►Shop for merchandise: autogefuehl.shop/ ►Subscribe here: th-cam.com/users/autogefuehl ►Also subscribe to our TH-cam shorts channel: www.youtube.com/@thomasautogefuhl?sub_confirmation=1 ►Follow us on Facebook / Instagram / TikTok @autogefuehl ►Sustainability in the automotive industry documentary: th-cam.com/video/-8gNXlRGngA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=bCdeJZORRHNcVmV2 This is our in-depth review of the VW Golf R facelift as Golf R Black Edition. We're taking a look at Exterior, Interior and the driving experience. 00:00 Golf R Black Edition 02:04 Akrapovic exhaust sound 02:28 DCC, engine, torque split 04:20 Launch Control comparison 05:51 Interior quality 06:49 Seats and comfort 07:38 Cockpit overview 09:42 Driver POV 10:45 Emotional startup 11:20 Rear seats 12:24 Trunk / boot 12:59 Autobahn acceleration 14:57 DCC suspension 16:06 More high speed 17:30 Golf R vs BMW M135 18:30 Shift yourself! 19:54 Assistance systems 21:02 Agility 23:19 Price #GolfR #VWGolfR
So refreshing to not see long intros with logos, elaborate music and sound effects. Without all of that unnecessary noice Thomas proceeds straight to the business. Thank you.
The price is kinda relative. Cars are crazy expensive these days. Premium mid size sedans are hitting 100k with more powerful engines. Not even mentioning EVs.
As a 2019 Golf R owner, I've heard for years that the VW Group has been cutting corners on quality. I certainly noticed this during my test drive of the new MK8 Golf R. The abundance of plastic, the unresolved issues with the infotainment system, the quality of the steering wheel, the flimsy hood strut, and even the cup holders all stood out to me. VW used to offer an affordable vehicle with interiors that rivaled those of Japanese and Korean luxury brands. Now, however, they seem to have fallen behind Honda and Toyota in North America. There’s speculation that they are still paying off the fines from the Dieselgate scandal. Another theory suggests they've over-invested in electric vehicles at the expense of their gas-powered lineup. With so little attention given to their existing gas models, it’s likely their sales will continue to decline-a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s disheartening to witness how far VW has fallen.
this made me spit out my tea! rival the asian manufactures, are you BLIND.... wow. The Japanese and Koreans make the lowest quality cars imaginable. they have tight gaps, but thin metal, off-gassing plastics, minimal paint thickness (and soft to make it worse) Underpowered engines, badly designed suspensions... yeah, VS almost rivals them, LMAO.
We came from a 7 and 7.5r to a mk8 CS yes quality has dipped Performance wise it’s way better especially the claimed stock figures 320 for the CS, 340 for the R when both are mapped then equal gains Cost me a lot more to get 450 bhp in the 7 and 7.5 then it has with our 8 CS £1899 all in
I’ve had a Golf R MK 7.5 since 2018 from new. Best daily drive I’ve ever had after 30 years in BMWs. Never got bored of it so seriously considering a Black edition and check out the pch numbers next year.
I think well why buy an Audi for more, Audi buyers now get this. They going down as fines caught up with their diesel lies and china doesn’t want vw anymore since china can make a decent car now for much less money.
It is that expensive because of chancellor Schulz and the EU strategically throws huge penalties at European carmakers for each car that is not an EV. What the EU is doing is right now is basically canceling their own car industry so that China get free access implement their surveillance spies on wheels all over Europe
I bought a secondhand 2016 GTI 7 with 64 kkm on the clock. Since then put 20 k km on it, 0 problems. It has black leather interior and manual gearbox. I love it, its my summer car, a lot of driving fun. Will keep it forever.
Wow I'm going to look at 2016 R 7 later today manual too. Massive value car for the money. 15k or. This new one is not worth 5 times the price but I do want its rear spoiler. I don't want all the infoshitment and craptic haptic touch dung.
Data & facts: VW Golf R facelift New Front with air curtains and lights, illuminated VW logo front, LED plus standard, optional IQ Light matrix LED 18“ standard, optional (standard in US) 19“ or 19“ forged wheels (20 percent lighter) DCC adaptive suspension standard -20 mm Optional Akrapovic exhaust for hatch 4,28 m 169“ 4,63 m 182“ Variant Black Edition with blacked out logos, 19“ wheels and performance pack Performance Pack adds Special and Drift mode 2.0 l 4-cyl 333 hp (+13 hp) AWD with rear torque vectoring 7-DSG 4,6 Sek (Variant 4,8 Sek) 0-100 km/h (0,1 sec better each) Up to vmax 270 km/h with performance pack (otherwise 250 km/h) Engine startup with higher rev: Press start button for 1,5 Sek without brake pedal and then press brake pedal 10“ digital instruments with new views and acceleration timer 13“ Infotainment update New steering wheel with bigger paddles and ergonomic form Capacitve R button on steering wheel updated against unintentional press Chat GPT integration Sport seats with integrated head restraints fabric/microfibre, optional or in US: animal skin Real carbon fibre decor available 1,9 t towing Price 55.000 Euro, +1.000 for Variant + 5.000 black edition, with all options 68.000 Euro 48.000 USD Transparency note: Autogefühl videos are independent and free from editorial influence on opinion and rating. But since manufacturers enable us to do the reviews in the first place, for legal reasons this video is marked as _advertisement_.
7.5 R owner here. Driven as it’s meant to 😅… 58000 km NO faults whatsoever, no mods and properly serviced. I do like the looks of the 8.5 but not convinced to update just yet.
