I’ve had a MK8 R wagon for almost 2 years and have loved it! Admittedly it’s not cheap but there’s now no such thing as a cheap car these days. Yeah the haptic controls are not as good as buttons but you do get used to it. Besides a couple of faults with lane assist and the gear selector happening it’s been a fantastic family daily driver. Has averaged about 9L with mixed driving and it’s tuned. It’s overall been a fantastic car to own and enjoyable to drive every time! Love it
Love the Golf R, have owned two, but the prices are getting ridiculous. I remember buying my MK7 for $55K brand new on the road. Now we're well past $70K with on-roads, and tbh at that price i'd be looking to save a bit more money and just get a luxury car.
Just curious, is that USD? I bought a 2024 DSG Golf R in Edmonton, Canada a couple weeks ago with a few dealer extras and 7 year warranty for $64K CAD out the door, which converted is a little under $47K USD.
Have owned a MK7.5 R for 7 years fantastic car it was so well equipped, even had what they now call IQ lights. In the last 3 years, I have had a Stage 1 tune and suspension enhancements. Now 275 kW 520 Nm a seriously quick car 0-100 in the high 3s, a supremely safe platform and easy to improve. Eagerly waiting to see the MK8.5 R due June 26 could be tempted to upgrade. Probably the best supported platform atm.
I have now own my mk8 GTI for a year. And yes I got used to the infotainment system within a week, and I am actually quite like this design. Only complain is the piano black centre console, but it looks good😝.
I’ve owned mine since August 2022 and love it ! If i was to be critical though i would prefer separate controls for the AC. The other disappointment was the stock sound system, due to supposed chip shortages there was no HK system available and the stock system was worse than what’s in my daughters 05 Corolla, seriously. Its been upgraded since to FOCAL. BTW, I love the clean look of the haptic controls which took all of about a day to master. I wouldn’t go back to buttons, they look dated. And JFYI, the console lid also ratchets up and down for height adjustment ! And Finally Paul. You forgot to mention how good the DSG operates, even at low speeds !!😉
What I do not like is the heat and sunlight coming from the moonroof. That small whippy net does not block enough, I find myself reaching out to close the net, when it is already in the closed position. I am planning on ceramic tint the glass.
My first car was a 1961 Volkswagen Beetle. In my opinion, they have got more expensive but not better. The current model is almost eye watering pricewise.
I very nearly bought one of these as an upgrade from my 7.5 Golf R. I ended up with Civic Type R instead. Regardless of how quick the Golf R was, I always found it a little boring. The Type R is just a truly magnificent car to drive by comparison. Very interested to see what the update for the Golf brings.
Looking for a 2nd car a standard golf was an option. So off we went to the dealership, they had all the car boots open and browsing at a golf realised it was actually a polo. The polo is now about the size of older model golfs. So, as the golf entry level is the same price as a Polo GTI we or should I say the wife bought the polo gti.
How much cheaper would this car be if it didn’t have the gimmicky drift mode technology, and how much extra does that technology add to the service costs?
God the length they are going too to cut costs.. there's space for the spare tyre but choose to not include it, the low rent back seat area removing all buttons they possibly can. And they ask top dollar for it. Crazy. On the rear seats its funny. I'd go without the rear climate control and auto windows control to get a more premium feeling area back there. Strange decisions VW are making..
The original 80s and 90s concept of the hot hatch is dead. Waaaay too exxy for your standard young guy wanting to have something relatively cheap that gives unbelievable performance. And as for interior styling I think Cupra has their parent VW beat. I'll go back to yelling at clouds now.
The speedo moved to the bottom corner due to the drive mode they changed to. It took me a minute to realise that but yea.. stuff moves around on the digital displays they have these days
I recently test drove one along with the s3. Here are my thoughts. Golf r: Driving this thing was amazing. Feels so much faster then the s3 even though it’s only 20nm more with same kw. Maybe something to do with the way the gears are tuned and the torque vectoring. The interior was a shocking place to be. It really is very bad. It was an instant no for me. Especially for the stupid price it’s going for. S3: Interior fit and finish were absolutely outstanding. Not a fan of the gloss black inside the cabin as it attracts a lot of dust and finger prints. It drives very similar to the golf r and is plenty of power for the street. In sport mode the thing becomes a weapon. I ended up negotiating a deal where I got the Audi s3 for cheaper then a golf r and am the happy owner of this beautiful machine. 😍.
