New Volkswagen Golf R revealed: 329bhp hot hatch is now as quick as an Audi R8

• Exterior and interior tweaks
• 0-62mph in as little as 4.6 seconds
• Available to order from late autumn

This is the new Volkswagen Golf R and it’s here to claim the hot hatchback throne. With upgrades inside, outside and under the bonnet, the official performance figures look impressive on paper, and a prototype drive earlier this year proved that the Golf R feels more focused than ever before.

While hot hatchbacks seem to be a dying breed in 2024, the new Golf R is still up against strong competition from the likes of the Audi S3, Honda Civic Type R and Toyota GR Yaris. Like Golf Rs that have come before it, the new model will be available as an estate alongside the hatchback for those who need some extra space for high-speed hauling. UK pricing is still to be confirmed, but the Golf R will sit at the top of the model hierarchy when it goes on sale in autumn this year, costing from around £42,000.

What do I need to know about the new Volkswagen Golf R?

You buy a Golf R for performance, and the latest model packs more than any regular R model that’s come before it. Power is up from 316bhp to 329bhp, making it the most powerful road-going Golf alongside the old limited-run Golf R 20 Years edition. That extra oomph translates to a 0-62mph acceleration time of just 4.6 seconds for the hatchback – that’s as quick as the original V8-powered Audi R8 supercar. The Golf R estate isn’t far behind, achieving the same sprint in 4.8 seconds.

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The engine itself is the ‘EA888’ turbocharged four-cylinder that’s used across the VW Group, although Volkswagen claims there’s “no turbo lag” in this application and that the exhaust has been tuned to deliver a rougher sound this time around. It’s connected to the same seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox and 4MOTION four-wheel drive system as before, but you now get ‘R Performance Torque Vectoring’ as standard, which can shuffle power between the left and right rear wheels to improve traction or initiate oversteer – a system first seen in the Audi RS 3.

Buyers can take things a step further and tick the box for the ‘Performance package’. This brings a bigger roof spoiler, a lap timer and G-force metre in the digital driver’s display, a raised top speed limit of 167mph, and two additional driving modes. Regular Golf Rs get Eco, Comfort, Sport and Race modes, while the Performance package adds ‘Drift’ and ‘Special’ to the list, the latter set up specifically for the Nurburgring race track.

As the new Golf R uses the latest regular Golf as its base, you get the same host of interior upgrades, including a new infotainment display and a set of illuminating touch-sensitive sliders for controlling cabin temperature and volume. The Golf R does miss out on the new steering wheel, however, so the fiddly capacitive steering wheel buttons remain. On the outside, there are new LED headlights and tail-lights, plus some more aggressive bumpers and a new set of optional 19-inch forged alloy wheels.

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How much does the new Volkswagen Golf R cost and when can I buy one?

Official UK pricing will be confirmed closer to autumn 2024 when the Golf R is expected to go on sale, but a starting price of around £42,000 is likely for hatchback – the Golf R estate will cost slightly more.

The Golf R will launch with a new special trim alongside the regular model – the Golf R Black Edition. It brings a smattering of darkened exterior trim pieces, black alloy wheels and the Performance package, all for around £2,000 more.

Read up on the new Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport for a different take on the hot Golf formula…