Other Volkswagen Golf (2013 - 2020) models:

  • Summary

    5 out of 5 5.0

    What does this car say about you?

    It probably says something but I'm not sure quite what. I didn't buy it to make a statement.

    What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

    My friends and family like it a lot.

    Would you buy this car again and why?

    Definitely. I don't think there's another car available with such performance and comfort for this price.

    What are you likely to buy next?

    If VW bring the Golf R400 to production then I would certainly want one of those.

  • Buying experience

    3 out of 5 3.0

    Type of dealer you bought from?

    Franchised

    Did you buy this car new?

    Yes

    What price did you pay?

    £32,500

    When did you buy the car?

    March 2015

    Did you get a good deal and why?

    I took the VW finance package because it attracted a large contribution from VW and the dealership. Effectively I got a model with all the options for the cost of the basic model.

    Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

    I went to a VW Dealership really to look for a GTi but they only had an R, so I took that for a test drive and I was completely blown away with the performance.

    What was the dealer like?

    The dealer was ok, but I feel they could have done more to keep me up to date with the build progress.

  • Driving it

    5 out of 5 5.0

    What's it like to drive?

    With nearly 300bhp it is very quick indeed. I've owned a few turbo-charged cars before (including an S3), but the spread of torque in the R is excellent. It pulls strongly from 1800rpm right up to the red line. Mine has the adaptive chassis control which makes it a really smooth ride in 'comfort' mode. Race mode makes it feel like an Audi!

    What's it like to park?

    With sensors all round parking is very easy. It has a setting which automatically dips the passenger door mirror so you can see the kerbside.

  • Living with it

    5 out of 5 5.0

    Have you had any problems with the car?

    Nothing has gone wrong so far.

    What's most practical about your car?

    There is plenty of room in the car for my family to travel in comfort, with lots of storage space. The seats are supportive without being too confined as many other 'sports' seats. All the controls are intuitive to learn and easy to use.

    Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

    There isn't one particular gadget which I would say is my top favourite. The adaptive cruise control is excellent when you get used to it. Mine has the DSG gearbox which makes for smooth, quick gear-changes. The NAV/media system is easy to use and sounds great too.