Volkswagen Golf R

Design & Quality

The interior is worthy of the car’s overall look and feel, giving the vibes of luxury and premium. They impress with the combination of sportiness and refinement are quite excellent. To attract youngsters and professionals, Volkswagen has introduced the new 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment, which gets its house MIB4 software and ChatGPT voice assistant, something that promises to redefine the tech experience. And, further integration with a sharp 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster is beyond impressive. Then Nappa leather upholstery offers great comfort and also extremely high quality, and the optional carbon-fibre and classic tartan plaid seats give a boost to the car’s rich legacy. 

On the built quality, we agree that it is top-notch and feels extremely solid, with soft-touch materials on upper surfaces; however, some hard plastics on lower panels are something we didn’t expect. The cabin’s design comes across as simple and elegant. You can see the attention to detail in very small things is remarkable. The controls are an example of modern and practical, with physical buttons for climate and audio, preferred by many for ease of use. The touch-sensitive steering wheel controls seem okay, but not everyone will have a similar view on this. We know that this could potentially be due to occasional accidental activation. Overally, we felt there is a lot of focus on the interior, which makes the driver love it, and so does the modern and advanced tech and is extremely comfortable.

Front Seat

The front bucket seats are supportive and comfortable, elevating spirited driving and heating/ventilation (optional) for relief from extreme heat. The 8-way power-adjustable seats are a good feature for a wide range of movement, not for taller drivers may though, as they may find it a little narrow. But you’re certainly assured of the best driving position with clear visibility at the front and around the car. The multi-function steering wheel has controls for audio, cruise, and drive modes, and offers quick access when you’re driving. 

Electronic Parking Brake

An electronic parking brake with hill-start assist, located on the centre console, makes parking on inclines.

Rear Seat

While the rear is comfortable but not the most spacious, as this is a compact hatch, it is good for two adults or three children, with enough legroom and headroom. Rear AC vents, USB-C ports, and a centre armrest keep passengers comfortable, making the Golf R a practical choice for families or carpools.

AC Vents

There are AC vents at the front and rear with dual-zone automatic climate control. The AC system is quite effective, and cooling the cabin is an easy job, especially during summer time. 

Storage Options

The Golf R is practical for a performance hatch, and to help you keep your stuff, there is a spacious glovebox, door-mounted bottle holders (up to 1-litre bottles), a centre console with storage, and a rear armrest compartment.

Armrest

Front and rear centre armrests with cupholders boost overall cabin comfort when driving long hours. The padded armrests contribute to the premium feel, although the rear armrest’s storage is modest.

Charging Options

The Golf R comes with two USB-C ports in the front, two in the rear, a 12V socket, and an optional wireless charging pad.

Boot Space

The Golf R boot size is 341 litres with the rear seats up, and you can expand it to 1,237 liters when folded flat. The height-adjustable boot floor and 60/40 split-folding seats with a ski hatch is great for versatility and practicality.

• Nine airbags (driver, passenger, side, curtain, center, driver’s knee)
• Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go

• Lane Keep Assist

• Automatic Emergency Braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection

• Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert

• 360-degree camera

• Front and rear parking sensors
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• ISOFIX child seat anchors
• Hill-Start Assist
• Traffic-sign recognition

Some of the key changes of the new Golf R include a new front bumper, a bright VW badge, new headlights and tail lights and overall a bold evolution. It measures 4,290 mm in length, 1,789 mm in width, and 1,458 mm in height, with a 2,631 mm wheelbase, and 136 mm ground clearance, making it quite sporty handling over off-road capability. The Golf R’s aerodynamic design and functional styling elements, such as the rear spoiler and quad exhausts, underline the hatchback's track-ready capabilities without losing its practicality.

Front

At the front, the honeycomb grille with a shining VW logo, a signature red stripe, and an offset R badge are some of the elements that quickly attracts attention. It is easy to make it out; these are its key differentiators from the GTI line-up. The all-LED matrix headlights with bright light assist and integrated daytime running LEDs further add styling elements to the car’s exterior. The lower bumper gets large air intakes and optional X-themed LED fog lamps, which serve the purpose of style and also provide better cooling. The front of the Golf R is undoubtedly aggressive, but also functional and appealing.

