Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR 2021 Review

Only 300 examples of the 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR – the final version of the Golf 7.5 before the all-new Golf 8 (including GTI) arrives here in May – are available for our market and one can be yours for $51,490 plus on-road costs.

For reference, that’s a $4300 premium over the standard Golf GTI ($47,190) and $4500 below the all-wheel drive Golf R ($55,990).

The limited-edition TCR is offered in a choice of grey (our test car), Pure White or Tornado Red, and comes with all the fruit – the only option is a $1900 panoramic sunroof.

So what else does the extra $4.5K get you over the standard GTI? Well it sits 5mm lower on its suspension, gets 19-inch alloy wheels shod with Continental 235/35 ContiSportContact rubber, gloss black roof and black wing mirror covers.

There’s also LED headlights with dynamic cornering lights, dynamic light assist, LED tail-lights with dynamic indicator signal, privacy glass, sports steering wheel with red 12 o’clock position marker and perforated leather, Alcantara gearshift lever and door card inserts, sports cloth/microfibre seats, and red-accented floor mats and seatbelts.

Other touches are the contentious honeycomb decals down its flanks and a TCR logo projection on the ground when the front doors are opened in the dark.

The TCR also employs a different take on the GTI’s tartan seat trim pattern and some gloss-black interior highlights borrowed from the Golf R.

The exterior also gets a makeover with the omission of the GTI lower fog lights, which are replaced by slim ducts that aid aerodynamics, and a muscular looking front spoiler, side skirts and rear diffuser in black.

Like all new Volkswagens, the TCR comes with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and service intervals are 12-month/15,000km.

The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR is based on the current generation Golf, which achieved a top five-star safety rating from ANCAP in 2017, but may not do so if tested against stricter criteria introduced since then.

The range-topping GTI comes equipped with the same plethora of safety technologies available across the entire Golf range, including adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, lane assist, park assist and front assist with city emergency braking (autonomous emergency braking), which will operate the brakes under 30km/h if the driver isn’t alert.

On the technology front, the TCR features an 8.0-inch infotainment and navigation screen that includes smartphone mirroring. The driver’s instrument display is a 12.3-inch configurable digital high-definition screen that can change views between navigation, driver assistance and performance functions. Keyless entry is also a handy feature.

Volkswagen has utilised drivetrain components already in its arsenal to power the TCR. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder borrowed largely from the top-line Golf R puts out 213kW of power and 350Nm of torque.

The torque figure has been reduced in comparison to the Golf R (213kW/380Nm) and, interestingly, the TCR also offers less torque than standard Golf GTI, which nevertheless delivers much less power (180kW/370Nm).

Another interesting fact is that the European-delivered TCR offers 380Nm (up 30Nm) of torque and comes with a petrol particulate filter and a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission (standard in all Golf GTIs for a few years now), while a six-speed DSG gearbox is fitted to Aussie TCR cars.

Volkswagen claims the six-speed transmission offers a better mix of ratios to suit track-day applications and the engine’s broad power band. Peak torque is available from a very low 1700rpm up to a high 5800rpm, with peak power taking over at 5900rpm and dropping off at 6400rpm.

So in effect the TCR is a front-wheel drive Golf R (and therefore has one less axle to power) and also enjoys a large 63kg weight advantage over its all-wheel drive sibling.

That’s a healthy weight saving and should equate to around a half a second advantage per lap on a track day, but the ability to put all that power down through the front axle puts a question mark over the TCR – more on that later.

Volkswagen claims a 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds (the best I could get out of it was 6.1sec, albeit crudely tested), which is 0.9sec of a second slower than the Golf R’s 4.8sec but 0.6sec up the road from the 40th Anniversary Edition Golf GTI (6.3sec).

Zero to one hundred times don’t tell the full story, but they do indicate how much traction is on offer and applying 213kW/350Nm to the tarmac through the front wheels is a big ask. But let’s go back a step.

When I initially picked up the TCR its purposeful ride quality was immediately apparent. I like its firmness (it reminds me of a race car) but it’s probably not for everyone.

That said, if you want a ‘Cadillac ride’ you’re probably not really a hot hatch buyer. It’s hardly teeth-shattering, but is noticeably firm in comparison to a ‘normal’ hatch.

I’m sure the TCR’s target demographic is more interested in my track impression and, yes, I did cut a sneaky lap around Norwell Motorplex.

Firstly, it gets up and goes and, once straight, rockets from one corner to the next. And 60kg-odd weight saving over the Golf R is actually measurable.

I have tested a heap of hyper and hot hatches around Norwell and the TCR feels as strong as anything (Mercedes-AMG A 45 S aside) in a straight line.

It sounds strong too, aided no less by a redesigned free-flowing exhaust with an even more distinctive ‘Golf GTI crackle’ between shifts.

Trying to stop the TCR at the end of each straight is helped by the Golf R-sized brake rotors and the pedal provides good feel when straight, but gets hard with a noticeable lack of retardation if you try to stop with some lateral attitude.

The steering weight, ratio and feel is spot-on, but understeer is its inevitable Achilles heel in the corners.

The TCR is equipped with an electronically actuated mechanical limited-slip differential that does tie the two wheels together but doesn’t exactly stop wheel spin (hardly a surprise with this much power).

The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR is an angry little hot hatch that requires a little mid-corner to exit patience when pushed hard on the track.

With the stability control off (and if you follow my reviews you’ll know I always test cars in this configuration to highlight their raw handling characteristics) the front axle has an awful lot to do and trying to feed on 213kW with any sort of steering angle applied is a recipe for wheel spin. I recommend keeping the ESC on and it will sort the patient approach for you.

The tight, twisty and long-corner nature of Norwell Motorplex arguably accentuates power-down issues in any front-drive car and I’d suspect the TCR would be more at home on longer-radius corners that require less emphasis on longitudinal acceleration.

The differential tries its absolute best and, as mentioned, does do a good job tying the axle together. But it stops short at pulling the car around the intended radius like a Civic Type R, for example, and could do with a sophisticated torque vectoring system. Or you can reach further into your pocket and get a Golf R.

The TCR reminds me of what a proper hot hatch should be – a little tricky to drive fast. It’s not as well rounded as the standard Golf GTI, but that’s what I love about it. It has some personality and gets you thinking.

On the road in day-to-day driving it’s just as polished as the standard GTI, barring the slightly firmer ride, and it gives nothing away in terms of comfort, safety and technology to the standard version either.

With only 300 on offer, the jury’s out whether the TCR will become a collector’s item. But here and now, if you want a sweet ride with an edgy personality, go the TCR.

If you’re chasing lap times, spend the extra four grand and go for the Golf R.

Disclaimer: Luke Youlden is a Bathurst 1000 champion, 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup series competitor, Tekworkx Motorsport mentor and chief driving coach, deputy chief instructor for the Porsche Experience and also works for Pilota Sportiva, whose clients include Audi Driving Experience and Volkswagen Group Australia.

How much does the 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR cost?
Price: $51,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 213kW/350Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 7.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 172g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)