The 2021 VW golf R has been redesigned to provide greater performance than before, courtesy of a beefed-up engine, bigger brakes, and a true torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. It also benefits from the new Golf’s tech and interior upgrades, though there are plenty of differences to separate these two like-minded hot hatchbacks.
The VW Golf R is distinguished from the GTI by some of its unique features such as its lower valence, larger air intakes, matte chrome mirror caps, and the R’s signature blue grille accent (now backlit!). Other features include 19-inch wheels, summer-rated tires, blue-painted brake calipers, a gloss black rear diffuser, a larger spoiler, and chrome-plated exhaust pipes. The car comes in only one body style (a four-door hatchback). A six-speed manual transmission is available for the U.S. and Canadian markets with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as an option. Let’s take a look at other features of the Golf R.
The Golf R’s Trim Levels
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The 2022 Golf R comes in one fully loaded trim. The only option available to buyers is the choice between the six-speed manual transmission or the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
The Exterior Design
The Golf R styling has been one that even its rivals cannot resist but adopt some of its features such as the two-box silhouette which almost all rivals have since come to emulate remains, but both the surfacing and detailing have become a lot more complicated.
Upfront, the Golf R’s look is at least more distinctive than that of earlier Rs, with manta ray-like upswept fins on the lower bumper breaking the usually clean openings. The thin LED headlights are more successful but are joined rather clumsily by a broken light strip that illuminates alongside the headlights. A near-clamshell bonnet is also available.
VW has chosen to offer the R in just three colors trademark Lapiz Blue, plus a simple black or white but the wheel designs are generally well suited regardless of size. Unfortunately, it’s diamond-cut or black only for wheel finishes, and true Golf nerds will also lament the death of the Pretoria alloys.
The Golf R’s Interior Design
Standard leather seating, an R-specific steering wheel, carbon fiber-like trim, and blue accents throughout differentiate the Golf R’s interior from the standard GTI’s. Otherwise, the Golf R shares many of its less powerful sibling’s details. It comes standard with ambient interior lighting (with 30 color selections), a heated steering wheel, and a 10-inch touchscreen with navigation.
To keep up with 21st-century technology, there are fewer than five buttons in the entire cabin and every physical control has been replaced with either a touch-sensitive pad or a menu in the infotainment display.
In addition to the standard 10.25-inch infotainment display that offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, the Golf R also comes with VW’s IQ.Drive suite of active safety features as standard. IQ.Drive includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking (but only for automatic-equipped cars), pedestrian detection, road sign detection, and more.
The Engine Performance
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Under the hood of the Golf R is a familiar 2-liter EA888 four-cylinder turbo powertrain, peaking at 316bhp and 310lb-ft of torque. Accompanying the EA888 is a twin-clutch DSG transmission that features seven gears, and its near-instantaneous shifts contribute to the effortless performance of the Golf R.
The Golf R features a host of detail changes to its tried and tested layout of MacPherson front struts and a multi-link rear axle, with improved bearings and joints throughout and stiffer spring rates than on the old car.
2021 VW Golf R – The R offers Comfort, Sport, Race, and Individual driver modes, accessed via either a button on the dash or the steering wheel. If the Performance Pack is fitted there are two extra modes: Special, where all the car’s systems are configured for the Nürburgring Nordschleife, and Drift, with obvious consequences. The front brake discs are larger than those of the old seventh-generation model at 357mm and gripped by lighter calipers.
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