I’ve own 7.5 R such a good car Now I own the my 8 Golf r Amazing hot hatch price little expensive but for the price great performance As per the buttons you get use to it not as bad as people think it is Entertainment system had software updates No different to other modern vehicles Love my car and having so much fun
Love my R!!!!! '23 20th anniversary edition and it is an absolute blast. Great daily to and from work, dropping the kids, or hooning around on a track day, it takes it all in stride even in horrible weather, the snowy winters in Toronto, Canada.....
Sorry if this comes across as a dumb question but is the way you do 80-120 the best way to show it? You often say it's to simulate overtaking, so would it not be better to be cruising at 80 and then floor it rather than already flooring it?
Yes it's massively overpriced given its competition. It's quick but definitely not the best hot hatch. On track the Civic Type R, GR Corolla and I30N sedan or more playful and engaging than this. Even the sister brands Cupra Leon vzx is more raw to drive. Definitely the most refined/comfortable though and AWD makes it handy I guess. Also the facelift has just as much piano black. The infotainment is better though , the one in this is a horror show.
I had a Mk 8 GTI (before Cupra landed in Australia) and yes - you get used to the infotainment / volume / climate controls very quickly. Looking forward to the ‘8.5’ coming out next year!
I own this car and I am not sure why everyone who test drive this car is so negative about the touch screen and the buttons on the steering wheel and the Aircon and volume controls. I never had an issue at all working with them and just took one day to get used to it. The car is very well designed and even the interior looks still fresh to me after having this car for almost 2 years now.
The test drivers' feedback might have caused all that hassle. Typically, a test driver doesn't live with the car; they just drive it for a few hours. It's understandable that it might be confusing initially. However, I wonder why there isn't the same level of criticism directed at Teslas, which, in comparison to VWs, tend to have more inconveniences.
Having owned the mk7.5 Golf R, I have a sweet spot for the Golf R, but they are now way too expensive. I'm not keen on a EV, but gee, the new Model 3 Performance is so close to the Golf R price and considerable quicker. VW really need to catch up with the times.
Used to be able to get an RS3 for not much more than $70,000… they’re now over $100,000 optioned up, so yeah, it’s getting too expensive for what it is. My 2015 FGX XR8 was only a tick over $60,000 for way more performance… car pricing has gone mental, and way above inflation in my opinion 🤷♂️
Does it really have more performance? Golf R does 0-100 quicker and also quarter mile quicker. Presumably would smash the XR8 in the bends. Also a much nicer car overall in terms of appointment. Also, there has been a lot of inflation since 2015. The 2024 equivalent to 60,000 is approx 79,000.
@@coreyw427 I just agreed in general principal that car prices are too expensive. No point comparing a 2015 falcon at all as it lacks so many features ,tech and appointment to the 2024 Golf it isnt even funny. And it is slower everywhere while using twice the fuel in the process.
I drove this car last week in the UK and was super impressed by the performance on the motorway. I’m not worried about displays and all the other set ups, to be honest, I loved everything about the car except for having no wireless Apple car play and android auto. Definitely buying one!
70k for a Golf…. are they for real, what are with these modern day new vehicles being so ridiculously overpriced. I get the performance is great but the i30 N is way more bang for your buck and just as fast. Sure because the Golf R has AWD it rockets off the line but true real world performance lies in the roll on acceleration, you’re not going to be using launch control at every red light to drag race everyone and to be honest this isn’t 15-20k worth extra in the performance category over an i30 N (Sedan or Hatch) in terms of mid-range punch, there’s barely anything between the two as this has more drivetrain loss. And as terms for luxury, no one buys a Golf for luxury so that alone isn’t worth the price tag, make this car around the 55-60k mark and it’ll be exceptional, but some dealers are asking well over 80 to 90k which is just outlandish.
I kind of agree with you, yes it is overpriced but so is the i30n, at its price it should be awd. Unfortunately all cars today are overpriced, the cheap cars are expensive and expensive cars, well they just bend you over, no lube.
@@smiddysmidton8313 being 0.3 seconds quicker in a roll on isn’t exactly a league above. Even the 0-100 is only 0.5 seconds difference, that to me isn’t 20k extra in terms of performance.
