The 2022 Volkswagen Golf R Is Great, But Not Perfect
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- čas přidán 27. 12. 2021
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2022 Volkswagen Golf R review! Today I'm reviewing the new 2022 Volkswagen Golf R -- an impressive high-performance hatchback. I'm going to take you on a thorough tour of the Golf R and show you the quirks and features, and then I'll get it out on the road and drive the new Golf R and show you what it's like to drive.
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DOUGSCORE CHART:
www.dougdemuro.com/dougscore - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I appreciate the fact that even with Doug being where he is in life, he can still acknowledge that 45k is a lot of money for most people.
It's also just a lot for a car like this, period
@@conman1395 yeah you pay this much and you still get a cheap plastic interior
@@IamJay02 I’d rather take my money for a Lexus or a fully maxed Honda Accord Touring
What’s even crazier is the fact the dealership I work at is charging 45k just for the regular Gti 💀
@@IamJay02 And a 4-cylinder. And at the same time, the RS3 has a 5-cylinder for not a lot more money.
As a Mk 7.5 Golf R owner, I test drove a Mk 8 Golf R and here are my observations;
The interior was no doubt worse than the previous generation, the 7th gen had an amazing quality interior which made it feel more expensive than it actually was whereas this feels adequate, wouldn't go as far to say cheap, but certainly lacks the soft touch materials and now they use a scratchy hard plastic although it still feels solid and sturdy.
The UI is the biggest culprit, the previous gen MIB unit was simply practical. Tuning and Volume knobs with a physical HVAC system. The Infotainment in itself was very easy to use thanks to the shortcut buttons on either sides. Might I also add that the steering wheel also felt better in Mk 7 due to physical buttons and the general design of the VW logo and shape. The new one with the capacitive touch has ruined it all and is harder to use than before although it isn't a deal-breaker for me.
The exterior of the Mk 8 is growing on me, initially I hated it but it has certainly improved in my eyes, I saw a few on road and the rear 3 quarters certainly look better whereas the front end still is slightly off my taste. I love the Mk7 but it has started to look slightly more common because it's not different enough from the Mk6 and while the Mk7 still looks great and understated, I'm glad that VW went a bit more aggressive with this one.
The driving experience, this is one category where the Mk8 is far more fun to drive thanks to the LSD in the rear as well. the Mk7 felt like a GTI with Haldex and would still understeer a lot whereas the newer one feels far more lively and confident at its limit. The day to day drivability remains largely unchanged so there's that.
To sum it up,
Mk 7 has the better interior with worse performance,
Mk8 has the worse interior with better performance.
Overall I wouldn't really upgrade to a Mk 8 anytime soon because the pros and cons equal out them and they both are equally good if they're compared as a whole.
Well said!
Love your reply, very informative and straight to the point
I have a 7.5 GTI, and it’s still running fine. I’m eyeing the 8, but a big part of me is hoping to hold out until the 8.5 or 9, and just hope it’s better.
@@mikeomatic9905 same. I have a green m7.5 gti that I wanna keep for the rest of my life because I love great falls green. Eventually going to get another daily and I think it would be cool to have a second gti or an R. I’m really hoping the 8.5 or 9 still comes in manual and with a fixed UI.
@@mikeomatic9905 Save $12k and get any of the new N cars! As u can see from the Dough score, the Veloster N hangs with the big boys in performance and features but beats the crap out of all in warranty and maintenance costs, for GTI money! 🤑
Coming from the Golf R Mk 7 I have to say the usability of the Mk 8's interior was a massive regression. I'm surprised Doug didn't spend more time railing on just how truly awful the full "touch" interior is. EVERY SINGLE THING you might need to interact with in this car either goes through a god awful touch sensitive slab of plastic, or it involves diving 3 menus deep into various sub-menus while you're trying to drive and keep your eyes on the road. Reaching down to your climate control and clicking the wheel a couple notches left or right to control the fan speed is no longer a single smooth movement, now it involves taking your eyes off the road, tapping a tiny touch screen button, waiting for a menu to load, then tapping a vague slab of glass, or looking for the temperature "slider" that isn't even lit up at night. Turning the wheel too sharply or palming the wheel results in your hand brushing up against a touch sensitive piece of plastic which randomly alters your driving mode or skips a track and it's honestly just a massive exercise in frustration. The Mk 8's interior needs to be a case study in awful design in the pursuit of cost cutting. Every single button and dial that Volkswagen replaced with a touch sensitive piece of plastic saved them a couple cents in plastic, spring, PCB, membrane, and wiring costs, and it's disappointing that more reviewers aren't completely dumping on this braindead design.
Jason Cammisa from Hagerty went into great detail with this. Absolute madness from VW. Super disappointed.
@@jonjaaay Disappointed I was too, until I realized the entire world has changed. Check reviews on other brands and tell me they are better now then before. They all gone cheap while asking for more money.
@@danielv7340 you've genuinely no idea what you're saying. Practically all of VW's competition have stepped up their interior quality game to the point where it's either similar to the Golf or close, that's why they're asking for more money. VW on the other hand regressed their interior quality yet still ask for more money, just because they can. Just because their marketing and cult followers will make sure their products are still getting bought, no matter how many times the customer gets screwed over.
As a MK7 owner I one up this. Interior is just so much worse then the older gen that it is not worth the upgrade. 7.5 R is just better simply because of the interior, otherwise the new R wins. If they would rework the interior this would be an amazing upgrade.
I own an mk7.5 and I agree the interior is a total let down on the mk8. I sat in an mk8 GTI last week and I was not impressed at all. Interior quality is quite noticeably worse than the previous generation, and the “everything touchscreen” infotainment / climate controls is absolutely infuriating to use. What boggles my mind is my wife just bought a ‘22 Tiguan R-line which has the haptic controls on the steering wheel (which are ok) but retains the better, older infotainment with the volume knob. Also the climate controls are touch but separate from the screen and lit up well at night. How did VW not put illuminated climate controls on the R?? Makes no sense.
