The Golf R is the fastest car you can buy under the VW brand, with 300 HP, AWD, and a dual-clutch transmission, it feels more like a mini Porsche on the road than a standard Golf.
Subaru really needs to step their game up. This MK7 Golf R is gonna give the STI a run for its money. For nearly the same amount of money as the STI, you can get the Golf R, which as a better overall fit and finish, fantastic DSG, hatchback practicality (bring back the hatch, Subaru!), and is faster (according to MotorTrend). The Subaru enthusiasts and boy racers will probably stick with their trusty STI, but I think the Golf R is easily the better choice. VW really knocked the MK7 Golf out of the park.
Ivan Pineiro It's faster in the real world too. On the straightaways and on corner entry, the Golf R pulls on the STI without much trouble. The only place the STI can keep up is on corner exit, because you can get on the throttle a bit earlier. In a drag race, which may or may not have occurred, every DSG gearchange is worth about 10 feet on the STI. I love a stick as much as anyone, probably more in certain cars. But Subaru's stick isn't great, as we saw, and DSG is really good 95% of the time.
Ivan Pineiro Subaru does need to step up their game in both the styling of the STI and the motor. I bet when they do the mid-generation facelift that they have always done the the STI, it'll get the new direct injection FA motor and hopefully some better styling. I'd still probably take the STI over the VW because I prefer to work on my own cars and Subarus are about a thousand times easier to work on than VWs. The Focus RS seems to be the better choice over both though, but I'll have to wait and see.
AR Taken You're probably right about that, but interior quality doesn't really matter much to me in the grand scale of things. For the most part, the cars are have owned were used, base model economy cars that were over a decade old when I bought them, so interior quality to me is pretty relative. I've driven a few friends' newer and nicer cars lately, and I Have to say, the interior is very nice and very comfortable, but it doesn't command as much of my attention as good steering, handling, or power. Performance matters more to me than heated seats and a nice sound system. I am happy with the interior in the Fiesta ST I drove recently, and if the RS has anything comparable or better, it'll be plenty of comfort for me.
Drivers seem so damn polite up there in the canyons! Up here in Vancouver if you're able to even find a twisty road that isn't dirt or extremely busy, no one will ever let you by. Like seriously. It's never happened.
Justin Donahue It's a great road. CA Highway 2, north of La Cañada Flintridge, on the way to Wrightwood. They just reopened the whole road, so driving the route makes a nice afternoon trip.
***** Nice! I did the trip in my e39 530i, and picked up a hiker along the way. The fog was extremely dense (less than 30ft of visibility at times), so I didn't really get to open it up all that much.
If you liked the 2015 with the DSG you'd love the 2016 manual. I've loved all +60k miles I have on mine. Even the lay flat rear headrests to improve rear window visibility are a true sign of the German engineering.
@@busy2012 Literally not true at all.. unless you own one don’t talk about it cause you’re just making yourself sound stupid. I’ve had a MK7 for 2.5 years now it’s been $85 for an oil change from the dealer, which is literally all it’s needed so far. Do some more research pal 🤡🤡
This is the video that convinced me to go VW Golf. Wanted the R, but have lots of people and stuff to haul, so best I can do is Golf SportWagen with IS38 and supporting mods/tubes. Thanks for the video!
Just wanted to say that you are awesome sir. You're video with the camera mounted on the front of the car made me feel as though I was there in a way for a ride along. More initial car reviews need to be like this one. Your commentary was great and straight to the point on how the car feels. I can tell you truly have a passion for driving. Subscribed.
Driven both the manual and the dual clutch. I enjoyed the manual because it's, well, a manual... the dual-clutch is the better car though. I'm not a huge fan of VW clutches, they always seem to lack a bit in the feel department. The shifter action, however, has gotten way better over the last few years. -JG
Being a guy with a bad back the dual clutch was a feature that sold me on getting the Golf R. It's very good for the most part when left to its own devices, and the paddles are always there when you want to take over and shift your own gears. The fact that it's faster than the manual helps seal the deal. I am very happy with my choice of the Golf R. It's both a comfortable and nice daily driver, as well as a lot of fun on a back road or at a drag strip.
