When Volkswagen launched the re-born Scirocco in 2009 I was a very happy man. To me, this model, despite its perceived lack of practicality (how many hot hatch owners ever actually use their rear doors?), offered a refreshing alternative to those looking for Golf GTI-like performance and build quality but wanted it in a package that wasn’t simply going blend into the traffic. Let’s face it; the Golf GTI (at the time still in it’s fifth generation), as popular as it was, did become a pretty common sight on South African roads. In the Scirocco, the premium price tag over the Golf bought you arguably more desirable looks, a lower and wider stance for improved handling and, importantly, a sense of exclusivity that the GTI lost when it started accounting for up to 40 per cent of all Golf 5 sales.
I had this argument in mind as soon as images of the range-topping R models of each car (now the Golf 6) first began to appear. For me, the Scirocco shape has aged well and still manages to turn heads wherever it goes. The Golf 6 GTI, as good as it looks, has proved as popular as the model it replaced and is now reaching the end of its lifecycle. With news that the Scirocco R would feature slightly more power than the Golf, would cost less, and weigh less by remaining front-wheel driven (the Golf R gains all-wheel drive), surely the sleek two-door model would be the one to have?
Volkswagen South Africa launched the Golf R a few weeks before the Scirocco R and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the packaging job VW pulled off with the Golf. Menacing is the first adjective that comes to mind. The standard 19-inch alloy wheels already lift the R above the norm (those GTI rims really are getting old), while the R sits 10 mm lower to the ground than the current GTI. Darkened head and tail light clusters, together with a row of standard LED daytime running lights up front, add to the sense of occasion. What I immediately like about the Golf R is that, without it being over-the-top, there is no mistaking it in traffic.
The wedge-like Scirocco shape is already a head-turner, so adding the R bits to it simply makes a good-looking car look even better. It features the same 19-inch wheels as the Golf and also has some neat lighting touches (including those LEDs).
Both cars have uprated exhaust systems, with the Golf’s large round pipes protruding from the centre of the rear bumper, and the Scirocco gaining twin oval tail pipes at each corner.
I mentioned earlier that the Scirocco was due to gain the upper hand in the power stakes, and in European markets this is the case (if only by 4 kW), but the warm and dusty South African climate dictates that both models on sale here feature 188 kW from their tweaked turbocharged 2,0-litre FSI engines. While the prospect of the 199 kW version still sounds great, remember than even our slightly detuned options, deliver 350 N.m of torque between 2 500 and 5 000 r/min. Both our Golf and Scirocco test examples were fitted with the same six-speed DSG transmission, so the performance playing field should be even then. Well, not quite.
The latest-generation Haldex all-wheel drive system fitted to the Golf may add additional weight to this package, but this also means that, once the DSG launch control is engaged, the Golf sits down on its haunches and monsters off the line with no hint of wheelspin. A feat that the front-wheel drive Scirocco isn’t able to emulate. The result is that the Golf is able to sprint off the line more effectively, and thus, record a faster 0-100 km/h time. The lighter car does however gain some pride back by having slightly quicker overtaking acceleration and braking times.
Both our test units were fitted with the optional dynamic chassis control system, allowing drivers to switch between a “comfort”, “normal”, or “sport” damper setting. My advice to potential owners is to leave this option box unticked. The standard ride on both these models is firm enough to prove sporty when needed, and compliant enough (just) to live with on a daily basis. If you’re in the market for a vehicle that has an “R” badge stuck on the rump, you would have already accepted the fact that the odd bump in the road is going to knock through.
So, to the big question then: Which one is the quickest from point A on one side of a mountain pass to point B on the other side? At this point I should tell you that, around town, I preferred the Golf for it’s ease of use and overall comfort levels. The driver’s seat was more comfortable (and dropped lower) and the sense of presence that the Golf has in the traffic seemed to be greater than the Scirocco.
To drive each of these cars fast means adapting your driving style to each. You can’t drive them in the same way. The front-wheel drive Scirocco, with its wide track and pointy nose, offers loads of grip to the late braker. Its front wheels will obey instruction to the best of their ability while carrying decent mid-corner speed, but then beg some respect in terms of throttle input towards the exit of the bend. Too much power too soon, and the front tyres struggle to keep a healthy balance between steering and power delivery duties.
The Golf, on the other hand, asks only that you shed slightly more speed than instinct dictates before entry to the corner. Too much speed and the front will want to scrub wide. Once settled into the corner, the car’s all-wheel-drive system ensures that everything is held steady and begs for early throttle input so to blast the car out from the apex.
Which one is quicker? I couldn’t decide. Which one is the most rewarding to drive? The Golf. It simply feels like the most sure-footed of the two and, driven properly (slow in, fast out) feels mighty around the bends.
I still like the Scirocco. A lot. If you asked me which I would recommend between the GTI and Scirocco FSI, I would say the latter, simply for the exclusivity that it offers, as well as the edge in the handling stakes next to its fellow front-wheel-drive sibling. But the Scirocco has a closer fight on its hands once both cars have been given “R” treatment. All of a sudden the Golf looks more purposeful and solid than ever, while under no threat of being mistaken for a GTI with bigger wheels. That solid stance translates through to the driver’s seat and there is a definite sense of purpose about the Golf R. It remains a very capable everyday tool, more so than the Scirocco, while arguably, being more rewarding to drive fast.
