When we were younger, life was lived at speed. Weeks flew by, and weekends went even faster. We lived fast, we listened to fast music, we ate fast food, and we drove fast. It was a time when we’d never felt more alive. It was also a time when most of us first drove a Volkswagen Golf. It is no coincidence.
That combination of speed, handling, boot space and affordable price point, made it an almost a rite of passage for most fast-living guys in their twenties. In the realm of hot hatchbacks, it was king. Sadly, we have grown up (and, dare we say matured), but, so has the Volkswagen Golf.
The new 2022 Golf R is not the Golf of old. Sliding inside its redone, slick interior is like becoming reacquainted with an old friend, but one that has matured – one that seems more sophisticated, but ultimately when pushed still has that mischievous side to them. It’s probably why pressing the ‘Start’ button on the new Golf R, not only injects the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with fire, but it fuels our mind (and heart) with a shot of pure nostalgia.
For 2022, Volkswagen extracted 320 horsepower and 400Nm of torque from its heart, adding a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to handle the gear swaps of an engine that can get to 100kph in 4.8 seconds. A slew of exclusive equipment and subtle design details also work to separate the R-line from the GTI, with which it shares a modern interior and myriad technology.
The redesigned interiors are sleek, with softer touch plastics and a pulled-taut aesthetic that, rather than flashy, blends pragmatism with humanity. Door levers feel chunky, not flimsy. Air-vents louver with substantive damping, not clunkiness. The controls have undergone a widespread adoption of ‘capacitive sensing’ (or touch-sensitive buttons, to you and me). Want to adjust the AC or radio volume? Slide your hand along the ledge. Turn on the overhead lights? Hover your hands just below it. The only actual buttons are the ones that turn the engine on and off, and activate the hazards.
On the outside, the R demonstrates VW’s central philosophy to not overwhelm buyers with visual cues. There are no treatments on the Golf R’s exterior, save lighting, that don’t enhance performance. The R has an LED strip that works more like old-school chrome, accenting the nose-line of the hood.
Behind the wheel, the Volkswagen Golf R responds obediently, blending fluidly into long sweepers or quickly changing direction in tight quarters. While this was always the case with previous Golf models, the evolution of the R-Line’s character is found in its various Drive modes. The new Golf R offers Comfort, Sport, Race and Individual driving modes; an “R” button on the R-specific spots steering wheel shortcuts to the Race mode or the drive mode selection screen.
In addition to the aforementioned Drift mode, the Golf R also has an additional “Special” mode developed explicitly for Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. While not particularly relevant to us here in the Middle East, it is a fun sidenote that fellow Golf fanboys will appreciate.
By almost all accounts, the new Golf R is the most grown-up version of the much-loved hot hatch – a fact that is also reflected in its AED200,000 price. Its small size, snappy performance and more sophisticated appearance will catch people off guard, but still attracting those mature driving enthusiasts who still occasionally want to live life in the fast lane.
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