To say the Golf R came into this year’s Performance Shootout with plenty of hype is an understatement. Packing more power and technology than ever before, this fifth iteration wasn’t even on sale before going to print.
Needless to say, VW loyalists and those in the know had puzzled expressions when CAR’s Performance Shootout convoy rolled into town. It looks like its lesser GTI sibling, but it has extra functional vents on the front apron and, at the rear, there are quad tailpipes. You have to look closely to see the R logos, but then again, the blue brake callipers might give the game away. That didn’t stop the fanboys from fawning over the Golf R, particularly once they noticed the blue exterior trim highlights echoed in the cabin’s bucket-style seats and steering wheel stitching. The carbon-weave-like trim on the seats and facia adds to the appeal. Unfortunately, the Golf R didn’t get off to the best start and the drag race battles at the Saldanha airstrip had us doubting its ability.
When it was out-launched by its Tiguan R sibling, we knew something was up. As it turned out, we had to change the automatic ESP-on setting to ESP sport. Only then could the R be held against the brakes while building up the revs. Maximum acceleration from standstill unlocked, the R consistently posted zero to 100 km/h in 5,1 seconds. During the drag races, Saldanha’s coarse runway surface kicked up a stone that cracked the windshield near the driver’s side A-pillar. Over the next few days, the crack slowly grew and some testers drove it gingerly, they kept up on the freeway but let the braver souls take off on the bumpier B-roads and passes for fear of the crack worsening.
Everyone loved the suspension’s ability to soak up the rougher roads while in Comfort, whereas the Sport mode was far too harsh. The exhaust note is utterly disappointing in Comfort, but it becomes fruitier and more staccato with flaps open on the optional Akrapovic exhaust. The best compromise was to leave most of the settings in the aggressive Race mode, but the suspension in its softest setting. Suddenly, there was a newfound confidence in the R’s abilities. The low-profile rubber hadn’t inspired too much confidence when the suspension was set in a stiffer mode, it made the car feel skittish under quick direction changes.
Once the damping smoothed out the imperfections, it felt a lot more supple. The new settings also meant that we could confidently explore the virtues of the new selective torque control on the rear axle, which can apportion torque between the left and right on the types of roads we were driving on. Sure, up to 50% of the available torque can still be sent to the rear axle, but importantly, priority is given to the outside rear. Our foibles with the settings aside, the Golf R is by far one of the more comfortable all-rounders here, with a sizeable boot, space to seat five, and abilities most members of the buying public find easily accessible. We took our time and eventually got the balance right.
Deon Joubert also mentioned in his notebook comments, “Quiet, understated manners mask a deceptively fast and poised hot hatch. My favourite Volkswagen“.
