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2026
New 2026
Used 2025 2024 2023 2022 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2013 2012 2003 2000

Volkswagen Golf R

EPA MPG: 25 mpg
CR's Take

The Volkswagen Golf R popularized the hot-hatch genre of sporty, higher-performance versions of more-pedestrian models, starting with the transformation of the European Golf in the 1970s and the U.S.-market Rabbit in the early 1980s. Over the decades, the Golf R has taken the same core goodness of the GTI and dialed up the performance, capability, and features to the nth degree.

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Road Test
Predicted Reliability Details
Predicted Owner Satisfaction Details
See All Ratings & Specs

New Models Predicted Reliability

This Car
NA
vs. Similar Cars
See All Models Predicted Reliability

Safety

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) w/Pedestrian
Standard
AEB Highway
Standard
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Warning (RCTW)
Standard
See All Ratings & Specs

Owner Reports

Owner Satisfaction
2000
NA
2001
2002
2003
NA
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
NA
2013
NA
2014
2015
NA
2016
NA
2017
NA
2018
NA
2019
NA
2020
2021
2022
NA
2023
NA
2024

2025
NA
Driving Experience
Comfort
Value
View all Owner Satisfaction

Volkswagen vs. Other New Car Brands

See How All Brands Stack up

Safety

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) w/Pedestrian
Standard
AEB Highway
Standard
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Warning (RCTW)
Standard
See All Ratings & Specs

Volkswagen vs. Other New Car Brands

See How All Brands Stack up

Safety

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) w/Pedestrian
Standard
AEB Highway
Standard
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Warning (RCTW)
Standard
See All Ratings & Specs

Volkswagen vs. Other New Car Brands

See How All Brands Stack up

Sports cars 4/5-seat Ratings

See All Sports cars 4/5-seat Ratings
Features & Specs
Body Style
    4-door hatchback
Seating
2 front, 3 rear
Drive Wheels
AWD
Engines Available
  • 2-liter 4 turbo (328 hp)
Transmissions Available
  • 7-speed sequential
Warranty
  • Basic NA
  • Drivetrain NA
  • Corrosion NA
  • Roadside Aid NA
  • Maintenance NA
See All Ratings & Specs
Model History