MK8 R OWNER here, I saw all the bad reviews and comments when it came out and its al BS, the infotainment works perfectly and they are constantly updating it, bought mine back in February 2024 and got a recall for software update around June, but did not notice any difference when it was done it always worked fine, interior quality came down a little bit compared to a 7-7.5 R but not big deal and its a very nice place to sit day and specially at night with the interior ambience lights but the reviews never talk about that, my previous car is an Audi S3 8V (really nice interior but still can live without it no problem compared to the MK8 R ) and you can definitely feel the difference of how it pulls in the corners, truly beautiful, I have the stock exhaust and in my opinion the akrapovic is not needed, its definitely louder than the S38v and the pops and bangs are also greater and louder, adds much more emotion to the drive, it is expensive but there is people who throw way more money on mods that don't work or add power and they don't complaint, this is a Factory ultra tuned hatchback for enthusiasts off course it won't make sense to a normal person looking for a normal commuter. PS capacitive touch buttons work just fine, the secret is to handle them as a touch panel not as an actual button to press ;)
I have the 8r, 2 years in, 20k km. No problems, great car. Does 290 kmh on the olclock on the Autobahn. Great for winding country roads, great for overtaking. I have another golf 1.5tsi and reliable as well 52k km in. Now I bought another 1.5tsi 8.5 for my wife. Great value for money. Have a Caddy maxi 1.5tsi and it only had clutch collapse at 30k km, under warranty. Otherwise great as well.
Wow. Such an achievement by Volkswagen to have cars not even hitting 100k km's and still running... You seriously see this as great? Mate, 30k is what plenty of people drive yearly. Report back when you've made it to 150k km's without problems.
I owned a 2017 DSG Golf R for 7 years. Stage 1 tune. Drove it hard, took it to track days and drag strip. Great car Only problems in 7 years: the normal thermostat housing leak and an 02 sensor.
I own an MK7R DSG (ThomasBlue I mean Lapiz Blue) Since new (2016) No problems at all. Only the battery had to be replaced in 2020. Nothing else. Still drive like a dream and still not convinced to change it for the new one…
@@Edgar_Drake - sagging headliner: I didn’t know that’s a common problem quickly checked mine. Pheew luckily nothing. I live in London (sunshine is super phenomenon) and also keep the car in garage. I think probably heat or extreme heat related this issue. And also no panoramic sunroof(unfortunately I couldn’t wait 6 months for that when I ordered)
I know it's only a small thing but lifting the boot up on a £70k car to find no hydraulic support is so tight. Maybe Golf will start turning a profit with all that money they've saved eh
I have 3 Golf R 7.5 in 2 different countries, super happy with them. I got carried away and ordered 3 Mk8 20 Year Edition with 333hp without checking it out first. I got the Mk8s now and am extremely frustrated & totally disappointed with the new interface especially touch controls - Almost every switch I need to access (climate control, Idling Stop, Stability Control etc.) while driving in my Mk7.5 now takes 5-10 times longer to operate, and worse yet I have to take my eyes off the road to work the silly touch screen, as all physical buttons are gone in the Mk8 except for the hazard light. The suspension and brakes were a big improvement over the Mk7.5. The active rear differential and Drift Mode is also an excellent new addition to the already fun to drive car. It’s such a shame that the extremely capable Mk8 chassis & engine was ruined by the terrible ergonomic, making every drive a frustrating experience right from the start waiting for the display to load every morning. I only wish VW had kept the Mk7.5 dashboard controls which had a good combination of analog and digital switches. VW’s Golf Design/Marketing Team must be run by cyber kids who don’t have drivers licenses.
not many years ago, brand symbols and illuminated front grilles were a thing of very bad taste in tuning..... how things change..... but for me it continues to be a thing of very debatable taste
About 10,000 miles and 10 months in with our Golf R pre-facelift, here in the US; no issues or unscheduled service maintenance needed. Just a software update which can now be done OTA. I think waiting until MY ‘24 allowed us to avoid all the price-gouging silliness (paid MSRP😊) and allowed VW to work out any kinks from the early production vehicles. It’s now become my wife’s daily driver so I drive it rarely these days, but I just used it on the school run this frosty morning - very satisfying car. We also have a ‘24 GTI 380 SE (last of the manuals) which is my “daily”; no real issues with that one except a mouse chewing through my windshield washer lines while the car was parked outside for a time, but it has developed 2 squeaks/rattles in the driver’s door panel and around the sunroof, which the R has not.
I have a 2018 golf R with 147,000 km on it. The only problem I ever had with it was a cracked bushing other than that the car has been completely trustworthy and trouble free.
I have a 2012 GTI. When this car works, I love it. I don't drive it that much. I only have about 24K miles on it now, and it has always been garaged. I live in sunny So. California, and there is no weather to deal with. It has had MANY mechanical issues. I love the features of the new Golf R. But I can't see myself getting past the reliability issues to fork over so much money for one.
i own a 2022 golf r manual in canada. I haven't had many issues with it but i only have 12000 km on it. It is a garage queen.... There have been several recalls and I had the steering wheel replaced because of an issue with the safety features. It would say that it couldn't tell where things were around the car. The replacement of the steering wheel has fixed that issue. Otherwise, the only complaint i have is that when you get in the car, you have to put it in race mode (it won't stay there) and when you do that, it changes the driver screen view to a specfic view. I don't know why they can't just leave the view i want and change it to race mode. love the channel, Lea looked different this time ;)
There are solutions to both. Dash settings can be fixed with OBDEleven, and there is a gent in the US that will change the coding so it remembers the last mode you were driving in. I've had both done to my R and it behaves like it should now :)
Had a 2016 R since new and it has been very reliable as our daily driver. One minor water pump issue. 130k now including an occasional track day and it still drives beautifully. AWD mandatory for us in an area of Canada with snow in winter. Seriously considering a mk 8.5.
