VW’s finest on Germany’s finest roads | Golf R...

On the Straße

We sampled this explicit 2025 Golf R Black Collection in Germany–shoutout to the German VW press fleet crew, who’s at all times superior to work with–so let’s begin with the variations between the U.S. and German specs.

Mechanically the automobiles are an identical, with each getting the 328 horsepower/295 lb.-ft. 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter engine mated to a seven-speed DSG trans. The DSG is now the one transmission choice for the Golf R, with the stick and clutch six-speed being discontinued for 2025.

{Photograph} by J.G. Pasterjak

By the best way, that 295 lb.-ft. torque peak comes all the best way down at 200 rpm, and it feels flat as a board from there to redline. It’s a heck of a trick, however there’s a draw back: On monitor in guide mode, you’ll continuously hit the rev limiter if you happen to aren’t carefully watching the tach. The engine pulls robust during the rev vary and nonetheless feels prefer it has tons to offer when the ECU shuts down the occasion.

However we’re getting forward of ourselves. Let’s discuss extra in regards to the variations between the Euro and U.S. Golf R fashions, which will probably be a brief chat as a result of there aren’t many. The large ones are the sunroof, which the Euro mannequin that we drove didn’t have. Most U.S. fashions will probably be sunroof-equipped, although, with the slicktop solely obtainable with a “light-weight” package deal that additionally foregoes energy front-seat adjusters. Our Euro mannequin benefitted from the extra headroom of the hardtop, nevertheless it additionally had the handy energy seat buttons.

The opposite massive distinction is tires. U.S. fashions get both Hankook Ventus S1 EVO3 rubber or Bridgestone Potenza S005s. Each are strong summer time selections.

However our Euro tester stepped it up a notch with Bridgestone Potenza Race 235/35R19s on these blackest-of-black wheels. Whereas Europe doesn’t at all times have UTQG stampings on its tires–these Bridgestones didn’t–these tires are marketed within the U.S. as 200tw and are considered extremely track-capable. Possibly not fairly as quick because the RE-71RS in our testing, however definitely no slouch on monitor for a tire that’s geared up as inventory on a number of supercars (and now a Euro-spec sizzling hatch).

{Photograph} by J.G. Pasterjak

Choosing Consolation mode from the VW’s DIC turns the automobile right into a machine completely fitted to long-distance cruising, in-town errands or day by day commuting. The mode choice is definitely fairly transformative at instances, with the change from the extra street-focused choices to the track-focused choices having an enormous delta relating to really feel, suggestions and efficiency.

The throttle timing specifically is spectacular. In Consolation mode, there’s by no means any surging or a lot indication that the Golf R is even turbocharged. Within the higher-performance modes, the extra linear throttle higher controls energy supply (though removed from completely–extra on that within the monitor part) and delivers a higher-resolution expertise. It’s an enormous change that feels extra like bolting on a set of laborious components than altering some strains of code, however we’re followers.

The Golf R can really feel massive at instances, however by no means unwieldy. And bear in mind, we had been driving it on tiny German streets, so put that criticism in context. However actually, it feels massive and extra substantial than its GTI roots would lead you to consider. This feels extra like a automobile geared toward competing with the BMW 3 Collection than the Civic Sort R in its stage of sophistication and civility.

{Photograph} by J.G. Pasterjak

If we did our math accurately, we noticed the equal of excessive 20s for blended mpg readings, which is fairly spectacular given the driving circumstances in Germany. Freeway driving is much less constant cruising and extra quick blasts on the Autobahn punctuated by on- and off-throttle sections. We simply didn’t see loads of cruise management alternatives on the highways, and did loads of metropolis driving, so almost 30 mpg is spectacular for such a succesful automobile.

The Golf R remains to be a Golf, so despite the fact that it has grown through the years, it’s nonetheless a well-appointed German automobile. The Golf R-specific seats, with their fastened headrests, are a pleasant mixture of strong bolstering and long-distance consolation, which is a tricky trick to tug off. And, after all, the rear hatch gives legendary usefulness in an period when hatchbacks have gotten increasingly scarce.

{Photograph} by J.G. Pasterjak

VW’s mixed contact display DIC stays, though a couple of analog buttons have sprouted because it was launched a couple of years in the past. In that point, the UI has turn out to be a bit extra intuitive, though it nonetheless takes a number of touches to do easy stuff like change the HVAC fan velocity. It’s a greater system than it was when it was launched, and the look of it’s spot on.

We’d nonetheless like to see a bit extra work on streamlining the UX, as different corporations (cough, Hyundai, cough) are engaging in the identical objectives with a cleaner, easier-to-use interface. To VW’s credit score, although, it’s improved its DIC to some extent the place it’s hundreds higher than another competing manufacturers (cough, Lexus, cough).

On the Rennstrecke

Since we drove this automobile in Germany, we weren’t in a position to take a look at it on the Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park, our official take a look at monitor, the place we’ve got legacy knowledge from the Mk8 Golf R.

We had been in a position to run it at an alternate, nonetheless, within the type of an out-of-the-way little monitor referred to as the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the place we laid down half a dozen laps over a pair days of Touristenfahrten.

First, we’ll hearken again to our earlier take a look at of the Mk8 Golf R on the FIRM, the place we set our greatest lap with the automobile in Drift mode. This allowed for extra rear slip angle than different drive modes, letting us get the automobile rotated in tighter corners.

On the Nürburgring, the Mk8.5 Golf R nonetheless reveals loads of the identical tendencies that the Mk8 did when pushed laborious. You may really feel the automobile intervening, however the impact is much much less pronounced on the Nürburgring’s extremely advanced and undulating pavement.