Would be nice if you could also show a little go pro screen on the side when you are cornering the car to give us perspective of what the speed was and real understanding of the performance and handling
So they improve the infotainment hardware & software with the '25 facelift, but grew the stupid screen to gargantuan proportions, STILL left the climate controls in touchscreen menus, STILL didn't add a volume knob, and though they replaced the haptic controls on OTHER models' steering wheels, they remain on the R, apparently because they didn't want to design a new wheel for it. Also we were getting 6MT option in USA through '24, now gone for '25, which will disappoint a LOT of people here, including me, who will now stick to my '19 Mk7.5, whereas I had been considering replacing it with a '25.
Cheers Paul for the excellent review, the golf R is my dream car and I came close to buying 1 and ended up buying the Tiguan R which is amazing and your review of that got me interested
Why is it that car journos never talk about long term reliability issues, VW engines are notorious for intake tract carbonisation. Direct injection without port injection was always going to be a disaster. But hey VW stopped caring about its customers decades ago…
Yes, It is getting too expensive! But then, what isn’t since the pandemic started! At least it does a reasonable job in putting the two AWD Hyundai Ionic 5 models into some perspective.
I see barely any new Golfs anymore. I rhink the VW overpriced lustre is disappearing. Their strategy with this outrageous pricing is that there are probably just enough fools ro choose this car so that their ridiculous mark up comoensates for small sales. I guess it works for VW group
Hi Paul we are thinking 130 n performance and golf 8 r what do you think worth golf r worth of 12000 what would you go for please Paul we are happy about the golf r thanks paul
We have a 2023 Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition. We love it. It is a great daily driver for all kinds of road conditions. I was able to clock 4.4 sec 0 to 60 MPH (97 KPH) on a soaking wet road in the middle of a down pour. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a daily driver that is a lot of fun.
@@HughRussell06 You have a car that is worth a lot of money, it is supposed to be sporty.....and you want it to go unnoticed. I don't understand anything.
As an owner of the Sonata N Line, I’ve been waiting for a review as well, it doesn’t get as much love as the N models on here, it is just about bang on in terms of features and performance as the i30 N (Hatch, Sedan)
@@mharro88 when I talk about performance, I’m talking about straight line performance, it’s just a vague expression, I understand the Sonata isn’t a track focused sedan, just a quick sporty family sedan similar to the oldschool VE Commodore’s
Lova ya Paul but god these reviews get bogged down so hard in copy/paste stuff no ones cares about. Touch points, door sounds, ofc every car has smart phone connections and radio just focus on the important stuff like why you should pick one over a GTI the main selling features and spend more time driving it. No one cares about "build quality" where you touch the centre console for 1 second and go yep that looks good lmao
I got used to the Haptic Touch almost immediately. Reviewers have made WAY too big of a deal of that.. It all actually works very well. I’ve owned the car for 6 months and I have NEVER “accidentally” tapped the “R” or the heated steering wheel button. It’s a great car
Suggest two long important improvements to your video reporting 1. The new Ranger/Amarok V6 do not have a centre differential and is thus not have a full 4wd system on sealed surfaces, but is similar to the AWD systems on Hyundais/Kias/Tiguans where a clutch engages the drive shaft/differential of the non-driving wheels in case of slippage…..utes/suv’s with full 4wd have centre differentials e.g. like the old Amarok, Triton, Prado, old Everest that have a much better 4WD system on sealed surfaces as all 4 wheels are always engaged. 2. The ‘Australian tuned’ suspensions for utes are often praised, just to be proved as mediocre in the wave tests…..time to get real or get non-Australian tuned utes for comparison…
Beautiful car fun to drive, I did have one, but they are not in the league of some other German vehicles!. But 80 thousand aud way way too much for the new model “outrageous” really. A used BMW 330e comes to mind!?
Great review mate. I had a MK5 GTI of which I sold to a friend when it had 300,000 km on the dial. He drove it for a few years and passed it on when it had 400,000 km on the dial. That GTI was my favourite car and I've had over 30 cars.
Drive one (2024 version) almost daily. They are actually not “touch sensitive” buttons - you need to click it … no issue with them at all. Touch screen fast and crisp. Climate slider, takes a week or 2, then you can operate without looking( like how you do with knobs). The drawback is the sunroof, I found it tricky to operate while driving. Performance is decent - there’s hidden mode ,down (D)your gear selector twice, it will intensify the normal sports mode (but not as aggressive as Race mode)
Owner of a MY23 Golf R 20Y AE, yes you do get used to the haptic feed back wheel, would I prefer buttons; yes, but after a week its fine. Piano black interior still sucks tho.
