the seat-of-the-pants feeling is there’s much more than 245kW on tap.
There’s less off-the-line turbo lag, it feels stronger through the mid-range, and it pulls hard to redline, though unlike Concorde, it’s relatively quiet, with only a few crackles on upshift, or when lifting off the throttle.
The Corolla’s eight-speed torque converter is the smoother of the pair around town, bordering on doughy, compared to the Golf’s occasional moments of hesitation off the mark that are common to dual-clutch ‘boxes.
Toyota has tuned the eight-speed auto on race tracks, and it’s surprisingly aggressive in its downshifts under brakes with the car in Expert mode, but it’s not quite as snappy as the Golf’s DSG, which in its M+ mode, like its rival, will let you hit the rev limiter without automatically upshifting.
Both gearboxes can be left in their respective sport modes – S or S+ in the Volkswagen, depending on the drive profile selected, or a simple Sport position on the Toyota’s shift lever – and they do a good job of choosing the right gear for the moment on a twisty road.
Around town, the Golf R holds a clear advantage.
Compared to the Toyota’s non-adjustable, always-firm ride, the VW’s 15-stage adaptive dampers allow for incredible flexibility, from surprisingly supple over rough urban roads in Comfort mode, to sufficiently firm for greater body control in Sport and Race.
The golden ticket is Special mode, hidden within the Race mode menu. It sets all parameters to maximum attack, bar traction control and the dampers, intended to allow for greater compliance on Germany’s undulating Nurburgring race track, but it’s just as well-suited to potholed Australian country roads.
On winding tarmac, the GR Corolla needs to be worked harder to extract its best. The steering is heavier, though not any more feelsome; the ride telegraphs what’s happening on the surface below, there’s plenty of grip from the Yokohama tyres, and it feels more analogue in the way it behaves, and how it keeps you in the loop with what it’s doing.
In contrast, the Golf R feels like playing a video game on easy mode. Direct but not-too-heavy (nor very feel-some, admittedly) steering, more forgiving suspension, sticky Bridgestone Potenza tyres, and well-tuned electronic aids allow the driver to push harder with less effort.
Only when its talents eventually run out do you realise how capable it is – and for that reason, if it’s driver involvement you’re after, you’ll prefer the Toyota.
Both all-wheel-drive systems work well, but the Corolla feels slightly more natural in the way it rotates in, and powers out of corners, given it is more mechanical in how it sends more grunt to the rear, rather than relying on torque vectoring to tighten the car’s line.
That said, we’re talking small margins, and within the limits of the road – and speed limits – it takes a lot to get either car to lose composure.
We didn’t take either car on track for this comparison, but we have previously tested the Golf R and GR Corolla in closed environments, and our on-road notes – the GR Corolla is more engaging, but the Golf R is faster and more effortless – apply there too.
On a skidpan, both cars can be asked to drift: the Volkswagen by over-driving its outside rear wheel to break traction, and keeping the slide going through clever software, while the Toyota’s driver can pull the traditional handbrake, and rely on the car’s Track mode to send as much torque as possible to the rear.
Both cars have firm brake pedals that hold up well to fast road driving, as well as time on track, but the GR Corolla’s is slightly grabbier. The Toyota is much noisier on the open road, too, backed by a stereo that’s not as good at drowning it out.
Key details2025 Volkswagen Golf R2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS autoEngine2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo petrolPower245kW @ 6500rpm221kW @ 6500rpmTorque420Nm400Nm @ 3250–4600rpmDrive typeAll-wheel driveAll-wheel driveTransmission7-speed dual-clutch automatic8-speed torque converter automaticPower to weight ratio (tare)161.5kW/t149.3kW/tWeight (tare)1517kg1480kg0-100km/h4.6 seconds (claimed)5.4 seconds (projected)Spare tyre typeTyre repair kitTyre repair kitPayload523kg435kgTow rating1700kg braked
750kg unbrakedNot rated to towTurning circle12.0m10.7m
Should I buy a Volkswagen Golf R or a Toyota GR Corolla?
It’s clear these hot hatchbacks – both of which are among the best of the breed – will appeal to different buyers.
The Toyota GR Corolla is the more analogue of the pair. It makes you work harder for its performance, but it’s more engaging when you get there, with more noise, more drama, and a scruffier, less polished side that old-school-minded buyers will like.
It has the bold styling a hot hatch deserves, in our view; it’s slightly cheaper to buy, and, if you can drive one, there’s the option of a manual transmission.
But as long as there are city lanes, suburban streets and open highways between home and your favourite driving roads, the Volkswagen Golf R wins this comparison.
It beats the GR Corolla in every objective metric. It’s faster, grips harder and rides more comfortably – all without breaking much of a sweat – while being more spacious, vastly better equipped, quieter, cheaper to own, and more fuel efficient.
If the Toyota is a 10 out of 10 for engagement, but a 5 out of 10 in the daily grind, the Volkswagen is an 8 or 9 out of 10 in both metrics.
And to be fair, that argument against the Volkswagen as a driver’s tool has fewer legs to stand on than ever before. Each new iteration of the Golf R is growing faster, sharper and more involving, but not at the cost of the daily usability for which it’s loved.
All of our testers enjoyed their time behind the wheel of the GR Corolla, but when it came time to choose which one they’d take home – perhaps as their only car – it was the Golf R’s keys they gravitated toward.
Should the budget stretch far enough, we would advise spending the $6500 extra on the Warmenau package to add some noise, and turn a jack-of-all-trades performance car into a genuine master.
Overall Ratings
Drive’s Pick
2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 8.4/ 108.4/ 10
2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback 8.0/ 108.0/ 10
Ratings BreakdownPerformance2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Ride Quality2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Handling & Dynamics2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Driver Technology2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Interior Comfort & Packaging2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Safety Technology2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Infotainment & Connectivity2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Energy Efficiency2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Value for Money2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback Fit for Purpose2025 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback 2025 Toyota Corolla GR GTS Hatchback
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