Which R-Rated Hatch Is Best? (Honda Civic Type R vs Volkswagen Golf R 2024 Comparison Review) 

Note: Various driving segments filmed at our private facility. 👍🏼

Remember when they were affordable.

I can't believe I live in a world where 80k Honda Civic exists 😂

Great review and nicely balanced.

Fantastic review. Completely unbiased

I had the TYPE R before I brought my mustang and after having my mustang for three years which I love to bits I would have no problem going back too the TYPE R it's that's good

I've owned both a Mk7.5 R and an FL5 (along with a Focus RS). Great video!

I drove both. I ended up with the Golf R. The mature interior items. Heated seats and steering wheel, and AWD won me over. The type R was really nice but it didn't have that fun factor like the Golf R. In USA we can still get the 6spd. It's comparable to the Type R but the type R factory is better there. 2nd is tricky at first in the golf. The Golf R as it always seems with VW needed a bigger rear sway bar and needed some better tires. Once those are done it gains what the type R has on corners and is still way faster on the straight aways. You can't beat the performance and mpg of the Golf R and awd. It's a great vehicle for whatever weather is thrown at you and can still have fun in all of it. Most Golf Rs actually dyno at 329hp. Haven't heard is thr type Rs are the same. In the end, I really think like is said in this video, it's your driving style. I much perfer the awd and long term the interior on the golf R is better for daily and road trips. The Type R has more rear room but somehow VW has done some magic and those seats and room is quite comfy even for me at 5'11 and there's rear climate control and heated seats which my 9 year old son loves.

Currently run GR7.5, which enjoy with a stage 1 boost. I was looking at the last CTR, but then the GR Yaris came along in 2021, which I impulse purchased and covers all the gaps in Golf R running, and is the most fun car I have ever 14:40 had. Slower yet quicker than the Golf most times and places on the damp UK bumpy roads. No space fir a CTR, although I admire what Honda have done (styling aside) to hone their hot hatch.

I have had my FL5 Type R for 12 months now. Absolutely love the car. The only let down has been all of the rattles from the dash and other areas of the car. Some obvious cost cutting from Honda…

Great review Curt, like the way you covered their strengths and particulars here and there to keep things interesting. Looking forward to your comparison with the GR Corolla. I have an FL5, and tested a GR Corolla. If the Golf R came in manual I reckon I would’ve had a conundrum. For the Golf R - was there any benefit of having the HVAC digital Eg voice controlled or remote via app? Otherwise i wonder how that got checked off during design. I will say that I took the civic out at SMSP a few weeks ago, just sublime. Compares well to my outgoing 86.

Civic, has the pedigree and the looks

Civic easily. Not only because it’s a proper manual. But because it may be the Best manual gearbox ⚙️ car on sale today,!

Honda ergonomics have always been spot on

$72,600 AUD for the FL5 type R vs $85,000 for golf R 8.

Hmmm, I feel like powering through, as opposed to just out of, corners in a Golf R, reveals the real benefits of that RS3 diff arrangement. It requires a bit of a shift in driving style and to be fair the more tight the corner the better. Just my humble opinion and Im not a motoring journalist.

My head says Golf R my heart says Type R.

The first problem is that the Civic Type R isn't a hatchback, it's a liftback/fastback. The Golf R is a true hatchback.

Isn't the Golf Wagon no longer available? Why mention it?

Ah damn, I was hoping you were comparing the manual version of the Golf R. That's what I have. Same color & everything

When you have performance cars, it only makes sense to race them as well.

Golf has better technology with minimum modification you can unlock the beast.

Civic Type R. No doubt

The Golf R is the clear winner in terms of price per performance in this matchup. Golf R is cheaper (low-$50k’s vs mid-to-high $60k’s+)(this is calculating real world pricing, not MSRP as everyone knows CTR’s don’t sell for MSRP), it’s faster, it has better tech, and it’s AWD.

Would love to test drive them myself

You never mentioned what tires the Golf R had.

Great review like both cars a lot, but I decided to go a different route and purchase a 24 RS3!!

Look at all the R and GTI out there. It must be the better car, although the same crowd really want a RS3 or full M car.

Optisch unterscheiden sich beide Fahrzeuge sehr intensiv. Letztendlich ist es Geschmacksache .Fertig

the civic needs serious competition its price has skyrocketed therefore there needs to be an hot hatch capable to take on the ctr competition is good

Thoroughbred to describe a Type R? It's a nice car but I think that's taking it a bit far there Curt.....

What speed are u going on the highway?

The civic looks so good in black

GTI not offering manual is more surprising than the PDiddy scandal

All hot hatches are way too expensive now a days An average working person wouldn’t be able to afford a new one in the real world in my opinion But I’d have the golf all day long

The Gulf R is a full second faster than the Type R.

I have a MK7 Golf R manual. I love it. I put a deposit on a FL5 Type R without even test driving it (as it was a pre-order). After putting my ego aside, I later backed out as $72,900 is just way too steep. These cars are getting way too expensive. The MK8 Golf R is being $85K it is way overpriced and auto only, even though the US market still comes in manual. For similar money would rather by a low kms used BMW M2 manual.

I have important question please can somebody let me know why civic type r never come or has option like sunroof i never saw why?

