2025 Volkswagen Golf R DSG - Re- Tuned, Update Driven Review

PEOPLE'S UBER HEISS HATCH NR. 3 MID-CYCLE CATCH-UP: By now Yanks are accustomed to denials and delays from Volkswagen when it comes to the German automaker's better offerings. A final generation Touareg never arrived, and, and rest assured, we'll never see a Passat B9 Variant wagon. Even the baited breath anticipated Mk. 8 Golf GTI was shipped to the U.S. two years after its European debut. By that time the home market already offered a more potent Club version. While the greater muscle over the Mk. 7 hot hatch was appreciated, interior material cost cutting was panned.

Finally, the "uber heiss hatch" rallycross 2022 VW Golf R, with standard 4Motion, wasn't any timelier or prettier inside, arriving with a considerable price bump. The 2025 Volkswagen Golf R is a mid-cycle update attempting to make some amends and bring greater parity with its global market equivalent.

2022 Volkswagen Golf R - Bottom Line Review

PEOPLE’S PREMIUM UBER HEISS HATCH NU. 3 : Jason Bourne, novelist Robert Ludlum’s unassailable assassin who knows too much, has been famously portrayed on the silver screen by actor Matt Damon. However, the Jason Bourne who expertly evades with 180° J-Turns on Moscow streets in a Volga 3110 taxi is winning

RoadBlazingGeorge Straton

2025 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R DSG 4MOTION DIFFERENCES FROM LAST TESTED 2022 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R 6-SPEED MANUAL:

• Power increase for EA888 Evo 4 engine
  • 328 horsepower = +13 horsepower (+4%)
• exclusively 7-speed in-house DSG automated dual clutch helical transaxle; (manual transaxle discontinued for 2025 Golf R and Golf GTI)
  • Updated to remain in manual mode to redline when set to Special or Drift drive modes
• Lower mass brakes
  • rear rotors no longer cross drilled
• Suspension re-tuning
  • +10% stiffer suspension springs, greater DCC variances, front & rear
  • revised front bump stops, bushings, transverse link rubber mounts
  • +10% stiffer front anti-roll bar
  • extra -1.2 degrees negative front camber
  • updated rear control arm mounts, hub carriers, damper bearings, links
• 235/35-Y Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 high performance tires, 19" satin grey alloy wheels (replaces Bridgestone Potenza S005)
• 20% lighter Y-spoke, forged alloy wheels
• "R" fender badges relocated to front doors
• Euro Style Package - NEW for 2025
  • Revised, black on body color trestle lower front airdam
  • lightweight Akrapovic titanium alloy exhaust
  • lightweight manual adjustment 1st Row seats (w/ power recline)
  • diamond pattern cloth + ArtVelours seat covers, matching upper door cards
  • Moonroof deleted
• 12.9" MIB 3.0 inch floating landscape tablet touch LCD infotainment screen (replaces 10.0" inch version)

2025 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R DSG 4MOTION CARRIED OVER / SHARED WITH 2022 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R 6-SPEED MANUAL:

Segment, Style & Finish:

• Performance sport compact five-door hatchback, 5 occupant seating
  • Top performance variant of Mk. 8 Golf series, built on MQB platform
  • Raked hood with intercooler intake, emphatic fender flaring, boomerang lighting, full body cladding, aggressive front air dam & rear lower valance + dual twin pipe exhaust
  • "R" logo puddle lamps - 1st Row wing mirrors

Performance:

• up-powered EA 888 Evo4 turbocharged petrol inline-4 engine as in Audi S3, uprated to match Audi specs
• 7-speed automated dual clutch transmission
• variable electronic viscous coupled all-wheel drive
• electro-mechanical limited slip rear differential
• Powerful, deep torque powerplant
  • rated power - 328 hp, 295 lb-ft
  • weight to power ratio - 12.7:1 lbs./hp
• 28 miles per gallon, 450 miles highway driving range
• Fully independent sport suspension + oversized vented four wheel disc brakes
  • electronic 13-level DCC damping adjustment
• Quick ratio steering, heavy weighted resistance

Safety:

• IIHS - Top Safety Pick (2022 MY, since de-rated for average headlight broadcast)
  • IQ.Drive advanced driver assistance, Level 1.5 autonomy
    • Travel Assist
  • 6 SRS airbags, rear camera, sonar perimeter park distance warning, blind spot warning & avoidance,
  • Automated parallel, perpendicular parking assist
  • Tall greenhouse outward visibility

Comfort & Convenience:

• Sport Bucket front seats, good torso support
• 10.25" Digital Cockpit Pro configurable TFT instrument cluster, including panoramic navigation map projection
• 3-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, tilt/ telescoping steering wheel, wing mirrors, wiper de-icer
• Keyless entry, push-button ignition
• Power windows, full express x 4

Infotainment:

• 12.9" MIB 3.0 landscape touch LCD center stack infotainment screen
  • Selectable page widgets
  • 45 watt USB-C x 4 , Rows 1 & 2; Qi 15 watt inductive wireless charging pad + NEW for 2025 ventilating
• 10-speaker, 480 Watt Harman Kardon streaming audio, HD radio
• Bluetooth hands-free communication, SMS
• wireless available Android Auto, Apple CarPlay projection
• VW Car-Net apps, Wi-Fi, Sirius XM satellite entertainment - by Subscription

2025 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R DSG 4-MOTION PRICING:

• $52,120 price, as tested 2025 Volkswagen Golf R DSG 4Motion in Lapiz Blue Metallic (Golf R from $48,325)
• 4 years / 50,000 miles bumper to bumper; 2 yrs. / 20k miles scheduled maintenance warranty

LIKES ABOUT THE 2025 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R DSG 4-MOTION:

• Five door version of the Audi S3 sedan, by another badge, costing much less
• Only volume brand premium all-wheel drive high performance sport compact hatchback sold in the U.S.
• EA888 evo 4, likely under-rated, exemplifies tameable ferocity
• Throaty baritone Akrapovic exhaust
• Dual clutch transaxle dumps blitz like shifts, won't upshift in Race mode, while remaining very civilized on the commute.
• Wide pedals located for heel-to-toe action
• Absolutely buttoned down chassis without the abruptness factor
• Loads flatter into apexes, exiting fast track corners neutrally without the typical nose tug of transverse front engine AWD systems
• Meaty organic winding steering, never overtaxing, transmits sufficient surface artifacts
• Hankook Ventus S1 Evo tires impress with sticky grip and quick turn-in, while retaining aural and ride civility
• Massive rotor front monobloc brakes bleed speed with consistent pedal effort
• Wiggle free MQB platform,
• Handsome track ready Q-car, with restrained racy elegant cues
• Premium finish cabin accenting, generous luxury content
• Traditional knobs for audio volume, selection tuning
• Tactile and logically placed steering wheel spoke ADAS and instrument buttons
• Loud Harman Kardon audio

NOT PREFERRED ABOUT THE 2025 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R DSG 4-MOTION:

• Price creep since MY 2022 launch year
• Retains the imprecise haptic soft touch steering wheel spoke & center stack audio & climate adjustments which are sunwash obscured
• Cabin material cheapness, lack of center console saddle padding, or stand out accenting (except for night time dash, front & rear door cards and foot wells cabin ambient lighting)
• Lacks infotainment screen performance page