2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs Golf R // Do You Need AWD? 

I'll remember this next time I need to drive my GTI on a frozen lake.

That "rabbit" sticker looks like an afterthought like Hans came running down from the conference room as GTIs were coming off the assembly line and he was like "dese autos are needing rabbitschticker!"

Was that the drone expert from Storage Wars Canada S02E29 - Ursula Goes Banana. Nice 👍🏻

I just wish they'd give the R a tiny little bit more aggressive styling here and there. Not as overdone and ridiculous as a Civic type R, but except for the exhaust tips and wheels, the GTI Looks like the sportier one.

What was the point off this video? Are people buying Golfs to drift on ice? Or only to drift? Golf R feels faster on that surface. Isn't that the point off having R over normal GTI? If so, why there is no track time to compare them? I mean, I love all this great shots, I love the cars, but this video is kind a missed opportunity to actual answer the question: Is it OK to have normal GTI on the snow because you are not losing too much comparing to R version or not? Drifting is 1% of the use if ever, so that is pretty much pointless if other things are not answered.

3:24 it’s not just a tune that gives it more power. It has a completely different turbo then the gti.

Soooo... you're saying AWD is more fun & better handling than FWD? Who'd have thought...

And hat tip to Yuri from The Straight Pipes on a special appearance!

That's all great news that the GTI will drift on the top of frozen lake almost as good as the R. What I wanna know is can the GTI plow itself from a parking spot blocked by the snow bank after a major snow storm in Chicago nearly as good as my R32 can?

For the R, pull the ABS and stability fuses. The brake differential is what's killing your drive in the big drifts. Disconnecting the front sway bar helps too but is obviously more of a pain. Without the brake diffs it will be a little slower to put power down but it can do Ken Block level ice drifts all day!

What more do you need on a regular basis?? A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, that's what. ;-)

GTI was on all-season-tires while the Golf R was on snow tires. Talk about unfair advantage!

Owned both. R all day long. GTi great through corners but the power from the R is superb

I may eventually be convinced the GTI can be as good as the R on a closed circuit but in real world conditions it is not realistic (and safe) to try to enter too fast in curves to provoke power oversteer on any public roads. For that reason and because of every acceleration from a stop in wet or snow the R is hands down the top dog.

Throttle House is the new deal on car journalism for me. Also, happy birthday James !

I literally want all their episodes on Netflix.

Couldn't tell on the GTI, but it definitely looked like the Golf R was on winter tires. Having owned a 2014 Fiesta ST in Northern New York, I can safely say that winter tires on any car makes a huge difference, and there's no reason you can't go out and hoon a FWD hot hatch in the winter as long as ground clearance isn't an issue. Here in the U.S. , the Golf R comes standard with summer tires and the GTI comes standard with all seasons. If you go out and try these maneuvers on these standard equipment tires in snow and ice, you will not have the same level of control. Unless you have Ken Block type of skills. Good video though, I like the channel. Just think you should mention what kind of tires were on these cars so folks don't get a false sense of security.

AWD is definitely a must!

A dependable set of winter tires is more important on this kind of weather either fwd or awd

You guys and the Straight Pipes are my favorite automotive RU-vidrs and it makes me so happy that you guys are friends 😂

Man, I’ve been living in this province for almost two years now and haven’t found any frozen lake race tracks. I gotta up my game!

From the title of this video, I thought you guys were going to compare Golf FWD and 4Motion in real world driving with traction control engaged. Because you know.....we spend a lot of time driving on occasionally icy and wet roads in Missouri. Instead what I saw was a Hoonigan drifting comparison between these cars.

I love that Cornflower Blue GTI! Seriously contemplating buying one

The Golf R is in my opinion not worth the extra cash. All wheel drive sounds good, but in reality it's a FWD car that can put a little power to the rear wheels, and at no time more than 50%. That is because its a Haldex system, it helps with traction issues but it's not fun to drive and does not feel like an AWD car, because most of the time it isnt.

I sort of think they should just delete the golf r altogether. I know it has a history, but i wish they just evolved the GTI to AWD and more HP in more expensive models and FWD in lower models, but keeping the GTI name as the only sporty Golf.

Mazda please put the turbo in the 3 for the best of both worlds for much cheaper.

Gti has fake oversteer....done by esp control.....while R has a lag time before post wheel begin to act....so you have understeer and than....later oversteer....done even also with the help of esp....even here! This in a stock car....but if you put a hpp blu haldex epron...the things will go better.... So basically if you turn off esp on a gti you do only understeer😭😭😭😭

I nearly crashed my R in the snow going only 15 mph around a corner. As soon as the front slipped the rear kicked in sending the rear out across the road,this probably wouldn't Of happened in the gti. Good job it only snows once a year but rains alot. Off the mark in the rain is amazing.