So VW if you see this, I was really excited to finally be in a position in life to afford a new Golf R and I’m going to keep my mk7.5. Hopefully they improve these things and still make a manual when / if they do.
Doug's review is fair, thorough and accurate. And I presume he hasn't even been driving one for a month like I have.
Those commenting are the problem here. Probably just all bent out of shape because they missed out on one. How many here have even sat in one, driven one or own one? Not many. The snippy snippy sniping about the interior controls are a daft pile-on. After a month of living with one, I'm across it all and like the system. It takes a bit of getting used to but after that it's quite intuitive. For example, swipe down on the screen and hit the air recirculating button icon; it's quick and easy.
Miss a rotary volume control though, although the Mk 7.5 didn't have that either.
I bought a 7.5 in 2020 and a Mk 8 a month ago.
Would I go back to a Mk 7.5? No chance. This is more fun, much faster (it's a weapon!), more refined, more slideable, quieter and better riding. It's a hundred times better.
Would I buy it again? In a second.
The interior is a bit plasticky? Who cares? They put all the money into the drivetrain, which is brilliant, and faultless.
And the electronics will fail in a few years from now. Who cares about that? It won't be my problem. I'll be on to the next one then. It will be someone else's headache.
The new Golf R is adult entertainment. Comparing it to the world's most ridiculous looking piece of automotive juvenilia, that stupid Civic with all the junky cladding and spoilers is like comparing George Carlin to Howdy Doody's ventriloquist doll.
I appreciate the honest review. The cost cutting at this price point is such a penny pinching move. Not a good way to keep people upgrading to newer models.
@@yungboicontigo9278 what are you talking about you pleb? 🤣 people like lexus because they are good, reliable cars. Tesla and VW make disposable junk. The only fanboy around here is you and you aren't a very good one.
Honest far from it when a VW gets the same quality score as Honda you can tell he’s not a car guy. Second he gave this gti same score for handling as the type r must you know he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
I’m glad they spent the money on that new rear axle. Best driving hatchback now.
Some compromises must be made. This is truly loaded for it's class, for example cooled seats, 3 zone ac, heated rear seats, sunroof and such. The Golf overall is much more well finished product than competitors because it's VW's most popular model.
@@yungboicontigo9278 I keep seeing you talk about lexus when that isn't even the topic of the video, you're the one who's obsessed here😂👍
The Mk8s biggest problem is how nearly perfect the mk7 was
I don't get it. Why change anything then.
Cars are never perfect. Somehow they improve with every new model.
Exactly. The mk8 is a fantastic car in almost every way. But the success of the Mk7 is hard to top.
The guys from Throttle House said, that the MK8 is much better than the MK7 and they tested also on a race track.
@Bilma Soki What the fuck is the point of these stupid bots
Doug nailed some of the "come on VW, how can you not include ______ at this price?" As the owner of a 2018 7.5, I agree the lack of a fully electronically adjustable passenger seat is a shortcoming, but not the most glaring one. How can VW omit seat memory buttons for the driver's seat on a car that is, by design and intention, a "practical" hot hatch. Practical means it is likely to be driven by more than one person. Having to manually adjust the driver's seat each time I enter is a major hassle. And where is the programable garage door opener? All the cars I have purchased over the last 20 years have had one. Not having one is not just an inconvenience, it also means access to my garage is less secure when the car is parked outside with a bulky garage door opener hanging from the visor. It appears VW did not address either of these shortcomings with the new model.
Interesting meaning of practical
@@SwidrygajlowArek HAHAHA I thought the same thing.
You can see the seat memory buttons at 3:41
@@YidakiDave The first line of the comment says "As the owner of a 2018 7.5" so he is talking about the golf he owns.
Put the garage door opener in the storage tray in front of the shifter
As always, what a great review. As a '19 Golf R owner I can say I'm not enticed to upgrade to a 22' Golf R. Anything I move up to will have silver arrows, four rings, or a flat six.
So you will be upgrading to a Subaru Outback with the flat 6? What a change from the Golf R to the Subaru, especially the Outback!
just got an audi s5, but of course not new lol
Get the Porsche
As long as you get it with 3 pedals
@@mistamaog cringe
My only qualm with this Mk8 is that interior. I despise this whole trend of moving to everything being a touch screen and digital displays. I can forgive the gauge cluster, but I need to feel the buttons. No hepatic feedback will ever make up for a physical button's touch. I also would prefer not to sift through several layers of menus to adjust something. Make it a dedicated button or something that saves the settings instead of resetting every time the car turns back on.
As Doug went on and on with showing all the sliders, I just kept shouting at the screen “WHY?” In what world are sliders better in any way than two buttons or a knob?
I can agree with haptic feedback, but hepatic feedback might be a bit too much for me.
But that's a big thing since that where you and your passenger spend all your time. Some cars are so nice and warm you don't mind waiting in the car. Others, you can't wait to get out of. That's the R.
@@danielcooper1124 how else will you regulate blood pH without hepatic feedback?
@@bitcoochie4093 higher revs. Less time fucking about with the touch screen. More driving on tight corners. Balances my blood pH pretty well by getting that lactic acid flowing.
I drive a Civic Type R and I came here to listen to Doug call it childish street trash. I was not disappointed. I love your reviews Doug. All I gotta say is I embrace the hate.
hahahaha
At least people won't mistake your car as a regular Civic, the Golf R just blends in with those made in Mexico! I like the Type R, all those grills can be made functional for a modified track car without cutting up the bodywork.
@@TheBonsaiZone To be fair, there is no more MK8 Golf in the US, just the MK8 GTI and MK8 R, so if you see a MK8 in the US, there is no mistaking it for a regular one. True hatchbacks like the Golf (not those weird sportback things) are a dying breed in the US anyways, so it already stands out a bit just for that.