My back is doing great in the Golf R. The seat adjusts just right for me. Your mileage may vary depending on your body type as I know of one guy that sold his R because it bothered his back. Most people however have been happy with the comfort of the seats.
i haveawrx 2015 but i drove my frends 2015 r for 100 miles while engaging track mode and the ride was extremely unbearable on bumpy roads i would never get that r because ofback problems
I love all of the people crying about the gearbox when they've never even driven one. I'm 21, so should be all about that awesome manual, involved driving, but honestly, I'm converted! Over here in the UK pretty much everyone learns to drive a manual so it's not a big deal. My Mk 7 R is so suited the the 6spd dsg box, and launch control is just hilarious. Saying that,I'm am changing in a year or two to a built supra or R32 GT-R, so Ive got to enjoy the dsg while I can haha!
It honestly depends on the car. If you're in the new M4 for example, a manual wouldn't make much sense because it is a waste of the torque gains and the full experience isn't there. However, in most naturally aspirated engines a manual makes much more sense. Unfortunately the sad truth is as turbocharging is becoming more and more popular, the manual will eventually be phased out.
Was shopping for a manual 2016 WRX sport -tec. A 2016 Lapiz Blue DSG fell into my price range. The rest is history. This is basically the car he’s reviewing and it is extremely satisfying to watch considering I thought it would be a very long time before I’d be moving on from my Passat 3.6 4motion. She was a great car though and will be somewhat missed.
Holy cow, maybe it's the video recording, but that sounds damn close to the 2.5L 5-cylinder with the sound enhancement. I'd love to have that as the soundtrack all the time.
LastHumansGarage The Golf R sounds much deeper and more "motorsport-like" than the GTI, which I had right after. The GTI sounds like a tractor by comparison. So if that's what they are doing, it works great.
TheSmokingTire hmm.. well the GTI has the soundaktor too.. a vibration box mated under the wiper area which vibrates up the windsheild. my 2013 GTI soundaktor had an on/off switch, and i have a vid showing it real time on and off. it adds the growl, but i usually kept it off to be honest. I have a 2015 WRX now, so these last couple videos were very interesting for me. GTIs do sound like tractors.. or diesels..
LastHumansGarage The 2015 WRX has a amplifier type thing that pumps sounds from the engine bay into the cabin right? At real low speeds or idol you can hear a very nice rumble, but I feel like its sort of fake. Not quite coming through the speakers fake, but a little help getting into the cabin through some sort of pipping.
Great review, I'm glad that you liked the Golf R since you always seem very honest and straight to the point. It's cool to hear that overall you seem to like the steering feel since that's one of the things Hans Stuck said he gave a fair amount of input on during development.
I'd like to see you in germany. Visiting any german car factory and its museum, taking test drives on the autobahn and backroads. Not to forget ze german beer and ze food in ze evening, we (ze germans) are nuts about besides cars. I like these one Take videos. Some reallybeautiful roads, great landscape and nice weather, different cars. Good package
Everyday said it didn't justify the money over the GTI, because it's not that superior in comparison, but instead (almost) more of the same, can't wait to hear your opinion on that. TheSmokingTire
I agree. And these cars make great power without much work. Just stage 1 they're doing 12 flats 1/4 mile times and making ~320-330whp. On a GTX2867R turbo upgrade APR is just into the 10s on pump gas.
That was an interesting video Matt. I realized most of the other reviewers chose the STI over the Golf R, but i'm glad you gave your honest opinion. That being said, i wonder why you chose to drive the two cars on different roads especially since you were comparing them to each other.
I just sold my 2015 STI, & am now buying a 2016 Golf R in dual clutch auto (DSG), I've test driven about 15 in the last 6 weeks, manual and dual clutch auto, but no doubt in my mind at all that the Golf R is a better car all round & as a daily. I know I'll love the Golf R more than the STI, as I did feel a little like a boy racer in the STI & the Golf is definitely more refined & has them luxurious feels. Golf R Instant mods needed: coilovers, wheels, street semi slicks & maybe a little more power (500hp'ish) haha.
I've never cared much for hatchbacks and have been looking at the S3. I love manuals though, so the golf is growing on me. compared to your s3 review, the golf sounds much better
Yes people will say that the Golf R is more refined then the Focus RS, but the focus is more of the drivers car. Same thing they said about the gti and the mazdaspeed 3 back when I bought my ms3 in 2007
Hi Matt, Great video as always! For a car enthusiast, You are making TH-cam more exciting than ever with these one take videos...I do have one question, you seem very fond of the DCT on the R, but if you have a choice of manual 6spd vs DCT on the R. Which would you choose?
