Pros: Invigorating all-wheel-drive performance with surprisingly comfortable ride; impressively refined, luxury-grade interior trimmings; practicality of four-door hatchback body style
Cons: Steep sticker price puts Golf R in competition with plenty of other compelling performance cars; occasional lag from automated manual transmission
CG Says: The 2017 Volkswagen Golf R gains standard equipment. Navigation, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot alert, lane-departure warning, self-dimming headlights, 19-inch wheels, and driver-selectable DCC (Dynamic Chassis Control) adaptive damping suspension are now standard. The Golf R is a compact four-door hatchback with all-wheel drive. It is the top performance model in Volkswagen’s compact-car lineup and is more powerful and expensive than Golf GTI—VW’s other hot hatchback. A 292-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine pairs with either 6-speed manual transmission or optional 6-speed automated manual. With its standard all-wheel-drive, high-end cabin trim, and impressive acceleration and handling, the Golf R stands far above most compact hatchbacks—even the performance-oriented ones. Trouble is, it also stands far above them in price as well. The 2017 Volkswagen Golf R costs around $40K. That’s a lot of money for a VW hatchback, but the Golf R nonetheless offers a compelling mix of performance, luxury, and practicality that’s hard to match elsewhere.
| Class | Sporty/Performance Car |
| Body Style(s) | 4-door hatchback |
| Passenger Count | 5 |
| Drive Wheels | all-wheel drive |
| Manufacturer | Volkswagen |
| Nation of Manufacture | Germany |
| Base Prices | Base: $39,375 |
| Base Engine turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower 292 |
| Std. Transmission 6-speed manual |
| Avail. Transmission 6-speed automated manual |
| EPA City Range (mpg) 22-23 |
| EPA Hwy Range (mpg) 30-31 |