U.S. 2023 Golf R 6-Speed. 100% reliable through 22,000 miles. I love this car! I live in New Hampshire and take this skiing. I mount four snows (18" Continental Viking). Zero slip and no worries. This replaced my 2020 M2, which I loved, but it was hopeless in deep snow and even rain-wet streets produced slip. The M2 also had a practical range limited to 200 miles. The button issue is confirmed; the capacitive features are good on paper but irritating in real life. I recommend the R as a sleeper M2 with AWD and four-season fun
I bought my 2016 Golf R new in late 2015. Two weeks after taking delivery, I had it tuned APR Stage 1 at the dealer's tuner shop. Two years later, I upgraded to APR Stage 2 (with all supporting mods) and replaced the slipping clutch with a Southbend Stage 3 Daily. The car has been fairly reliable except for a few problems, many of which were replaced under warranty. There was a rear differential oil leak that required replacement of the differential. The water pump was also replaced under warranty. I later had some engine misfiring which was fixed with replacement of the spark plugs and coils. Wheel sensors had to be replaced twice. My window switch had to be replaced. The backup camera sometimes fails to work. Occasionally, the infotainment screen goes dark even though the radio continues to work. All of these problems were spread out over nearly 9 years and 65,000 miles so they don't appear to be excessive considering the length of ownership. I would do it all over again and plan to continue owning the car for at least 2 - 3 more years (as I drive less than 3,000 miles a year as a retiree). Having a tuner-friendly dealer has meant them honoring the warranty repairs due to the problems not being related to or caused by the tunes.
Amazing! Replacement for eaterpump e.t.c under warranty? WV is very strict voiding warranty when tuned. I know it coming directly from VW in Australia.
I have an 8R 6MT since Dec '21. I've had a few minor issues (a leaking hose replacement) and some infotainment issues that were resolved with the latest software updates. The car has 61,500 km on it. In my experience, this is a pretty reliable vehicle and would think the 8.5 will be as good or better with respect to the infotainment issues.
I owned a 2013 VW Golf VI with a very weak 1.6 NA engine for 8 years (120k km), the obly problems I ran into were the center lock going bad and ticking every few minutes or sometimes many times per minute and the DSG requiring a new clutch pack (which is understandable cause). I now own a 2015 Golf VII that had a 1.4 TSI engine that I had a shop switch it with a 2018 DJHB engine from a Golf R as well as the interior, bodywork, transmission, drivetrain, and electronics. It's done 105k km so far and the issues I've had so far were the water pump failing twice and the oil pressure regulation sensor failing. The water pump is an expensive repair but otherwise it's been pretty good. I've also got an APR stage 1 tune on it. Would say I'm statisfied with Golfs overall.
Previous golf’s, especially the MK7 you would sit in it and could just tell how well thought through and logical everything was. With this all I see is cost savings and corner cuttings, it’s very un-golf. In years to come I don’t think we will look back on this period as a golden one for VW.
I just played a little bit with your DE configurator and the Golf R Variant black style edition + options, ended up at 66.000 EUR, which is still a lot of money but I would say it makes more sense than this hatch @ 70.000 EUR :) . I am a Golf 7 owner myself, having own the Alltrack 1.8 TSI for over 8 years already, around 113000 Km so far and I can tell you it has been rock solid (beside regular maintenance and needed upgrade mods, nothing else has fail/broke) ! Add to this the fact the car has been running at least Stage 1 tune from 20.000 Km and currently has the same horsepower figures as this new Golf 8 R Black Edition, running Stage 2+ :). So, even though I don't have an Golf R, I do have an Golf Alltrack R :p
That wind noise & insulation is exactly why I just decided to pass on this and get an extreme deal on last generation S5 or even SQ5 and just have a blast. Well if it was fair price I wouldn't have to find a better option and cheaper insurance. Anyway I enjoyed my 2015 mk7 dsg golf R DSG was faster than Ducati but only lasted 20k miles
Awesome review as always! :). Probably the best holding value car on the market!. Sold my Mk8R after 3 years with ZERO isues for the sama price that i bought the car new! ;)... Now a Mk85R is coming in a week ;)
I have a 7.5 GTD which is soo much fun and mapping 220.. Love my Golf.. This new one doesn't look what asking price wise.. BLACK is an awfully colour to keep clean... You'll see every blemish after raking the crap outta it 😂
I owned a 7.5 Golf R Estate and my wife owns a Golf 8 R line. The Golf 8 interior really isn’t too bad, you get a lot of additional functions included that would come at great cost with other German premium brands. The one thing I absolutely hate is the lame assistance and emergency brake systems. They are quite literally a danger to drivers. The fact I have to turn these off everytime I turn the car on is an annoyance but the fact they even exist in the first place is laughable. I’d pick the MK7.5 almost exclusively for that reason.
I had an LED of the DRL go out at 88,000 miles (2015 US Golf TDI) . Cost almost $1,000 to fix: had to replace a computer board-looking thing. They said I should do them both at same time but that would have been another $500. That's too much, I would say.
Does it stay in your chosen driving mode when you turn off the engine? My Mk8R defaults back to Sport mode whereas I would like it to stay in Comfort unless I choose otherwise. Any idea? Very helpful review.
Thank you showing the R is still fun, even at €70k. The last one of these I had was the R32 with a manual box and a six cylinder engine. Despite the present improvements in suspension and power, I think I had more fun in that than I would with this, especially if it was to be my last ICE before turning to EVs. Compared with the R32 the present UI/UX is a downgrade in my view with too much of stuff which does not work very well and detracts from the driving. The last R32 was pretty reliable and so far as I know is still going; not so sure about how this one will do. If we are on last ICEs I think I would try to stretch financially to the 6 cylinder Alfa Giulia rather than this car. It would be bound to be unreliable, but while it worked it would be more fun.
Never heard about VW having problems with the reliability! The opposite! That's what they are known for. That's why they are so attractive in the used market. I've owned two Up! and they both worked perfect for more than 8 years. Very good quality!
