2022 Volkswagen GTI and Golf R First Drive Review

Cars should be fun.

VW is calling it an all-new GTI, based on the same MQB modular architecture as its predecessor, and almost every aspect of it has been redone. Our tech presentation was tastefully brief, with Volkswagen’s North American GTI Brand Manager, Megan Closset telling us about changes to the engine, suspension, vehicle electronics and appearance.

The Hungarian-built two-liter turbo TSI direct-injection EA888 powerplant is now in its fourth generation and gets a healthy bump on the dyno, with a claimed 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque (up from 228 and 258 respectively). Like last year’s, it’s available with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed DSG automatic, and Closset wants you to know the US and Canadian markets are unique in getting the stickshift option, as she says 40 percent of us want that. You’re welcome.

Keen-eyed GTI fans probably noticed the lack of an R-spec Golf since 2019. Well, it’s back, and it’s gotten all the upgrades as its GTI sibling—and then some. Not only is the hotted-up EA888 even hotter, offering 315 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, it also has upgraded brakes, drivetrain, suspension, electronics and cosmetics. The brakes are medium-pizza sized 14.1-inch front rotors, with aluminum “hats” that shave off 1.3 pounds, and blue-painted two-piston calipers.

Springs are stiffer, and the 4Motion all-wheel drive system gets an important improvement: now up to 50 percent of the power can go to either outside rear wheel, making the R that much more sure-footed. The R also gets two new drive modes—Drift and Special, which is tuned for the fabled Nürburgring Nordschleife—and the R gets unique 19-inch black machined front wheels as well as a distinct front bumper and blue accents. The R also gets a bump in price—the one fully loaded trim level is $44,640—add $800 for the DSG. The GTI starts at $30,540, with S, SE and Autobahn trims going all the way up to $38,990. Canadian equivalent pricing is a range of $33,245 to 40,745 CAD in GTI land, and $46,745 CAD for the R. Adding the DSG in the land of poutine bumps the sticker up $1,400 CAD.

The interior gets a refresh, but is still familiar. The front bolstered sport seats get heating standard, the base-model cloth trim is still plaid, and the stick shift model gets a golf ball-esque shift knob. The squared-off steering wheel, like all the new VW models, has capacitive sensors as well as haptic feedback so you’re even more connected to your car.

It’s easy to get in and out of the GTI, and there’s a surprising amount of room in there—as in its predecessors, six-foot humans can comfortably sit in the back seat, though the middle position is interrupted by a huge drivetrain hump. The seats are very comfy, yet hold the driver in position for what is about to occur. The GTI and Golf R aren’t really quiet cars—there are hidden speakers that actually pipe the exhaust note into the cabin, but long high-speed freeway cruises weren’t objectionably noisy. I found the constant “rrrrrrrrrrrr” slightly annoying, yet endearing.

There’s a lot of tech, and we went into some detail in the first look story in July if you want more detail. The electronics are all new, with all the systems—VAQ and XSR (the next-gen differential, now standard), DCC, ESC, ASR—networked to create a “vehicle dynamics system” that give drivers “greater control of handling characteristics.” Additionally, the IQ-Drive driver safety package is standard, as is CarPlay/Android Auto, though wireless charging and connectivity is optional.

In the cabin, I was faced with a carnival of options for entertainment, instrumentation, driving setup options, driver assist features and more, all controlled through the responsive MIB3 touchscreen, which displayed tasteful, sensible graphics and were fairly intuitive to use. I didn’t play with the driving modes much, but there is a lot of mutability, especially in the Golf R. Sound intimidating? I found the standard settings worked just fine.

I drove the Golf R first, so I’ll start there. Sorry to go back to the motorcycle analogy, but I think it’s really apt here. The R has the feel of a well set-up racetrack motorcycle, and it’s almost a waste to drive it on the street.

Almost.