I always thought you were a youtuber working for yourself. This channel is nothing but your success. So not sure you are working for someone else's channel. For your popularity it wouldn't have been harder to find cars to test too.
I had an S3 15 years ago that cost about $80K; given the time elapsed since then, I don't think that it's too expensive. More power out of the EA288 now; a well proven engine.
For me, a hot hatch represents affordable fun that can also do the mundane day to day stuff. At 75k, the R (and other hatches at this price point) is 20k beyond what the humble hot hatch should cost in 2024.
The mk8 R is big step up from the previous generation in terms of performance the way it puts the power down is Realy cool. I test drove the audi s3 same year as the mk8 R and its night and day difference. R is way better in my opinion to drive.
If they have real torque and power (like this one) and an interior with a good array of latest features, I'd pay the price rather than getting a gutless hatch. However your review suggests this interior may not be one I would pay that amount for - maybe after the updates?
I have a 7.5 R Wolfsburg Wagon, it’s incredible and hasn’t got the niggles with the entertainment system in the 8 that you are referring to. I actually think it also looks better than the 8.
You should do a 1 hot lap time test with all the cars you test drive to see how quick they are in comparison to each other in different categories.
I’ve had a MK8 R wagon for almost 2 years and have loved it! Admittedly it’s not cheap but there’s now no such thing as a cheap car these days. Yeah the haptic controls are not as good as buttons but you do get used to it. Besides a couple of faults with lane assist and the gear selector happening it’s been a fantastic family daily driver. Has averaged about 9L with mixed driving and it’s tuned.
It’s overall been a fantastic car to own and enjoyable to drive every time! Love it
Love your honest reviews, because you point out the pluses and importantly the minuses. Every single thing has pluses and minuses.
Love the Golf R, have owned two, but the prices are getting ridiculous. I remember buying my MK7 for $55K brand new on the road. Now we're well past $70K with on-roads, and tbh at that price i'd be looking to save a bit more money and just get a luxury car.
There has been a lot of inflation since then. 55k then is about 72k now, so perhaps not as different as you might think.
Just curious, is that USD?
I bought a 2024 DSG Golf R in Edmonton, Canada a couple weeks ago with a few dealer extras and 7 year warranty for $64K CAD out the door, which converted is a little under $47K USD.
Have owned a MK7.5 R for 7 years fantastic car it was so well equipped, even had what they now call IQ lights. In the last 3 years, I have had a Stage 1 tune and suspension enhancements. Now 275 kW 520 Nm a seriously quick car 0-100 in the high 3s, a supremely safe platform and easy to improve. Eagerly waiting to see the MK8.5 R due June 26 could be tempted to upgrade. Probably the best supported platform atm.
I have now own my mk8 GTI for a year. And yes I got used to the infotainment system within a week, and I am actually quite like this design. Only complain is the piano black centre console, but it looks good😝.
I’ve owned mine since August 2022 and love it !
If i was to be critical though i would prefer separate controls for the AC. The other disappointment was the stock sound system, due to supposed chip shortages there was no HK system available and the stock system was worse than what’s in my daughters 05 Corolla, seriously. Its been upgraded since to FOCAL.
BTW, I love the clean look of the haptic controls which took all of about a day to master. I wouldn’t go back to buttons, they look dated.
And JFYI, the console lid also ratchets up and down for height adjustment !
And Finally Paul. You forgot to mention how good the DSG operates, even at low speeds !!😉
What I do not like is the heat and sunlight coming from the moonroof. That small whippy net does not block enough, I find myself reaching out to close the net, when it is already in the closed position. I am planning on ceramic tint the glass.
My first car was a 1961 Volkswagen Beetle. In my opinion, they have got more expensive but not better. The current model is almost eye watering pricewise.
I very nearly bought one of these as an upgrade from my 7.5 Golf R. I ended up with Civic Type R instead. Regardless of how quick the Golf R was, I always found it a little boring. The Type R is just a truly magnificent car to drive by comparison. Very interested to see what the update for the Golf brings.
Looking for a 2nd car a standard golf was an option. So off we went to the dealership, they had all the car boots open and browsing at a golf realised it was actually a polo. The polo is now about the size of older model golfs. So, as the golf entry level is the same price as a Polo GTI we or should I say the wife bought the polo gti.
