First drive: Why the Volkswagen Golf R is the best new hot hatch you can buy

If it’s rapid all-weather performance you’re after, look no further than the updated, more powerful, Volkswagen Golf R. It’s expensive and thirsty, but it’s huge fun to drive.

Well, the new Volkswagen Golf R isn’t entirely new. Like the rest of the current Golf lineup, it’s been updated and refreshed, so the R is essentially the same as before, just with a little more power, a revised steering and suspension setup, and a much-improved touchscreen.

The styling’s been tweaked too, with an even more aggressive front bumper and a VW badge at the front that now lights up, a slightly tacky touch that we actually kinda like. The Golf R gets a choice of 18- or 19-inch alloys, with blue R-badged brake calipers behind them. At the back, there are new brake lights and the usual big four exhaust pipes, which are actually real, and not fake.

The cabin is as per the regular Golf, but you get high-backed bucket seats, R logos everywhere, and optional carbon trim with fake suede for the doors and seats (leather seats are an option). The digital cluster gets some R-specific dials and displays. It doesn’t look like a lot, considering how pricey the Golf R is.

What is new is the infotainment screen, which is now 12.9 inches across, and which has snazzy new software, shared with the rest of the Golf lineup. It’s a big improvement over the old screen, which was small, cheap, and confusing, but this new one still isn’t perfect — it’s a bit slow to respond and can still be confusing when you’re looking for some functions. The lack of physical dials and switches is still really annoying too, and the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel are deeply annoying.

Space is fine, although the big front bucket seats do eat into rear legroom a bit, and the 341-litre boot is nothing special, and smaller than the standard Golf’s because the four-wheel drive system eats into the space.

One thing that this new Golf R definitely has is more power, with the 2.0-litre turbo engine’s output rising from 320hp before to 333hp now, which puts a little more clear air between this R and the front-drive GTI Clubsport. There’s four-wheel drive, as ever, and a standard seven-speed DSG automatic dual-clutch gearbox. Zero-60mph takes just 4.6 seconds, which is pretty rapid and that’s a conservative estimate — we managed 4.4 seconds…

With all that power and performance, the Golf R really should be good to drive, and it’s been given sportier suspension — 20mm lower than a standard Golf — which can be had with optional adaptive dampers with no fewer than 15 settings allowing you to choose your Goldilocks just-right level of comfort or sportiness.

When you get it onto a twisty road, the Golf R feels… just right. It has the right balance of aggression and user-friendliness, with great communication both through the steering wheel and the seat. Honestly, as soon as you sit in it, you just want to head out and wring its neck. You really can cover ground quickly, and do so in all weathers with that four-wheel drive grip and traction. The brakes are excellent too, hauling the Golf R up quickly even in wet conditions. You can sense the power going to the rear wheels, and there’s even a drift-mode for on-track fun, although to be honest you’re better off trying to skid it by just turning off the traction and stability control and doing it yourself.

What’s remarkable is that the Golf R manages to do all that while still riding comfortably over bumps. Overall, a really good driver’s car, one you’d get up extra early to take out for a spin on your favourite road. Just beware of the thirst for unleaded if you’re really pressing on.

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