VW wisely brought us to what’s arguably one of the most entertaining roads in America to drive, so a 1970s Ford Econoline with bald tires would have been fun. The R was insane. The DCC adaptive suspension (optional on the GTI) makes up to 200 changes per second, which is great on roads that are smooth in spots, bumpy and gravelly in others. The brakes delivered good bite and feel, and even though we hit most of those 280 turns (twice!), I couldn’t get them to fade. Steering was light initially and then resisted more as I increased pressure, and the 4Motion system works as advertised. I was passed by a pretty fast driver in his Golf R, and as I tried to keep up with him (I was driving a GLI), it was amazing how precisely his car tracked the curves without moving around on the suspension or sliding the tires.

Oh, and that motor. Three hundred and fifteen horsepower isn’t as much as the grunty motor in the Lexus IS 500 I drove last month, but VW has turbocharging down, and without going into too many technical details, the end result is this motor has incredible pull down low—the torque peak hits below 2,000 rpm—and turbo lag? What’s that? It’s not a problem in this car, and VW claims a 4.7-second 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) time.

The gearbox is okay (I wasn’t a fan of the resistance I felt pushing the gears into place), but maybe to satisfy the Gods of the Nordschleife, the gearing is tall, which made it tough to find the right gear coming out of the tight turns. Maybe it’s a sin to say so, but I might opt like the rest of the world and order the DSG, because, let’s face it, it does a better job of selecting gears than most mortal drivers and 90 percent of the time you don’t want to be working a clutch anyway.

My impression was the car was having just as much fun as I was—it’s as capable as you need it to be, but doesn’t make you feel like it doesn’t need you or that your skills aren’t up to the car’s capabilities. But when you do need a full-on racetrack car, the R should do just fine. Just imagine what this car would be like fully race prepped, with 500 or more pounds removed and grippy race-spec tires.

How do the GTI and Golf R stack up against the competition? The Golf R doesn’t have much competition, as the USA and Canada market don’t have a lot in the way of AWD hot hatches. There’s the Subaru WRX STI, which is more of a sedan, but which is also a lot cheaper at $38,170 ($42,120 CAD), including destination, while only giving up five hp—and the upcoming 2023 should have more horsepower. There’s the Audi TT, but it’s a coupe and only offers a 228-hp motor; the 394-hp TT RS is $73 large so not really in the running, especially since it’s discontinued.

The Mercedes AMG GLA is only a weekend in Paris more than the Golf R at $48,600 (roughly $55,000 CAD) and makes similar power, but is also about 500 pounds heavier and, if our own Kyle Patrick’s experience with the related GLB 35 is to be believed, is probably not quite the driver’s car as the Subie or the Dub. Don’t count out the (optional) AWD Kia Stinger, $39,335 with a 300-hp turbo-four, or $46,935 ($52,345 CAD) with a twin-turbo, 368-hp V6. Sounds like a good racetrack comparo to me, and I’d love to participate (hint, hint), but that Golf R is probably going to come out on top of that heap thanks to its light(er) weight, character and technology.

The GTI has a similar lack of closely matched rivals. There’s the Civic Type R, the Hyundai Veloster N or Kia Forte GT and … well, not much else, unless you consider the Chevy Bolt a hot hatch (I kinda do, since it makes over 200 hp and a lot of torque and is only about 300 pounds heavier than the GTI).

I’m a believer, and not just because VW gave me a pair of GTI-branded plaid socks (which I mailed to the only GTI owner I know). The GTI and Golf R don’t just dominate their niche, in a lot of ways they are the niche, true Euro-style hot hatches that feel like they were built by and for enthusiasts. There are flaws, for sure—these two are big and don’t have the true zany, zippy feel of tiny little cars; the R isn’t very fuel efficient; and man are they pricey (when well-appointed), especially the R.

That’s why the Golf R’s main competitor is the Golf GTI, which is fine for VW, as there likely won’t be a lot of these cars to sell anyway ( Motorolix reported about 4,200 sold in 2019 out of 37,000 total Golf models, and the basic Golf is discontinued). In fact, these cars might be among the last of their breed in this SUV- and crossover-crazed market, and that’s a shame—not only are they fun, practical and (fairly) economical, they have a lot of personality and really stand out from a field of anonymous “entry-level luxury” cars and econoboxes.

Even the base GTI is spendy compared to other small cars, but what price character? What price fun? What price owning a car that swims upstream and gifts an ownership experience that’s just the right blend of practical and hooligan? Turns out it’s $30,540.