My steel Pony from VW will arrive in a couple of weeks to Sweden and I really look forward to driving it. Couldn't afford the new 911 which was my second choice ;)
Golf 7.5 non R owner here with a decent 4 cylinder. Crap, my car is now exactly 7.5 years old now and still drives like new (because it actually is at 17.000km). I guess if they would even sell a 7.5R some people would still prefer that one. Would not want to own a 8. Everytime I go sit in an 8 the quality feels rather worse and lets not talk about the price and still the extensive and expensive option list. We used to see models having special editions with a couple of 'free' options that made them a lot more sellable but those days seem over it seems. I am not a Dacia owner or lover but I certainly understand people that buy these, ok different vehicle style but I am getting older and maybe wiser. 70K for driving 30kmh or 70kmh here in most places makes it less and less enjoyable and understandable now.
4000€ extra for that exhaust? Yeah I would save money on that. Overall the redesign has been successful. Looks really nice along with the black and illuminated logo, i'm a fan.
Hi Thomas! Thanks for the review! How do you compare steering between 8.5R and new m135 F70 you mentioned in the video? And was there any noticeable turbo-lag during acceleration in m135 compared to new Golf R? thank you!
I think I will purchase a 2025 Golf R, but just the regular USA model. The Akrapovic exhaust does sound a little better, but is a poor value. I find the standard exhaust is good and saves a lot of money. I might have considered a lease, but we are getting to the end of ICE cars, so I would purchase and consider an extended warranty for peace of mind. I am 50/50 on VW. My worst car ever was a 1990 Jetta GLI, but I also had a Mk7.5 Golf R that gave no problems🤷🏻♂️.
I guess I’m old fashioned but I don’t like using the paddle shifters, they look cool but useless you need to always have 2 hands on the wheel, I prefer to use gear shifter
Should always have two hands on steering wheel! What's your other hand doing? Holding your 'shifter' knob?
3 หลายเดือนก่อน
It breaks my heart seeing Golf losing material quality inside with each iteration. Plastics are becoming worse and piano blacks everywhere. A good example of the screen shaking at 15:45
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This is our in-depth review of the VW Golf R facelift as Golf R Black Edition. We're taking a look at Exterior, Interior and the driving experience.
00:00 Golf R Black Edition
02:04 Akrapovic exhaust sound
02:28 DCC, engine, torque split
04:20 Launch Control comparison
05:51 Interior quality
06:49 Seats and comfort
07:38 Cockpit overview
09:42 Driver POV
10:45 Emotional startup
11:20 Rear seats
12:24 Trunk / boot
12:59 Autobahn acceleration
14:57 DCC suspension
16:06 More high speed
17:30 Golf R vs BMW M135
18:30 Shift yourself!
19:54 Assistance systems
21:02 Agility
23:19 Price
#GolfR #VWGolfR
No thanks 🙂↔️ will take a Honda Civic Type R anytime…🇯🇵🙌
Same car with illuminated logo 😁
So refreshing to not see long intros with logos, elaborate music and sound effects. Without all of that unnecessary noice Thomas proceeds straight to the business. Thank you.
Cheers m8! Yeah I am annoyed by that as a viewer as well so I might just skip that stuff
€70k for a black piano interior for a 300hp hatch? I foresee the future clients will be many and plentiful.
Black paint is veeeeery expensive 😊
The price is kinda relative. Cars are crazy expensive these days. Premium mid size sedans are hitting 100k with more powerful engines. Not even mentioning EVs.
and fwd??
@@mega0nyt all VW R are AWD
@@Sinecure11 ahh at least that is good, it would be rly bad if it was fwd
As a 2019 Golf R owner, I've heard for years that the VW Group has been cutting corners on quality. I certainly noticed this during my test drive of the new MK8 Golf R. The abundance of plastic, the unresolved issues with the infotainment system, the quality of the steering wheel, the flimsy hood strut, and even the cup holders all stood out to me. VW used to offer an affordable vehicle with interiors that rivaled those of Japanese and Korean luxury brands. Now, however, they seem to have fallen behind Honda and Toyota in North America.
There’s speculation that they are still paying off the fines from the Dieselgate scandal. Another theory suggests they've over-invested in electric vehicles at the expense of their gas-powered lineup. With so little attention given to their existing gas models, it’s likely their sales will continue to decline-a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s disheartening to witness how far VW has fallen.
Peak VAG was 2010 since diesel-gate the whole company has regressed.
Spot-on summary of all that is wrong with VW. No more diesels in the US and they have become green freak blowhards with their electric obsession.
this made me spit out my tea! rival the asian manufactures, are you BLIND.... wow. The Japanese and Koreans make the lowest quality cars imaginable. they have tight gaps, but thin metal, off-gassing plastics, minimal paint thickness (and soft to make it worse) Underpowered engines, badly designed suspensions... yeah, VS almost rivals them, LMAO.
We came from a 7 and 7.5r
to a mk8 CS
yes quality has dipped
Performance wise it’s way better especially the claimed stock figures
320 for the CS, 340 for the R
when both are mapped then equal gains
Cost me a lot more to get 450 bhp in the 7 and 7.5 then it has with our 8 CS
£1899 all in
The 7.5 Golf R is by far, the best Golf they have came out with to date.
Have an MK7.5 R into it's 8th year, fantastic car and reliability is 100%
Me too! Had the 2020 top of the range mk 7.5 for 3 years without any big dramas. I am the second owner.
I’ve had a Golf R MK 7.5 since 2018 from new. Best daily drive I’ve ever had after 30 years in BMWs. Never got bored of it so seriously considering a Black edition and check out the pch numbers next year.
70k for a Golf, you really have to commend VW's sense of humor.
still using the EA888 engine.... my friend drove a EA888 GTi when his son was about 2 or 3 and now he's about to finish university....
It is Europe, more expensive than us.
70k euros for golf😂, no wonder they are going down.
I think well why buy an Audi for more, Audi buyers now get this. They going down as fines caught up with their diesel lies and china doesn’t want vw anymore since china can make a decent car now for much less money.
@@kidfreejoneswhat's the Chinese model similar to the Golf?