{Photograph} by racetracker.de

On the FIRM, the place 99% of the tire and chassis loading comes from driver enter, the notion of the electronics calming issues down is much extra pronounced. However on the ’Ring, the place loads of the inputs are produced by monitor and floor contours, the notion of the impact is much much less pronounced.

The setting that we had probably the most success with on the Nürburgring was, maybe unsurprisingly, the Particular setting, which is a subsetting of the Race setting, which is particularly optimized for the Nordschleife. There’s even a bit Nürburgring emblem on the selector button. U.S. variations of the Golf R will even have this setting obtainable, and whereas we’ve got to throw a flag for taunting on that one, the setting actually is much extra drivable on tracks with bumps or a considerable vertical load element than any of the opposite settings we tried. Simply tape an image of Sebring over it and name it a day, People.

{Photograph} by J.G. Pasterjak

The Potenza Race rubber can also be an enormous improve for the Golf R, giving it loads of lateral grip as soon as it’s loaded, even on the less-grippy-than-the-FIRM, newish Nürburgring asphalt.

However the Golf R nonetheless needs you to take your time growing these hundreds, and it actually needs you to be delicate when making an attempt to do multiple factor at a time. Due to this, we gave up on left-foot braking fairly rapidly into the take a look at. The Golf simply wished a gentler transition from throttle to brake, giving the chassis time to unload, neutralize, then reload within the different route.

Likewise, path braking took a deft foot and a bit extra preliminary brake launch on turn-in than the automobile might tolerate again in Florida. Now, loads of that is because of the monitor configuration, as all that vertical movement and irregularity must be accounted for. However general, the Golf R doesn’t prefer to play toss and catch. It is going to do it, however you’ll additionally really feel your momentum dropping as these sticky Bridgestones generate loads of friction in instructions aside from the one you’re making an attempt to go. However pushed with some restraint, carving corners as a substitute of pounding into them, and specializing in mid-corner and exit velocity as a substitute of entry velocity, turns the Golf R into a really rewarding monitor companion.

It feels very very like a automobile that’s optimized for 99% operation however suffers loads of momentum loss from 101% operation. To be honest, it’s completely snug working exterior of the friction circle–we by no means actually felt a single dodgy second from the chassis or tires, even after we made some admittedly clumsy inputs–however that’s not going to be the quick manner round this or any monitor with the Golf R. It’s far too stylish for that type of brutish motion.

The VBox knowledge backs up our seat-of-the-pants impressions normally as properly. The Golf R undoubtedly CAN do a number of issues without delay, and the info exhibits that. Have a look at the primary tough entry into the tight right-hand nook on the finish of the Döttinger Höhe straight, the place the automobile is braking at over 0.8g of longitudinal acceleration whereas cornering at almost 0.6g of lateral load–it simply doesn’t prefer to provoke these a number of vectors too rapidly. However take your time constructing these hundreds and it’ll allow you to get away with lots.

Typical max deceleration g we noticed on the ’Ring was a bit decrease than we had been seeing on the FIRM, however there are a pair issues occurring right here. First, there are only a few threshold braking entries on the Nordschleife, and a very good portion of the braking functions is of the 40-70% selection. Second, we had been driving a media loaner automobile on the world’s scariest race monitor with a whole bunch of drivers of unknown ability and a focus ranges, so we naturally left ourselves a wholesome security margin.

{Photograph} by racetracker.de

Nonetheless, the braking initiation seems to be surprisingly good on the velocity hint, with minimal drag or pitchover time evident. The info truly seems to be higher than the automobile feels, which in hindsight type of provides up as nearly not one of the braking initiations are finished on stage floor. Each brake zone is both uphill or downhill (so many downhill brake zones) that evaluating really feel from the very flat FIRM to the Nürburgring generally is a bit deceiving.

Laterally, the Potenza Race rubber undoubtedly offers the Golf R some tenacious maintain on the comparatively un-grippy German asphalt. We noticed sustained a great deal of over 1.2g within the right-hand Aremberg nook, which is a virtually 180°, mid-speed, downhill proper that does you no favors with any helpful street camber. As soon as the automobile takes a set in these longer corners, it holds on tightly, with out the tiptoes feeling of its American counterpart on a much less grippy true avenue tire.

Transitionally, once more, great issues come to these with persistence. With calm fingers, we noticed transitional combos that simply shifted the automobile from 1.2g of cornering easily to 1.2g of cornering within the different route. comparative knowledge from a number of laps, we noticed some proof that after we tried to hurry these transitions, we had been slapped with a mid-transition slowdown, however with softer fingers we had been rewarded with wonderful cornering in each instructions.

So What Is the Golf R?

{Photograph} by J.G. Pasterjak

For those who consider the Mk8.5 Golf R as a conventional GTI on steroids, you’re type of lacking the purpose. It’s simply not the uber model of the flingable pocket rocket that many people grew up with. What it’s, although, is a quick, subtle and extremely succesful GT automobile that rewards a little bit of restraint with some completely stellar capabilities.

These large, 14.1-inch-diameter entrance rotors with six-piston calipers trace at loads of the story right here. This can be a automobile extra at dwelling crushing high-speed corners and tough downhill braking zones than carving up cones in a car parking zone. Give the Golf R a couple of further hundredths of a second to do its factor and also you’ll get to look at it shine in easy, succesful style.

What if it’s your solely automobile? As a dual-duty automobile–particularly if it’s the one one in your driveway–this almost $50,000 VW does make a compelling argument for being the category of the category.