@@yungboicontigo9278 And yet it's the funnest and most capable track car in its class. Even with price gouging, it's sold out everywhere. 🤣 When it came out a few years ago, it beat 99% of all BMWs (and 100% of VWs) ever made on the 'Ring. Let that sink in for a second. 🤣
Also, even with being so fun and capable, it's still more reliable than 100% of all VWs and others.
@@TheBonsaiZone no Golfs are made in Mexico now.
Went crazy 3 years ago with the mk 7/5 golf R manual ..this looks definitely better in all aspects..if I'm alive in 10+ years might get another one of that particular year for sure 😃👍 cheers to you and all 👋
For the sunshade: I love being able to keep it shut with the sunroof open. If you want the sunroof open but the sun is getting in your eyes coming through it, being able to have the sunshade shut is just amazing.
It's unfortunate the Mercedes A45 S isn't in the state side, that would've changed Doug's perspective on super hot hatch.
There is a GLA45 S (that's the closest US is gonna get) but yeah I agree.
yeah but the A45s costs 30k or so more
Just don't forget to add another 15K.
yeaa but sometime i do poo poop after a coffee
@@ghst822 10k for performance, 10k for tech and another 10k for the badge. Maybe
I owned a 2011 GTI so I was interested in this car. However, I cannot freaking stand capacitive buttons. That alone is a deal breaker for me.
Literally, when I saw the steering wheel on the Golf R even on the 2021 model , i said , NO! Give me buttons or it's a straight pass from me.
I loved my 2010 GTI. It was a great car, but I don't feel like the 8 is appealing because of all the capacitive controls. One of our cars has them and it's just not better.
they are more dureable
100% agree! I absolutely hate the "cell phone aesthetic" that manufacturers have been inching towards since about 2010 or so
If you freaking can't stand capacitive buttons, why don't go you murder everyone at Volkswagen?
So people can't stand capacitive buttons in cars, yet don't mind that some computer monitors and the original PlayStation 3 have capacitive buttons? Even smartphones have capacitive buttons. I also love how people complain about touchscreen in cars, yet you people even use your smartphone while walking. I also love how people complain when people use their phone while driving, yet you people use your phone, but don't want to admit it.
The cost cutting reputation on the golf has been around for years and is why I bought a Volvo V40 T5 instead and for less than a Golf GTI of similar years.
I upgraded from my mustang (2015 stage 3 ecoboost) to a golf 7.5R (bought new in December of 2019) and I have loved it every minute! It really is my dream car, full stop.
Headed seat can also be activated by double taping with two fingers on the AC temp control. :-)
Wait! The seat gives you head by double tapping? Omg that's amazing!
@@rain.0_0. YOURE DONE 😭😭
You beat me to it
Thank you! Not the most intuitive, but good to know it's slightly easier than going into the screen.
*heated
Doug, about the heated seats - there is no need to enter the climate menu in order to turn them on. It is enough to hold simultaneously the touch buttons for the increased and decreasing of the temperature and the heating will be activated or deactivated!
Thank you for this!
@@DougDeMuro You are welcome… I work at Bosch and was working on the VW’s MQB platform, so this is one of the platform’s many quirks 🙂
@@pavelppp888 tell the mqb platform to make a better screen lol what a disappointing infotainment system
imagine if they took it a step further and added a button to do it... that would be even simpler and more user-friendly. I hope someone invents "buttons" in the future so we can stop trying to use everything as if it were a phone screen. Maybe in the 22nd century...
@@claudiuspulcher2440 Why do you hope someone "invents" buttons in the future when you wouldn't be alive by 22nd century?
Just found your page and absolutely love your energy in the reviews...ty for being so thorough!
Doug’s gesticulation is next level! Another great review 👍
The touch sensitive controls and cost cutting in the interior really hold this car back, the performance seems fantastic! A real shame as it really had the potential to be overall great
Touch controls were a cost cutting measure.
Big time. The rear seats remind me of a school bus. I can only guess they did their consumer testing for European drivers. For North American buyers they really should know better at this point. Even though VW isn't a luxury brand, there's still a reason why you won't find the base Mercedes with a small engine and vinyl seats in show rooms in the U.S.
@@krane15 You do realize that in Europe the car brands are usually a bit more luxurious than for you guys in the US yet you talk like we in Europe only get shit enterior and you guys get the drip. Yet you forgot one thing.... these are European manufacturers....also you can choose to leave out the leather seats which are horrible on this car and go for stitched cloth with alcantara and even save 3000$ on it. They look 100% better and according to othe reviews that showed this option also feels much better (not only sitting but also quality wise). Before you totally demolish a car you have never seen in person please atleast inform yourself about the options it has.... not every option for every car is always good just because it is the most expensive one....
@@Zorrolord First statement in incorrect. In fact, its typically just the opposite. What you forget is market. Most of the German brands we get in North American are generally imported in their higher trims.
For example, we don't get any short wheelbase of Mercedes, Audi, or any others brands. And even VW doesn't import anything below its 2.0 4-cyclinder or the Golf GTI. I remember one British car reviewer refer to what we call a mid-size SUV as "huge", which I though was comical. We also don't get any diesel engines like you do in Europe, Australia or the rest of the world.
Finally, you probably forget to consider the internet and youtube. I watch many car reviews from Europe (such as Carwow) and research cars from other countries all the time, so I can see exactly the type of cars sold there, and how their typically configured them once their exported to the States.
@@krane15 Just because a car gets delivered with shorter wheelbase or the smaller model does not mean it has less quality. Just because america has this culture of oversizing everything and thus ofc european manufactorers only give you the fattest biggest size options for cars....
You are right that you get different options in the states, usually u can even only choose full options whilst we in europe get to customize the car a little more. Some parts you get are mandatory in the states which we could just click off in the options menu so i still think it highly depends if you just say "oh we get the full package usually which is more luxurious" vs just beeing able to customize to your own style. Personally i do not think leather seats are luxurious at all is why i usually throw them out. If this was an option i would HAVE TO take then that could be a KO criteria on not buying the car entirely.
