It is probably the most anticipated car in the country, could be the last ever Golf R, a badge which took over the monarch from the much famed Golf Mark V R32 when the Mark 6 hit the market. The Golf R rose to fame properly in the outgoing Mark 7 and 7.5 where it had cult status on the roads and the underground drag racing scenes so when VW revealed the 8 R, many couldn't wait to see what their favourite OEM had to offer in their latest iteration of the hot hatch. Unfortunately, due to a number of factors included the global microchip shortage and Covid, the arrival of the car onto local shores was delayed by over 2 years! It's official launch locally took place in April this year and still to this day there are few and far to be seen on the roads. I had the opportunity to spend time with the car last month to see how VW have improved the model from the last one and what the big fuss over the car was. As someone who isn't the biggest fan of the Golf models, I was going in with an open mind as it has been one of their best selling models, and has developed a cult status in the city of my birth so it was only fair for me to give it some respect.
DESIGN
With VWSA only opting to bring two models of the Golf 8 to the country, namely their performance models in the GTI and the R, the styling of the R follows the same sporty cues as the GTI with a low stance, large rims, sleek body kit and large front difuser. Unlike the GTI, the R's grill is a full air-intake with no fancy LED fog lamps. The front headlamps feature VW's new iQ LED lighting house in the winged shape housing which has a solid LED light that runs across the front end joined in the middle by the VW emblem. The profile of the car features a sill that flairs at the rear passenger door to give it that aerodynamic sporty look. The side mirrors are finished in brush aluminium and the rear has the quad tail pipes as quite a prominent feature. The model I had didn't come with the optional extra Akropovic pipes but still looked the part. There is no mistaking this is an R, with badges all around the car and on the brake calipers, it's hard not too. The Golf 8 R comes fitted with 19-inch Estoril diamond cut 5-spoke alloy wheels which are wrapped around Goodyear 235/35 rubbers. The interior of the Golf R is almost a carbon copy of the GTI's with a few colour modifications and badges to suit the R. I'm a big fan of the racing bucket seats which are covered in leather had have the R badge stitched in, definitely looks the part. Overall the 8 R is a stunning looking car and definitely has people turning their heads to get a better look everywhere I went.
Well, given the reputation it's predecessor had, VW had to up the anti with this one and with the group announcing that the 8 generation of the model being the last one with an internal combustion engine, it would be the cars swansong and it they have to end it on the right note. While there is a face-lift planned for late next year and I'm sure a few special edition models to come, this launch edition packs quite a heavy punch with its 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder TSI motor, giving a total power output of 235kW and a torque reading of 400Nm, all that power controlled by their famed 7-speed DSG gearbox is enough to put a smile on any drivers face when behind the wheel of the car. With the various driving modes, the car can turn from a hot hatch ready to take on the fastest in the streets in R model to a comfortable cruising family car in Eco mode and first up on my list was a long distance test with it, completing a 550km journey I averaged just 8.5L/100km, which is not that far off from the 7.8L claimed on their brochure that is normally tested in ideal conditions. The car can get extremely thirsty when switched into Race mode as I soon found out after refueling the car and spinning around on the weekend with it, from giving me close to 600km on the first tank, I was battling to reach 300km with the second, did I mind it? Of course not! Having done the long distance fuel economy run on the first day, it was time to enjoy this car they way it was meant to be enjoyed! Thrusting down the straights, flinging it through the bends, testing out that 4Motion technology and seeing if it is as adaptive as the Quattro from its sister company. It definitely is a fun sports car and while its center of gravity might not be that low, it still gives the driver a good feel for the road and handles like a champion. The fast changing DSG box helps on most occasions but when you feeling racey, I'd suggest you give the paddle shift a go, limiting this bad boy in to the red lines provides some extra excitement to your driving experience.
COMFORT
Being a sporty hatch back, you wouldn't expect this car to give you the same level of comfort as a sedan or normal hatch would but truth be told, even with the bucket styled sport seats, the Golf 8 R is pretty damn comfy and it has seat heating for those cold winter days, with steering wheel heating to go along with it! The suspension is stiff but adaptive when in Eco mode to provide you with some level of softness despite the large rims and low profile tyres. I even took the 8 R on some short gravel roads, which it managed quite well at low speeds. The multi-function steering wheel also features the haptic touch sensitive buttons like the GTI, which takes some getting used to when you first use them but you get the hang of it after a while, where I don't like them is on the sunroof controls which become an issue when you're trying to operate it when driving, trying to tilt the roof? You have to get your finger in the exact center to get this right so rather just wait till you at a complete standstill before doing that. The Golf 8 R comes with the same 8.25-inch infotainment touch screen which UI is pretty easy to you but with App-Connect and wireless mobile apps such as Android Auto and Car Play, you very rarely find your self accessing the cars menu other than to check values, using the radio or resetting that damn tyre pressure monitor! Coming back to the seats, I like the band of suede which I presume is colour coded to the cars exterior paint work, the model I had was in Lapiz Blue so the band around the front two seats were blue, I could be wrong and the blue is standard across all cars but it does give the interior a nice contrast from all the black. As far as the new gear selector goes, still not won over it, while I know most of the brands in the greater VW group are opting for these, I still miss the old style gear "knob".
VERDICT
While the Golf 8R does feel much more mature and sophisticated, there is an animal waiting to be unleashed in that engine and when you let it out, it brings about tonnes of fun. Seeing there they are few and far to be found, I took the car to some VW purists who live and breathe the brand. I honestly though they would be disappointed seeing that not much mods can be done to the car and the high price tag but after going for a few short sprints, they were very much pleased with what the car offered. Most of the cosmetic mods VW had as standard already, so there was no need for them to go out and get large carbon paddles for the gears, or line the car interior with ambient lighting because that was catered for too. Down pipe? Who needs that when VW have Akropovic as an optional extra. No need to change the headlights because you're not getting better that the IQ Matrix LED lights which are based of Audi's technology and being a Durbanite, that Harman Kardon sound system bangs so you can forget about buying that biryani pot sized subwoofer for it. Everything about this car was well thought of when designing, so that it could be the perfect farewell to what is an extremely loved model from the brand. It really changed my perception on the car and what it means to many, while the car is still in high demand and selling for some eye brow raising prices on the second hand market, for the fans, its a winner.
SPECIFICATION
| Engine | 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder TSI |
| 7-speed automatic DSG | |
400Nm | |
0-100km/h | 4.8 seconds |
R918,200* |
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