If you’re young or young at heart and want a pocket rocket for some driving excitement, check out Volkswagen’s 2025 Golf R sedan that has the utility of a hatchback with impressive cargo space. That, plus it has more power than VW’s famed Golf GTI and with AWD (4MOTION), the Golf R can handle nasty weather conditions.
We were fortunate to have tested the new Black Edition and as the name implies, the R comes with special black wheels, racy heated flat-bottom steering wheel, and quad exhaust tips that’s part of the lightweight titanium Akrapovic exhaust system.
Golf R’s exterior has smooth swoopy lines that end with a sporty rear end topped with a hatch spoiler. It even looks quick like it’s traveling 60 mph standing still.
On the interior, it too is sporty with real carbon fiber trim adorning the dash along with heated front seats that have a good amount of lateral support to hug the torso during spirited driving. The passenger seat power reclines to soothe the passenger on a long trip. And there’s adjustable ambient lighting to set a mood.
Centered on the dash is a 12.9-inch touchscreen that offers an array of features and functions including navigation, review camera, Sirius radio with voice control to adjust the radio and climate control, smartphone app connect for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Harmon Kardon audio, HVAC selections, mode selections of Eco, Comfort, Sport, Race, Custom, Drift and Special, park assist, Wi-Fi capability and more.
On the console, there’s a phone charging pad that shares the space with a nifty gear selector for the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that is supplemented with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. For Drive mode, merely flick the short selector forward, and backward for Reverse. A separate switch selects Park gear.
Over on the 10.25-inch customizable digital instrument cluster, it includes a driver information display between the main gauges for alerts, features and functions.
The heated back seat can accommodate two adults with limited leg room particularly if the fronts are racked well rearward, but there’s generous head room. Rear doors could open wider for a chubby guy like me and to ease ingress/egress into the rear seat. But assist handles over all four doors assist the transition.
Back in the spacious cargo area and with the rear seatbacks upright, there’s 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space that measures 29.5 inches deep, 41 wide and 29.5 high. There’s also a pass-through for long items like skis or fishing rods. Flip the 60/40 seats and capacity expands to 34.5 cubic feet for 58 inches of loading depth. With all the seats down, Volkswagen says a bicycle can be carried.
Beneath the two-tiered cargo floor is the Harman Kardon sound system where some small items can be stowed around it.
Under the hood is what makes the Golf R special. Therein lies a potent 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that generates a whopping 328-hp and 295 lb/ft of torque. Coupled to the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the combination earns EPA mileage ratings of 22 city, 31-highway mpg.
To say the Golf R is a hot hatch is an understatement. It has head-snapping acceleration that pushes the torso into the seatbacks, especially in Sport mode. And by selecting Race or Drift mode, Golf R comes into its own. But I can’t figure out who would abuse a great car by racing it.
As for ride and handling, it parks easily thanks to its size and electric power steering. However, the ride is a tad on the taut side with a stout suspension and shod with Hankook 19-inch low-profile tires. And because of the latter, the ride can be a bit stiff with major road imperfections reverberating into the cabin. But the R grips the road like super glue. There’s no lean in sharp turns taken at speed. It’s certainly not a VW Tiguan in the ride department. But performance is what you pay for, and get with the Golf R.
Starting at a base price of $48,415, this includes a host of safety features and functions such as lane keeping assist, forward collision warning w/automatic braking and pedestrian/cycling monitoring, blind spot monitor, rear traffic assist, adaptive cruise control and loads more. The only extra cost options were for Golf R Euro Style Package ($3,795) and Heavy-Duty Trunk Liner ($295) that along with delivery ($1,225) took the bottom line to $53,731. Yes that’s a lot of bucko’s, but as said, you’re buying an AWD performance car that offers some utility.
Young or young at heart, Golf R is built for the Autobahn plus it has Volkswagen’s proven reliability.