This would be the best Golf ever if it simply had the infotainment and materials of the MK7.5
@W G .. Well said. Volkswagen AG are you listening? . No sale.
It'd be better still it had NO infotainment.
@@SMlFFY85 lmao that reminds me about time they tried removing the infotainment system and speakers from the base Polo in Europe. They got a lot of shit for it.
Materials are actually not that much better in the mk7.5 (I own a 7.5 and test drove the 8)... plus the 8 uses a higher grade Nappa leather seats whereas the mk7 has regular leather. the mk7 may have slightly more soft touch surface area, but the mk8 uses better soft touch on top part of the front doors...
I never had a Golf R, but I did own a Mk7.5 Golf Alltrack. I loved that the interior was just as nice as an Audi. Ergonomic, high quality everything (leathers, button feel, turn signal stalks, etc). I haven't sat in the new Mk8 yet, but it's obvious its a regression over the Mk7/7.5. VW has always been a bit more premium versus other mainstream brands and they pulled a US Spec Jetta on this. Cost cutting for cost cutting.
Good one Doug. How about the other cost-cutting misery - The removal of gas struts on the hood in place of a cheap steel pole. God help us all. I get the feeling the GTi and R engineers have got their eye on a transfer to the electric division and this car has now become a bit of an afterthought.
Actually, is an overall cost-cutting era across all manufacturers. All newer models look so much cheaper and poorly built than their predecessors. Honda comes to mind, I can't stand looking at that hood, which was already ugly with the chrome accent on it, but now without, just a bent sheet metal, looks unfinished. And a review of that car reveals cheapness all over. So, VW is not going to maintain highest standards when needs to compete with extremely low quality competitors, they need to cut the cost as well. I hate it, but it's the reality we live in.
I have a mk7 and it just is nicer. It’s genuinely a much more expensive feeling car.
@@danielv7340 true, I sat in these competitors and they're significantly worse than I expected
Most of them (biggest being the Veloster N) don't even have proper door armrest padding and both doors and dash are 100% hard touch, dome lighting is halogen rather than LED, no felt lining on door pockets, have single tone horn, no front or side parking sensors, cheap looking gear selector, etc...
And the Golf despite all the unfortunate 16+ cost cuts that I found compared to previous gen is still much more nice to set in as it retains these things (soft door & dash, good armrest padding, dual tone horn, LED dome lights, parking sensors all around, etc...)
@@ryan225360 I sold my Mk7.5 last year and bought a Tesla. Worst mistake ever.
@@MrTARIQSs I will never consider Hyundai a competitor for VW. That's where I draw the line. Hyundai is the company that drags all reputable manufacturers down and the consumers that have no respect for themselves and pay top dollars for lowest quality vehicles. The only thing Hyundai competes with the others right now, is the price point. I didn't try the new Veloster N, but I did drive the previous generation. The car was rubbish. On a rainy day, I had to get off the highway because at higher speed, higher than city speed not really high, the water splashed under the body made me feel I drive a Flintstone car. The acceleration was a joke, basically everything was a show, no substance. Now, they figured out how to add power, but there is no control over anything. I won't buy a car from two guys who modify cars in their garage, why would I buy one from a company that has similar expertise.
I had a 2016 regular Golf and changed it for a brand new GTI 2021 this spring. I noticed quite a few cost cuts in spite of the class difference, but overall this year GTI is still one of the most desirable cars. The cuts were not significant enough. I put accent more on the comfort than the performance. The performance, I starting to appreciate more and more, and I'm glad to see they didn't make compromises about that at all on the newest one it seems, just in the comfort sector. We'll see, the future is too unstable to think too much about it.
I was so serious on considering getting the '22 Golf R. The hesitation is the fact that the Auto Start-Stop cannot be turned off(why should I pay to get this disabled?). AND NOW, this silliness of operating climate control that requires to switch the whole screen -- done it for me. It's not about the question of 'how often do you fiddle with the climate control', it is about whether the design was 'intelligently and logically thought out' and the 'convenience' for the user. Why should I pay $CAN53k to sit in a car that everytime I want to change the climate I have to switch the screen and then switch back to my map or music or other display that I was on? And, for that price, VW couldn't even slap couple of small bulbs for temp control/slider? I don't care if the infotainment is bright enough to see. The more I learn from these reviews, the more I'm moving away from spending my $53k on this car. Lastly, these 'Sliders', how useful are they with leather gloves on? Absolute trash! (It gets cold where I live, in Canada)
Thank you for this great review, Doug!
Yeh start stop is always annoying and it’s mandatory to be activated on every start. It’s been like that for Europe even in the Mk7. But you can code that, if you want to. But agree - just more useless complexities to the car
VW saves money by not making those switches
The start and stop can be turned off, its the button that does it
You can permenantly turn it off with obd11
@@yungboicontigo9278 Actually,start/stop function is an European invention.And the reason is that here car manufacturers try to keep the co2 as low as possible,because here the taxes are wery high for cars with high co2... Golf R costs 62000€ here in Finland,and is only available as a stw...
Could you review the B7 Rs4? Always have been curious of your opinion on it and also great review of the golf R!
I second this
Those are like 12-15 year old used cars. Noone cares about them. Not a new car, not a classic, nothing special about them in the history of rs cars. Just the car of average joes who can finally afford them and buy junked ones from rich ppl, who are throwing them away at the moment
@@lastnamefirstname520 yeah maybe you’re right. The only RS4 ever sold in North America, naturally aspirated V8 that has ties to the first R8, 6 speed manual transmission, less than 2000 in the states, the enthusiast’s dream Audi, and tons of quirks and features just isn’t the right thing for his channel. Actually, you might want to email him and advise him on all cars he should review, you seem to know what’s “hip” and “cool”.
@@lastnamefirstname520 what are you smoking?
@@lastnamefirstname520 your not edgy lol. The B7 RS4 is a legend.