*cracks knuckles* Finally a target for my 6gb collection of PT Cruiser pics.

The difference between the motors in the GTI and R are a lot more than just a tune, the turbo and internals such as exhaust cams, pistons, rods, etc is what makes them a lot different

This questionnkeeps me awake, every single night.

Love my Mk7 GTI, but I wouldn't mind the AWD for better launches!

Honestly if you just put some decent tires on the GTI, that drastically improves the traction and overall handling. The stock Hankook tires are bad.

Not many people actually try to snow drift in their GTI or R. I'll save u all some time. They are both excellent winter or summer cars as long as you drive them appropriately and with the correct tires. I've owned 3 GTIs, a Golf and the mk7 R. Also a 4motion Passat. The Passat is significantly better for traction in the winter than the R, but it's a different AWD system and much heavier than the R. The GTIs are perfect as well, but you don't have as much GO when in deep snow or icey conditions. The GTI will spin at full throttle in the snow. The R will bite in and rocket ahead.

Why does the american Golf R have only 288hp while the one in Europe (at least in Germany) has 300?

_Honda Civic Type R has left the chat._

Very informative! Thanks. If you want real AWD... the system is the R is the best I guess for snow/ice

GTI save some money to use for aftermarket parts.

To be honest what car enthusiast doesn’t hate the pt cruiser

I want a focus rs with vw build quality and interior.

@3:48 moisture build-up in headlamp

Why are you bothering James he was dreaming the poop of the dragon

i owned both cars an mk7 2014 gti and a 2015 mk7 R and the R is another world its better in every way compared to the gti only thing was the R drank up more fuel, but i enjoyed it a lot more the gti was very boring in my opinion

You're from Quebec !? As the plate says Quebec Je me souvien nice 1 more sub :)

You guys seriously kill me!! The best. And thanks for more VW’s!

Great video! I've been waiting for a comparison of the two in the snow for a long time. It would've been a much better review if it was a comparison of the two in daily winter snow driving. I'm a Golf R owner myself, but sometimes I wonder if a GTI would suffice for Canadian winter if I remove the 4 Motion out of the equation.

We dont buy the AWD R to drift on an ice lake. We buy it for all around better traction in rain and ice.. and to keep from shredding our front tires every time we pull into traffic..

Yes...the Golf R is fun...way more fun. Worth every penny more here in Canada than the GTI. I am loving it.

Happy birthday James and awesome job guys!!! I absolutely love your videos and the humour that you put into them. You have become my go to RU-vid channel to check out cars, especially as you are in Canada and get what it is to live here!!! I love cars too! Great job! Keep it up! Cheers. Jorge

F

I own a golf R , but I also love the GTI ... love both always will always have ....❤️

Seriously, my new favourite channel. Definitely in top 3 (including thestraightpipes and car throttle)

hmm.. is a nearly 300 hp awd golf r more fun (on any track) than a gti... that's a tough one

Very nice. You’re right the nannies still kick in when “off”. You have to code the system off and code increased traction on to have a more active rear (instead of reactive).

Paying almost $20k more for the AWD is stupid. It’s literally the same exact car as the GTI. A $700 flash gives the GTI more power than the R so imagine what you could do for $20k...

Is that Yuri from The Straight Pipes?

Now go and check the 2017 GTI Clubsport MK7on my channel! And see how much better looking it is to these two... 😁 😄 😎 👍

When is VW coming out with the MK8? They've been talking about it for the last couple of years. Now were hearing mid 2021. What's the problem VW?

Unfortunately Thomas you're dead wrong the GTI has horrible understeer especially in wet conditions, the Golf R is a much much better performer.

LMBO I had a pt Cruiser for 10 and half years, not planned that way orginally. It was reliable yes. Now I have a 400HP VW GTI MK7.5. Come drive it.

Am I the only one with a GTI whose stability control is so intrusive it immediately shuts down everything with the slightest hand brake turns? Makes snow driving awful. The only time I don't like my GTI. BTW it's a mk6.

This was a really boring review. I'd much rather a direct comparison of GTI and Golf R than 10 minutes of this weird scenario that will literally happen to no one but RU-vid car journalists.

To have fun, awd may not be needed. But to have much greater traction and stability in less then prefect road conditions, snow storms etc, R is a no brainer. Plus, R is still German made, while GTI is Mexico.

