The 2023 Volkswagen Golf R 20th Anniversary DSG Is A Sports Car Slaying Hot Hatch 

Just got one. Very fast and handles very well. Compared to my Focus RS, the DSG is fast and very responsive. I like that the R is a sleeper and many different personalities it comes with. It can be a daily commuter, a track monster, a twisty road carver and a sports car as well. 0-60 in 4.1 seconds is absurdly fast for a 2.0 litre engine. I compared this to everything in its class and hands down, best all around vehicle for under 50k. BTW, I got mine for three hundred dollars over sticker and in Southern California is a total win.🎉

Woah!! 0-60 in 4 seconds,...yet it still gets 23mpg City and 30mpg Highway??? Wow! For me, I'd be going with the auto trans.

I remember when the 20th AE of the GTI came out around the time the R32 came out. I cant believe there's a 20th AE R now. Time goes so fast.

Couple pointers as someone who's owned an MK8 Golf R for 1.5 years: The home screen in the infotainment can be customized with multiple widgets, including climate. This climate widget has all climate controls besides temperature. I use this to turn on my heated or cooled seats instead of trying to touch that very small area in the bottom left corner. I don't agree that this car has "mundane" looks. The wheels and brakes are huge, hood and front end are aggressive, HUGE diffuser in the back, quad exhaust, and spoiler on the roof/lift gate. It doesn't have gaudy fake vents like some of it's competitors, but to call it "mundane" seems overly critical. Other than that I thought it was a pretty thorough review. The infotainment is certainly not perfect but it seems a lot of youtubers like to harp on it as if it's completely unusable. This isn't the case. It's unfortunate there's no physical buttons, but for what it is it works quite well. I only experience any noticeable lag in the first 60 seconds of turning on the car. By the time I pull out of my garage it's fired up and ready to go.

Love the stealthy look of this thing. Not trying to be a showoff to everyone.

It doesn't look "bland" at all ...I love the subtitles lending it a refined and qualitative appearance. In 10 years it will still look good. The CTR is just dimensionally massive in looks and actuality so thanks but no thanks for me. The GR is kinda cool though for real-life application for grown-ups with a one car budget renders it a hard no at least for me.

I've seen many, many people getting lower than 4 seconds 0-60. This car is an absolute sleeper, it's nuts lol. Great car, considering it myself

I've got the VW Golf 8 R Abt Performance and tested the brakes on the Autobahn. They are really awesome also on top speed. It's a real sleeper with the black kit exhaust pipes.

I like this car and have owned it for 4 months. Paid to much for it. Dealer markup was stupid. But, I got it anyway. I love the pedestrian look and sleeper performance that just fits my personality when it comes to car ownership. I had a 911 and every tom dick and harry wanted to race me to the stop light or some bullshit like that. It was annoying. Got rid of it a few years ago but missed the fun in driving. This car has a lot of the feel and performance for a lot less and it looks like a commuter car so muscle heads don't pay attention. I need to say this as well, infotainment system has been great. Have no idea what the f... everyone else has been complaining about. People like to complain about nothing, that is a life truth.

Too bad we don’t get the wagon version

I just got mine and in black but I the uk the 20th anniversary has 333 bhp and top speed is up to 166mph, can’t wait for some dry weather 👍

Your 0-60 runs keep me coming back.

I am living in Europe I got the Tiguan R with 320hp with the AKRAPOVIC exhaust option and every day this car puts a smile on my face. I am looking to get a Golf R on the top of my Tiguan before I leave Europe and bring them to the US. Thanks for your video

16:55 Gotta love Sofyans laugh when he launches cars, cracks me up

Super review, thx Sofyan.

Bro, the sunroof-delete is why I got the AE over the standard edition. I wasn't even considering this car until they got rid of that thing. I would pay extra to not have the sunroof.

I've always loved the sleeper aspect of the Golf R. It really is the best of the hot hatches in my opinion, but the price is a bit ridiculous, especially when you see how spartan the interior is. Plus you get no sunroof and only 3 boring colors.

I'm still liking my 2018 mk7.5 Red Golf R. I just added PPF and Ceramic wax coat, Powered Side Mirrors, wireless Apple Play and Magsafe charging, and did some simple mods using an OBDEleven. Loving it. I might look at the 2024 version of this car if they come in red and if the infotainment comes with buttons. Otherwise, I am resisting the urge for now and keep enjoying my mk7.5 Red.