I’ve driven a few of these now and the interior feels like polo levels of luxury definitely not $60-$70k premium. Outside looks are decent though
How much cheaper would this car be if it didn’t have the gimmicky drift mode technology, and how much extra does that technology add to the service costs?
It's a walk up buy car, allot of confidence in it being great.
Highjacking king
Black seats in that Australian heat.
Like nearly every other car.
🤡
15k more than an i30N makes it a hard pill to swallow.
I understand, and I'm no big fan of golf's but I feel like this would be such a better car than the Hyundai. It almost justifies it...almost
To each their own. I look at this and say "only 15k more than the Hyundai", I would never choose the Hyundai!
it's still a hyundai lmao
@@naysay5812you should drive the Hyundai, they are very suprising
@@daweigo6851 I have, a few of the new i30s etc, feels pretty solid but the euros do everything just that little bit better
God the length they are going too to cut costs.. there's space for the spare tyre but choose to not include it, the low rent back seat area removing all buttons they possibly can. And they ask top dollar for it. Crazy.
On the rear seats its funny. I'd go without the rear climate control and auto windows control to get a more premium feeling area back there. Strange decisions VW are making..
No longer the 3 litre engine so it's a no from me. Better getting a M140i if you like these size of cars.
Hot recycled plastic which is initially poor quality for 45K?!
Things are too dear
The price is way over for this car, for a few more thousand you can buy a new Mustang Gt which offers so much more.
The original 80s and 90s concept of the hot hatch is dead. Waaaay too exxy for your standard young guy wanting to have something relatively cheap that gives unbelievable performance. And as for interior styling I think Cupra has their parent VW beat. I'll go back to yelling at clouds now.
Great car. As for the roof spoiler!!! Makes it look like a hairdressers car.
Ns are so much better and more reliable AND cost 10k less. Its a no-brainer.
I'll have the new M3P thanks.
Hell yeah! That is an utter bargain in Australia.
Um OBVII you should have mentioned it's other competitor, the recently axed Kia Picanto GT, which was obviously a competitor of this car ...
🤭
Don't like the leather or the interior in general, think I'll stick with my 7.5 GTI and whack a Littco on it
Too slow in reverse 😂
It's way to $$$ for a VW
did they get into trouble with showing speeds? cannot see speedometer in this video.
I believe they use a track to test the 0-100/100-120 times.
So I don't think it's illegal unless it was done on a public road?
It’s a private track.
They can do 300 if they want.
The speedo moved to the bottom corner due to the drive mode they changed to. It took me a minute to realise that but yea.. stuff moves around on the digital displays they have these days
who are booking paul
all the girls
lol
cars sell guy
70k for a golf wtf
The Hyundai 130n proves that this car does not need to be 70k plus. The price tag is ridiculous
The interior of the Hyundai is terrible and not even remotely luxurious
Its the dumbest hot hatch not the best id rather choose gr corolla or an rs3
Looks very dated and boring
I recently test drove one along with the s3. Here are my thoughts.
Golf r: Driving this thing was amazing. Feels so much faster then the s3 even though it’s only 20nm more with same kw. Maybe something to do with the way the gears are tuned and the torque vectoring. The interior was a shocking place to be. It really is very bad. It was an instant no for me. Especially for the stupid price it’s going for.
S3: Interior fit and finish were absolutely outstanding. Not a fan of the gloss black inside the cabin as it attracts a lot of dust and finger prints. It drives very similar to the golf r and is plenty of power for the street. In sport mode the thing becomes a weapon. I ended up negotiating a deal where I got the Audi s3 for cheaper then a golf r and am the happy owner of this beautiful machine. 😍.
Totally agree with you mate , also an s3 2022 owner , absolute Weapon , paired with the right mods is a bonus , fun and capable on track !
@@rykophilippou1866 100%. Only problem now is having the restraint to not tune it 😫
How much did you pay for the s3?
@@gymclasshero88 75k
I’ve own 7.5 R such a good car
Now I own the my 8 Golf r
Amazing hot hatch price little expensive but for the price great performance
As per the buttons you get use to it
not as bad as people think it is
Entertainment system had software updates
No different to other modern vehicles
Love my car and having so much fun
Love my R!!!!! '23 20th anniversary edition and it is an absolute blast. Great daily to and from work, dropping the kids, or hooning around on a track day, it takes it all in stride even in horrible weather, the snowy winters in Toronto, Canada.....
