GREAT REVIEW!!! I purchased a 2024 Manual Golf R about two months ago. I shopped several "competitors." Road & Track and Motor Trend didn't do the Golf R any favors. I wanted a "4 door hot hatch." I wanted an ICE, manual transmission, AWD, and a crazy-fun everyday driver. I am a 62 year old litigation attorney who drives a Gen 1 Ford Raptor and some great motorcycles when I'm not going to Court. At 62, I don't need BMWs or Mercedes to put on airs for clients. All I need is a fun car I can enjoy and tell clients who pay me lots of money, why the car is GREAT. The Civic R looks great but is a bit childish. The seats are great if you are a spoiled 17 year old on a cocaine diet or a 22 year old RUclipsr trying to get enough views to buy coke. For me? The seats are a "daily driver deal breaker." The sight lines from those seats are awful. That's AWFUL. You want to sit in those seats on the way to court?? I'll ride in on my BMW R 1250 RT, beat you by 20 minutes and not walk into court hunchbacked. Amazingly, the CIVIC R -- marketed as the "lowest priced car in the class" -- is really the most expensive car in the class. I spoke to more than 10 Honda and 10 Acura dealers. I found one Acura dealer willing to sell at MSRP. I found 1 Honda dealer willing to sell below the Acura's MSRP. When Honda boasts about resale value consider the fact that most high-end Hondas were never really available for MSRP. The Corolla? Did I mention I am 62? The VW is understated. The Corolla is childish. Still, the car is fun to drive. The 3 cylinders are maxed out at 300 HP. This is the best a 3 cylinder car will ever be. Don't dream of a tune or anything else. If you don't say OMG on the test drive, you never will. To Toyota's credit, you CAN find even this fun offering at MSRP. The Acura Integra is a good looking car. I loved it. It is not "the boy racer" the Civic is. The seats are WAY more comfortable than the Civic R seats. For comfort, they compare to the VW, for lateral support and visibility, they lose badly to the VW R. What do you want in a car?? The Civic and Acura are 18 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the VW R. The VW R is way smaller, way easier to park, and provides way better visibility. (The seats provide better support than the seats in the Integra.) Whoops. I admit it. I put a Stage 1 tune on my VW Golf R. The Corolla is as distant memory. The stock Civic R or Acura Integra S will never be AWD. I have owned an Acura and loved it. I have owned a Civic and loved it. I have owned and maintained two VWs with mixed results. I am no VW fanboy. The 2024 manual Golf R is fun to drive than any car I have ever owned.
@@emiliodaloisio3312 if you want the engagement of a MT go 6spd. I'm coming off of 20 years on a MT's and have other MT cars and love it, but went with the 24 R DSG and it's awesome. I was worried about missing the MT but the DSG is way better than any auto in this class and punches up.
@@emiliodaloisio3312I bought a 2024 6 speed Golf R a few months ago also. (I’m 52.) Go for the 6 speed! Be warned that it has a very invasive hill holder on the clutch that is maddening. Besides the infotainment mess, it’s the only thing I dislike about this car.
Went with the manual R in black sunroof and carbon package. Couldn’t be happier. The 6speed is a joy to drive despite what all the “experts” say about it.
@@db6006 You are SO right! That "hill holder" is a huge pain. I have actually stalled the car twice ... both because of the hill hold. My BMW motorcycle has that same "great" feature and it too has stalled me out. I no longer mind the infotainment system. Overall, the car is a scream. (I did get a tune ... wow.)
Quick tip trick: Tap the warm and cold temperature slider at the same time for easy access to the seat heaters. So much easier! Also, if you tap the map lights and hold, they will dim to your desired brightness. (assuming they're the same as the GTI as well)
I had the Golf R 2023 20th edition with the 6 speed manual. The clutch is not consistent and the poor linkage is more than noticeable. I traded it in for the 2024 Golf R with the DSG in my opinion the way to go. Stay safe
I’m glad I’m not only one that noticed that clutch pickup is not consistent as well. I’m better off getting an Integra Type S. The manual/clutch engagement in the DE5 (Integra Type S) is much better
interesting, mine seems to always the same and is quite immediate . I dont think it has as much feedback as my Honda but its never been inconsistent. One thing I do hate is the hill assist, its too agressive and I count 2 seconds before i engage the clutch on a hill.