Same car with illuminated logo 😁
It is that expensive because of chancellor Schulz and the EU strategically throws huge penalties at European carmakers for each car that is not an EV. What the EU is doing is right now is basically canceling their own car industry so that China get free access implement their surveillance spies on wheels all over Europe
Well, this is a special model to celebrate 50 years of Golf. VW says its the best Golf ever made. But yeah 65 000 euro for this car is... too much
My 2016 7R wagon has 203000 km (bought it new) and I just had one water pump plastic case failure...very reliable.
And I love my analog blue dials 😊
Fuk yeah. I like the seats in the new one. Would match the old ones dials
Thanks for the feedback!
I bought a secondhand 2016 GTI 7 with 64 kkm on the clock. Since then put 20 k km on it, 0 problems. It has black leather interior and manual gearbox. I love it, its my summer car, a lot of driving fun. Will keep it forever.
Wow I'm going to look at 2016 R 7 later today manual too. Massive value car for the money. 15k or. This new one is not worth 5 times the price but I do want its rear spoiler. I don't want all the infoshitment and craptic haptic touch dung.
I appreciate your in-depth no nonsense reviews. Very German 😂. Keep up the good work Thomas 👍
No nonsense? He prattles on too much these days 🤦♂️
Data & facts:
VW Golf R facelift
New Front with air curtains and lights, illuminated VW logo front, LED plus standard, optional IQ Light matrix LED
18“ standard, optional (standard in US) 19“ or 19“ forged wheels (20 percent lighter)
DCC adaptive suspension standard -20 mm
Optional Akrapovic exhaust for hatch
4,28 m 169“
4,63 m 182“ Variant
Black Edition with blacked out logos, 19“ wheels and performance pack
Performance Pack adds Special and Drift mode
2.0 l 4-cyl 333 hp (+13 hp) AWD with rear torque vectoring 7-DSG
4,6 Sek (Variant 4,8 Sek) 0-100 km/h (0,1 sec better each)
Up to vmax 270 km/h with performance pack (otherwise 250 km/h)
Engine startup with higher rev: Press start button for 1,5 Sek without brake pedal and then press brake pedal
10“ digital instruments with new views and acceleration timer
13“ Infotainment update
New steering wheel with bigger paddles and ergonomic form
Capacitve R button on steering wheel updated against unintentional press
Chat GPT integration
Sport seats with integrated head restraints fabric/microfibre, optional or in US: animal skin
Real carbon fibre decor available
1,9 t towing
Price 55.000 Euro, +1.000 for Variant + 5.000 black edition, with all options 68.000 Euro
48.000 USD
Transparency note: Autogefühl videos are independent and free from editorial influence on opinion and rating. But since manufacturers enable us to do the reviews in the first place, for legal reasons this video is marked as _advertisement_.
Same car with illuminated logo 😁
You know it's bad if an RS3 seems like a bargain compared to a Golf
Current RS3 in a comparable configuration costs 90.000€...
I think the S3 looks like a bargain, but it isn't any better.
still looking for the low-end torque in RS3...
Rs3 is complete trash and sooo slow compared to m2….
@@t3chn0m0rs3 has the better engine compared to it to the s3 and the price is similar
7.5 R owner here. Driven as it’s meant to 😅… 58000 km NO faults whatsoever, no mods and properly serviced. I do like the looks of the 8.5 but not convinced to update just yet.
Thanks for the feedback!
@@autogefuehl Forgot to mention! Of course its Thomas/Lapiz Blue..
😎🙌
MK8 R OWNER here, I saw all the bad reviews and comments when it came out and its al BS, the infotainment works perfectly and they are constantly updating it, bought mine back in February 2024 and got a recall for software update around June, but did not notice any difference when it was done it always worked fine, interior quality came down a little bit compared to a 7-7.5 R but not big deal and its a very nice place to sit day and specially at night with the interior ambience lights but the reviews never talk about that, my previous car is an Audi S3 8V (really nice interior but still can live without it no problem compared to the MK8 R ) and you can definitely feel the difference of how it pulls in the corners, truly beautiful, I have the stock exhaust and in my opinion the akrapovic is not needed, its definitely louder than the S38v and the pops and bangs are also greater and louder, adds much more emotion to the drive, it is expensive but there is people who throw way more money on mods that don't work or add power and they don't complaint, this is a Factory ultra tuned hatchback for enthusiasts off course it won't make sense to a normal person looking for a normal commuter. PS capacitive touch buttons work just fine, the secret is to handle them as a touch panel not as an actual button to press ;)
I got a mk 7.5 Golf R in 2019 and haven't had any reliability problems 5 years in! And I still love it!
Cool enjoy!
I have the 8r, 2 years in, 20k km. No problems, great car. Does 290 kmh on the olclock on the Autobahn. Great for winding country roads, great for overtaking.
I have another golf 1.5tsi and reliable as well 52k km in.
Now I bought another 1.5tsi 8.5 for my wife. Great value for money.
Have a Caddy maxi 1.5tsi and it only had clutch collapse at 30k km, under warranty. Otherwise great as well.
How is the 1.5 tsi?
@@muthukumaranc overall good, pulls nicely, refined, consumtion low. The best version is in the caddy maxi.
Wow. Such an achievement by Volkswagen to have cars not even hitting 100k km's and still running...
You seriously see this as great? Mate, 30k is what plenty of people drive yearly. Report back when you've made it to 150k km's without problems.
I owned a 2017 DSG Golf R for 7 years. Stage 1 tune. Drove it hard, took it to track days and drag strip. Great car
Only problems in 7 years: the normal thermostat housing leak and an 02 sensor.
As an Alltrack owner in the US, I’m deeply disappointed the Golf R variant has never been available here… going to have to build it myself.
I own an MK7R DSG (ThomasBlue I mean Lapiz Blue) Since new (2016) No problems at all. Only the battery had to be replaced in 2020. Nothing else. Still drive like a dream and still not convinced to change it for the new one…
No waterpump issue?
What about sagging headliner or timing chain need replacement?
Timing chains are not a problem for the mk7. Mine needed a water pump (warranty) and a wheel bearing. Otherwise perfect for 90k miles so far.