If you're an enthusiast you don't like stock cars.. Worth knowing that mod for mod the vw takes the win. A 500hp golf is beating a 500hp type r

Reliability and looks goes to Type R. Everything else Gold R. Wider customer base too as it offers Automatic trans

I own both, Golf R (DSG) is faster and a better daily driver, while the Type R is a better looking car that gets lots of attention, and the manual transmission is the best out there.

Awd + hatch + 315 hp … perfect. Golf R.

90k for a golf r is Australia is ridiculous

Both are 20k over MSRP ?????????

I saw the prices then departed 🤑🤑🤑

The type R as a daily driver? It’s suspension is so stiff that after an hour drive you feel like your been beaten up by Mike Tyson 😂

What about these vs the new model Audi S3?

Type R all the day

Shocked at prices

Interesting, I thought the ‘R’ in VW stood for ‘Rabbit,’ I didn’t realize it meant ‘Race Edition.’

So lucky in America we got the golf R with manual transmission making it an awesome performance car that does ir all, the all wheel drive is a huge difference and after this experience, I would not take a front wheel drive car tor performance

Mk8R is the better car for me with much better tuning potential

" there's no other car that can challenge these two for the price" Lol yes there is , the i30n sedan. It's neck and neck with the type r on track for 20k less and probably more fun to drive than all of them

Nothing comes even close to the Honda, most reliable car brand

Honda without discussion. TOP

Insurance which one.

poor comparison. the CTR commpetes with the GTi manual and not the Golf R. both are front wheel drive and 6 speed manual

One that you can't rob

I don’t understand how you found the FL5 less exciting - golf R feels dynamically boring, although improved this generation. FL5 is like a live wire and much more entertaining (and faster) on track. It does have a playful chassis - if anything better than the FK8

Type R 4ever

The CTR is creaming all the best hot hatch awards these days in the press here the UK. Rightly so. Its an amazing car.

👎 No mention of Hyundai i30 N which is $20k less than the Golf R

Why oay iver the odds for the type r and its over inflated price. buy the used 10th edition.i personally think the 10th styling despite being out their is better than the over oriced 11th edition.. how can honda justify such a mark uo from the 10th to 11th edition when its the same engine bu different turbeo and styling.. Grab the 10th edition.. and alter what you require.. it will still be cheaper than the 11th. And as people have stated.. will people really use on the tracks.. .. most wont hence why i got the 10th edition Honda civic sport plus...

The Golf has better technology and with minimum modification you can unlock the beast.

The Honda Civic type R all day right here Baby!!! 😂 LoL

Hyundai i30N guys in 6 speed manual love mine.

Had previously owned Honda integra type R, Civic type R and Honda S2000 and now I own VW R and I can say it’s the biggest mistake I ever did to enter VW world. Such a poor quality and reliability compared to Hondas. Bought it brand new and so many things went wrong it’s a joke. Transfer case liking oil (replaced), water pump replaced, starter button replaced twice, seat electronics playing up, all this before car even hit 50000km, never trashed and never taken to track or drag racing. With Honda’s I never had any issues, just normal servicing and that’s it.

Comparitively average cars now costing as much as our parents bought a house for. Strange times. Hopefully the 2nd hand market calms down shortly.

FWD = torque steer and wheel spin from a dig. No Thank You 😂

Which R-Rated Hatch Is Best? GR

I would take the Civic ,still miss the manual of my Sigma.

Golf for me. The Civic I could never do given the styling alone. Its doing a bad job of trying to look like a transformer spaceship. (sorry - I fast forwarded to the end....!)

Honda❤

I saw the ctr yesterday my god its wide

Not those two. Throw in the A45S. 😂

Neither. i30 Sedan N. Best value performance car.

typer has the looks golf r looks like a gulf ball

Keep your Honda for a start,VW if I had to choose

Golf R as a daily hands down. That’s the reality of most of us how we use our cars.

Civic wins. Anyone who's driven one knows. Golf is auto only, so not a hot hatch. Mini luxury car.

golf r mechanics/electronics will wear out first Type R frame components will rust out first.

No GR Corolla?

Shouldn't it have been civic type r vs golf gti. Both fwd duh

Type R any day, the only downside is the front wheel drive. The Golf R is great but longterm, unreliable and steep depreciation.

Manual all day everyday I hate auto cars 😊

While i love the civic the golf r can do the 1/4 in around 12.2sec way faster than the civic. Still love the civic tho

There is no way a vw can even come close to a Honda.

Golf is a better daily

78k? 😂 for a vehicle that should cost 20k - 30k

Honda for the win as usual...and who paid 80k......😅😅😅😅😅NOT me.....

vw reliabilty would be a problem.

Golf R all the way!!!! Waiting for my 2024 6 spd to be delivered!

Type R all the way

Are you on a race track? No? Then WTF are you cutting corners all the time?

now at the prices of old m3's. sad

Neither of them! The civic is just too much of a show off. I would get a slightly older golf GTI with a manual transmission. Which is much more useable than either of these two.

Type R.

The winner is the Honda Civic type R, the closest i can get to Max Verstappen nothing better, go Honda in F1.

Let's get real here for a sec ,the civic just wins !!

Not even close. Golf R all the way. It's a straight beast. I've had mine for a year, and never once has someone tried to step to it. Others just know, but don't admit that it has some crazy performance. The thing is a pocket rocket.