Andrei F How is it? I just ordered a 2018 in manual and deciding manual vs dsg was a totally tough decision, drove me a little crazy but I live in the snow so, more useful.
hi Nope - there was a delivery delay due to storms and cargo ship damage coming from Bremen to Halifax, but my car was due Friday. I’ve decided to delay my collection until after winter tire season, aka picking it up in mid to late March. I drive a GolfTDI manual at the moment and I too am interested to feel the difference.
IMHO until they drop the FA motor in the sti and give it a newer transmission with a longer ratio the Golf R is just the better option if you're looking for a new car
ravesilly I've driven the FXT with the FA20, and it's rather disappointing.. It has no drama, just a flat power band. Bland noise, nothing exciting. The 08 STi with nameless exhaust though... much better experience
Hi Matt, great video. I am a big fan of both the R and the S3 and although the hardware is identical, the set-up of the R is very different from the S3, wouldn't you agree?
I'm waiting for the Focus RS before I make up my mind on which car to buy. I prefer the looks over the focus but the Golf R seems like an awesome car too. I can not wait for your review of the RS.
Was very surprised to hear the comparisons you were making between this and the STI, *especially* when you said that the Golf is better in the corners. Wow. Glad i watched this video, I'm no longer so sure I"ll be going wih the STI. Can you not get this with a manual transmission though? That would be a dealbreaker for me.
FYI: 292 hp in most places, however, in hot climates the world over, including parts of Texas, Arizona desert and desert of So CA and Las Vegas, the Golf R is limited to 275 hp, not 292... This per VW specs.
+69mrbrightside691 well for fwd driveline loss is about 15-18% loss, rwd about 20-25% loss. I don't know how much awd looses but maybe 25%-30% makes sense for having all wheels moving tranny AND transfercase too. I use test cars at the automotive school I attended on the dyno and im just talking about vehicles that are stock not any that have performance modifications. Then again there's various kinds of dynos with different treadmill resistance so it varies.
Great vids! Would love to see other angles during the drive - interior shot looking forward from back seat, footwell shot for some heel and toe action, close ups of gauges, stuff like that. I'm sure it's not easy to work all that in when you're putting these vids out as quick as you are, just throwing it out there. Keep up the good work!
In the UK the R is £30,000 Base, which sounds expensive but when you look at the older Mk2 Focus RS still around £25-£30k and they're 6 years old with the same power, you kind of forgive the Golf!
After hearing Matt on the podcast saying he is rethinking getting the Focus RS due to not wanting to drive a stick in L.A. traffic, I think he should look at the 2016 Golf R. They have a new infotainment unit with USB, Apple Car Play/Android Auto, a bigger screen with better resolution and a faster processor compared to this test car. You can also get a driver's assistance package with automatic cruise control of you order it. That would seem to bridge the gap in technology compared to the Audi S3, as the Nav unit in the 2015 Golf R sucks and seemed to be something Matt really disliked about the car.
It's amazing how the 2 guys on the motor trend review picked the sti. I've test driven the sti 3 times now. i have sat in the R only. Hopefully i can test drive one soon. The enterior of the R blew me away. The sti had a pretty firm ride, seats were not that comfortable. It's a tough decesion to make. The sti is fun though. I think i'll wait untill the manual r comes out and do another few test drives between the 2 to make my decision. It is tough being patient. ugh!!! lol.
i prefer the golf r, better interior, classy look (not screaming boy racer), better mpg, hatchback for everyday use (personally wish vw didn't drop the 3 door hatch) eventually we'll get the option for a manual in the states but vw does make a nice dsg, give it an apr tuning, blow off valve, and an oil catch and I'd be perfectly happy with this as a daily and weekend car
My theory is that engine and drivetrain are the next things to be updated on the sti. They've got a solid chassis now and besides the Evo haven't had stiff competition in a while but with the modern muscle car arms race the old "fast" no longer feels fast. I hope subaru steps it's game up!
That road looked a dream I want one of these cars I've had 3 gti' s and a 4motion and they started feeling a bit heavy to me I'd Love an R great video good driving I'm gonna sub peace out
Man, I don't know if it is TH-cam or my computer, but this video and the STi one has been such a pain the ass to watch. Constant chopping of the video and this one has stopped playing completely with the error "an error has occurred Please try again later.". I find this odd, as I watch a bunch of other channels on a daily basis and haven't had the same problem (including today). Great stuff though, as always. Can't wait to see what other home creations you drive throughout the summer.