Side

From the side, the Golf R showcases its familiar sportiness, largely due to its low-slung stance, aerodynamic lines, and 19-inch Estoril alloy wheels. The blue brake callipers are a hit of the R’s performance heritage, visible through the wheels, although the chrome window surrounds and body-colored side mirrors with integrated turn signals give a modern and refined touch. The side skirts and subtle R badging underline its performance character.

Alloy Wheels

The Golf R comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, with 19-inch Estoril or Adelaide alloys available on select variants. The 235/35 R19 tires are known to offer outstanding grip for performance-oriented driving. The attractive desing complements the car’s aggressive styling, and gives it a sporty edge.

Rear

At the rear are smoked-effect LED taillights with animated graphics, a big roof-mounted spoiler, and a sporty diffuser with quad exhaust pipes that deliver a throaty soundtrack. The Volkswagen logo and R badging enhance the overall look, while a rear wiper ensures clear visibility in dusty or rainy UAE conditions.

Colors

The Golf R is available in Pure White, Deep Black, Lapiz Blue, and newly introduced colors like Oyster Silver Metallic, Anemone Blue Metallic, Crystal Ice Blue Metallic, and Grenadilla Black Metallic.

City Performance

As one would expect, the Golf R, being sporty and powerful, drives outstandingly well in city driving. Perfectly underpinned by its turbocharged 2.0L engine and quick-shifting 7-speed DSG provide instant power on tap, without a miss of refinement in stop-go city traffic. The compact size, along with features like a 360-degree camera, is highly convenient when navigating tight city roads or dense parking areas. The 4Motion AWD gives you confidence, and its high traction in tight corners is remarkable. The driving dynamics are unbeatable as far as this capable hatch is concerned.

Highway Performance

On highways, with brilliant 333 hp of power and 420 Nm of torque is fun for those who love speed. Its insane acceleration, with adaptive DCC suspension, makes high-speed driving easy. The Drive Mode Selector: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Race, Drift, and Special- allows a perfect drive. Mostly when you’re on an empty stretch of highway, you get free rein to go at speed, because at high speeds, the Golf R feels stable, enhancing confidence in its abilities.

Ride and Handling

The hatch is great at handling, with some unique elements like the vehicle dynamics management system and torque-vectoring rear differential, which let the car maintain with right balance across different terrains. With the widespread use of damper settings, the ride gives you the necessary ease in comfort mode, while sportier modes are for enthusiastic driving to get the kick out of it.  The steering is quite precise and accurate, striking a balance between comfort and sportiness, which makes ride quality a lot better, especially for the daily commute. Drift mode gives fun in controlled environments, and overall ride quality is firm but never rough, which provides the Golf R’s ultimate daily driver as well as a high-performance car

• The advanced and seamless 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment gets in-house MIB4 software, ChatGPT voice assistant, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto

• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster

• 18-inch or 19-inch alloy wheels

• Nappa leather upholstery or tartan plaid fabric

• Dual-zone climate control with rear vents
• Harman Kardon premium audio (optional)

• Keyless entry and push-button start
• Panoramic sunroof
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• 360-degree camera
• Drive Mode Selector (Eco, Comfort, Sport, Race, Drift, Individual)
• Ambient lighting with 30 color options
• Power-folding side mirrors
• Wireless charging (optional)
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Titanium Akrapovič muffler

The 2025 Volkswagen Golf R is available in single variants in the UAE

Golf R 2.0L TSI Base

This variant starts with AED 187,600, powered by a 333hp 2.0L turbo engine with 420Nm torque, with an impressive 7-speed DSG. Perfect to its character, it acheives 0–100km/h under 4.6s. Inside, there is a 12.9-inch touchscreen, Harman Kardon audio, advanced safety tech, and 19-inch alloys. Enthusiasts have everything they wish in this hatch.

The Golf R is a true, capable and performance-oriented hatch, which has a combination of incredible capabilities, all-wheel-drive grip, and modern technologies that rival high-end competitors. With the latest facelift, Volkswagen has given this hatchback a much-needed update that completes its high-performance personality.

The powerful 333-hp engine, all-new transmission and elevated cabin, primarily with the introduction of a 12.9-inch touchscreen, with integration with ChatGPT. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Golf R feels a much more refined and versatile package, while its price undercuts luxury options like the Audi S3 and BMW M135i. Here in the UAE, the Golf R could be a great hatchback for everyday use due to its compact size, nimble handling, and awesome interior

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