Used Volkswagen Golf R review

Likes

On paper, quite possibly all the car anyone would ever need.
Incredible dynamic performance.
All the practicality and liveability of a normal Golf.
Excellent levels of tech, equipment and safety.

Dislikes

Water pump failures to be expected.
Engine bay plastics can wear prematurely.
Can feel like driving a “normal” Golf when not being driven enthusiastically.
Many on the used market have been abused or poorly modified.

Get Finance

See video on youtube

Publish: October 7, 2022

Stuff you should know

Chances are if you’re reading this, you’re already quite aware that the Volkswagen Golf R is the top of the range, most powerful Golf featuring all wheel drive, a powerful turbocharged 2.0 litre engine and the entire array of possible Golf features

However in this cheat sheet we’ll be focussing on the Mark 7 and Mark 7.5 generations of Golf R.

These generations of Golf R were available here in Australia from 2014 to 2020 and was available as either a 5-door hatch or as the impossibly cool 5-door wagon while in some international markets a 3-door hatch was available for those requiring sportier aesthetics.

In terms of updates, the 2014 to 2017 Mk7 received a minor update in 2015, however the more substantially updated Mk7.5 arrived from February of 2017.

This update substantially refreshed the cosmetics, features and tech while mechanically, not a whole lot changed with the engine however the dual clutch transmission was equipped with an extra cog, becoming a 7-speed over the Mk7’s 6-Speed.

In terms of trim levels across the Mk7 and 7.5 generations, even within the R family, there were a few.

From the option laden Wolfsburg to the pared down Grid Edition, to the very limited and Akrapovic titanium exhaust fitted Special edition to finally, and aptly named Final Edition.

What goes wrong

Exterior:

There are reports that the rear doors are susceptible to leaking. This will be most noticeable in the rear footwell.

The Rear Wiper on the hatchbacks are known to squeak, this is fairly common and not really a major issue, just annoying.

The Front Radar Assist sensors can become glitchy, this is more sporadic however there have been a few reports of it being faulty.

Another less common problem is, when the heater for the Driver’s side mirror is turned up the glass can actually crack and then fall out of the mirror housing completely.

Interior:

There are the odd reports of various electronic gremlins like buttons not working, window actuators playing up and infotainment systems freaking out however, these are not what we’d call common issues.

Mechanically:

While the potential to make huge horsepower with only the addition of bolt on modifications and ECU re-calibration is incredibly easy, when pushed to their limits, all bets are off in terms of what can break.
However, when kept standard and cared for, the Golf R still reliable overall.

By far the most common and somewhat expensive fault is the water pump & thermostat module. They fail early and often. In some cases, the factory water pump is good for around 60,000km until it leaks. You could just consider it part of the normal servicing schedule, similar to a timing belt. The later models are proving to last longer and we have found some non-genuine replacement pumps can last longer than the VW OEM equipment.

The Golf R do on occasions have some PCV & evaporator complications however they tend not to clog up inlet tracts as they have direct & port injection.

Historically older Volkswagen Golf generations (Mk5 and 6) suffer from problems associated with feeble engine bay plastics (eg the water pump) so as they age this is also likely to be the case with the Mk7 and 7.5.

The DSG transmission receives plenty of criticism online however in the Golf R, the reality is if the transmission is serviced properly and on schedule, in a standard car, they are usually trouble free. They can suffer from some DSG position sensor & mechatronics issues but although again, not as common as the internet may lead you to believe.

It’s a similar story with the Haldex system (that’s the hydraulic device that controls the amount of torque transmitted to the rear wheels). If they’re serviced on time with the right oil, they are usually no problem either.

We need to emphasise that these are a high-performance car and servicing them properly is absolutely imperative, and if you’re looking at one make sure the previous owner has a well-documented service

Exterior:

There are reports that the rear doors are susceptible to leaking. This will be most noticeable in the rear footwell.

The Rear Wiper on the hatchbacks are known to squeak, this is fairly common and not really a major issue, just annoying.

The Front Radar Assist sensors can become glitchy, this is more sporadic however there have been a few reports of it being faulty.

Another less common problem is, when the heater for the Driver’s side mirror is turned up the glass can actually crack and then fall out of the mirror housing completely.

Interior:

There are the odd reports of various electronic gremlins like buttons not working, window actuators playing up and infotainment systems freaking out however, these are not what we’d call common issues.

Mechanically:

While the potential to make huge horsepower with only the addition of bolt on modifications and ECU re-calibration is incredibly easy, when pushed to their limits, all bets are off in terms of what can break.
However, when kept standard and cared for, the Golf R still reliable overall.

By far the most common and somewhat expensive fault is the water pump & thermostat module. They fail early and often. In some cases, the factory water pump is good for around 60,000km until it leaks. You could just consider it part of the normal servicing schedule, similar to a timing belt. The later models are proving to last longer and we have found some non-genuine replacement pumps can last longer than the VW OEM equipment.

The Golf R do on occasions have some PCV & evaporator complications however they tend not to clog up inlet tracts as they have direct & port injection.

Historically older Volkswagen Golf generations (Mk5 and 6) suffer from problems associated with feeble engine bay plastics (eg the water pump) so as they age this is also likely to be the case with the Mk7 and 7.5.

The DSG transmission receives plenty of criticism online however in the Golf R, the reality is if the transmission is serviced properly and on schedule, in a standard car, they are usually trouble free. They can suffer from some DSG position sensor & mechatronics issues but although again, not as common as the internet may lead you to believe.

It’s a similar story with the Haldex system (that’s the hydraulic device that controls the amount of torque transmitted to the rear wheels). If they’re serviced on time with the right oil, they are usually no problem either.

We need to emphasise that these are a high-performance car and servicing them properly is absolutely imperative, and if you’re looking at one make sure the previous owner has a well-documented service history.

It is also worth mentioning that although it’s a high-performance car, it follows pretty the same service schedule as an ordinary Volkswagen Golf so (excluding those extra water pumps), the servicing costs are much the same.

Finally something that you definitely should be aware of. Some owners modify the Golf R to extreme levels yet when it comes time to sell, un-modify them. By that we mean they return everything back to standard to make it easier to sell or trade. A good technician who knows the Golf R well can usually tell when things have been messed with so a pre-purchase inspection is absolutely critical and be sure to check all factory recalls have been addressed.