You don’t even get heated rear seats in an RS3…$70k car.

Seems like if VW got the infotainment right with physical buttons where they apply best this car would have been a homerun. If they wanted to do it the way they did, it had to be knocked out correctly and it just seems like a drag/possible dealbreaker. Yes I'm sure you get used to it but certain controls in a vehicle shouldn't take that kind of effort and adaptation.

This is a fantastic review man. I had my MK8 R for 2 years and still enjoyed the video. Also getting a 4.1 sec 0-60 mph twice in a row is more than impressive for a stock hot hatch. Would you take the new S4 over this R if you had to choose?

10:05 The carbon trim is a $1000 option in the 2024 Golf R for Canada but doenst seem to be available in the US trim.

Golf R and Type S all day

If a car makes you giggle when you drive it, it’s a keeper

I miss the VR6.

Literally two things missing to make this the perfect car: Walkaway auto locking A much needed update to the infotainment system

The GR corolla killer Also 4.1!? That’s m340i territory

The fog lights are not needed with the new light technology over the last few years. The light from modern headlights penetrate through fog... so people who wonder why modern vehicles have gone away from them... it saves money to go into more safety features typically.

Thanks for the vid. Great info. Can you comment on the general reliability and cost of ownership of the golf R? Thank you.

The Golf R with a DSG punches in to the next weight class. It’s just too fast in a straight line with the DSG. Now imagine it with another 100+ HP/TQ from a simple ECU tune.

A sunroof does NOT weaken the structure of the car. These guys always say that but it’s not true.

The quirky infotainment is a small price to pay for me the car is awesome it’s always been just a little bit ahead of the curve in comparison and it literally started the entire hot hatch trend cool review 💯

Good luck finding this in stock and at MSRP.

Whatever ANY car doesn’t include something “I wish they included it”. “Sad to see”. Cmon man!

EA888 engine still requires a lot of preventive maintenance for things like carbon build up, water pump, coilpacks, etc. Hopefully the Germans will someday realize they can sell a lot more cars if they make their cars more reliable.

That infotainment system is surprising considering just how good my BMW infotainment is. That tells me they really went cheap on the soc that’s running it.

i have the 2022 golf r manual. i would suggest resting your hand on top of the middle screen and using your thumb to push the buttons on the screen. you were pecking at the screen and that never works on any touch screen. i think that the 2022 is the same as this 20th anniversary and it has the sunroof.

I fit 3 adults in my GTI back seats better than any of their compact crossovers and I can fit more. There’s no reason for compact SUVs to exist and I want the creators of them to pass away.

Great review, 🇨🇦gets the manual as well!

Don't care about Hondas so called reliability which last I checked was average, I'd take this over the CTR any day and the Corolla interior and refinement is to econobox for everyday comfort. The Golf R is just perfect maybe except for reliability questions.

Not that this is what the Golf R is made for, but man, between it's 4-Motion AWD setup with it's torque vectoring rear differential and the limited slip front differential... If you threw some Bridgestone Blizzack WS80 snow tires on this Golf R, I bet it would be an absolute monster in the snow. Ground clearence would be a negative in the really deep snow, but I think it would still handle deeper snow than people would expect with those WS80's.

Interesting, no plastic engine bay cover.

I thought the CEO promised to make changes to the interior.😅 It’s not like VW is the only company going to button-free interiors now. I’ve had several Golfs, the last being the 7.5 R, .I just can’t get excited by VW anymore, looking at the BMW 240i now which arguably has a worse dashboard.

I enjoy ur reviews! You recommend the Golf R over Civic Type R and Integra? Ty

Canada gets the manual too.. just sayin haha

Canada gets the 6 speed too you know?

A bloody shame that I can't find a new R for less than $53K new. Dealer markups in the Seattle area are in the $7K range. Absurd.

still no tactile buttons on the wheel? still ZERO reasons to upgrade my 7.5R

Totally whiffed the Infotainment. Gotta get that right in this price range.