@@Edgar_Drake Nothing at all. Maybe I’m lucky but nothing is done other than normal service maintenance.
@@Edgar_Drake
- sagging headliner: I didn’t know that’s a common problem quickly checked mine. Pheew luckily nothing.
I live in London (sunshine is super phenomenon) and also keep the car in garage. I think probably heat or extreme heat related this issue. And also no panoramic sunroof(unfortunately I couldn’t wait 6 months for that when I ordered)
I know it's only a small thing but lifting the boot up on a £70k car to find no hydraulic support is so tight. Maybe Golf will start turning a profit with all that money they've saved eh
Everyone is blaming VW because of that and I totally agree.
€70k euros not £ it’s 40 odd grand in the uk.
@@JohnGuidetti751 £50k once you add options. Starting price is £43,320. Facts matter pal.
@@luciussander8217 Are you slow? Did it not occur to you that 40 odd grand means more than 40 grand?
Same car with illuminated logo 😁
I have 3 Golf R 7.5 in 2 different countries, super happy with them.
I got carried away and ordered 3 Mk8 20 Year Edition with 333hp without checking it out first.
I got the Mk8s now and am extremely frustrated & totally disappointed with the new interface especially touch controls - Almost every switch I need to access (climate control, Idling Stop, Stability Control etc.) while driving in my Mk7.5 now takes 5-10 times longer to operate, and worse yet I have to take my eyes off the road to work the silly touch screen, as all physical buttons are gone in the Mk8 except for the hazard light.
The suspension and brakes were a big improvement over the Mk7.5. The active rear differential and Drift Mode is also an excellent new addition to the already fun to drive car.
It’s such a shame that the extremely capable Mk8 chassis & engine was ruined by the terrible ergonomic, making every drive a frustrating experience right from the start waiting for the display to load every morning. I only wish VW had kept the Mk7.5 dashboard controls which had a good combination of analog and digital switches.
VW’s Golf Design/Marketing Team must be run by cyber kids who don’t have drivers licenses.
not many years ago, brand symbols and illuminated front grilles were a thing of very bad taste in tuning..... how things change..... but for me it continues to be a thing of very debatable taste
It looks cheap and tacky.
About 10,000 miles and 10 months in with our Golf R pre-facelift, here in the US; no issues or unscheduled service maintenance needed. Just a software update which can now be done OTA. I think waiting until MY ‘24 allowed us to avoid all the price-gouging silliness (paid MSRP😊) and allowed VW to work out any kinks from the early production vehicles. It’s now become my wife’s daily driver so I drive it rarely these days, but I just used it on the school run this frosty morning - very satisfying car. We also have a ‘24 GTI 380 SE (last of the manuals) which is my “daily”; no real issues with that one except a mouse chewing through my windshield washer lines while the car was parked outside for a time, but it has developed 2 squeaks/rattles in the driver’s door panel and around the sunroof, which the R has not.
Thanks for the feedback!
I have a 2018 golf R with 147,000 km on it. The only problem I ever had with it was a cracked bushing other than that the car has been completely trustworthy and trouble free.
Thanks for the feedback!
I have a 2012 GTI. When this car works, I love it. I don't drive it that much. I only have about 24K miles on it now, and it has always been garaged. I live in sunny So. California, and there is no weather to deal with. It has had MANY mechanical issues.
I love the features of the new Golf R. But I can't see myself getting past the reliability issues to fork over so much money for one.
i own a 2022 golf r manual in canada. I haven't had many issues with it but i only have 12000 km on it. It is a garage queen.... There have been several recalls and I had the steering wheel replaced because of an issue with the safety features. It would say that it couldn't tell where things were around the car. The replacement of the steering wheel has fixed that issue. Otherwise, the only complaint i have is that when you get in the car, you have to put it in race mode (it won't stay there) and when you do that, it changes the driver screen view to a specfic view. I don't know why they can't just leave the view i want and change it to race mode. love the channel, Lea looked different this time ;)
There are solutions to both. Dash settings can be fixed with OBDEleven, and there is a gent in the US that will change the coding so it remembers the last mode you were driving in. I've had both done to my R and it behaves like it should now :)
Had a 2016 R since new and it has been very reliable as our daily driver. One minor water pump issue. 130k now including an occasional track day and it still drives beautifully. AWD mandatory for us in an area of Canada with snow in winter. Seriously considering a mk 8.5.
U.S. 2023 Golf R 6-Speed. 100% reliable through 22,000 miles. I love this car! I live in New Hampshire and take this skiing. I mount four snows (18" Continental Viking). Zero slip and no worries. This replaced my 2020 M2, which I loved, but it was hopeless in deep snow and even rain-wet streets produced slip. The M2 also had a practical range limited to 200 miles. The button issue is confirmed; the capacitive features are good on paper but irritating in real life. I recommend the R as a sleeper M2 with AWD and four-season fun
Enjoy 😎
I bought my 2016 Golf R new in late 2015. Two weeks after taking delivery, I had it tuned APR Stage 1 at the dealer's tuner shop. Two years later, I upgraded to APR Stage 2 (with all supporting mods) and replaced the slipping clutch with a Southbend Stage 3 Daily. The car has been fairly reliable except for a few problems, many of which were replaced under warranty. There was a rear differential oil leak that required replacement of the differential. The water pump was also replaced under warranty. I later had some engine misfiring which was fixed with replacement of the spark plugs and coils. Wheel sensors had to be replaced twice. My window switch had to be replaced. The backup camera sometimes fails to work. Occasionally, the infotainment screen goes dark even though the radio continues to work. All of these problems were spread out over nearly 9 years and 65,000 miles so they don't appear to be excessive considering the length of ownership. I would do it all over again and plan to continue owning the car for at least 2 - 3 more years (as I drive less than 3,000 miles a year as a retiree). Having a tuner-friendly dealer has meant them honoring the warranty repairs due to the problems not being related to or caused by the tunes.
thanks for the report !
