Name: Volkswagen Golf R (2021 - ) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: Volkswagen Golf R
Rating: 70

Summary

The flagship of the eighth-generation (Mk8) Volkswagen Golf range, the Golf R is a five-door hot hatch and estate model.

Sitting above the standard Golf line-up and the performance Golf GTI model, the all-wheel drive Golf R sits at the top of the range – powered by a 315hp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission. This is over 70hp more than front-wheel drive alternatives like the Golf GTI and Hyundai i30 N, but this added power and grip comes at a price.

“It is a pricey machine these days”, Auto Express comments, alluding to the Golf R’s price tag that surpasses the £40k mark. Autocar recommends the Honda Civic Type R as it costs significantly less, and because it is more involving and adjustable on the road. What Car? offers up the Toyota GR Yaris instead for the same reasons.

Many reviews also criticise the confusing and rather annoying layout of the Golf R’s touchscreen controls, and often comment that, while there is nothing explicitly wrong with the car’s interior, it does not match the quality of the premium-badged rivals that it is priced against.

Though not as refined inside, the Golf R is slightly roomier than the likes of the Audi S3 and BMW M135i, and comes with a generous list of safety equipment and other on-board tech as standard – including launch control.

A model that divides opinion, the Sunday Times says that the Golf R would be “a deeply frustrating car to live with every day”, while Top Gear describes it as “the supreme hot hatch all-rounder – no sharp edges, and more rewarding than you might expect.”

As of January 2024, the Volkswagen Golf R holds an Expert Rating of 70%. This score is a couple of points lower than both the standard Golf model and the Golf GTI.

Golf R highlights

Fastest Golf you can buy
Comfortable cabin
More practical than some key rivals
Plenty of safety kit as standard

Golf R lowlights

Interior is nothing special
Confusing infotainment
Expensive to buy and run
Not as entertaining as best hot hatches

Key specifications

Body style: Medium hatchback
Engines: petrol
Price: From £42,190 on-road

Launched: Spring 2021
Last updated: Summer 2021
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: Estate
Score: 8 / 10
“No VW in the brand’s line-up quite nails the performance/practicality brief as well as the estate version of its core R model, the Golf. It’s not without fault, and is a pricey machine these days, but dynamically few can match it, while it offers the performance, image and all-round ability to back up its price tag. It’s a strong continuation of the Golf R Estate lineage.”
Read review

Auto Trader+

Model reviewed: Hatchback
Score: 8 / 10
“The Golf GTI may be a hot-hatch original but, in recent years, the four-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf R has introduced more power, performance and prestige to the package. This latest version may be the best yet. Leaving just one question for fans of hot VWs – Golf R or GTI Clubsport?”
Read review

Autocar+

Model reviewed: 20 Years Edition
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years serves up great pace and engaging dynamics, but it’s a lot of money to be dropping on a hot hatch, even one that is expected to rise in value in future years owing to its exclusivity.” (Greg Kable)
Read review

Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“We admire this car’s speed, composure and new-found flair, all of which stand it out in the 4WD crowd. However, were it our hot hatch money, the £5000-cheaper Honda Civic Type R still offers more. More precision, more adjustability and greater involvement.”
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed:
Score: 10 / 10
“Quantifiably quicker and more sure-footed, the 316bhp jack-of-all-trades is first and foremost awesome on back roads. The new VW Golf R is less demanding than the GTI but every bit as fun.”
Read review

Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 7.8 / 10
“Hot hatchbacks became more popular than sports cars because they bring driving thrills and practicality, and that’s true of the Golf R. It’s based on the sensible Volkswagen Golf, which has plenty of space for four adults and a reasonably large boot.”
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“A Volkswagen Golf that’s both incredibly intense and classily cultured at the same time. Shame the looks aren’t quite as subtle as they used to be, though.”
Read review

Evo+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Undercooked and irritating in equal measure, the Mk8 Golf R’s execution is found wanting, and it’s a loss for the class.”
Read review

Honest John+

Model reviewed: Range overview
“With 320hp and 420Nm of torque, the fifth-generation Volkswagen Golf R can accelerate to 62mph in 4.7 seconds while top speed is limited to 155mph. An optional R-Performance package will increase the top speed to 168mph.”
Read review

Parkers+

Model reviewed: Hatchback
Score: 8.4 / 10
“Top-dog Golf is a discreet supercar slayer”
Read review

The Sun+

Model reviewed: Hatchback
“When you find a quiet stretch of road, the Volkswagen Golf R is extraordinary. Around town, it’s ordinary. Apart from those signature silver wing mirrors.”
Read review

The Sunday Times+

Model reviewed: Hatchback
Score: 5 / 10
“This would be a deeply frustrating car to live with every day. It wouldn’t be so bad if the new Volkswagen Golf R was breathtaking to drive but it’s not. Every so often it feels a bit like the wonderful Golf R of old, but these are only fleeting glimpses in between all the times it lets you down.”
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Estate
Score: 8 / 10
“In every way bar one, the Volkswagen Golf R Estate is brilliant, finding a real sweet spot in the Venn diagram of everyday use and outright dynamic ability. It’s just a shame it’s so far undermined by the integration of the tech. How a setup this frustrating to use got through so many layers of approval at VW is genuinely amazing.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Hatchback
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen Golf R is the supreme hot hatch all-rounder. No sharp edges, and more rewarding than you might expect.”
Read review

What Car?+

Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“Fast and more fun than its direct rivals, but the Volkswagen Golf R doesn’t come cheap and won’t thrill you quite like a Toyota GR Yaris or Honda Civic Type R.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2019
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 95%
Child protection: 89%
Vulnerable road users: 76%
Safety assist: 78%

The Volkswagen Golf R shares its Euro NCAP safety rating with the mainstream Golf range, which was awarded a five-star rating back in 2019.

As a high-spec model, the Golf R comes with plenty of active safety kit as standard, including such niceties as autonomous lane guidance, rear traffic alert and traffic sign recognition. The Golf R also comes with a three-year warranty.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of January 2024, the Volkswagen Golf R has not been lab tested by Green NCAP. It’s unlikely to be a priority for the organisation, but if it is tested then we’ll post the results here.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

Total claims: 1141
Average repair cost: £560.19
Last updated: January 2024

Reliability score

All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

As of January 2024, the Volkswagen Golf has a higher-than-average overall reliability score, according to exclusive extended warranty data provided by our partners at MotorEasy. However, this applies to all Golf models in MotorEasy’s database, so will be a combination of the current Mk8 and the previous Mk7 (pre-2020).

The average repair cost of £560 is fairly average – but much more than the cost of a used car warranty, which is certainly worth bearing in mind.

The majority of problems with the Golf relate to the engine or suspension, and although engine repairs usually cost around £900, suspension issues fortunately tend not to be too expensive with an average repair cost of about £240. Gearbox problems are expensive, at more than £1,300, but the good news is that these are relatively rare.

If you’re looking at a used Volkswagen Golf, make sure any extended warranty cover you purchase covers all of these potential problem areas.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	36 mpg	D	36 – 36 mpg	D – D

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	179 g/km	C	178 – 180 g/km	C – C

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	32	C	31 – 32	C – C

The Volkswagen Golf R is a relatively expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

While insurance premiums sit at around the market average, its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine provides a rather low 36mpg, which makes it much thirstier than your standard Golf.