Volkswagen Golf R 2011 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $52,490
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): satellite navigation RNS510 $2500, adaptive chassis control $1500
Crash rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP)
Fuel: 95 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 8.7
CO2 emissions (g/km): 197
Also consider: Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Ford Focus RS, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

About our ratings

The Volkswagen Golf R is an evolution of the much-loved Golf R32 in 'almost' every sense. It takes the German hot hatch formula to a new level, with sharper, more aggressive looks, a reworked chassis plus more power, more torque and a smarter all-wheel-drive system.

For all its performance upgrades, the Golf R spits out fewer emissions than its forebear and uses less fuel to boot, and it even has a lower price point -- all of which will significantly boost its appeal regardless of how it drives. That's progress for you.

As an admirer of the R32, the author was very keen to discover if Volkswagen had retained its forebear's redoubtable soul, because it seemed to have surpassed its predecessor in every other respect. A big part of what made the R32 so involving to drive was its gravelly exhaust note, a sound that assaulted air molecules like no other hot hatch on the planet.

Sadly the 3.2-litre V6's crackly warble is gone, replaced by a flat and relatively monotone 2.0-litre turbocharged thrum. It doesn't have the soul-stirring bark of its forebear, but when this is one of the car's few shortcomings then it's not all doom and gloom.

Truth be told, this car is hard to fault. Though aurally lacking, it's dynamically engaging, delivering a compelling driving experience.

At its core, this high performance hatchback is based on one of Volkswagen's most popular cars, the Golf, which means it inherits the standard car's practicality. It's easy to park, easy to navigate through dense traffic or tight carparks, and features an intuitive interior layout with sound ergonomics.

The five-door version we tested has enough room to comfortably seat four adults on short journeys and all the mod cons (and a smooth ride) will make this vehicle much easier to sell to everyday and family drivers than something like a WRX STI or an Evo. Indeed, living with the car for a week as a daily driver was a very pleasant experience. It's effortless to punt around thanks to its automated gearbox (just slot it in 'D' and you're off) and even in traffic it acquited itself well. Light steering and above average rearward vision make light work of the daily commute.

Real world fuel figures during our test period were slightly above 11L/100km, but considering the flogging we gave it during the weekend that's still a mightily impressive figure. VW claims combined cinsumption of 8.7L/100km.

It’s hard to miss the aggressive makeover Volkswagen has given the Golf R's. The pumped body kit, featuring new side skirts plus front and rear aprons, combines with 25mm lower suspension than the GTI and large 18-inch alloys to deliver a powerful, but not overblown visual impact. Add a roof spoiler, mild rear diffuser, large twin exhaust pipes and sinister Darth Vader-inspired headlights bezels and you have the makings of a particularly aggressive Euro hatch.

VW's new car is dressed for the occasion and turns a lot of heads in urban traffic, but it's also got the go to match its show. Its souped-up 2.0-litre turbo engine grinds out a very handy 188kW and 330Nm.

Official figures claim that the car will accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds, but the Carsales Network was able to get that figure down to around 5.3 seconds according to satellite-based timing equipment. That's getting close to WRX STI territory.

Unlike its wheel-spinning front-wheel drive GTI stablemate, from a standstill the R pelts forward incredibly rapidly. The process is so smooth and refined that often times it doesn't feel ultra-rapid. The engine hits its sweet spot at around 2500rpm, and from here on in its sublime -- a flat torque curve ensuring linear but steadfast acceleration.

The twin-clutch six-speed DSG (direct shift gearbox) automated manual is a key part of the VW Golf R's remarkable straight line speed, facilitating the transfer of the engine's power to the ground.

And as the fastest production Golf ever built, this menacing little hatch has anchors to match, boasting the largest brakes to have ever graced a production Golf. Big 345mm front discs are accompanied by 310mm rear discs, and they work very effectively, delivering strong stopping power.

After a handful of days driving the car to and from work, the odd roundabout hinting at the grip levels on offer, it was time to take the car to task on familiar roads, which revealed the VW Golf R to be one of the most compelling high performance cars this side of WRX STI.

In any other car the conditions would have been dicey -- damp roads and overcast skies with no wind or warmth to evaporate the moisture. But the Golf R proved to be a formidable force, and as a bonus the inclement weather meant our favourite roads were virtually deserted.

Crisp throttle response is matched with accurate steering and, combined with a firm suspension setup, the car tips into corners with aplomb. Upgraded springs and dampers plus thicker anti-roll bars provide the car with stoic footing. It can hold relatively good mid-corner speeds with mild levels of bodyroll emerging the harder you push it. But one of the best things about the car is being able to tromp the throttle early through corners -- the all-wheel-drive-system provides excellent traction.

The 4MOTION AWD system is the most sophisticated version to grace a Golf thus far, and earned its keep on the wet and slippery roads of Victoria's high country, allowing us to push the car astonishingly hard through corners without significant loss of traction. We even encountered snow on the road at one stage, and though we had to drive a lot slower the car made it easily through the short patch of unmelted snow.

Combined with the Dunlop Sportmax GT 225/40 ZR18 tyres, which performed well, the new 4MOTION system no longer waits for the front wheels to slip before it sends power to the rear wheels, which means more grip and less interruption to power delivery. On top of the excellent grip levels, feedback through the steering wheel is clear; you get a solid sense of what the front wheels are doing beneath you and the rear end rarely does anything unpredictable, faithfully following the front-end's lead.

The only heart-in-mouth moment encountered was on a downhill hairpin, when the rear end got a little loose under heavy brakes, but even then the chassis clearly communicated what was going on and it wasn't difficult to rectify.

As the fastest (and grippiest) Golf ever made, the VW Golf R is to the GTI what the Subaru's fire-breathing STI is to its Impreza WRX. It's a halo model with performance to match its intimidating image.

This is the kind of car we really like. It's got huge performance potential but enough luxury and practicality to make it a comfortable daily driver. Simply put, its capabilities as all-rounder are unmatched.

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