Amazing! Replacement for eaterpump e.t.c under warranty?
WV is very strict voiding warranty when tuned. I know it coming directly from VW in Australia.
What a stunning Golf R, dream car for sure. Thanks for the amazing showing and test drive. Subbed
I have an 8R 6MT since Dec '21. I've had a few minor issues (a leaking hose replacement) and some infotainment issues that were resolved with the latest software updates. The car has 61,500 km on it. In my experience, this is a pretty reliable vehicle and would think the 8.5 will be as good or better with respect to the infotainment issues.
Thomas, you should play Autobahn by Kraftwerk while driving on the Autobahn.
I owned a 2013 VW Golf VI with a very weak 1.6 NA engine for 8 years (120k km), the obly problems I ran into were the center lock going bad and ticking every few minutes or sometimes many times per minute and the DSG requiring a new clutch pack (which is understandable cause).
I now own a 2015 Golf VII that had a 1.4 TSI engine that I had a shop switch it with a 2018 DJHB engine from a Golf R as well as the interior, bodywork, transmission, drivetrain, and electronics. It's done 105k km so far and the issues I've had so far were the water pump failing twice and the oil pressure regulation sensor failing.
The water pump is an expensive repair but otherwise it's been pretty good. I've also got an APR stage 1 tune on it. Would say I'm statisfied with Golfs overall.
Thanks for the feedback!
I would really buy it and really keep it and maintain it, this vehicle as shown is such a win.
Previous golf’s, especially the MK7 you would sit in it and could just tell how well thought through and logical everything was.
With this all I see is cost savings and corner cuttings, it’s very un-golf.
In years to come I don’t think we will look back on this period as a golden one for VW.
Cool looking car, but for extra 4K for a half fake exhaust, sounds a bit like a scam.
What do you mean with half-fake exhaust?
@@t3chn0m02:22, Only left looks real. No smoke coming from the right one, so i think that’s what he meant. 😊
@@remcos8180 it's a real exhaust.
@@remcos8180 it has a valved exhaust. Outer two are full time and the inner two are when the valves are open. Definitely 4 real tailpipes.
@@jeffk5764so they are purposefully closed when you rev it which shouldn't be the case, so yes it's fair to call this a scam.
Great review brother
Thank you so much! Please recommend / share our channel and our videos 🙏
I just played a little bit with your DE configurator and the Golf R Variant black style edition + options, ended up at 66.000 EUR, which is still a lot of money but I would say it makes more sense than this hatch @ 70.000 EUR :) .
I am a Golf 7 owner myself, having own the Alltrack 1.8 TSI for over 8 years already, around 113000 Km so far and I can tell you it has been rock solid (beside regular maintenance and needed upgrade mods, nothing else has fail/broke) ! Add to this the fact the car has been running at least Stage 1 tune from 20.000 Km and currently has the same horsepower figures as this new Golf 8 R Black Edition, running Stage 2+ :).
So, even though I don't have an Golf R, I do have an Golf Alltrack R :p
That wind noise & insulation is exactly why I just decided to pass on this and get an extreme deal on last generation S5 or even SQ5 and just have a blast. Well if it was fair price I wouldn't have to find a better option and cheaper insurance.
Anyway I enjoyed my 2015 mk7 dsg golf R DSG was faster than Ducati but only lasted 20k miles
The Über-Preiss...
Thanks for clearing that up, I'll steer clear!
Me too. Ghastly knob free interior with huge info screen to blind you at night. Bye bye VW
Would like to do business with people buying this, means that I'll be able to sell them anything at any price.
Same car with illuminated logo 😁
Is it going to leak rain into the cabin?
Hallo Thomas, danke für deine Erläuterung über das Auto, aber fast 70k für ein VW mit 333 hp ist nur Wahnsinn!
Awesome review as always! :). Probably the best holding value car on the market!. Sold my Mk8R after 3 years with ZERO isues for the sama price that i bought the car new! ;)... Now a Mk85R is coming in a week ;)
Thanks m8 ! Enjoy :) Oh wow thats amazing!
@@autogefuehl Yes Sweden Love the Golf R ;)....The perfect car for 6 months of snow,
I have a 7.5 GTD which is soo much fun and mapping 220..
Love my Golf.. This new one doesn't look what asking price wise.. BLACK is an awfully colour to keep clean... You'll see every blemish after raking the crap outta it 😂
bring back the gas strut and kill the #capacitivebs buttons :)
I owned a 7.5 Golf R Estate and my wife owns a Golf 8 R line. The Golf 8 interior really isn’t too bad, you get a lot of additional functions included that would come at great cost with other German premium brands. The one thing I absolutely hate is the lame assistance and emergency brake systems. They are quite literally a danger to drivers. The fact I have to turn these off everytime I turn the car on is an annoyance but the fact they even exist in the first place is laughable. I’d pick the MK7.5 almost exclusively for that reason.
MY GOD, what a car / 'hot hatch'!!! My longstanding depression would be GONE if I could have this!
The depression will come back when you see the price
@@Darx97or the cheap piano black interior.
Son, a car will not solve a issue.
@@dixontudeep1 In this case, it would!
I still prefer a silver coloured wheel
With prices like this and other hikes across their lower brand ranges VAG must still be trying to claw back diesel-gate losses
the front design is quite cool.😊
Black edition is just a odd choice considering signature color for the R is blue. Rather would have had maybe a jazz blue
Great review!
And it's an AWD car, with fantastic sound, no second thoughts.
I liked a lot the new design.
1000 euros for carbon elements inside but no gas strut for bonnet. Yeah,makes sense.
I had an LED of the DRL go out at 88,000 miles (2015 US Golf TDI) . Cost almost $1,000 to fix: had to replace a computer board-looking thing. They said I should do them both at same time but that would have been another $500. That's too much, I would say.
Why don’t you do Nurburgring mode? In sport plus transmission mode is incredible!