TheSmokingTire Its probably my computer. It worked fine in Chrome. I'm one of those weird losers that uses IE.... Keep 'em coming! This is the best car stuff going right (besides maybe Road Kill). Its great seeing "regular guy" cars. And to comment on this particular car, I see a Golf R every morning on my commute to work. Even as a WRX owner, that car is really nice looking. The guy has lowered it the PERFECT amount. Just enough to be different and hug the road, but not enough to be dumb.
Dump truck guy is a major bro
Subaru really needs to step their game up. This MK7 Golf R is gonna give the STI a run for its money. For nearly the same amount of money as the STI, you can get the Golf R, which as a better overall fit and finish, fantastic DSG, hatchback practicality (bring back the hatch, Subaru!), and is faster (according to MotorTrend). The Subaru enthusiasts and boy racers will probably stick with their trusty STI, but I think the Golf R is easily the better choice. VW really knocked the MK7 Golf out of the park.
Ivan Pineiro It's faster in the real world too. On the straightaways and on corner entry, the Golf R pulls on the STI without much trouble. The only place the STI can keep up is on corner exit, because you can get on the throttle a bit earlier. In a drag race, which may or may not have occurred, every DSG gearchange is worth about 10 feet on the STI. I love a stick as much as anyone, probably more in certain cars. But Subaru's stick isn't great, as we saw, and DSG is really good 95% of the time.
Ivan Pineiro Subaru does need to step up their game in both the styling of the STI and the motor. I bet when they do the mid-generation facelift that they have always done the the STI, it'll get the new direct injection FA motor and hopefully some better styling. I'd still probably take the STI over the VW because I prefer to work on my own cars and Subarus are about a thousand times easier to work on than VWs. The Focus RS seems to be the better choice over both though, but I'll have to wait and see.
Josh Scott RS should be a better performing car but i highly doubt it will be nearly as nice as the R. R interior and ride is very nice.
Not everybody has faith in vw.
I would never.
Too many horror stories
AR Taken You're probably right about that, but interior quality doesn't really matter much to me in the grand scale of things. For the most part, the cars are have owned were used, base model economy cars that were over a decade old when I bought them, so interior quality to me is pretty relative. I've driven a few friends' newer and nicer cars lately, and I Have to say, the interior is very nice and very comfortable, but it doesn't command as much of my attention as good steering, handling, or power. Performance matters more to me than heated seats and a nice sound system. I am happy with the interior in the Fiesta ST I drove recently, and if the RS has anything comparable or better, it'll be plenty of comfort for me.
Drivers seem so damn polite up there in the canyons! Up here in Vancouver if you're able to even find a twisty road that isn't dirt or extremely busy, no one will ever let you by. Like seriously. It's never happened.
Ikr
We have amazing roads bruh
I bought this car on the back of this video,I’ve owned 2 Porcshe’s 996 997 M3 Audi RS4 But this car takes the piss out of all of them .
I want to find that road and marry it and make little baby back roads with it.
Justin Donahue It's a great road. CA Highway 2, north of La Cañada Flintridge, on the way to Wrightwood. They just reopened the whole road, so driving the route makes a nice afternoon trip.
***** Nice! I did the trip in my e39 530i, and picked up a hiker along the way. The fog was extremely dense (less than 30ft of visibility at times), so I didn't really get to open it up all that much.
You stole that line from scrubs
rmuckluck for the most part. But it does apply here
***** Yep. But let's let sleeping comments lie... :)
If you liked the 2015 with the DSG you'd love the 2016 manual. I've loved all +60k miles I have on mine. Even the lay flat rear headrests to improve rear window visibility are a true sign of the German engineering.
German cars are a lot more refined and quite than Japanese ones, i attribute that to the Autobahn.
Hell yeah, waking up to these one takes makes my day that much better
A stage 2 tune from Unitronic gets this thing up to 397hp on pump gas.
It's beautiful
How much will that tune cost thought 🤡🤡
@@busy2012 On sale for $650 right now 🤡🤡
@@alexk3421
Plus yearly bills of 3000$ for regular maintenance apart from gas, sure 🤡🤡
@@busy2012 Literally not true at all.. unless you own one don’t talk about it cause you’re just making yourself sound stupid. I’ve had a MK7 for 2.5 years now it’s been $85 for an oil change from the dealer, which is literally all it’s needed so far. Do some more research pal 🤡🤡
Having owned an STI and a golf R, you are spot on with the R being more refined
Other drivers in the canyons seem nice the way they always move out of your way to let you by.
