2025 Volkswagen Golf R Review

If the mark of a great hot hatch is that it’s ‘all things to all people’ then it’s difficult to think of a car that embodies that philosophy more than the Volkswagen Golf R.

Quick, comfortable and surprisingly roomy, its ability to blend accessible performance with everyday practicality has long made it a no-brainer for buyers looking for a daily runabout that can also scratch their enthusiast itch. And all this without the eye-wincing price carried by premium rivals like the Audi S3 and Mercedes-AMG A35.

But there’s a catch: despite generations of greatness, all has not been well in Golf R land of late. While the Mk 7 and 7.5 were high watermarks, their Mk8 successor made a few missteps, most notably in the cabin where the introduction of fiddly haptic touchpads and touch-sensitive sliders drew widespread criticism.

Which brings us to the car you see here. Dubbed ‘Mk8.5’ it’s essentially a facelift of the eighth-generation R that aims to set VW’s flagship hatchback on course. Question is, has it worked?

How much does the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R cost?

Usually manufacturers like to use a model update to add a few thousand to the car’s list price but happily that isn’t the case here. Despite a raft of improvements like more power and torque, fresh exterior styling tweaks and a larger infotainment screen, the Mk8.5 R is only $500 more than its predecessor.

Pricing starts at $70,990 before on-road costs and on paper the R compares favourably to its rivals like the Honda Civic Type R ($74,100 driveaway), Mercedes-AMG A35 ($89,700), BMW M135 xDrive ($83,600) and Audi S3 ($78,800).

One rival that is more affordable is the Toyota GR Corolla which will set you back $67,990 for the six-speed manual and $70,490 for the new eight-speed auto. And there’s also the nagging reminder that in 2023 you could snap up a Golf R for $65,990. But then again, it wasn’t so long ago that a takeaway coffee was $3.50…

One thing you won’t have to worry about with the Mk8.5 is agonising over which options to add because there’s only one: $1900 for a panoramic sunroof. If you’d like your R to be a little more individual, though, VW is offering a limited number of R Black Editions. For $1500 more ($72,490 before ORCs), the Black Edition adds black badges, black mirror caps, a black radiator grille, darker LED headlights, black exhaust tips and a different design for the 19-inch alloy wheels, which are forged and are 2kg lighter per corner. No prizes for guessing what colour they are. Just 300 Black Editions are coming to Australia and at the time of writing, about 150 are already spoken for.

A final package that’s potentially worth waiting for is the new ‘Warmenau Pack’ which will be available on MY26 models. Costing $6500 on top of the R’s list price, the pack adds the same forged alloys as the Black Edition only finished in silver, genuine carbon inlays for the cabin and, most notably, an Akrapovic exhaust.

As for servicing intervals, the R requires a trip to the dealer every 12 months or 15,000km with costs ranging between $557 for a minor service to $1460 for a major. Volkswagen offers a three-year service plan for $1966 or five years’ of servicing for $3640. Like the rest of the Volkswagen range in Australia, the Golf R is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty.

What is the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R like inside?

Let’s address the elephant in the room first: unlike the rest of the recently updated 2025 ‘Mk8.5’ Golf range which has returned to conventional buttons, the new flagship R retains VW’s controversial haptic touch pads on the steering wheel.

The reason, according to VW R lead engineer Jonas Thielebein, is that customers wanted to keep the ‘R’ hot button on the left spoke which allows drivers to switch driving modes easily on the fly. Adding a physical R button was deemed too expensive, so VW has instead opted to ‘optimise’ the touchpads by increasing the effort required to push them by 50 per cent. The goal was to make the pads less easy to bump inadvertently during spirited driving and while it’s an improvement, it’s still far from perfect. There’s better news elsewhere.

The centre screen has grown to 12.9 inches and it looks positively enormous when you settle into the driver’s seat. There’s no faulting its responsiveness or resolution either, or how it integrates with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Even better is the sliders that run along the bottom of the screen for the volume and temperature controls are now backlit and easy to reach. A pity, then, that you still need to dive into the touchscreen to adjust the fan speed for the aircon.

