Volkswagen Golf R review (2021) Car News

What is the next? This is the question that Volkswagen would have asked itself by putting pen to paper during the development of this latest ultra hot Golf.

The problem was that the previous version – the Mk7 Golf R, introduced in 2014 but updated in 2017 before being grazed in 2019 – was so good. A blend of striking appearance combined with an appealing degree of subtlety but also high cost, and smooth handling coupled with excellent ride quality, has made the Mk7 Golf R the hot sedan that defines its generation. It was also indecently quick. So how do you improve it? Indeed, what’s next?

The topic of this week’s test drive is the answer, and it’s fair to say that while the Golf R remains traditional in many ways, there are a couple of bold innovations. But before we dive into the details, be aware that the priorities in Wolfsburg have changed in recent years.

The fast four-wheel-drive Golf dates back to the Mk2 Rallye of 1988, although it was not until the 2000s and with the advent of the V6-powered R32 of the Mk4 and Mk5 generations that the recipe began to take hold. the general public. A switch to four cylinders for the Mk6 generation then brought not less power, but more, and allowed VW to refine handling. The popularity of the car grew further, and during the Mk7 era the Golf R was not just the flagship Golf, but arguably the flagship of the entire company. It was pragmatic but ambitious and was loaded with appeal to drivers.

Technical specifications

Tested model: Golf R

Price: £ 39,270

Tested price: £ 44,365

Engine: 4-cylinder in-line, 1984 cc, turbocharged, petrol

Transmission: 7-speed automatic

Transmission layout: front engine, all-wheel drive

See all specs and rivals

Engine

4-cylinder in-line, 1984cc, turbocharged, petrol

Transmission

7-speed automatic

Transmission layout

Front engine, all-wheel drive

In the UK, VW still expects one in 10 Golfs to be sold in the R specification, which is an incredible statistic, but how important is this car now to the company that builds it? The real apple in the eyes of the world’s second-largest automaker is its all-electric identification sub-brand, which VW hopes will pivot the company into the next chapter in its future, hopefully.