OK, here you are, the VW Golf R is incredible by it's heritage...but does it make any sense for one to dig hard into their bank for what it is asking for...a whooping RM287k for the fully-loaded unit...and the Golf is still one of the ugliest looking hatchback that has no sense of sportiness no matter which angle you look at it. As a matter of fact, the standard Golf is the commoner car back in its home ground. Thus, if you wanted a sport car...or a hot hatch that turns heads, which the handsome and beauty would WOW on it, forget about the Golf R. Unless you already have at least a Porsche in your garage, and you wanted the R as your daily sport car, which could ferry your family at 250km/h, and chances of attracting the handsome and beauty is not in your night out schedule, the boring look of the VW Golf R fits in just right...Did I mention by now, you should be addressed as Uncle or Auntie!
Anyway, the 3-door lower accessorized version is also priced senseless at RM247k. If i were you, I would settle for the Renault Megane, though having slightly lower horsepower and torque than this R, which produces 276hp/380Nm while mated to the problematic 6-speed DSG transmission!
So what make up for the hefty price tag? It is not the blue needle in the instrument cluster, nor the "R" emblem on the steering wheel. It is the brilliant 4Motion all-wheel-drive system that distinguish this Golf R! Of course, with the Dynamic Chassis Control which allow the driver to select Comfort, Normal and Race modes, which has different profiles on the suspension damping, throttle and steering response. In Race mode, even the exhaust sound is amplified! This is cool!
Carbon fiber finishing in a sport car is always a welcome detail, as long as it is not being used everywhere and the insert on the gear stalk is nice. However, VW really need to rethink their rim design, where the GTi has been using the same for ages, and the R's Cadiz rim is no exception in the ugly department. The 19" wheel in the Tech Pack version is huge, with such powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, both the front and rear wheels are fitted with the same size of brake to ensure sufficient stopping power.
The rear of the Golf R only two things different from the ordinary unit. One is the R emblem on the hatch door, second is the quad tail pipes which make the look a bit of "Ah Beng". I strongly think twin tail pipes would look better, or even a twin trapezoidal pipe could be interesting. On the safety department, the R has everything it should have, with a total of 7 airbags, including a driver side's kneebag. The Discover Pro 8" touch sensitive navigation included infotainment unit is a big improvement, but again, only in the Tech Pack unit!
For those who really like the Golf...is it the VW brand, or is it really that good. If just for the brand, go get the Polo, which has a smarter look! If one is really looking at the R for track driving, hey, consider the Subaru and Renault as well, which might make more sense with a manual transmission!