Sorry if this comes across as a dumb question but is the way you do 80-120 the best way to show it? You often say it's to simulate overtaking, so would it not be better to be cruising at 80 and then floor it rather than already flooring it?
This is very true. I think it’s more indicative than actually replication of overtaking.😊
They should have a couple of caravans and a road train..
Yes it's massively overpriced given its competition.
It's quick but definitely not the best hot hatch.
On track the Civic Type R, GR Corolla and I30N sedan or more playful and engaging than this. Even the sister brands Cupra Leon vzx is more raw to drive.
Definitely the most refined/comfortable though and AWD makes it handy I guess.
Also the facelift has just as much piano black. The infotainment is better though , the one in this is a horror show.
Hey Paul love the work ! Seeing as golf R is reviewed please please full review on the 2024 Audi s3 ! As an owner , awsome car !
I had a Mk 8 GTI (before Cupra landed in Australia) and yes - you get used to the infotainment / volume / climate controls very quickly.
Looking forward to the ‘8.5’ coming out next year!
Spot on got mine for a bargain
definitely the best looking hatchback, corolla hatchback is pretty ugly 😅
I own this car and I am not sure why everyone who test drive this car is so negative about the touch screen and the buttons on the steering wheel and the Aircon and volume controls. I never had an issue at all working with them and just took one day to get used to it. The car is very well designed and even the interior looks still fresh to me after having this car for almost 2 years now.
Sure you do
If it wasn't any problem, Then VW wouldn't go to all the cost & R&D to change it all in the update.
The test drivers' feedback might have caused all that hassle. Typically, a test driver doesn't live with the car; they just drive it for a few hours. It's understandable that it might be confusing initially. However, I wonder why there isn't the same level of criticism directed at Teslas, which, in comparison to VWs, tend to have more inconveniences.
The thing is majority hates the design and they are going back to less touch design.
@@purplehazeffc Cause stupid car reviewers don't know how to operate basic tech.
Great car review. I like the new vw golf R . From South Africa and I'm a big fan ❤
Having owned the mk7.5 Golf R, I have a sweet spot for the Golf R, but they are now way too expensive. I'm not keen on a EV, but gee, the new Model 3 Performance is so close to the Golf R price and considerable quicker. VW really need to catch up with the times.
I’d be getting the Tesla M3P for sure.
Nothing can replace the golf gear change sound though 🤤
I'd rather a spare tyre instead of a bloody subwoofer.😊
Okay gramps.
You dont want doof doof? 😂
Used to be able to get an RS3 for not much more than $70,000… they’re now over $100,000 optioned up, so yeah, it’s getting too expensive for what it is. My 2015 FGX XR8 was only a tick over $60,000 for way more performance… car pricing has gone mental, and way above inflation in my opinion 🤷♂️
Does it really have more performance? Golf R does 0-100 quicker and also quarter mile quicker. Presumably would smash the XR8 in the bends. Also a much nicer car overall in terms of appointment. Also, there has been a lot of inflation since 2015. The 2024 equivalent to 60,000 is approx 79,000.
Agree on pricing but a XR8 would get whipped everywhere by a Golf R.
@@smiddysmidton8313 Not really on pricing either, if you see my other comment due to inflation it’s basically the same
@@coreyw427 I just agreed in general principal that car prices are too expensive. No point comparing a 2015 falcon at all as it lacks so many features ,tech and appointment to the 2024 Golf it isnt even funny. And it is slower everywhere while using twice the fuel in the process.
The FL5 Type R is a much better car overall. Feels way more special. Like a baby GT3RS
Yea still a VW 😂 never had a car that had so many quality issues. Never again.
Wow the golf has ventilated seats, you cant even spec those on the 3 series., nice one VW👌
Trying to get my hands on a manual as clearly there are more dsg ones out there
Glof R with more plastic 😬😔😔😔
I drove this car last week in the UK and was super impressed by the performance on the motorway. I’m not worried about displays and all the other set ups, to be honest, I loved everything about the car except for having no wireless Apple car play and android auto. Definitely buying one!
I own one in Canada and use wireless android carplay or whatever it's called everytime I drive it. Is it deactivated in the UK or something?
South Africa appreciates this review. This car here is every boy racer dreams to have. Once I graduate from the Gti. Thank you
Not all south africans, definitely not me....
Thats a stupidly highpricre
70k for a Golf…. are they for real, what are with these modern day new vehicles being so ridiculously overpriced.