Interesting how the manual version is only in the US. I get it because personally I wouldn't buy a sports car that has an automatic no matter the performance improvement. A stick shift is just too much fun.
Actually US and Canada
Amen. My 2022 is coming in soon and my kid is getting my 2012 golf r. We've always had at least one manual car in our family. 👍
Another great review! Thanks Doug.
I’m sticking with my 2019 Golf R after seeing this. I can’t stand the new controls, especially all the capacitive touch controls.
I love my golf r and I love the ambient lighting that the mk 8 has but until they fix the buttons I'm never going to upgrade. They just need a mk 8.5 and more color options like the 7.5
@@Jeremy-zd8gd i think i saw a golf 8 gti with physical buttons. doesnt the R have that version of steering wheel?
Yeah, after seeing this, my 2017 seems just fine.
@@comedyman112 every video I've seen the golf r has capacitive touch buttons on the steering wheel and the non illuminated sliders for volume and heat
@@stevend9843 haha I agree, my 2019 R is amazing, and there are so many aftermarket mods available so I always have options
Great car, but I still think the mk7 golf r is still a better buy in my opinion. The infotainment in the mk8 is just not good and I feel 90% of people won't use the drift mode. a few simple mods to a mk7 golf r will make it an actual rocket ship. Even a stage 1 tune with no other changes can add over 50 horsepower.
the front suspension/ steering are supposed to be greatly improved upon
There's this thing called warranty. Volks are notoriously harsh if you mod your car.
My mk7 with a stage 1 tune makes 370 wheel, Stage 1 you dont need any other parts pre tune either, I tuned at 60k miles and am at 88k now no issues. Id take drift mode/ the rear limited slip but nothing else
@@HollowAF awsome..
Don't think tunes should be brought into this. The mk8 is a overall better performing vehicle. Early tunes for mk8 r have seen over 440 wheel hp. Good luck seeing that on an is38. Mk7r has a better interior but as an enthusiast in care more about performance than a few hard plastics. Infotainment also has an update incoming fi fix a lot of the issues.
I love that the rear camera would always be clean since it is hidden most of the time. Genius!
Very happy with my '16 Golf R, before they went so digital. Cornering is excellent and great power from the stock turbo with a tune.
I roll with 2 car seats in mine ,and will be selling this year only because I need a 3rd.
Cornering is excellent. I see you dont got around corners fast then lol
Imagine if VW manufactured a Jetta R at some point, sharing the same exact components (drivetrain, engine) with the Golf R! I'd take it!
Like the old Vento VR6
Wagon!
@@GoAndPractice there is and always has been a golf R estate in Europe
That’s pretty much just the aerton, idk how to spell it. Whatever the cc became
@@paulie-Gualtieri. Exactly
19:50 "it looks ridiculous"
Doug has never said anything truer than this.
I've been seeing a lot of Type R's lately. They are definitely hard to miss, but are not pretty. I haven't seen the Mk8 Golf R yet, but the Mk7 and Mk7.5 models I have seen look way better.
@@snakeeyes9246 I've had a few Civics in my past and I look back on them fondly but this last generation was, simply ugly. The Type R was a mistake and top of a mistake.
Yep. Lots of people say just get over the looks, but I'm sorry, I just can't get over how insanely ugly it looks.
"The stupidest looking car on the road" Hahaha, I love it.
It does look ridiculous. I’m eagerly awaiting the new one based on the 11th gen since that entire generation is more restrained and more “grown-up” than the last generation, so I’m sure it’ll look much better and less over the top
always loved how the GTI and R are very understated and sleeper cars even though there's so much power
you the man Doug, keep up the good work
Doug nailed it on this review, I agree with absolutely everything he said.
I know 3 people with newer Golf R's - and they absolutely love these cars - Must be something to them.........
After I traded my '97 GTI for Passat wagon, (birth of my daughter), I've always looked upon the new generations of GTIs and Rs with zeal. Granted this one is fast, handles ridiculously well, and looks really good, at my age, a well-appointed interior is still necessary. This interior is not that. But other than that ...
Always look forward to the videos!
The styling is starting to grow on me but mygod the interior is the main reason why I'm still in love with the Mk7/7.5.
I like it when Doug goes category by category when he does the Doug Score. Love the videos!
best golf ever is still r32 mk5 :)
Me too, best part of the video.
Yeah, it kind of sucks when he cuts the Doug Score short & goes straight to the comparison chart. Usually he only did that in his off-day More Doug reviews(not on Tuesdays or Thursdays when he is more thorough with the Doug Score) but looks like VW is not the the only one cheaping out with material. 😂😂😂
The passenger seat not being fully electrical is actually great: less weight, very fast adjustment, and unlike the driver's seat, the passenger seat doesn't need precise positioning away from the controls.
This. I find manual is always preferable- less to break, cheaper, faster, easier to use.
Yeah, that doesn’t bother me. If it was up to me, I’d still have manual seats & windows. It’s just two less things to break & it seems like the height of laziness to balk at rolling your window down or adjusting your seat. It takes half a second.
With that said, you can probably imagine how I feel about there being no buttons on the interior😔
It may not necessarily be a deal breaker for me, but it is still a bit peculiar how they included heating/ventilation for the pass seat and then slimed us by sneaking out the power adjustment.
Ever picked up a date in your fancy car but she has to fish for controls and crank a manual seat? Its not a good look.
@@YarraMates Set the passenger seat back and ahead of you before you pick her up. That's the perfect setting , lol. :)
I agree with regards to the cost cutting of the interior, having owned a 2003 MK4 Golf GT TDI and I now own a MK7.5 GTD. Also the MK7.5 does not feel as chunky and sturdy as the MK4. I still enjoy driving it though.
Great review Doug. I've been interested in the R for a while now. Performance and handling sound great. But a 45K sticker is getting into base Merc C-class / BMW 3-series territory. VW may have to spruce up that interior a bit.
