I’ve owned my Mk7.5 R for over 2 years now. And in that time I have driven a Mk7.5 GTI (both cars are DSG). As much as I love the performance on the R, I would prefer to keep the GTI. For everyday use the R is just like any other golf, but you put your foot down and you’re busting speed limits before you know it. I rather have slightly less power and to be able to enjoy it more. Taking around country roads the R really comes into its own when pulling through and out of corners, but the actual handling feels dull and boring. You just get the feeling that it’s doing everything too well and there’s no thrill (for some people this might be exactly what they want). It’s a more than capable car (more capable than my abilities for sure) I just don’t find it an involving drive at all. Having said that, using launch control with family and friends is always a nice little party trick, it always leaves everyone smiling. And it is nice to have that power on tap if you do need it to shoot off the line. If you are looking at a performance golf, I would recommend the GTI for everyday use and something to have a little fun with. I got the R purely to scratch an itch, I know if I had gone for the GTI I would have always wondered “what if..”. If you do decide the R is what you want I would thoroughly recommend trying to find one with adaptive suspension (mine is fixed and it can be exceedingly uncomfortable for everyday use) and the upgraded sound system (this is applicable to any golf). I hope this helps :)
Very very helpful, I always owned the golf 7 gti, then later got a golf 7R, now I driving driving Golf 7.5 GTI and I love it very much, it even looks better than the R
I think the choice between these two is always the R for me. If I wanted something raw and 'involving' I wouldn't choose either of these cars, I'd choose something lighter and less refined.
Yep, the cars for journalists have a rough life, so it is no wonder the paint looks somewhat abused. The cars get abused on track, in the case of the R someone maybe even thought "let's see what the 4WD can do on an unpaved road" and afterwards the cars just get a quick car wash treatment. I do not think VW will bother to give the cars the full polish/wax treatment before every review.
Had the 2015 GTI, enjoyed it immensely. It was in for service and my sales guy offered the R for a test drive while I waited. Needless to say, I now have 2016 R in the driveway. Couldn't be happier - best car I've ever owed. It just puts a smile on my face every time I start the engine. It has all the practicalness of a GTI, but that engine, exhaust and drivetrain puts it over the top. Great review Matt. Being an owner of both cars, you didn't miss a thing in your comparison.
Del Boca Vista My R is a great daily driver - no issues with stiffness. I didn't get the DSG, but it's not a problem for me, even in Toronto rush hour traffic. Only complaints, no sunroof and not a fan of auto hold feature.
MatWatsonCars seem the Golf R you were driving has the ""Golf R Performance Pack - upgrade to brakes, cup tyres, limiter removed and lighter exhaust system". My question - is this upgrade pack for the Golf R now available in the U.K.? Last heard its not available in the U.K. Cheers
launch control is taking the driver out of the occasion. a child or grandma can no launch a car as fast as a lifetime real racer. Luckily manuals have a few more years. you need to master lauch techniques or get chipped to get manuals to perform close cause manufacturers limit the rams in them. but it can be done but only with practice and skill. around a well known track the lighter weight may come in handy www.caranddriver.com/honda/civic-type-r
Cisco Network Designer/Engineer I owned a r32 mk4. Absolutely love it except roads in NY are shit so I keep destroying my rims and my engine light won't go away.
errrgh so confusing!! need a Versus Vid to show us diff instead of dueling comments!! So far I get that the R is heavier, but shoots out of corners beautifully while the GTI corners so nicely. Have also read that the GTI will go no where in dampness and /or leaves cuz of FWD but that even when juiced up with a tune, the differential will make steering no problem...sad that I will have to do without a moonroof in an R, maybe I should just tune a GTI i don't think I really want all those bells and whistles anyway...does the GTI have the 4 Motion option? I think in the end, if I see a few more giant grins on faces like this guy, that will have to tell the story...
All results and all numbers were astonishing. For both GTI and R. With 65BHPs more it is no surprise that R is much quicker. But as our roads are not racing tracks GTI should suffice.
