First Drive: 2025 Volkswagen Golf R
The corner's a sharp left, but our Volkswagen Golf R is pitched violently right – quite on purpose – by megawatt-smiling racing driver Benny Leuchter.
The German Nürburgring ace has just begun a 'Scandinavian flick' on a bone-dry Sydney Motorsport Park track, deliberately unsettling our all-wheel-drive Golf before muscling it in the opposite direction to clip the corner apex.
Of course, we're now doing this completely sideways – Sebastien Loeb on ice style – in a wall of noise and tyre smoke, while we passengers are flung around like rollercoaster riders.
It's riotously magnificent, and a high-speed illustration of the talents of both driver and this halo Golf, now in revised Mk 8.5 generation.
The beaming Leuchter helped develop the hyper hatchback, with specific focus on responsiveness, smarter gear changes from its seven-speed dual clutch auto and 'giving a bit more feel for racing characteristics,' he said.
Mission very much accomplished.
A 10kW and 20Nm hike for its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine helps; clever software fettling now pushing the four-cylinder to 245kW and 420Nm – trumping rivals like the Honda Civic Type R, Toyota GR Corolla, BMW M135 and Mercedes-AMG A35.
Our Golf R cracks 100km/h quicker than all the above too; a rapid 4.6 seconds using launch control.
And, from $70,990 before on-roads, it near price-matches the Civic and Corolla, then is $10k+ cheaper than the German premiums.
It's still a damn pricey Golf – twice that of an entry-level one – but its performance, features, tech and all-round talents make it feel solid value.
Standard are matrix LED headlights, illuminated front end, 19-inch alloys, Nappa leather, heated, cooled and power seats, tri-zone climate control and Harman Kardon audio.
The previous Golf R's not-great infotainment's been replaced by an imposing 12.9-inch effort with navigation and 360-degree camera. This alone helps justify the $500 price hike.
The cabin's austere in its blackness, but feels classy and sporty without overdoing it. Grumbles? Haptic feedback buttons remain on the steering wheel, while climate's through the screen not proper buttons.
Plastics are harder for rear occupants, but as it's a Golf, there's ample space for two back here, and the boot's big enough for family life.
Our Central Tablelands road drive is over some of the choppiest, wettest and most potholed roads I've experienced. Absolute godsend is the Golf R's 15-setting adaptive damping.
In Comfort mode the ride quality's surprisingly excellent; the engine's at low simmer and our R feels every inch a sensible daily driver. Hot hatches like the Hyundai i30N are challengingly crashy in comparison.
Sport modes add more fizz and attack to engine, steering and noise, then Race pushes it further, while setting suspension to spine bashing.
Best trick is 'Special' Nürburgring mode. As the hellish German racetrack demands peak acceleration but soft suspension for its bumpy surface, this well suits rural NSW roads.
It's also uncommonly easy to drive quickly with all the confidence. Brutally fast with uninterrupted pull, it's at its most grin-bringing after 4000rpm. Yet it still exudes maturity rather than raw mongrel, unlike, say, a 100kg lighter Civic Type R.
Tell your pub mates it's the R's torque-vectoring rear differential that cleverly helps glue it to tight corners, and even offers rear-wheel-drive vibes as torque's independently sent to each back corner. Hit track-suited Drift mode to enjoy tyre-shredding circle work.
The engine's lightning-responsive thanks to the turbo kept spinning in 'ready-to-go' mode; gear shifts respond to braking and steering angle, or you can take full charge through paddles.
Agile, madly rapid and very hard to unsettle – even on our short track blast – but the R's exhaust note could be more raucous, and it's a shame no manual gearbox (nor wagon version) is offered.
It slurped 15L/100km of 95 RON on twisty backroads, while $3640 for five years' servicing stings. All forgivable considering the performance abilities.
VW's offering 300 Black Edition models for an extra $1500, boasting blackness for lights, grille, tailpipes, brake callipers and VW logos, plus lightweight Warmenau 19-inch alloys, shaving 2kg off each corner.
Alternative is a $6500 Warmenau Package, adding the 8kg rims, real carbon trim and fruitier Akrapovic titanium exhaust.
VERDICT: 4 stars
Brilliantly effective, fast and planted as a backroad hero, then shines in suburbia with its trick suspension. An all-round performance hero.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R VITALS
THIRST: 8.3L/100km
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