Whats the best after market clutch for the golf re.i move shifting do t. Are about the half second or so computer launch control advantage e en a Grandma could pull off with the dsg Hondas and Acura are almost perfecta plus rev match shirt gate built strong but no no lift throttle shifting or launch control.. .vw has been improving the dsg every. Few years but tuber manual has no improvements in like 20+ years.
Very good review. I drove this year car and liked it a lot. I feel the DSG is a better match for the 2.0L turbo engine since it keeps you in boost better with the DSG fast shifts. All that being said, I bought my 04 R32 new and still drive it today. The normally aspirated V6 is real hard to beat
Don't you think you had some problems with the steering wheel being light ? It's strange. In other reviews I heard that steering is heavy enough in Golf 8R.
The Golf R pedals are well spaced for heel toe?? The gas pedal is too far “down” compared to the brake is too far “up”. One of the hardest to heel toe imo.
I have the 2024. It has software version 1939. In the version i have you can turn off the screen proximity features. It’s also not laggy…at all. There is maybe a beat when tapping FF/Rewind while listening to Music/podcasts via CarPlay and when I say a “beat” I Mean your finger is still touching the screen. After seeing all the reviews RE the infotainment..I thought it would suck…I can’t speak for the prior year models/software, but in my 2024 I love the infotainment…the Haptic Touch and how clean the cockpit is. There are dedicated touch buttons for the climate control, driving mode & driving assist. The car is absolutely LOADED with features. The perforated leather seats are AMAZING to touch & very comfortable. Honestly my only gripes are that on each start up the car defaults to the “Sport” mode. The 2nd is the on every start up the “Start/Stop” mode defaults to ON . However it’s not a big deal to configure these things when getting ready to drive. It’s kinda like you’re getting ready to fly a plane or a rocket ship. The “Start/Stop” is easily turned off esp if you have them in the short cuts menu section. And like I said previously The driving mode has a dedicated button. So neither are a big deal IMO The car is so fun to drive…the “Launch” mode is almost obscene it’s so fun(break in the engine before trying it).
I went to buy one (2024) but cancelled after hearing the sound system. Its terrible. Sound cheap and thin. They spent money on that touch screen and its pretty equilizer instead of good speakers. The previous Fender system was excellent. Otherwise love this car.
I hate the blue calipers, and there is no option for red. Only 3 available colors for the car. Piano black interior panels. It's a frustrating but still desirable car to consider. Damnit VW.
unfortunately mines been at the dealer 3x with less than 280 miles, they can’t figure out all the electrical issues, replaced lighting modules front and rear, turn signals, radar modules, camera modules, headlights won’t turn off etc… don’t get me started on the user interfaces. besides that it was fun to drive for the 2 weeks I did have it. 😔 think I’m going to the Integra S for 5k more if they lemon it.
I used to have a MK7 R and I considered getting one of these but the laggy infotainment and touch buttons completely turned me off. I even rented a MK8 GTI for a week to see if I could live with that interior setup and it just sucked... and that says a lot considering I was at the end of a 3 year Tesla model 3 lease with all touch screen controls. The issue I had was that the VW infotainment and controls were poorly laid out and tesla's infotainment is easy to understand and quickly navigate and the lower portion of the screen has quick access commonly used functions meaning you only have to take your eyes off the road for a split second (same as any other physical button interior) Also, everyone heaps praises on the EA888 and CTR engines for their power output but lets not forget that Volvo are putting a 315hp turbo 4 in their T8 vehicles as well and the hybrids also get a 150hp EV motor.