The AWD system makes up more of the 2 seconds than the 65bhp does. Applying power to the ground and grip is the more important part of the first 100 metres of launch
Just washing and drying can do that. If these cars have been in the hands of multiple journalists, I imagine they would've been valeted each time. Dark colours just show it worse in my opinion (especially black).
These modern turbo engines really are special. Back in the early noughties you'd need a 911 turbo or a Viper to get a sub 4s 0 to 60. Now a hot hatch can almost do it. Granted the double clutch box is also better than any human could ever be.
my benchmark to this day, the lamborghini diablo VT, is slower to 60 than this golf is. which means i could cross one item from my bucket list if i had one of these.
He keeps talking about the things that "stand out", but if you want to stand out you wouldn't be looking at a Golf in the first place. It's a car that's about the exact opposite of standing out. It's understated and unpretentious.
i have a 2017 gti autobahn edition and I love it -- but I must say, that digital dash and new infotainment system looks LEGIT in this new 2018, however!
Putting the R engine/4WD with the GTI exterior/interior would make the perfect car. I hope they give the R more colourful details in 2020. The silver details are almost unnoticeable! RED details for the GTI, and maybe YELLOW for the R.
Very good - and interesting - video. Many thanks Mat. But it's the same old thing - "why not get the real thing!" There was no talk of price or money, so it's a no brainer - get the real thing. It's like the Tiguan versus Ateca or Kodiaq question. If money is not mentioned, get the real thing. Spec it up to the max and get an R. Or, spec it up to the max and get a Tiguan! Like all things, "the devil's in the detail", the more expensive, better, top of the range cars, have all the nice little mini details, that you will appreciate; and nothing's been left out. Cheers.
Are you calling the Tig" the real thing"? I like mine as a great compromise car, but just ache for an 'R' or definitely tuned GTI with autobahn and PP of course.
Your second pronunciation of Akrapovic was correct, nice video. I think generally spec the extra for a R is worth it but at the end of the day it comes down to "wants" rather than "needs" and I want both cars but I want the R that bit more...
Don't know what it is about the Golf R but I love it so much. Saw one this morning when I returned from work, and it truly is a gorgeous car. Sounded quite nice too.
I just switched from Golf GTI Performance pack to Golf R GTI much more nimble and better on fuel boot is bigger R gets the power down very well and is very rapid however steering is heavier and you definitely feel it, its thirsty and you sacrifice mpg Both are great motors the Gti looks way better
I have 2015 GTI Manual with Lighting Package for over 3 years and the car is amazingly fun and with a JB4 ECU tuning, this thing is a little beast! I also own a MK II Audi TTS 2-Seat Convertible with APR Stage I and it's similar to the AWD Golf R performance with huge turbo and Rapid Acceleration with Lightening fast DSG Shifting! The TTS is faster than the GTI and faster than the Golf R, but guess what, I still miss the manual in the light GTI that gives me that smile always!
Matt, u are one of the rare UK guys who can properly pronounce Akrapovič. Well done mate. The correct version is the second one @4:26 Greetings from Slovenia, where it is made.
I have 2016 Golf GTD and I love the fuel consumption in it. I normally drive calm and in my city on average I have 6.8-7 l/100km. While on a morning sunday Or at night when the city is empty I get a 5.8-6 l/100km which is insane for such a nice car. (Haven’t driven outside of the city yet). I know it is slower then GTi a bit, but you do win in fuel consumption. + it is a high performance golf :), and it looks good. Also it you want good fuel consumption, you can get a GTE electric version of golf, which is about as fast as GTD (maybe a bit faster due to electric motor) but it is a plug-in hybrid. And again it looks like GTi or R
I think the gold R is undoubtedly the better car, but I feel like it doesn’t have as much of a market. The gti is clear where it stands. A sporty hot hatch that’s a good daily driver. The R is a fair chunk more expensive, and a fair chunk more sporty, but that puts it in the same firing line as your AMG’s / AUDI RS’s etc. And I really don’t think the R can compete with them, it seems to be an middle tier between the sports and the race sports. Don’t think it really has much of a market
Was a little hesitant between the GTI or the R... knew Matt would give an honest opinion when comparing both. Gotta start saving up for a Golf R... next year🙏🏻♥️
I disagree with other comments ... the performance gap between S3 and RS3 is very little ... I actually like the S3 over the RS3. ..... even the new RS3 saloon track car, is based on the S3 engine, not RS3 engine .... that race car has the EA888 2.0 TFSI engine, not the RS3's 2.5 TFSI.