Everyone else: "Piano gloss plastic sucks, it gets dirty and greasy, and gets all scratched-up easily".
Doug: 2:28
It looks cool until you start using anything. Then you begin to hate piano black plastic.
The Straight Pipes otherwise: EVERYTHING IS GLOSS BLACK ITTLL GET DUSTY FINGER PRINTS ALL THE TIME
Good to hear it will come with a manual, but i wish this kind of performance would come in sedans and not just hatchbacks.
Audi s3 ; ) audi s4 ; )
Vw cc
@@lastnamefirstname520 Right, but not a manual :/
Mazda 3 Turbo Sedan,
BMW M235i Gran Coupe,
@@benjamincaron46 the Mazda 3 turbo is comparatively slow and boring while the m235i sedan is ugly and is auto only
Besides cheaping out in the interior over the MkVII, they also took away the struts to hold up the hood and replaced it with a cheap prop rod. My partner has an Alltrack and the features and interior were Audi-like, the MK VIII has furthered the gap
My understanding of the Special (Nurburgring) mode is that it actually makes the suspension softer than the race mode. So it doesn't tighten everything up, it should actually be race with softer suspension.
It also doesn’t upshift. You can bounce off the rev limiter in special mode.
The Golf R has a lot of direct competition in Europe with the Mercedes-AMG A35, BMW M135i/M235i, and Audi S3 (which strangely is now cheaper than the Golf). The new Golf R has moved ahead in terms of power and the AWD system, but the rest all have much better interiors and the A35 is great fun to drive.
I the U.K. I expect the insurance on the R would be horrendously expensive.
@@MrDuncl We used to aspire for GTIs & Type Rs growing up and they were within reach; can't see the same for young drivers these days.
@@aminman15 The original Golf GTI was "only" 108HP although that was almost twice that of my first car, a Ford Escort. If someone had told me that in the 21st century, I would be driving a bog standard VW Golf with a Turbo, Fuel injection, and 150HP I would have been very surprised.
I really wish we had more hatch options here in NA. I would be soooo torn between the a35 amg hatch and the rs3 Sportback both look amazing and performance is even better than the R. Too bad there is really only one option for us performance hatch lovers
@@thebushwabanana in NA you can buy a Mustang GT for cheaper than any of these in Europe
Classic by modern VW standards. Twice the price and half the interior quality.
You are definitely paying for the increased performance and technology which will break anyways
Funny how you ignored performance and power completely. I agree, it has a very cheap interior.
This car is a lot faster than the MK7, and with a lot more tech. Slowly, they are waving goodbye to their legion of interior crybabies.
Volkswagen is just cheap knockoff Audi
@@rudolfschenker who cares about technology...
Little fun fact: the heated seats don't need to be turned on via the screen.
You can just press the Hot and cold side of the left or right temperature Lider at the Same time. This works like an heated seat button
52 degrees, Doug in shorts. 98 degress, Doug in two shirts. Gotta love Doug Demuro. Keep it up pal.
To be honest, I prefer the headlight design of the previous model to this one.
Yeep they look at night like some cheap tuned LED's
@@uscars9207 I totally agree
Are you usually dishonest?
Ah yes, the subtle rear of the Golf R, complete with quad-exhaust.
Almost every car has quad exhaust nowadays. It’s nothing special
I know. Such an overkill. No need for so many exhaust and so big ones. 2L 4 cylinder. Like how much exhaust gasses will you produce?
@@terrabnadia1793 Hm, acutally not really - I mean I'd wish you were right, but its more like fake pipes or even worse - hidden exhaust (e.g. vw arteon, audi a7)
To be fair, it does look like they used a blank sheet of paper for their design language.
Just bought a 2018 Golf. Love it so much
this review is amazing, very good verbal description.
Doug enters full pirate mode with that "Arrrrrr" at the beginning
FYI you can two-finger tap the climate slider to turn the heated seats on without going through a menu.
Lol thats really unintuitive
@@flaviokonti5522 It might be unintuitive at first, but once you know about it, it's very convenient.
I figured Doug just didn’t know how to use it. Pretty typical honestly.
Man, imagine if they took it a step further and added a button to do it... that would be even easier. I hope someone invents such a thing in the future...
I find the styling better this year. I love the fact the front borrows from the volkswagon cirroco
Doug: "It brings performance-car people into adulthood." Thank you, Doug. I really loved my .:R32, but I didn't replace it with another Golf R - the *new* Golf R was really cheapened 10 years later with a worse interior, had 2 fewer cylinders, and of course still cost more . So I bought an Audi, like an adult. Gone are the Piëch days when a top-of-the-line Volkswagen stepped on Audi toes for 20% less money.
The slider buttons on the steering wheel can also just be used as buttons. They'll provide haptic feedback and you can just press once for a track change or a single volume level increment change.
Thank god, I watched like 4 reviews and this is never mentioned.
I hated the unnecessary sliding gimmick where a single tap would achieve the same thing.
I like being able to slide my seat forward and backward using the lever. Faster then waiting for an electronic controlled seat and less weight.
I've said this, several seat functions are better when manual, while bolsters for example are really nice to have powered. Manual bolsters or thigh support done via hand pump or endless twists of a knob are a legitimate pain while fore aft adjustment and back tilt are quick and easy.
I agree. I would like to see the R having even more manual and analog charateristics and put the luxuries in the GTI... making the R the more performance oriented option. But marketing wize, I understand how it would not make much sense for VW... maybe a clubsport R would be that
One less thing to break, also. I even prefer winding windows for that reason. Replacing those motors and things is a sorry way to waste a weekend.
I’ve always preferred a manual seat adjustment. Way quicker, as I always have to move it all the way back in every car.
Thank you for the upload Doug! I can finally eat now 🙏🏼
If VW had skipped the capacitive touch everywhere (that no one asked for) and stuck to hard buttons, skipped on the pop up and out over engineered, doomed to fail, reverse camera, they could have given better touch points and a power passenger seat which are two things I really care about ESPECIALLY WELL NORTH OF 40K IN A HATCHBACK!