i like this mk8 more in this color i was not a fan of the new front end cause it doesnt look like the golf we all know anymore they made it look like a newer audi front end with a vw body. im not a fan of the newer styling on all the vw/audi cars. i love the tt but its gone now and i would love the rs7 if they would stop making sports cars 4 door i hate that. people want rs models 2 door thats why they buy sports cars nobody wants 4 door and if they do it should be optional not forced. im looking into getting a newer model tts or golf r maybe even a honda i dont know what to go for tired of the high cost of repair and maintenance on my mk1 tt 225 ts never ending money
First, the manual is overrated. Second, I ignore 'delete' item cars completely. If I buy a premium line car, I don't expect to be missing anything. It defeats the purpose. Third, the DSG has slightly more power and faster and other reviewers have commented that the steering feel can be adjusted. The car does need to add Brembo brakes to be taken seriously. Hopefully, future Golfs will update that and the depressing gray interior with more warmer contrasting interior colors. @8:30 I hate integrated headrest seat (race car seats) in cars. There's no such thing as 'one size fits all.' A silly trend, but acceptable as long as its an option. The Germans do love their gray. I always wanted an R Tiguan but that version never made it to the states. Europeans have the advantage of getting an "R" version across the entire product line. But here in North American we only get the Golf R. BTW, don't confuse R with R-Line a completely different configuration that looks only without the performance. Not sure why VW chose to make things so confusing like that. But it is, what it is.
@@thebrassbandit Oh, I was stoked to get it for sure, had plans to mod the heck out of it but the thing wouldn’t start after a car wash one day and it was in service for over a month and a half. They couldn’t quite identify the issue, corporate jerked me around, with only 400 miles on the car I wanted full clarity and answers. They weren’t open about what the issue was entirely, that’s why I sued them. After joining forums, I saw issue after issue across the board with everything from the tech to the engine itself.. mine was mechanical, frankly I was done with it and ready to move on.
@@LateNightDateNight thanks for your responses. I ask so much because this is currently the top contender of the vehicle's I've looked at with regards to features/price point, as it would be my first ever off the lot vehicle. I want a hot hatch, specifically an AWD one, to daily but also be able to have some oomph should I desire it. The Corolla GR is the only other option I could find, and it's almost unobtanium and where I can find one. about 8k more than the Golf R, and personally I found it less comfortable. Would you be able to direct me to the forums you were in so I could read more about it?
Dunno where you're at but near me in Canada it's a unicorn. I've never seen any driving around, and only seen one in stock near me and it was about $6k more than the Golf R with DSG. $7k more than the 6spd Golf R. Produces less power, granted with a smaller engine, but somehow gets the same fuel economy, or less if comparing to the DSG Golf. And less comfortable, in my subjective opinion.
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GREAT REVIEW!!! I purchased a 2024 Manual Golf R about two months ago. I shopped several "competitors." Road & Track and Motor Trend didn't do the Golf R any favors. I wanted a "4 door hot hatch." I wanted an ICE, manual transmission, AWD, and a crazy-fun everyday driver. I am a 62 year old litigation attorney who drives a Gen 1 Ford Raptor and some great motorcycles when I'm not going to Court. At 62, I don't need BMWs or Mercedes to put on airs for clients. All I need is a fun car I can enjoy and tell clients who pay me lots of money, why the car is GREAT.
The Civic R looks great but is a bit childish. The seats are great if you are a spoiled 17 year old on a cocaine diet or a 22 year old RUclipsr trying to get enough views to buy coke. For me? The seats are a "daily driver deal breaker." The sight lines from those seats are awful. That's AWFUL. You want to sit in those seats on the way to court?? I'll ride in on my BMW R 1250 RT, beat you by 20 minutes and not walk into court hunchbacked. Amazingly, the CIVIC R -- marketed as the "lowest priced car in the class" -- is really the most expensive car in the class. I spoke to more than 10 Honda and 10 Acura dealers. I found one Acura dealer willing to sell at MSRP. I found 1 Honda dealer willing to sell below the Acura's MSRP. When Honda boasts about resale value consider the fact that most high-end Hondas were never really available for MSRP.
The Corolla? Did I mention I am 62? The VW is understated. The Corolla is childish. Still, the car is fun to drive. The 3 cylinders are maxed out at 300 HP. This is the best a 3 cylinder car will ever be. Don't dream of a tune or anything else. If you don't say OMG on the test drive, you never will. To Toyota's credit, you CAN find even this fun offering at MSRP.