Ireland’s in the EU! No estate available here…
And when you hit the options list ... €97,070.00 (before delivery charges)!
Does it stay in your chosen driving mode when you turn off the engine? My Mk8R defaults back to Sport mode whereas I would like it to stay in Comfort unless I choose otherwise. Any idea? Very helpful review.
Can someone please explain what the "full screen full length" thing is? Aren't all videos full screen if you make them so? And the full length???
Bring the R Wagon to America please!!!
Suddenly 4wd Cupra wagons look amazing value on used market.
To me besides the power which most people do not really need it looks like a car from 10 years ago, any new car is better even Skodas.
my 2019 golf runs perfectly
4000 extra on an exhaust for a 4 cylinder that still sounds like a vacuum cleaner is madness
Looks extremely good! 🔥
7:35 probably because of my impatience, i will never consider electric steering wheel adjustment better than manual
Thank you showing the R is still fun, even at €70k.
The last one of these I had was the R32 with a manual box and a six cylinder engine. Despite the present improvements in suspension and power, I think I had more fun in that than I would with this, especially if it was to be my last ICE before turning to EVs. Compared with the R32 the present UI/UX is a downgrade in my view with too much of stuff which does not work very well and detracts from the driving. The last R32 was pretty reliable and so far as I know is still going; not so sure about how this one will do.
If we are on last ICEs I think I would try to stretch financially to the 6 cylinder Alfa Giulia rather than this car. It would be bound to be unreliable, but while it worked it would be more fun.
Never heard about VW having problems with the reliability! The opposite! That's what they are known for. That's why they are so attractive in the used market. I've owned two Up! and they both worked perfect for more than 8 years. Very good quality!
thanks for the feedback!
I'm gonna have one of these.
In 2:20 why is only left pipe working? Looks like sound, fumes and water come from left one only is it normal?
probably only when the valve is open
@@autogefuehlCan you expand on that?
I ll try to gather more intel
I have 7.5 R with akra i dont have that like this one
@@autogefuehl that would be nice, thanks!
My steel Pony from VW will arrive in a couple of weeks to Sweden and I really look forward to driving it. Couldn't afford the new 911 which was my second choice ;)
Hi , do you have Infos about a Golf 8.5 R Clubsport Version. There are Some Infos that they are Working on IT at the Moment?
so far only GTI Clubsport: th-cam.com/video/EJL-pqodaJA/w-d-xo.html
@@autogefuehl OK so far , Martin hube from Volkswagen Said , they are Working on a more powerfull r Modell at the Moment
Love the Golf 🖤
Thank you very much for the review! Will you be testing the RS3 restyling?
Not sure whether it’s worth me swapping my 20th edition R for one of these? What do you guys think?
Bought a GR Corolla for the climate control buttons
Golf 7.5 non R owner here with a decent 4 cylinder. Crap, my car is now exactly 7.5 years old now and still drives like new (because it actually is at 17.000km). I guess if they would even sell a 7.5R some people would still prefer that one.
Would not want to own a 8. Everytime I go sit in an 8 the quality feels rather worse and lets not talk about the price and still the extensive and expensive option list. We used to see models having special editions with a couple of 'free' options that made them a lot more sellable but those days seem over it seems. I am not a Dacia owner or lover but I certainly understand people that buy these, ok different vehicle style but I am getting older and maybe wiser. 70K for driving 30kmh or 70kmh here in most places makes it less and less enjoyable and understandable now.
To be fair, also the pre facelift golf r has a similar, if not identical, price.
I'd buy this in a coupe but not a 4 door. They used to offer it and they have shut me out of the market.
The exhaust sound is quite tame no DSG farts on up shifts but has a little burble but not enough for me
18 inch wheels are the best. My neighbor uses 18s for winter they even look better than the standard 19s
Blue details inside a black edition vehicle?
Watched it again, very interested.
4000€ extra for that exhaust? Yeah I would save money on that. Overall the redesign has been successful. Looks really nice along with the black and illuminated logo, i'm a fan.
Or save money all together and get an RS3 with a nicer engine and a nicer interior cockpit.
@@Johnny91832 or RS7, yeah? man, what are you talking about ?)) spec RS3 like this and you will get 20K+ above.
@@FeN1xDD?
Is DCC standard on variant version as well?
I think so
Dankeschön Thomas!!!😊
Hi Thomas! Thanks for the review! How do you compare steering between 8.5R and new m135 F70 you mentioned in the video? And was there any noticeable turbo-lag during acceleration in m135 compared to new Golf R? thank you!
Thomas?
Offered in GREY?
I think I will purchase a 2025 Golf R, but just the regular USA model. The Akrapovic exhaust does sound a little better, but is a poor value. I find the standard exhaust is good and saves a lot of money. I might have considered a lease, but we are getting to the end of ICE cars, so I would purchase and consider an extended warranty for peace of mind. I am 50/50 on VW. My worst car ever was a 1990 Jetta GLI, but I also had a Mk7.5 Golf R that gave no problems🤷🏻♂️.
Thanks for the report!
I don’t see a dip stick on the engine? That’s going to make oil changes more difficult.😞
Hola,equipo!!!!
Great video.
Please, in Autosensacion,too!!!
Good Job,Thomas.
Juan Luis.👏🐳
This or A45s?
Can the seats be changed?
In EU you also get the microfibre
Sadly the USA doesn't get the Estate (wagon) version. that would be so much fun. So sick of SUV's.
Does anyone know if the cooled charging pad can be retrofitted in the Golf 8?
I guess I’m old fashioned but I don’t like using the paddle shifters, they look cool but useless you need to always have 2 hands on the wheel, I prefer to use gear shifter
Should always have two hands on steering wheel! What's your other hand doing? Holding your 'shifter' knob?
It breaks my heart seeing Golf losing material quality inside with each iteration. Plastics are becoming worse and piano blacks everywhere. A good example of the screen shaking at 15:45