Seat comfort is excellent in both rows, with front passengers ensconced in heavily bolstered ‘R branded’ buckets trimmed in soft Nappa leather. No real complaints about storage or passenger space either. While there’s no escaping the Golf’s small-car dimensions, there’s still enough room to sit four adults in relative comfort. The back seat is also nicely bolstered to ensure outboard passengers aren’t thrown about during hard cornering, while dedicated air vents and tri-zone climate control further underscore the R’s daily driver credentials, especially for owners with small kids.

Boot space is good rather than great at 341L (sadly the more commodious R wagon has been axed in Australia due to low demand) and there’s also no automatic tailgate, which feels a smidge stingy for a $70K+ flagship model. Rear passengers will also notice a drop in interior materials, most notable on the door cards which are harder and less tactile than those in the front.

Broadly, though, the R’s cabin is well packaged and feels suitably elevated over a regular Golf thanks to its garnishes of carbon trim, blue highlights and smattering of R badges.

What equipment does the  2025 Volkswagen Golf R come with?

Aussie versions of the Golf R are loaded with standard inclusions. Outside you’ll find Matrix LED headlights, ‘premium’ LED tail lights with sequential indicators, 19-inch ‘Estoril’ alloy wheels, and privacy glass. There’s also keyless entry and the standard inclusion of Europe’s optional ‘Performance Package’ which brings a host of visual upgrades and also increases the R’s top speed to 270km/h.

Inside both front seats are heated and ventilated (although only the driver’s is electrically adjustable), while a head-up display, large 12.9-inch central touchscreen and configurable digital instrument cluster ensure the driver is never short of key information. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, as are four 45W USB-C charging ports.

The R also scores a more powerful eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, while wireless phone charging and VW’s ‘IDA’ voice assistant are standard fitment too. A 360 surround view camera is also included, as is ambient lighting with 30 different colours.

Speaking of colours, buyers can pick from three exterior hues: Pure White, Grenadilla Black and Lapiz Blue. All are no-cost options.

How safe is the 2025 Volkswagon Golf R model?

All variants of the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf carry a maximum five-star ANCAP rating. As well as nine airbags, the R features a host of active safety systems including: autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, a driver attention monitor, blind spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert. A reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors are also fitted.

What powers the 2025 Volkswagon Golf R?

Wind back the clock to the early 2000s and the Mk4 and Mk5 versions of the Golf R were powered by a smooth-revving 3.6 naturally aspirated V6. Since then, though, every generation of the R has utilised VW’s venerable EA888 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo and it’s no different here. Power and torque have both crept up for this Mk8.5 version, with software tweaks lifting total outputs to 245kW/420Nm.

Combine that with all-wheel drive and a fast-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and the R will hit 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds, which is two tenths quicker than the Mk8. Before you ask, a manual version is no longer available. Fuel consumption is rated at 8.3L/100km on the combined cycle, which feels realistic. During spirited driving we saw upwards of 12L/100, while that figure dropped as low at 6L during stints on the highway.

There’s also a new engine-related easter egg worth mentioning. If you’re a fan of a noisier exhaust, especially on start up, then the Golf R now includes something called ‘emotion start’. You activate it by pushing and holding the starter button before you press the brake pedal (instead of the usual way around), and this will fire the engine into life with higher revs and a few more pops and crackles from the exhaust. “It’s a great conversation starter with your neighbours,” laughs VW’s test driver Benny Leuchter.

What is the 2025 Volkswagon Golf R like to drive?

“Good luck doing that in a front-wheel-drive car,” I think as I flatten the throttle out of a tight, second-gear hairpin. Rain is lashing the windscreen and not for the first time, I find myself reaching in vain to see if there’s a faster setting for the wipers. There isn’t. Not that the Golf R seems to care…

We’re rocketing across some of the best driving roads in country NSW and despite the sodden conditions, progress is rapid. In truth, Volkswagen couldn’t have asked for a better day to showcase the R’s breadth of ability. On roads that would see front-drive hatches descend into a mess of wheelspin and torque steer, the all-wheel-drive R is virtually unflappable.