The Acura Integra is a good looking car. I loved it. It is not "the boy racer" the Civic is. The seats are WAY more comfortable than the Civic R seats. For comfort, they compare to the VW, for lateral support and visibility, they lose badly to the VW R.
What do you want in a car?? The Civic and Acura are 18 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the VW R. The VW R is way smaller, way easier to park, and provides way better visibility. (The seats provide better support than the seats in the Integra.)
Whoops. I admit it. I put a Stage 1 tune on my VW Golf R. The Corolla is as distant memory. The stock Civic R or Acura Integra S will never be AWD.
I have owned an Acura and loved it. I have owned a Civic and loved it. I have owned and maintained two VWs with mixed results. I am no VW fanboy.
The 2024 manual Golf R is fun to drive than any car I have ever owned.
my friend, you are making my choice more difficult! I'm 64 and debating between the manual and dsg...I like the way you think might just go 6speed!
@@emiliodaloisio3312 if you want the engagement of a MT go 6spd. I'm coming off of 20 years on a MT's and have other MT cars and love it, but went with the 24 R DSG and it's awesome. I was worried about missing the MT but the DSG is way better than any auto in this class and punches up.
@@emiliodaloisio3312I bought a 2024 6 speed Golf R a few months ago also. (I’m 52.) Go for the 6 speed! Be warned that it has a very invasive hill holder on the clutch that is maddening. Besides the infotainment mess, it’s the only thing I dislike about this car.
Went with the manual R in black sunroof and carbon package. Couldn’t be happier. The 6speed is a joy to drive despite what all the “experts” say about it.
@@db6006 You are SO right! That "hill holder" is a huge pain. I have actually stalled the car twice ... both because of the hill hold. My BMW motorcycle has that same "great" feature and it too has stalled me out. I no longer mind the infotainment system. Overall, the car is a scream. (I did get a tune ... wow.)
Quick tip trick: Tap the warm and cold temperature slider at the same time for easy access to the seat heaters. So much easier!
Also, if you tap the map lights and hold, they will dim to your desired brightness. (assuming they're the same as the GTI as well)
IMO this has no competition, it’s king
There are faster and better handling hatches, but the Golf R is by far the best compromise in performance, comfort and usability.
@@krane15 it’s king and no, at its price and below nothing is quicker, new
@krane15 literally what car is faster and handles better in this segment? Oh wait. None
100% facts!!!
@@Aj-yn3pj big facts
Love the attention to detail in the smaller features captured in a really nice format
The 24 has folding mirrors
I had the Golf R 2023 20th edition with the 6 speed manual. The clutch is not consistent and the poor linkage is more than noticeable. I traded it in for the 2024 Golf R with the DSG in my opinion the way to go. Stay safe
I’m glad I’m not only one that noticed that clutch pickup is not consistent as well. I’m better off getting an Integra Type S. The manual/clutch engagement in the DE5 (Integra Type S) is much better
@@bm717252 The Acura Integra S it's a premium enthusiast vehicle, I would get that one over the Civic Type R
interesting, mine seems to always the same and is quite immediate . I dont think it has as much feedback as my Honda but its never been inconsistent. One thing I do hate is the hill assist, its too agressive and I count 2 seconds before i engage the clutch on a hill.
Surprisingly enough the DSG model also comes with that hill assist feature.
Whats the best after market clutch for the golf re.i move shifting do t. Are about the half second or so computer launch control advantage e en a Grandma could pull off with the dsg
Hondas and Acura are almost perfecta plus rev match shirt gate built strong but no no lift throttle shifting or launch control..
.vw has been improving the dsg every. Few years but tuber manual has no improvements in like 20+ years.
Very good review. I drove this year car and liked it a lot. I feel the DSG is a better match for the 2.0L turbo engine since it keeps you in boost better with the DSG fast shifts. All that being said, I bought my 04 R32 new and still drive it today.