I get the performance is great but the i30 N is way more bang for your buck and just as fast.
Sure because the Golf R has AWD it rockets off the line but true real world performance lies in the roll on acceleration, you’re not going to be using launch control at every red light to drag race everyone and to be honest this isn’t 15-20k worth extra in the performance category over an i30 N (Sedan or Hatch) in terms of mid-range punch, there’s barely anything between the two as this has more drivetrain loss. And as terms for luxury, no one buys a Golf for luxury so that alone isn’t worth the price tag, make this car around the 55-60k mark and it’ll be exceptional, but some dealers are asking well over 80 to 90k which is just outlandish.
I kind of agree with you, yes it is overpriced but so is the i30n, at its price it should be awd. Unfortunately all cars today are overpriced, the cheap cars are expensive and expensive cars, well they just bend you over, no lube.
A Golf R is a league above the i30 in performance.
@@smiddysmidton8313 being 0.3 seconds quicker in a roll on isn’t exactly a league above. Even the 0-100 is only 0.5 seconds difference, that to me isn’t 20k extra in terms of performance.
@@russell3436 performance isn’t just straight line speed.
Would be nice if you could also show a little go pro screen on the side when you are cornering the car to give us perspective of what the speed was and real understanding of the performance and handling
So they improve the infotainment hardware & software with the '25 facelift, but grew the stupid screen to gargantuan proportions, STILL left the climate controls in touchscreen menus, STILL didn't add a volume knob, and though they replaced the haptic controls on OTHER models' steering wheels, they remain on the R, apparently because they didn't want to design a new wheel for it. Also we were getting 6MT option in USA through '24, now gone for '25, which will disappoint a LOT of people here, including me, who will now stick to my '19 Mk7.5, whereas I had been considering replacing it with a '25.
Cheers Paul for the excellent review, the golf R is my dream car and I came close to buying 1 and ended up buying the Tiguan R which is amazing and your review of that got me interested
Is that you Ben?
You need to do lap times like what top gear did back in the day haha 👍😂
Why is it that car journos never talk about long term reliability issues, VW engines are notorious for intake tract carbonisation. Direct injection without port injection was always going to be a disaster. But hey VW stopped caring about its customers decades ago…
The R has direct and port injection
Any chance of reviewing the last version of the Kia Stinger GT on this track? There is only the old version!
Yes, It is getting too expensive! But then, what isn’t since the pandemic started! At least it does a reasonable job in putting the two AWD Hyundai Ionic 5 models into some perspective.
I see barely any new Golfs anymore. I rhink the VW overpriced lustre is disappearing. Their strategy with this outrageous pricing is that there are probably just enough fools ro choose this car so that their ridiculous mark up comoensates for small sales. I guess it works for VW group
Hi Paul we are thinking 130 n performance and golf 8 r what do you think worth golf r worth of 12000 what would you go for please Paul we are happy about the golf r thanks paul
Having a firm car ride in Australia is terrible with the roads Australia has.
We have a 2023 Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition. We love it. It is a great daily driver for all kinds of road conditions. I was able to clock 4.4 sec 0 to 60 MPH (97 KPH) on a soaking wet road in the middle of a down pour. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a daily driver that is a lot of fun.
I own a 2024 golf R its so cool car i love it
When are you going to review the polo rline
Dig it when you started giving it stick haha yea soft touches infotainment bla bla. Drive it you cant deny that smile bru.
Can you even reach the gas pedal with that seat that far back? I'm 6 foot and my knees are not in the back seat like that.
Price on these are insane.
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From the front, looks more of an R-Line if you know what I mean. Doesn’t look aggressive enough.
I guess that’s a good thing about the Golf R though, it flies more under the radar unlike ones like the i30 N and Civic Type R
@@HughRussell06agreed, that’s the point of the Golf R and always has been. It does everything.
@@HughRussell06 You have a car that is worth a lot of money, it is supposed to be sporty.....and you want it to go unnoticed. I don't understand anything.
@@Hugh.G.Rection. But the mk7 R was more aggressive than this.
Top of my list when Lotto comes through :)
Volkswagen no thanks
Lol you would not be able afford anyways. Stay with your toyota buddy.
@@sleepyjoescumbag1663
Toyota overrated same as Volkswagen, I drive shitbox from Stuttgart
Golf R 7.5 Final Edition is better looking
I will appreciate manual transmission on this car. Vw is making this mistake again.
great car but it definately is too expensive but so is bacon these days.
