This review was written in December 2015 about the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R. Little of substance has changed with this year’s model. To see what’s new for 2016, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.
You’ll grin as the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R’s turbocharged engine responds with each stomp of the gas pedal, but a lack of driver involvement diminishes the fun, making this car’s hefty premium over the exceptional Golf GTI hard to stomach.
Volkswagen redesigned its Golf hatchback for the 2015 model year. A number of variants are offered, including diesel and fully electric models. The Golf TSI, Golf GTI and Golf R all have turbocharged gas four-cylinder engines rated 170, 210 and 292 horsepower, respectively. The Golf R is the only variant with all-wheel drive. The rest have front-wheel drive.
Besides more power and all-wheel drive, the Golf R gets a unique suspension with available adaptive shock absorbers and a standard six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Golf R competes with the Subaru WRX STI and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (see their specs compared here).