Chris Harris could do transitions while reciting Shakespear. Just saying.

I like your videos, but this one lacks a little something. I think the driving, nor the track, nor the tires, are not optimal, to say the least. The driver feels he has to tell he's having fun, but it doesn't look he's having fun, and te way the cars move around the track is not fun to watch. Conclusion : vehicles are not pushed to their limits, so it's hard to see what each one really has to give.

The haldex is not a great awd system its meant more for weather than it is for fun. I don't care what anybody says a proper set up awd system can not be beat if its designed to be performance based. Take the awd system in the new m5 or e63s that is fun and performance based awd systems. After driving these cars rwd or fwd can kiss my ass. rwd biased awd system is the most fun I can have without worrying about dying in a pure rwd car. Plus even if u want to go mental you can and turn it into strictly rwd.

Why does VW say the 2019 Golf R has 288 horsepower compared to the 292 horsepower for 2015-2018 Golf R’s? I don’t think anything in the engine changed. So must be time related? Glad I got my 2018 Golf R 6spd. Love it!

"I have no idea what way my front tires are facing" "lost track of my steering wheel" easily the dumbest fucking thing I've heard someone say while driving a car..

Because the discounts are so good I literally got a stinger GT1 for thousand less than it would’ve cost me for a golf r. I had a GT I was going to go up to the golf r So I know the platform and can say without a doubt the stinger is a way better car and rear wheel drive biased to

So, my goal in having AWD is having more traction, not necessarily having more fun when I force the car to lose traction? I have an older FWD A3, which is very similar to a GTI, and I find that it’s pretty easy to spin the wheels when accelerating on wet pavement.

You guys in the comments are idiots, saying that the gti is better than the Golf R is like saying the mustang GT is better than the mustang Cobra

Why did VW add digital gauge cluster screens on the Golf R (which was canceled) but still have analog gauge clusters on the 2019 GTI?!

What a silly test, why don't you put some chains on the wheels, you're going to an ice rink with summer tires normal that many times they treat Americans like fools

Both cars are shit buy some bulldozer with a snowramp in front,for frozen ground the perfect vehicle!

I'm waiting for my GTI, it'll take forever sjebdrudh! 😭

Mk7 golf r’s are so common.. better off with a Mk6 they look better as well. I’m a gti fanboy so I am biased...

It's also a matter of not having chains. Awd cars with snow tires are not illegal on the road when chains are required. Also when I got my golf r, I punched it in the snow and the awd sorted it out and I took off. It is one of the most well rounded cars I've ever driven and you can easily make it more aggressive and keep all the practicality.

Proper beer, curry, chips not french fries......very jealous.

Gold R is my favourite car in the entire world

I think GTI looks so much better than GolfR.

So sick!

TLDR, AWD is better than FWD for driving on an ice lake, shocking stuff

You don't look like you're having fun... Looks like too much electronic interference?

I love volkswagen golf GTI 2.0 2019 but I have an dodge dart sxt 2016

Well I live in Canada. Golf R totally justified Haha

I chose my GTI over the R because I thought it was more fun to drive and I like the interior much better. Plaid seats all day! Also the R, depending on the paint, can be over $50k. I've seen a used 2018 RS3 with low mileage for only $6k more. Meaning if you can afford the R absolutely forget it and get a used monster like the RS3. Otherwise get the GTI.

These Headlamps can be installed to Indian ver VW Polo 2013????

Yes I need AWD, because I want grip around every corner at any speed and no wheel slip for launches

Short answer: Generally yes, you do. And also no. The GTI has a very clever front diff, so its actually debatable in this case. But compare a R to a regular Golf and oh boy...

The Rear wheels only work in golf r if the front wheels slip. Other than that it's a fwd car. You can add a clutch pack and tune that adds more power to the rear

In other words, the Golf R is not worth the price, because it is way too similar to the GTI.

Snow tires and a GTI, like you said it all you need. about 8-10k more for a golf r for a tune and awd, ehhhhh.

Love the little elf hat this guy has on 😀. Where can I find a frozen lake to have this much fun in my Golf R?

That problem on almost all VW group cars is that even when u turn off dsc it keeps coming back

Makes me love my R even more

I’ll take the R but umm I’m leasing it!!

Sucks that the U.S. GTI doesn't get the cool Rabbit logo in red in the back.

Golf R holds its value much better! A 2016 Golf R (41k MSRP when new) with 70 000km sells for 33k

just finding your channel and liking the content, PT Cruiser DM sent!haha

Doesn't put much power to the ground while he is on ice and smow sliding no shit