Traction out of tight corners is immense, body control is resolute, the steering is calm and measured, and the way the 19-inch alloys are absorbing the litany of ruts and potholes on our route is deeply impressive, even with the adaptive dampers to their firmest setting. It’s all hugely confidence inspiring, with enough feedback coming through the steering wheel and the seat of your pants to always feel as though the car is on your side.

The only real drawback is the deep hum of tyre noise, which on coarse-chip roads is a constant companion. No faulting the grip or connection from the Bridgestone Potenza S005s, though. Tick one for the updated Golf R, then – it’s still a fantastic all-weather performance car. Solid long-distance cruiser, too. We spent more than five hours in the saddle in challenging conditions and emerged feeling fresh.

But is it fun? The R has long been criticised for being quick and capable but too ‘clinical’, without the adjustability and engagement that define the truly great hot hatches.

Which is where the R’s torque splitting rear differential comes in. First fitted to the Mk8, the rear diff has added a ‘Drift mode’ and livened up the R’s handling by apportioning up to 100 per cent of the rear axle’s torque to the outside wheel. You can feel it working too. On slippery roads you can notice the torque being shuffled rearwards and in tighter corners you can even use the throttle to help rotate the car.

The benefits are even more obvious at a track. Mercifully the rain has stopped for our hot laps around Sydney Motorsport Park and on dry tarmac the R is so quick, stable and approachable that it feels almost foolproof. Fire it into a corner and the steering loads up progressively, the brake pedal is easy to modulate, and the 2.0-litre engine, which now features ‘turbo preload’ to reduce turbo lag, picks up cleanly and eagerly as you feed in the throttle.

The seven-speed dual-clutch comes into its own at speed, too. Around town you can notice the occasional stumble from the ’box at intersections or in stop-start traffic, but on the move it’s fast and responsive. The R gets longer shift paddles and a new M+ manual gives the driver total freedom to hold gears at redline if desired, but the shift logic is so well calibrated in automatic that it’s actually quicker to let the car do the job for you.

As you’d expect there’s a wide array of modes for the dampers, engine and gearbox but for quick driving on lumpy roads and bumpy tracks the best all-round compromise is ‘Nurburgring mode’ which dials up the aggression of the powertrain but slackens off the dampers. Does the EA888 sound good? It’s rare to find a musical four-cylinder engine and while VW has boosted the aural drama by piping more cracks and burbles through the speakers in the racier drive modes, it can sound a touch artificial at times.

To properly exploit the R’s handling, you’ll need to engage ESP Sport or, if you’re within the safe confines of a track, switch the ESC off altogether. Do this and the R comes alive, its mix of predictable dynamics and newfound adjustability allowing you to back it into corners with neat little slides and to tighten your line with the throttle rather than the brake.

Does it deliver the tactile, almost Porsche GT3-like dynamic highs of a Honda Civic Type R? Sadly not but it’s still a hoot. It seems as though it can handle hard track driving, too. Despite several stints and multiple fast laps, the brakes and key temps in our Black Edition test car held up well. And as for the lap time gain brought by the torque-splitting differential?

During testing VW compared two Mk7.5 Rs, one with the new diff and one without. “On the Nurburgring the torque splitter alone dropped the lap time by 12 seconds,” says VW R’s lead engineer Jonas Thielebein.

The Open Road’s take on the 2025 Volkswagon Golf R

So is the Mk8.5 Golf R a night-and-day improvement over the Mk8? No, it isn’t, and if you’re a current Mk8 owner it’d be tricky to justify upgrading unless you’re willing to spend the $6500 extra for the forthcoming Warmenau pack which nets you the desirable forged wheels and Akrapovic exhaust.

But if you’re in the market for an all-weather, all-round hot hatch, the Mk8.5’s extra performance and newfound dynamic zest ensure it remains a leading contender. All things to all people? Hard to argue with that one.

What we like:

• Excellent all-weather performance
• Adjustable, approachable and engaging dynamics on road and track
• Supportive seats and well-judged ride make it a fantastic daily

Not so much…

• Tyre noise on coarse chip roads
• Can’t match the dynamic highs of a Honda Civic Type R
• Retains VW’s fiddly touchpad functionality