The normally aspirated V6 is real hard to beat
FYI the manual has 280 lbft, not 295
Just trade in my GR Corolla for a MK8R mt
, I'm done with the cheap interior
Don't you think you had some problems with the steering wheel being light ? It's strange. In other reviews I heard that steering is heavy enough in Golf 8R.
For the light steering wheel if its in race with the esc/stability disabled the wheel gets heavier.
Not sport, but off
Them getting rid of the manual sucks, but I guess people aren’t buying them.
The Golf R pedals are well spaced for heel toe?? The gas pedal is too far “down” compared to the brake is too far “up”. One of the hardest to heel toe imo.
Agreed
@@nikolaibonnkarovsky6621GR corolla worse
I love the R.....but its sad the audio system is lacking when compared to the Civic Type R and Acura Integra Type S.
I have the 2024. It has software version 1939. In the version i have you can turn off the screen proximity features. It’s also not laggy…at all. There is maybe a beat when tapping FF/Rewind while listening to Music/podcasts via CarPlay and when I say a “beat” I Mean your finger is still touching the screen. After seeing all the reviews RE the infotainment..I thought it would suck…I can’t speak for the prior year models/software, but in my 2024 I love the infotainment…the Haptic Touch and how clean the cockpit is. There are dedicated touch buttons for the climate control, driving mode & driving assist.
The car is absolutely LOADED with features. The perforated leather seats are AMAZING to touch & very comfortable.
Honestly my only gripes are that on each start up the car defaults to the “Sport” mode. The 2nd is the on every start up the “Start/Stop” mode defaults to ON . However it’s not a big deal to configure these things when getting ready to drive. It’s kinda like you’re getting ready to fly a plane or a rocket ship. The “Start/Stop” is easily turned off esp if you have them in the short cuts menu section. And like I said previously The driving mode has a dedicated button. So neither are a big deal IMO
The car is so fun to drive…the “Launch” mode is almost obscene it’s so fun(break in the engine before trying it).
I went to buy one (2024) but cancelled after hearing the sound system. Its terrible. Sound cheap and thin. They spent money on that touch screen and its pretty equilizer instead of good speakers. The previous Fender system was excellent. Otherwise love this car.
Sadly this things markups is still crazy , just went to look at some and they wanted 10k over sticker in a 2023
Engine is more rated at 350hp they actually make a little over 300 at the wheels
The R does not have a LSD up front. It is a Brake vectoring system.
Nice video! Yes this is still the king! Mine Mk8R is 3 years now, and i can´t find still a better car!. Love it!...now tune time! :)
I hate the blue calipers, and there is no option for red. Only 3 available colors for the car. Piano black interior panels. It's a frustrating but still desirable car to consider. Damnit VW.
Price is a bit ridiculous almost 50k plus manual going away? What is vw thinking?
57 K where I live. Way too much!
Manual is a full second slower lol
unfortunately mines been at the dealer 3x with less than 280 miles, they can’t figure out all the electrical issues, replaced lighting modules front and rear, turn signals, radar modules, camera modules, headlights won’t turn off etc…
don’t get me started on the user interfaces.
besides that it was fun to drive for the 2 weeks I did have it. 😔
think I’m going to the Integra S for 5k more if they lemon it.
what year your car is ?
Try changing a flat tyre with no spare wheel or jack.......dealer said tyres are "fun flats"......which is bull shit
Unfortunately, eventually, your going to have carbon build up on the backside of your intake valves due too no port injection.
You mean just like every other north American direct injection car? Ever. Lol
Yup that's exactly right, unfortunately
@@XxGrahameCrackerxX
Okay, you can get that cleaned very easily
It sounds like the shifter is a little clunky? Or is that just how it sounds on the video?
Sunroof-delete for the win!
