Volkswagen Golf R Final Edition review: Champion hot hatch continues to impress

This unassuming small car is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, bringing dynamic performance combined with everyday liveability.

2020 Volkswagen Golf R Final Edition.

As with a funeral, the end of a vehicle’s run offers time for reflection.

Volkswagen’s Golf R Final Edition represents the end of the line for a particularly successful car.

End of an era: Golf R Final Edition is the last version of the Mark 7 Golf hot hatch.

The seventh-generation Golf is a good’un, winning plenty of awards (including our Car of the Year title) and a strong customer following. Performance models have been particularly popular — combined sales of the front-drive Golf GTI and all-wheel-drive Golf R outstripped Subaru’s WRX and STI by three-to-one in 2019. This year, the duo are miles ahead of the ’Rex and within range of Australia’s favourite sports car, the Ford Mustang.

While the GTI has decades of history on its side, the more powerful Golf R almost doubled its sales last year. VW attributes that to a relatively small cost gap between the two — about $7000 brings four-wheel-drive, more power and standard kit optional on the GTI.

2020 Volkswagen Golf R Final Edition is priced from $57,990.

Final Edition models are mechanically identical to the Golf R. But the standard car’s digital dash and 9.2-inch infotainment screen are joined by a premium stereo, leather trim with a carbon-fibre look, tinted windows, black mirrors, special badges and lightweight 19-inch alloys.

The only options are a panoramic sunroof ($1900) and special blue, green or purple paint ($300) not available on other models. The treatment costs $2500 more than a standard Golf R, totalling $57,990 plus on-road costs.

Powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine with 213kW and 380Nm, the Golf R uses a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive to make sure power isn’t wasted.

Volkswagen’s approach to hot hatchery differs from key rivals.

The Final Edition is well equipped with only two optional extras.

Discretion is the name of the game, flying under the radar with muted sound and style. Knowing the car is capable of stirring performance without advertising the fact.

President Roosevelt called it Big Stick Ideology, as in “speak softly and carry a big stick”.

It’s also practical, with a spacious-enough boot and back seat to make the Golf R viable for family duties, certainly more so than any coupe.

VW’s pitch for a last drive of the Golf R played to its strengths.

Our mission was to collect a car from the Sydney CBD, escape the urban maze and use motorways to access Luddenham Raceway west of the city. The first part highlighted its standard equipment; active cruise control, lane keeping assistance and the dual-clutch transmission make the car a winner for commuters.

The Golf R’s interior is a tried and tested winner.

Variable suspension tied into multiple drive modes makes the car more comfortable than most performance machines. Low-profile 19-inch rims deliver a ride that is never truly plush, though it does a decent job soaking up bumps while controlling its weight.

Precise steering, sharp brakes, active all-wheel-drive and the advanced auto transmission work in your favour on road and track. It’s easy to drive at pace, offering predictable responses and a good degree of grip.

A better set of tyres would aid the Golf R on the track.

Last time we had the Golf R on a circuit, rally champion Molly Taylor rightly pointed out it could use better rubber. Standard Continental tyres do a great job on the road in mixed conditions, though enthusiasts might want sticky shoes that don’t go to jelly on track.

There are faster and more engaging cars for circuit work, but few are as suited to the daily grind. Fewer still match the Golf R’s breadth of ability.

It’s easy to find fans of the car, such as then-Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson who described the Golf R in 2014 as “a cloak of invisibility for millionaires” who want a fast car without attracting attention.

The Golf R’s unassuming looks is part of its appeal.

That used to be WRX territory.

The Volkswagen is quick in standard form, able to hit 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Our first taste of the car took place on unrestricted German autobahns, where the speedo recorded 268km/h without the car or driver “so much as raising a sweat”.

And if that’s not fast enough, the way it responds to aftermarket tuning is part of the car’s appeal.

Australian YouTube channel Mighty Car Mods attracted millions of views by modifying a second-hand example to produce supercar-rivalling speed. The result was an “epic sleeper” with an 0-100km/h time of 2.9 seconds – faster than most $500,000-plus performance cars for a tenth of the price.

As enticing as that sounds, VW’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty won’t support such treatment. But it is a survivor.

This Golf weathered Volkswagen’s “dieselgate” scandal, widespread recalls for DSG transmissions in older models, increasingly strict emissions requirements and the rising tide of SUVs. Rivals such as the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30 also hit their stride with critically-acclaimed models launched within the Golf 7’s life cycle.

The next model will also face fierce competition — not least internally, from VW’s own T-Cross and T-Roc SUVs and a looming flood of electric models. It could also herald the end of VW’s petrol-powered performance hatchbacks, marking a funeral for its brand of hot hatch.

VERDICT 4/5

The VW Golf R is a true all-rounder. The Final Edition helps it go out on a high, adding extra kit and a degree of exclusivity for a reasonable price.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R FINAL EDITION VITALS

Price: $57,990 plus on-roads

Warranty/servicing: 5-year, u’lmtd km, $2799 for 5 years

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 213kW/380Nm

Safety: 5 stars, 7 airbags, AEB, active cruise control, lane keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert.

Thirst: 7.2L/100km

Cargo: 343 litres

GENERATION NEXT

The eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf arrives locally in the first half of 2021. Structurally similar to the Golf 7, the new model brings fresh looks inside and out along with the sort of tech usually found in luxury cars. Features such as matrix LED headlights, smartphone-based keys, in-car Wi-Fi and a suite of driver aids will be available.

VW says high-sulphur Australian fuel makes it impossible to introduce the most advanced engines in the range, so local models are likely to make do with carry-over engines. Expect the GTI to combine 180kW with an eight-speed DSG auto early next year. The next Golf R will make its debut later that year.