The golf r is such a refined car, you can get it when you're older and not feel silly.
This is the video that convinced me to go VW Golf.
Wanted the R, but have lots of people and stuff to haul, so best I can do is Golf SportWagen with IS38 and supporting mods/tubes.
Thanks for the video!
"Have you driven goff ah mate"
Living in South Florida I am incredibly jealous of how many awesome roads you guys have in CA.
Beautiful video...well done!
Exactly why I moved from soFla to Cali lol
best show ever...cool car ,cool road,hi-speed footage...MATT,best one ever
An APR tune would make that thing a little beast! 330+hp would be a lot of fun with such a well balanced car. Almost like a mini GTR.
I look forward to watching these everyday. I absolutely love the one takes.
Just wanted to say that you are awesome sir. You're video with the camera mounted on the front of the car made me feel as though I was there in a way for a ride along. More initial car reviews need to be like this one. Your commentary was great and straight to the point on how the car feels. I can tell you truly have a passion for driving. Subscribed.
Driven both the manual and the dual clutch. I enjoyed the manual because it's, well, a manual... the dual-clutch is the better car though.
I'm not a huge fan of VW clutches, they always seem to lack a bit in the feel department. The shifter action, however, has gotten way better over the last few years. -JG
Being a guy with a bad back the dual clutch was a feature that sold me on getting the Golf R. It's very good for the most part when left to its own devices, and the paddles are always there when you want to take over and shift your own gears. The fact that it's faster than the manual helps seal the deal. I am very happy with my choice of the Golf R. It's both a comfortable and nice daily driver, as well as a lot of fun on a back road or at a drag strip.
Michael Cheshareck howsyour back with thevw r
Michael Cheshareck howsyour back with thevw r
My back is doing great in the Golf R. The seat adjusts just right for me. Your mileage may vary depending on your body type as I know of one guy that sold his R because it bothered his back. Most people however have been happy with the comfort of the seats.
i haveawrx 2015 but i drove my frends 2015 r for 100 miles while engaging track mode and the ride was extremely unbearable on bumpy roads i would never get that r because ofback problems
Great video - The Golf R is an awesome car - Had mine a month now and love it..I will love it even more after tuning it to 360hp = )
What was ur 0-60 after the tune?
The 60fps upgrade on 1080p is awesome!! feels like i'm watching a video game!!
I love all of the people crying about the gearbox when they've never even driven one. I'm 21, so should be all about that awesome manual, involved driving, but honestly, I'm converted! Over here in the UK pretty much everyone learns to drive a manual so it's not a big deal. My Mk 7 R is so suited the the 6spd dsg box, and launch control is just hilarious. Saying that,I'm am changing in a year or two to a built supra or R32 GT-R, so Ive got to enjoy the dsg while I can haha!
It honestly depends on the car. If you're in the new M4 for example, a manual wouldn't make much sense because it is a waste of the torque gains and the full experience isn't there. However, in most naturally aspirated engines a manual makes much more sense. Unfortunately the sad truth is as turbocharging is becoming more and more popular, the manual will eventually be phased out.
I'd def take this over the STi
I live right next to this canyon. driven this many many times.
For $5,000 more would you take an Audi S3 over this?? That's the move I made and I'm happy I did. Keep up your great reviews.
A visit to APR would make this just that much sweeter. Thanks for the review, look forward to a look at the focus RS when it arrives in North America.
That's great that VW is actually doing it right. Makes me more excited about the Focus RS. Great review Matt!
i can tell you really really liked that car, more than most others in the one takes.
This car sounds so good and has so much class
Great review as always Matt, Loving the new Golf R, the whole package is just much better than the STI. Keep up the good work
The roads here in Florida are waaay more epic than this!....I even heard that Matt was moving here because of our roads....I ain't lying!!!
it's seems so relaxed on the road considering the speeds its going through.
I like the Subaru more because of the looks, plus I can get a girl
@@dragospahontu if you’re getting girls cause you have a subaru, you need help
@@szouftz XD, hey you really can't get a girl with a golf.
I talked to my therapist and she said something similar to what you said.