I used to have a MK7 R and I considered getting one of these but the laggy infotainment and touch buttons completely turned me off. I even rented a MK8 GTI for a week to see if I could live with that interior setup and it just sucked... and that says a lot considering I was at the end of a 3 year Tesla model 3 lease with all touch screen controls. The issue I had was that the VW infotainment and controls were poorly laid out and tesla's infotainment is easy to understand and quickly navigate and the lower portion of the screen has quick access commonly used functions meaning you only have to take your eyes off the road for a split second (same as any other physical button interior)
Also, everyone heaps praises on the EA888 and CTR engines for their power output but lets not forget that Volvo are putting a 315hp turbo 4 in their T8 vehicles as well and the hybrids also get a 150hp EV motor.
i like this mk8 more in this color i was not a fan of the new front end cause it doesnt look like the golf we all know anymore they made it look like a newer audi front end with a vw body. im not a fan of the newer styling on all the vw/audi cars. i love the tt but its gone now and i would love the rs7 if they would stop making sports cars 4 door i hate that. people want rs models 2 door thats why they buy sports cars nobody wants 4 door and if they do it should be optional not forced. im looking into getting a newer model tts or golf r maybe even a honda i dont know what to go for tired of the high cost of repair and maintenance on my mk1 tt 225 ts never ending money
the steering is the best ma CHANGE MODES
First, the manual is overrated. Second, I ignore 'delete' item cars completely. If I buy a premium line car, I don't expect to be missing anything. It defeats the purpose.
Third, the DSG has slightly more power and faster and other reviewers have commented that the steering feel can be adjusted. The car does need to add Brembo brakes to be taken seriously. Hopefully, future Golfs will update that and the depressing gray interior with more warmer contrasting interior colors.
@8:30 I hate integrated headrest seat (race car seats) in cars. There's no such thing as 'one size fits all.' A silly trend, but acceptable as long as its an option. The Germans do love their gray.
I always wanted an R Tiguan but that version never made it to the states. Europeans have the advantage of getting an "R" version across the entire product line. But here in North American we only get the Golf R.
BTW, don't confuse R with R-Line a completely different configuration that looks only without the performance. Not sure why VW chose to make things so confusing like that. But it is, what it is.
Actually they make the same power and the DSG makes more torque. And it can handle it unlike the manual
This dude has been in the car for how many reviews and still hasnt figured out how to use the screen and touch points 😂
Awesome car… my local dealer has one for 15k over msrp-what a fn joke
You said “Clubman” and showed a Countryman.
Because of the manual going away, the 2024 Golf R may be the last VW I ever buy.
German cars are just better in every possible way
Biggest hunk of shit I’ve ever purchased. Thing lemoned after 400 miles, had to sue to get my money back and I’d never buy another VW again. The end 😂
What broke on it? I ask because it seems 8 months ago you were super happy with it.
@@thebrassbandit Oh, I was stoked to get it for sure, had plans to mod the heck out of it but the thing wouldn’t start after a car wash one day and it was in service for over a month and a half. They couldn’t quite identify the issue, corporate jerked me around, with only 400 miles on the car I wanted full clarity and answers. They weren’t open about what the issue was entirely, that’s why I sued them. After joining forums, I saw issue after issue across the board with everything from the tech to the engine itself.. mine was mechanical, frankly I was done with it and ready to move on.
@@LateNightDateNight out of curiosity was yours a 2024 as well?
@@thebrassbandit Yes, 2024 Lapiz Blue R. Almost went with the 20 Anniversary but wanted the sun roof
@@LateNightDateNight thanks for your responses. I ask so much because this is currently the top contender of the vehicle's I've looked at with regards to features/price point, as it would be my first ever off the lot vehicle. I want a hot hatch, specifically an AWD one, to daily but also be able to have some oomph should I desire it. The Corolla GR is the only other option I could find, and it's almost unobtanium and where I can find one. about 8k more than the Golf R, and personally I found it less comfortable. Would you be able to direct me to the forums you were in so I could read more about it?
Not worth the money. Corolla gr all day
Dunno where you're at but near me in Canada it's a unicorn. I've never seen any driving around, and only seen one in stock near me and it was about $6k more than the Golf R with DSG. $7k more than the 6spd Golf R. Produces less power, granted with a smaller engine, but somehow gets the same fuel economy, or less if comparing to the DSG Golf.
And less comfortable, in my subjective opinion.
The GR Corolla is inferior to this 😂😂