Skip advert
Advertisement

The new Volkswagen Golf R could be the last petrol version, and it costs £43,320

The Mk8.5 Golf R could be the final petrol-powered hyper hatch from Volkswagen

The future of Volkswagen R is battery-powered, with the performance sub-brand planning a transition to all-electric by 2030. It means the likes of the petrol-powered Golf R aren’t long for this world – in fact, the new Mk8.5 version will be the last generation of the model as we know it. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

An all-new Mk9 Golf will launch later in the decade and be all-electric, and Volkswagen has made this last combustion-engined Golf R not only the most powerful version yet, but given it a host of updates to its design and interior to make it more modern and user-friendly. The new R hatch costs from £43,320, with the estate version commanding an additional £1365.

As before, the ubiquitous EA888 turbocharged four-cylinder engine is the R’s power source, generating 328bhp, a 12bhp uplift over what has gone before and the same as the outgoing Mk8 Golf R 20 Years model. As with the special edition car, the new R also features a revised engine calibration to keep the throttle valve open and the turbo primed under light loads when in the sportiest drive modes, resulting in improved response when you get back on the power. From our experience of an early Mk8.5 prototype, it does give the engine more snap and urgency. 0-62mph comes up in 4.6sec, with a top speed of 155mph (or 167mph with the optional Performance package).

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

Peak torque remains at 310lb ft, driving through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox only to all four-wheels. The R’s torque vectoring rear differential remains, enabling up to 100 per cent of torque to the rear axle to be diverted to either rear wheel. This allows the car to overdrive the outside rear to rotate the car out of corners – or pitch it into bigger slides when Drift Mode is activated. 

Other driving modes are Eco, Comfort, Sport, Race, Individual and Special, the latter designed for the Nürburgring with an aggressive powertrain map and a softer damper calibration. The Eco setting is new for the Mk8.5 and has allowed engineers to dial in more aggression for the Comfort and Sport modes. The Golf R’s interior noise generator and Akrapovic exhaust have been retuned to produce a better sound, even though European noise regulations prevent it from being any louder than before. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

The chassis has undergone some very minor calibration tweaks, with the rear diff now said to have more predictable locking characteristics when driving in mixed wet/dry conditions. Adaptive DCC dampers continue to be offered with 16 stages of firmness, and the Mk8.5 can be optioned with new forged 19-inch wheels that are 20 per cent lighter than alloy items while providing more cooling air to the brakes. 

Not much has changed in terms of the R's design, aside from new bumpers, LED lights and an illuminated Volkswagen badge on the nose. The changes to the interior are more meaningful, with Volkswagen overhauling the Golf’s infotainment system with a new 12.9-inch touchscreen running the firm’s latest MIB4 software. It’s said to offer more intuitive menus and faster responses, while the Golf’s sliding touch controls for media volume and temperature are now backlit – finally.

The Mk8.5 retains haptic touch controls on the steering wheel but these now require a firmer push to activate (if you’ve driven a Golf R, you’ll know how easy it is to accidentally press the R drive mode and heated steering wheel buttons on the move). A 10.2-inch digital dial pack also comes as standard, and the R now gets a digital GPS lap timer for data logging around a track. 

The new R costs from £43,320 and £44,685 in hatchback and estate forms respectively. Buyers can also opt for the £44,570 Black Edition, which brings darkened design elements and 19-inch alloys matched to the same mechanicals as the base car. 

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Used Ford Focus RS500 (Mk2, 2010 - 2011): review, specs and buying guide for the original hyperhatch
Ford Focus RS500
Reviews

Used Ford Focus RS500 (Mk2, 2010 - 2011): review, specs and buying guide for the original hyperhatch

The Ford Focus RS500 is the ultimate incarnation of a hyperhatch trailblazer, and now they're like gold dust
13 Mar 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
10 Mar 2025
Used Honda Civic Type R (EP3, 2001 – 2005) review, specs and buying guide
Honda Civic Type R icon – tracking
Reviews

Used Honda Civic Type R (EP3, 2001 – 2005) review, specs and buying guide

The early noughties Civic overcame opinion-dividing looks and flawed dynamics to become a legend in its own lifetime. To rev it is to love it
7 Mar 2025
Abarth 695C Turismo Fast Fleet test – 10,000 miles in the Italian hot hatch
evo Fast Fleet Abarth 695C Turismo
Long term tests

Abarth 695C Turismo Fast Fleet test – 10,000 miles in the Italian hot hatch

It charmed with its mischief rather than its muscle. Now this little car has left a big hole
7 Mar 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ferrari 296 Challenge 2025 review – Maranello's hybrid supercar goes V6-only
Ferrari 296 Challenge
Reviews

Ferrari 296 Challenge 2025 review – Maranello's hybrid supercar goes V6-only

Stripped of the road car’s heavy and complex hybrid technology, Ferrari’s entry-level competition car provides a glimpse of an alternative universe
15 Mar 2025
Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming
2025 Porsche 911 GT3
News

Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming

The 911 will get even more exclusive and desirable variants with increased customisability going forward
12 Mar 2025
Why Britain's £14 billion pothole crisis isn't only a headache for drivers
Pothole
Opinion

Why Britain's £14 billion pothole crisis isn't only a headache for drivers

The accelerating deterioration of the UK’s roads is leading Meaden to despair
14 Mar 2025