@@yungboicontigo9278 Well I would argue 45k on a hatchback in general is "stupid" and the Golf R, if you watched the video or have any knowledge relevant to the Golf R, comes with a manual transmission option. Buying second hand vehicles isn't always the best idea, especially for daily driving situations. As an expert I'm sure you know the resale on the Focus RS is pretty high and they're frequently heavily worn so at least with a new over priced hatchback you get a new car warranty and financing. Also if people want a Ford they'll buy a Ford. Appreciate your input though.
the reverse camera that is hidden behind the logo to keep the lens clean is the one of the best parts and i’ve seen zero failures on them.
@@turboshottho Look harder. Lol
@@kacyharper8142 when mine breaks i’ll believe it
@@turboshottho I support the idea think it's clever but it's not the point.
This car reminds me of Seat/Cupra, specially the Leon. The interior and the “buttons” are the same as the new version of the Leon.
Doug should reach out someone from Tijuana in order to test the Cupra Leon or Cupra Formentor, those cars are from the spanish auto maker that belongs to VW, they recently started doing some interesting cars based on the same chassis as the Golf MK8.
You can double tap the temperature button to activate seat heat without opening the climate screen.
Doug is guaranteed to give you a legit review👍
Looks great! THIS is how you do a redesign.... SUBARU!
every time a new gen golf came out I looked at it and was like "damn that looks better than last gen" until this one.
Have the same opinion about the RS3 too
Something funny I noticed, the gauge cluster bezel and presumably physical screen is used in the Golf TDI, you can see the outline of the Glow Plug light.
You can tap the climate slider with 2 fingers and that activates the heated seats though or just use the voice commands
The MK7.5 was a masterpiece and I hoped that VW would add things like the bigger brakes, heated steering wheel, and cooled seats (don't forget the better awd system) which they did.
Then screwed it all up with having to use the screen to turn on heated seats, and removing physical buttons for climate control.
Will be sticking with my previous gen for the time being.
I bought the last of the new MK7.5 released this year, because I knew what this new generation will bring and performance was really not something I was loosing sleep over. But you know what, I don't think is all that bad after all. Of course, now I'll be sticking with the one I've got, cause is still almost brand new.
I know, I turn my heating on and off constantly, and temp up and down too , usually numerous times in 10 min of driving, its so annoying not to be able to do that all the time.. lmao. Seriously man. Ever been in a tesla?
I think the drift and sport modes make the car hold up it's high sticker price. It's perfectly fine that Volkswagen cut back on small interior details in order to enhance the performance experience on the R. Definitely want to see how all of that feels in this new VW
Looking between this and an elantra n, I agree with you entirely. I feel like the point is to be driver oriented. I personally don’t mind the “cheaper” interior I personally think it looks fine
I was expecting a typical ripping of this car that you get from a lot of people who don't like change. This was a pretty fair review. Can't wait for mine.
I like this thing a lot! The lack of a volume knob is really disappointing though Honda showed how bad that was and the climate menu is annoying as well I wish Subaru didn’t do that either
I prefer the previous generation, this Golf R has a quality of materials inside that leaves a lot to be desired. I prefer the Civic Type R, I think this Golf R is good but not as good as the Civic.
2005-07 R32 was clear
They are back.czcams.com/video/SuHW1mux9NU/video.html
Doug points to generic new starter button replacing racy old starter button “The Golf R doesn’t need some racy button, it has always been about subdued”.
The Civic Type R is not AWD but in fact FWD so i think it makes the the golf R better.
The Civic Type R also has the benefit of telling the world that its driver lives in his mother's basement and eats pizza pockets for breakfast, so there's that.
Both this and the Type R look great.
No. The Type R is a riced out piece of junk
@@ActuallyDre lmao You seem like an insecure clown. The Type R is great. It's also more reliable.
Great review I will say like with most German cars the refresh is always worth waiting for it will likely fix most of the quirks associated with launch model.
For the heated seats you just have to double tap with 2 fingers on the climate buttons
What I was thinking about getting this car. Excited for the review
Corrections required:
1. The engine software of the manual cars is not the same, as the dsg, hence it would not meet EU6D emission regulations, thats why its not sold in Europe.
2. Electrically adjustable passenger seat is available for this car.
3. The torque vectoring actually sends 100% of the rear power to one back wheel (50% of total driveshaft power)
The problem is that the power seat is an optional. It should be standard equipment
@@marciliojunior4919 It's a freaking Golf, not a luxury car. If someone really wants a power passenger seat then they can still get it done. I would be fine personally since it's usually just me in the car
The first point isn't a correction. The second point is missing the point entirely -- at $45K, a manual passenger seat is just cynical cost-cutting, and it's an embarrassment. Even if a power passenger seat is "available," it should (obviously) be included at this price point on this car.
@@DougDeMuro " at $45K..." yep inflation makes you get less...
@@DougDeMuro Welcome to inflation, 45K is the new 35K. Also, more electronics lead to more issues
VWs are easy to tune. So if this cheapo version’s only saving grace is more power. Just buy the previous version and get it tuned. The VW logo trunk release is cool except our grocery store loads your car for you and half the time you have to either try to explain how it works or get out and do it for them. VW cheapening out has to be due to dieselgate. Pity. I’ve owned many. Always considered them a value. Particularly the interiors that used to look like they belonged in a much more expensive car.
went from a 00 VW passat , 02 mazda 626, 13 mazdaspeed3 and just bought a 19 Golf R and yeah we saved up and got our semi dream car. Would wait till 22 or 23 model year to buy the mk8 R
Since the Audi RS3 exists, there's no point dealing with all other Hot Hatches since they're all the same nowadays aka they all have 4-cylinders. Simple as that. Even the A45, despite its obvious AMG treatment, is still just a glorified A250/A35 underneath, with the same 2.0 Inline-4. For a car costing €75k lightly equipped in Germany, I'm expecting more than just a 4-cylinder.