@@dragospahontu Yea. A quality girl won't give a shit what car you drive
@@dragospahontu idk man newer VW’s really nice inside and out, I don’t think a lot of girls would be against them.
Love what you do Matt. Be safe!
Just by the vids alone, it looks obvious that the Golf is the better car.
Was shopping for a manual 2016 WRX sport -tec. A 2016 Lapiz Blue DSG fell into my price range. The rest is history. This is basically the car he’s reviewing and it is extremely satisfying to watch considering I thought it would be a very long time before I’d be moving on from my Passat 3.6 4motion. She was a great car though and will be somewhat missed.
Beautiful Countryside, beautiful Car, beautiful Weather... What a nice Ride...envious.....
Holy cow, maybe it's the video recording, but that sounds damn close to the 2.5L 5-cylinder with the sound enhancement. I'd love to have that as the soundtrack all the time.
I really like the 60 FPS of the video. So awesome.
Queue the keyboard warriors complaining its an automatic...
zed4me btw, all the Golf R you can want on my channel.. trollers need not check it out
zed4me Are any of those Golfs manual ?
Kyle Coder Golfs? Yeah, but not the R, at least not until 2016
zed4me There's a Golf R manual on the Volkswagen website in New Zealand. Not sure if that's an error on their part
zed4me only bad thing about an auto is it takes the drivers skill out of the equation, no more heel toe and clutch work
Nice review, Matt. A manual transmission will be available in the 2016 R.
the induction noise is probably the soundaktor and not real. my most viewed video is about the soundaktor on the MK6 GTI.
LastHumansGarage The Golf R sounds much deeper and more "motorsport-like" than the GTI, which I had right after. The GTI sounds like a tractor by comparison. So if that's what they are doing, it works great.
hahah your German impression made me laugh out loud..
TheSmokingTire hmm.. well the GTI has the soundaktor too.. a vibration box mated under the wiper area which vibrates up the windsheild. my 2013 GTI soundaktor had an on/off switch, and i have a vid showing it real time on and off. it adds the growl, but i usually kept it off to be honest. I have a 2015 WRX now, so these last couple videos were very interesting for me. GTIs do sound like tractors.. or diesels..
LastHumansGarage maybe the Golf R's soundaktor is better than the GTI's soundaktor.
LastHumansGarage The 2015 WRX has a amplifier type thing that pumps sounds from the engine bay into the cabin right? At real low speeds or idol you can hear a very nice rumble, but I feel like its sort of fake. Not quite coming through the speakers fake, but a little help getting into the cabin through some sort of pipping.
Great review, I'm glad that you liked the Golf R since you always seem very honest and straight to the point. It's cool to hear that overall you seem to like the steering feel since that's one of the things Hans Stuck said he gave a fair amount of input on during development.
Have you driven the Golf R m8? :D
Great job with these videos...They are amazing
Holly sh*t, empty road, what a drive. Awesome vid
they're coming out with a 6 speed MT later this year, so no worries on that part!
Keep up the great work Matt. Love your reviews. By far my favorite TH-cam channel.
I'm a diehard VW guy and I'm glad Subaru kicked VW's butt for so long, finally made them step up and build a good car.
I'd like to see you in germany. Visiting any german car factory and its museum, taking test drives on the autobahn and backroads. Not to forget ze german beer and ze food in ze evening, we (ze germans) are nuts about besides cars.
I like these one Take videos. Some reallybeautiful roads, great landscape and nice weather, different cars. Good package
Driving a simple vw myself I must say they are built very well. One downside: maintenance and spare parts aren't cheap for a normal car
Thx Matt, just what I was waiting for👍
👊
It's kinda funny, this video is boring because the car is so good, matt can't complain so he is just enjoying the car, good video matt
loved the Chris Harris impression
Good review for the VW R is awesome as I've had one for 3years
German engineering
Everyday said it didn't justify the money over the GTI, because it's not that superior in comparison, but instead (almost) more of the same, can't wait to hear your opinion on that. TheSmokingTire
I agree. And these cars make great power without much work. Just stage 1 they're doing 12 flats 1/4 mile times and making ~320-330whp. On a GTX2867R turbo upgrade APR is just into the 10s on pump gas.
That was an interesting video Matt. I realized most of the other reviewers chose the STI over the Golf R, but i'm glad you gave your honest opinion. That being said, i wonder why you chose to drive the two cars on different roads especially since you were comparing them to each other.