By the way, a variety of reviewers says that even Golf R is better than RS3 and more fun to drive, let alone it's 10-15k less expensive. RS3 is worth only if you have the cash or you if you want your ego fueled. And stay away from 2.5liters 5 cylinder...those motors are trash. Go for either a 2 or a 3 liter.
i wish i could have a golf R. the closest thing to it i can get is the amarok v6, which i do. but it's not really very close now, is it? twice as long to 60.
when i had more hair on my head than on my back a golf was as exciting as a peeled apple. 4.2 to 100 in grandpa's first choice? se dshermans r greysie. ^^
1: Get golf GTI-P 2: Go to any performance tuner 3: Pay 500 Euro 4: Get new software 5: Get new power from 240bhp to 300 bhp and vrom 350 nM to 440nM (Exactly as an Golf R) 6: Slap some golf R if you so wish(optional) 7: Save around 8.000 Euro or more.
The Golf R is basically marketed to the older consumer who has a bit more money in their pockets, isn't a boy racer, and doesn't want to scare the in-laws. Meaning, the subdued look of the Golf R compared to the GTI seems to be intentional in my opinion. If I were to choose, I would definitely go for the more mature looks and 4WD drive system on the R.
Prva izgovorjava je cist znacilno angleska s tem, da on je se lepo reku č, kr ponavad recejo akrapouik. Pa tut kukr je Blaz reku, preglas je nad drugim a-jem in ne nad o-jem... kukr js vem.
A car with more power is faster ? has the world gone crazy ? , but loved the video !.... I know contradicting myself there haha, matt is always such a good presenter !
I had a round of Golf last weekend if I give the ball a good hard wack the 0 to 60 is like a 10th of a second, I hope this is of interest to you 4 wheeled motorized peeps .
I haven´t driven the facelifted versions. But when I drove the pre-FL Golf R, it somehow didn´t feel that more powerful compared to GTI Performance than the specs suggested, I wouldn´t say there was 70 hp difference. So in my opinion the dynamic difference in acceleration is made more by the 4WD than the more powerful engine. I guess a GTI Performance with added 4WD would be very close to an R. Oh and one more thing: the artificial sound of R was a bit annoying, I prefer the more natural sound of GTI. This considered, plus the price difference, plus the much more attractive looks of the GTI (the R is too understaded, too similar to regular Golf with R-line optical pack), makes me think the GTI Performance is a better choice. In the price range of Golf R I would have a look at M140i, mostly because of the fantastic and characterful 6-cylinder (where the 4-pot cannot compete).
germans arent lying about horse power and torque, ususla there's soem reserve to it. and to be fair, their deisel stats are on the best (all manufactures was tested), not way around. but diesel hype thing did the job..
Not sure why every review compares the R to the GTI. They always compare the most expensive possible GTI spec and compare with the most inexpensive R spec and say "its just a few thousand dollars more". In the US you can pick up a GTI for around 20k new whilst the R is nearly double the price.
Yeap I bought my 2017 gti in December for 23500 (base). To me it wasn't 10k more it's almost 20k at least!! I could buy my wife a used Accord with that money
That $20k gti is also going to have way fewer options. If you want a GTI with similar options as the base golf R, you are looking at ~$37k msrp...$32k after incentives that the R won't get. But, it makes a lot more sense to compare similarly equipped cars when it comes to their price.
mate, you do great reviews in a very entertaining manner. I am not even the biggest car fan, checked a few for reassurance for some of the cars I am considering but two hours later going from link to link I find myself here in the hot hatches. Keep up the good work :)
proper review with numbers and demos to back it up unlike most other boring subjective reviewers. well done Matt once again on par with Chris Harris as the best car reviewer of the Internet age ĺ
