VW Golf R DSG Review - Sub-five and Sublime

Meet the latest VW Golf R - now finally on par with more powerful versions released internationally. What this means is that we finally have access to the full complement of 228kW instead of the 213kW we previously had to make do with. And there really isn't a better Golf in existence, thanks to its blend of luxury and brutal performance. It will do zero to hundred in just 4.6 seconds and looks stunning in our test car’s metallic Atlantic blue.

High praise

If I had to compare the Golf R to any other car, it'd be the Porsche 911.

Lofty I know, but there's something about the way both cars play the same game, albeit in different divisions. They're both rapid obviously, but they have also both been improved upon over many generations to be just the right mix of luxury and performance. Understated, but incredibly fast. Quietly confident but carrying a very big stick.

Obviously, I wouldn't compare their performance directly, that would be silly, but not as silly as you'd expect. Both cars are impeccably engineered over many gentle evolutions, being honed and honed in the pursuit of balance and perfection, whilst still retaining effortless cool.

They're both rapid, but hardly boisterous, even when the Golf is paired with an Akrapovič exhaust system. And then there's the fact that when rival manufacturers build their contenders, these are the cars they benchmark themselves against. So, I say, enter the Golf R.

Just look at it, would you!

Even with massive alloy hoops in each arch, the Golf aesthetic is a familiar (if somewhat restrained) one.

Now in a business suit with some incredibly taut musculature just beneath the surface - I will get lost repeating myself on this point; It’s athletic but sophisticated, so will try to push past and commend the VW team for creating a luxurious (for a hot hatch) cabin absolutely wired (except when its wireless) with connectivity options, multimedia and infotainment.

The car’s cerebral network is further jacked with several safety acronyms coded into the mix. I appreciate the lot of them then thumb my way past in pursuit of Race mode, thwack it into Drive and pull at the shifter paddle on the left side of the helm for first gear. Because the R I’d argue, is meant for drivers.

Let’s just jump into it

I’m situated at the coast, so naturally I steer the Golf R to the nearest coastal road to enjoy the winding and undulating asphalt that usually lines the beach.

For many reasons, not the least of it being to benefit from the chilly air – not me personally, rather that fire-breathing 4-banger under the bonnet. Charged with the Akrapovič noise maker I was scything my way through Gordon’s Bay with proper sports car alacrity and a rorty soundtrack that has become a rarity in the otherwise droning four-cylinder catalogue.

The Golf R sounds a treat, acceleration feels endless and gear changes are rapid and punctuated. The mark of a good dual clutch is simple, it should do a perfect job of swapping cogs when you leave it to, but should inspire its driver to do so himself which is precisely the situation here as I’m situated between craggy cliff-face and the sparkling waters of False Bay.

Handling favours the flat whilst the helm makes the R feel firm footed sending copious amounts of feedback into my palms, with torque also abundant enabling me to pull myself from apex to apex developing a rhythm that would belie the modern hatchback’s curb weight.

Okay, let’s wrap this up

The R feels pared back, not stripped away. Purposeful, never bare bones. Nor does it feel over-engineered, an argument I’d level at previous models. If I was Goldilocks I’d be ecstatic because right here, right now I was in the perfect car. Not too racy, not slow neither. Just right.

VW Golf R 2.0 TSI DSG Specs:

The VW Golf R comes with a 5 year or 90 000km Service Plan, 3 year or 120 000km warranty and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty. Service intervals are every 15 000km.