I just sold my 2015 STI, & am now buying a 2016 Golf R in dual clutch auto (DSG), I've test driven about 15 in the last 6 weeks, manual and dual clutch auto, but no doubt in my mind at all that the Golf R is a better car all round & as a daily.
I know I'll love the Golf R more than the STI, as I did feel a little like a boy racer in the STI & the Golf is definitely more refined & has them luxurious feels.
Golf R Instant mods needed:
coilovers, wheels, street semi slicks & maybe a little more power (500hp'ish) haha.
If I'm not mistaken is there supposed to be a 6 speed version of the Golf R coming out this summer?
I've never cared much for hatchbacks and have been looking at the S3. I love manuals though, so the golf is growing on me. compared to your s3 review, the golf sounds much better
Nice review, nice car, nice reviewer!
Yes people will say that the Golf R is more refined then the Focus RS, but the focus is more of the drivers car. Same thing they said about the gti and the mazdaspeed 3 back when I bought my ms3 in 2007
Great video. Fun to watch this car render you speechless.
Thanks for a great and honest review Matt!
Hi Matt, Great video as always! For a car enthusiast, You are making TH-cam more exciting than ever with these one take videos...I do have one question, you seem very fond of the DCT on the R, but if you have a choice of manual 6spd vs DCT on the R. Which would you choose?
LaZiiiDaN I'd take the manual with the Neuspeed short shift kit.
Matt, the Golf R is coming in a stick later this year.
Got mine coming in 3 wks : )
Nice review
Not sure if you're using a new camera, but the footage looks great!
spishco same camera, shooting in 60 FPS now.
those accents were on point
S3 vs. R - Equally optioned: $5K difference. Base-to-base: $4K. S3 has a sunroof, LED tail lights, DSG standard yet a much smaller rear seat.
I have always been an avid subaru/STI guy. Been driving the R for 5 days now and will not go back. Gotta buy one first tho, just borrowing it.
Focus RS is also a german car. It's designed and manufactured in Germany.
just ordered this in stick :O delivery in july
Andrei F How is it? I just ordered a 2018 in manual and deciding manual vs dsg was a totally tough decision, drove me a little crazy but I live in the snow so, more useful.
^ Have you gotten your car yet? How is it and do you like the manual? I agree manual vs DSG is a tough decision
hi Nope - there was a delivery delay due to storms and cargo ship damage coming from Bremen to Halifax, but my car was due Friday. I’ve decided to delay my collection until after winter tire season, aka picking it up in mid to late March. I drive a GolfTDI manual at the moment and I too am interested to feel the difference.
I wonder how the 2016 Focus rs will compare. I said a long time ago that Ford needs to make an awd focus to directly compete with wrx and r32.
I'm a big Subaru fan but i must agree with you. The new Subaru's are just plain looking and lack of advancement compare to other companies.
(Straight face)(monotone voice) "sorry im not talking im enjoying driving too much" lmao classic farrah
IMHO until they drop the FA motor in the sti and give it a newer transmission with a longer ratio the Golf R is just the better option if you're looking for a new car
ravesilly I agree, they need to replace the EJ25
ravesilly I've driven the FXT with the FA20, and it's rather disappointing.. It has no drama, just a flat power band. Bland noise, nothing exciting. The 08 STi with nameless exhaust though... much better experience
Turbo Donuts +1 for nameless, I wish they made a catback for the GD's
ravesilly Maybe they could do a custom fab'd one for you!
Turbo Donuts But they'd probably want an arm and a leg for it :(
Hi Matt, great video. I am a big fan of both the R and the S3 and although the hardware is identical, the set-up of the R is very different from the S3, wouldn't you agree?
GTI_CHHA I think the way they drive is quite similar, but the experience is different from car to car. The S3 feels more expensive.
I'm waiting for the Focus RS before I make up my mind on which car to buy. I prefer the looks over the focus but the Golf R seems like an awesome car too. I can not wait for your review of the RS.
This video gives me gas, I like it
Do i remember reading that it will come with a manual next year?
Yes :)
trevor philips Why is that? Can anyone make a guess?
ReventadorLP1500-2 Because if you do a few google searches, you'll see what he's talking about. ;)
Aaron H. What's who talking about?
They will be here in August with different features I'm sure.
Wait till you drive the Golf R/S3 with a tune... amazing....