71k? yeah nah
Just buy a mk7.5 and have money left over for mods 🤪
be interested to see a review on the Hyundai Sonata N line
As an owner of the Sonata N Line, I’ve been waiting for a review as well, it doesn’t get as much love as the N models on here, it is just about bang on in terms of features and performance as the i30 N (Hatch, Sedan)
@@russell3436 performance isn't even close to a i30n sedan other than straight line speed.
@@mharro88 when I talk about performance, I’m talking about straight line performance, it’s just a vague expression, I understand the Sonata isn’t a track focused sedan, just a quick sporty family sedan similar to the oldschool VE Commodore’s
Lova ya Paul but god these reviews get bogged down so hard in copy/paste stuff no ones cares about. Touch points, door sounds, ofc every car has smart phone connections and radio just focus on the important stuff like why you should pick one over a GTI the main selling features and spend more time driving it. No one cares about "build quality" where you touch the centre console for 1 second and go yep that looks good lmao
I got used to the Haptic Touch almost immediately. Reviewers have made WAY too big of a deal of that.. It all actually works very well. I’ve owned the car for 6 months and I have NEVER “accidentally” tapped the “R” or the heated steering wheel button. It’s a great car
Suggest two long important improvements to your video reporting
1. The new Ranger/Amarok V6 do not have a centre differential and is thus not have a full 4wd system on sealed surfaces, but is similar to the AWD systems on Hyundais/Kias/Tiguans where a clutch engages the drive shaft/differential of the non-driving wheels in case of slippage…..utes/suv’s with full 4wd have centre differentials e.g. like the old Amarok, Triton, Prado, old Everest that have a much better 4WD system on sealed surfaces as all 4 wheels are always engaged.
2. The ‘Australian tuned’ suspensions for utes are often praised, just to be proved as mediocre in the wave tests…..time to get real or get non-Australian tuned utes for comparison…
I’ve got a 2023 s3, the interior is far better. Actual buttons 😂. On the road no difference in performance, but more of a sleeper look. Suits me
Beautiful car fun to drive, I did have one, but they are not in the league of some other German vehicles!. But 80 thousand aud way way too much for the new model “outrageous” really. A used BMW 330e comes to mind!?
80K? What’s the minimum wage in Australia? In the US that car is about $45K, which is still very expensive.
Great review mate. I had a MK5 GTI of which I sold to a friend when it had 300,000 km on the dial. He drove it for a few years and passed it on when it had 400,000 km on the dial. That GTI was my favourite car and I've had over 30 cars.
Drive one (2024 version) almost daily. They are actually not “touch sensitive” buttons - you need to click it … no issue with them at all. Touch screen fast and crisp. Climate slider, takes a week or 2, then you can operate without looking( like how you do with knobs). The drawback is the sunroof, I found it tricky to operate while driving. Performance is decent - there’s hidden mode ,down (D)your gear selector twice, it will intensify the normal sports mode (but not as aggressive as Race mode)
Owner of a MY23 Golf R 20Y AE, yes you do get used to the haptic feed back wheel, would I prefer buttons; yes, but after a week its fine. Piano black interior still sucks tho.
I always thought you were a youtuber working for yourself. This channel is nothing but your success. So not sure you are working for someone else's channel. For your popularity it wouldn't have been harder to find cars to test too.
The VW fart is a turn off. Its like a girl farting 🤢
I had an S3 15 years ago that cost about $80K; given the time elapsed since then, I don't think that it's too expensive. More power out of the EA288 now; a well proven engine.
For me, a hot hatch represents affordable fun that can also do the mundane day to day stuff. At 75k, the R (and other hatches at this price point) is 20k beyond what the humble hot hatch should cost in 2024.
looks like the new 8.5 did not update the buttons
The mk8 R is big step up from the previous generation in terms of performance the way it puts the power down is Realy cool. I test drove the audi s3 same year as the mk8 R and its night and day difference. R is way better in my opinion to drive.
If they have real torque and power (like this one) and an interior with a good array of latest features, I'd pay the price rather than getting a gutless hatch. However your review suggests this interior may not be one I would pay that amount for - maybe after the updates?
I have a 7.5 R Wolfsburg Wagon, it’s incredible and hasn’t got the niggles with the entertainment system in the 8 that you are referring to. I actually think it also looks better than the 8.