Volkswagen should do a project with go to gain access to their electronics which I find to be the best

I wanted one but the roads in the Northeast is so bad. I bought a CX5 turbo and I still sometimes scrape the front on steep driveways. There’s some roads so torn up and patched that even in an SUV with 55 series tires, I feel like a bobble head. Absolutely Ridiculous city road conditions! I cannot imagine how many tires and wheels I would go thru on 45-40 series tires!

When you turn off the useless gesture recognition the responsiveness of the infotainment improves greatly.

Pricey , but great performance 👏

Not for what they want to charge you. Dealers here in Calgary Canada want 70K for this.

The simple look is a good thing. It's timeless and even my 2007 rabbit looks good today. I also prefer no sunroof on any car. One less thing to clog and eventually leak over time. I do agree that the entertainment system is whacked with no actual knob or buttons. Thats just too distracting and takes your eyes off the road.

The interior is so much cheaper than my mk7 GTI. Car has been VERY good to me. 83k STAGE 2+

This is a gorgeous hatchback!! Not like the Accord type R and Corolla

Sunroof assemblies are super heavy and raise the center of gravity. They also leak if the drain tubes get clogged. Good riddance.

When you get these cars, do you challenge the makers on their markups?

Been on my local dealer wait list for a while now. Cant wait to get the call but it feels like forever. And Im not willing to pay absurd prices some resellers are advertising

doesnt have power mirrors and lift gate because thats extra weight that no one wants on these cars

Because I hate the hole in the roof, I love this Golf R.

Love this car. Can’t wait to pick one up

Eff every dealer still selling this car for a 5k+ markup

It so ignorant when you quote hp and compare to other non German cars like you did with the Honda and Toyota. The golf probably make 315 to the wheels and the Japanese competitors is around 270.

theres 10k makr up in my area

Needs to be a 2-door like the original VW hatch.

Volkswagen apparently says that they are keeping this around until the 2035 crap kicks in and if that’s the case then we need to pressure them to get the wagon over here.

I love the color

GOLF R! Yes 🙌

I had no idea they still made a Golf R…. Hadn’t seen one since like 2005 when the hot hatch scene was booming. Maybe I am thinking of the VR6

4.1 0 to 60 . That’s fast

"315hp" these all make minimum 350hp

As a do it all car, would you take this or a type R?

VR6 still the best engine

Chill with the run-on sentences plz. Also, I LOVE that there isn't a sunroof! More headroom for tall people, plus they don't add value anyway. Want more airflow? Roll down a window or crank the HVAC. Want more glare? Remove sunglasses. 🤷‍♂️

Cheaper than a CTR or GRC, and a lot faster. No brainer to get this over those other two.

YOUR BIGGEST KENYAN FAN, SUBSCRIBER, LIKER, COMMENTER RIGHT HERE, AS USUAL, 07/10/2023

Sound powerful 😮😮😮

I think you called this one a BMW more than a few times... Double check because I may be wrong.

They really need to go 350+ hp with this base

These are impossible to get. A dealer told me yesterday it’s a 4 year wait to get an R and no GTIs for at least a year either

My golf r 20th has a sunroof

dual teardrop headlight shapes got to go imo

Kona N is more fun. Too bad it got discontinued, but you can still grab one off the lot.

too much tech

Saw one of these on the road and thought it was a crossover, these things are huge now.

Funny how the Elantra N isn't mentioned at all here. I know it is a sedan, but it does play in performance like the CTR and the GRC.

Dealer markups are insane for these.

The interior is not a lot different than my launch edition gti. Basically just the carbon fiber and R stitching. My R is white.

Having to live with that UI and gloss black haptic feedback on a daily basis pushed this off the table for me. The mechanical engineers utterly failed by the interior designers, this will always be known as the 'what could ahve been' generation. And sadly, VW is 100% committed to pure electric in the next 8 years, so this will be the last Golf R.

Those rims are same like previous gen civic type R

I'm sorry but the enthusiast version of the Golf R comes with a stick.

I would take this over the Ford or the Subaru WRX.

No volume knob? Kind of a dealbreaker ngl

Very nice...

front still looks like scion iM 😁

The BS "Market Value Adjustments" every dealer charges for these forced me to switch to the Audi RS3 for about the same price!

Car looks great and fast but how reliable it is ?🤔

They dont underrate their cars, they just don't launch control it when measuring.