Was very surprised to hear the comparisons you were making between this and the STI, *especially* when you said that the Golf is better in the corners. Wow. Glad i watched this video, I'm no longer so sure I"ll be going wih the STI. Can you not get this with a manual transmission though? That would be a dealbreaker for me.
FYI: 292 hp in most places, however, in hot climates the world over, including parts of Texas, Arizona desert and desert of So CA and Las Vegas, the Golf R is limited to 275 hp, not 292... This per VW specs.
minus 30%driveline loss so maybe 230 at the wheels
+69mrbrightside691 well for fwd driveline loss is about 15-18% loss, rwd about 20-25% loss. I don't know how much awd looses but maybe 25%-30% makes sense for having all wheels moving tranny AND transfercase too. I use test cars at the automotive school I attended on the dyno and im just talking about vehicles that are stock not any that have performance modifications. Then again there's various kinds of dynos with different treadmill resistance so it varies.
Had to Bookmark this page. Love it. Thank, mate.
very competent car. curious to hear whether you think its worth it over a gti
The 6-speed manuals are coming
sounds incredible love the trim and refined feel, goes pretty hard, are you going to flash the ecu or add any mods?
Can't wait to see you Focus RS, Matt!
Great vids! Would love to see other angles during the drive - interior shot looking forward from back seat, footwell shot for some heel and toe action, close ups of gauges, stuff like that. I'm sure it's not easy to work all that in when you're putting these vids out as quick as you are, just throwing it out there. Keep up the good work!
Love the ending where his friend is drifting the sti haha
In the UK the R is £30,000 Base, which sounds expensive but when you look at the older Mk2 Focus RS still around £25-£30k and they're 6 years old with the same power, you kind of forgive the Golf!
After hearing Matt on the podcast saying he is rethinking getting the Focus RS due to not wanting to drive a stick in L.A. traffic, I think he should look at the 2016 Golf R. They have a new infotainment unit with USB, Apple Car Play/Android Auto, a bigger screen with better resolution and a faster processor compared to this test car. You can also get a driver's assistance package with automatic cruise control of you order it. That would seem to bridge the gap in technology compared to the Audi S3, as the Nav unit in the 2015 Golf R sucks and seemed to be something Matt really disliked about the car.
It's amazing how the 2 guys on the motor trend review picked the sti. I've test driven the sti 3 times now. i have sat in the R only. Hopefully i can test drive one soon. The enterior of the R blew me away. The sti had a pretty firm ride, seats were not that comfortable. It's a tough decesion to make. The sti is fun though. I think i'll wait untill the manual r comes out and do another few test drives between the 2 to make my decision. It is tough being patient. ugh!!! lol.
i prefer the golf r, better interior, classy look (not screaming boy racer), better mpg, hatchback for everyday use (personally wish vw didn't drop the 3 door hatch) eventually we'll get the option for a manual in the states but vw does make a nice dsg, give it an apr tuning, blow off valve, and an oil catch and I'd be perfectly happy with this as a daily and weekend car
Big fan matt
Can't wait to get mine! Is the manual worth it?
My theory is that engine and drivetrain are the next things to be updated on the sti. They've got a solid chassis now and besides the Evo haven't had stiff competition in a while but with the modern muscle car arms race the old "fast" no longer feels fast. I hope subaru steps it's game up!
That road looked a dream I want one of these cars I've had 3 gti' s and a 4motion and they started feeling a bit heavy to me I'd Love an R great video good driving I'm gonna sub peace out
what a lovely road too dude I loved mine in my vid. hope you having fun in it still
Man, I don't know if it is TH-cam or my computer, but this video and the STi one has been such a pain the ass to watch. Constant chopping of the video and this one has stopped playing completely with the error "an error has occurred Please try again later.". I find this odd, as I watch a bunch of other channels on a daily basis and haven't had the same problem (including today).
Great stuff though, as always. Can't wait to see what other home creations you drive throughout the summer.
canadmos We check the streams when we upload on multiple devices. It's possible your computer or internet connection can't handle the 60 FPS?
TheSmokingTire Its probably my computer. It worked fine in Chrome. I'm one of those weird losers that uses IE....
Keep 'em coming! This is the best car stuff going right (besides maybe Road Kill). Its great seeing "regular guy" cars.
And to comment on this particular car, I see a Golf R every morning on my commute to work. Even as a WRX owner, that car is really nice looking. The guy has lowered it the PERFECT amount. Just enough to be different and hug the road, but not enough to be dumb.