We're still expecting the GR Corolla. It is expected that it will have the same engine as the GR Yaris (which is not a 4 cylinder engine), but it won't make as much power as the others, theoretically. Toyota might tune that engine for more power, it hasn't been confirmed that they'll do it.
@@damilolaakanni There's no evidence of the car having the same 3-cylinder, so allow me to doubt about it.
@@rayboccino5174 knowing Toyota pretty well, they usually won't develop one engine only to use it in one car. So it's more than likely that the GR corolla might use the same 1.6 3 cylinder turbo in the GR Yaris.
@@damilolaakanni We'll wait and see.
I think it is all about the repair price in long term.
16:31 - I know what I’m about to ask concerns the Mk7 Golf R (specifically the Mk7.5 facelift) and not this new Mk8 version, but why did the US-spec cars have less power than the Euro-spec ones - 292hp in the US compared to 306hp in Europe before WLTP reduced that to 296?
Going to assume emissions regulations. European specs have almost always been more powerful going back to even the 80's I think.
Because the US-spec has legal ECU, without cheater mode ;p
Probably because in Europe it is a different unit which is used to calculate the power output of the car. There are HP, brake horse power, DIN, SAE...
The USA has worse fuel. Lower octane numbers
@@honestyisthegucci if ur not trolling u give me headaches
the sunshade for the sunroof is smart
No destructive criticism, nor praising to the sky. This is the most honest review unlike many one-dimensional reviews posted by some great reviewers.
For the interior quality and cost-cutting, put yourself in the shoes of VW and think about the continuously declining hatch segment with top users' demanding to boost performance. It's amazing to still see them refreshing this model with the boost in performance. Perhaps they should have offered an additional trim with the top-quality with a $50k MSRP. In all consideration and having a good understanding of the business rules, I can only thank VW for keeping the Golf-R not only alive but renewed with the extraordinary performance.
0:22 Not sure what got me first. The Van with that super short wheelbase or that beautiful scenery in the background?
What gets me is there he is standing in front of an interesting quirky car and yet reviewing another boring 2022 this or that. Review the weird van, Doug! You’re standing right next to it!
I really like the looks of this new Golf R
@Tommy Gaming 🅥 Get out of here with that nonsense.
@@dave_riots unfortunately, it can't be stopped, especially on popular youtubers' videos
Manual option for this car is already available in EU, my co-worker brother has it and it's a 6 speed manual
VW actually managed to make the mk8's look really good in the gti clubsport and R
Golf R and Gti are pretty damn nice for the price. Especially if you get a good deal on used. Though I do agree with a lot of comments 45 is starting to hit the upper level of what I’d like to pay for this type of car.
I think VW knows this too. The interior cost cutting is the price we pay to not let it hit $48-50K.
In the US yeah, in the EU they're ripping you off. Starting price doesn't seem bad until you realize how little kit you get for the money.
The problem is that Japanese cars of this type of car usually are the better option in lower prices and that's why VW has a more luxery approach for a higher price.
@@JackoBanon1 if we were talking about last gen cars I would've agreed with you, but the Golf 8's interior quality is a complete letdown, it's on par with its competitors yet the asking price is higher.
The drivetrain and chassis aren't stellar either, it's the same EA888 engine and the same substandard MQB chassis they've been using for more than a decade. Only this time they've just managed to hide its flaws by lying about the power output and by finally including a good rear diff - something some of its competitors already offered last generation.
Ain't sayin' it's a bad car but you're paying a premium just because of VW's greed while the car screams 'budget' from all possible angles.
It's not too different from how Samsung and Apple keep increasing the price of their products: because they can. Because brand loyalists will pay for them anyway.
The problem with the pricing here is more apparent than I had expected: the drivetrain is the same as the Audi S3 (from what I can tell this was typically the case through the years) but the S3 has better interior mats, and more rear headroom if not overall space, it’s also a bit classier in terms of design (and for those into brand, it holds more weight) and is even less flashy than the golf (no spoiler, unless you get real close you can’t tell from a normal A3), and they start at the same price, if I’d saved all my money for the golf and saw the Audi was everything and more, why not just opt for that?
True they overlap, from base to flagship. But the Audi then tops out at an additional 13k.
For the manual, otherwise, get the S3.
Drivetrain is not the same
Drivetrain is not the same, it doesn't have the fancy rear diff and it is down on power vs the R. Additionally the S3 sedan doesn't have more rear headroom or more space at all. If you're talking hatch, that's a different story.
@@carswarfield All true. He is correct about the much better interior of the Audi, although it too hasn't totally avoided experiencing its share of the VW group's cost cutting ax. I think maybe cousin Skoda would be a closer Golf comparison.
I just got my new Golf R for my daily drive. It is amazing but I would like to highlight a feedback from a owner perspective. The Sport mode is very nice the steering heavy and the hard suspension is really not the best for every day. Unfortunately the car does not allow me to set a default drive mode or remember my last drive mode choice. I could not see anybody realizing that! I hope VW release a software update! Thank you
Love your reviews. You add something different to other car reviewers which helps.
I love the performance under a subdued exterior, and a manual and DCT both sound tempting. I don't like the lack of physical controls inside the car.
Maybe I'll make up my mind on this one by the time I can afford to buy one... it'll be a while.
The interior seems like a headache and definitely not worth it but it’s really clean and aesthetically pleasing.
It 100% functional. Just not much to look at.
8:06 The Lincoln MkT 2013 i drove had the same crap volume but it was at least lit and much bigger and easier to operate
I recently bought a MY18 MK7.5 R and having seen a couple of similar reviews of the MK8 R I couldn't be happier. The MK7.5 R is almost a perfect hot hatch while the 8 looks like a let down. Hopefully the quality of the MK8 helps keep the MK7.5 prices up for a while.