Used 2013 Volkswagen Golf R Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2013 Golf R, so we've included reviews for other years of the Golf R since its last redesign.
A magnificent true driver's car
JT Noonan, 05/16/2016
updated 11/28/2016
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
I did a lot of research on the R, including comparing the 2012/2013 model mk6 with the current mk7. I bought a used mk6 with 21k miles for about $12k less than a new one and I couldn't be happier. The AWD is fantastic, especially in cornering. It has plenty of power, any more and you run the risk of multiple speeding tickets. The 6 speed is the best I've ever used. The turbo sound is beautiful. The pervasive criticism of the mk6 R has been mainly that it should do more and offer more, such as offering a DSG transmission (as in Europe), more aggressive styling and the ability to turn off stability control and more HP. Not for me. I'm not going to take it to the track. I hate automatics (even DSG's) and I prefer the understated styling. I want people to think it's just a Golf. Further, the new mk7 doesn't offer a sunroof (my mk6 does) and has limited and basic colors to choose from (none that I liked). My dark grey/greenish understated R mk6 is perfect. My only complaint is that there is no basic USB (why they put in a proprietary MIDI cable I don't know). The integration with iPhone could have been done better, even in 2012. Sat/Nav is acceptable. The sound quality is superb, however. This is a driver's car for old school manual transmission enthusiasts that enjoy *the art* of driving, more than just shaving .5 seconds off 0-60 that a DSG would give you.
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Hole in one
hadalotofcars, 10/26/2012
2012 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
For me, when it comes to driving a smaller car, I used to get nervous - poor performance coupled with inexpensive looks and low-end interiors. I reluctantly paid the premium for the Golf R Nav 4-Dr. After trekking home 8 hours from 3 states away, sleeping off the payment shock, and ignoring the guilt, I am relieved that I adore the car.
2013 Volkswagen Golf R for sale near you
Showing 3 of 17 listings
- Base 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $17,995344 mi away
- Base 4dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, NavigationMSRP: $13,805425 mi away
- Base 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $18,400430 mi away
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Down sizing to a Golf R has been pain free 4/25/12
mlc55, 04/26/2012
2012 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I've only had mine since Saturday 4/21/12 and it was a fluke that I got it. I believe is the first sold in AR. I've owned a '91 Galant VR4 (modded) and most recently an Infiniti FX45 so I'm not a stranger to powerful AWD cars, but both past cars lacked in handling. I was looking at a WRX but it seemed cheap inside. This Golf is very nice fit & finish inside, handles really well, and eagerly accelerates, redline comes quick. I don't really notice any noisiness, have used the bluetooth featurewith the windows down while winding out 4th gear. I didn't really need a GPS, Sunroof, or dynaudio. The carbon steel gray metallic paint give's it that serious machine look. This is my new daily driver.
Lives up to its reviews ...
bwilken, 01/28/2012
2012 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
16 of 21 people found this review helpful
I just drove home in a fully loaded Type R. It's everything I expected. While I'll wait a bit before sticking my foot in the firewall, the car seems to get up and go pretty much as reviewers have reported. Handling, fit and finish are great too. Ride is pretty much comparable to my Mercedes 350SLK, firm but not punishing. The user interface to the car's nav, stereo, etc. is first rate, better thought out than my Audi's MMI. I'm hard pressed to figure, however, why VW failed to include a Homelink transmitter.
6 Years in and still love it
rUBlue, 08/26/2018
2012 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I've owned my R for 6 years now and still adore it. I drove it off the lot for 35.5k, which was tough to find since dealers were not budging much on this model. The performance, the styling, the hatchback functionality, build quality, it's is all there (as it should be for the price). The design spanks anything in its class, (looking at you Subaru, EVO, Ford RS, Honda Type-R etc...) At the time VW was only releasing this model every 4 years so as an owner, it's been cool to drive a car that I don't see at every other turn like most cars in LA. The interior of the car is very spacious, fits 5 adults easily, excellent for very tall drivers and yet still maintains a short footprint making it easier to squeeze into tight spaces. This car has been so much fun to drive, it's been difficult to not get into trouble as this car can haul some ass. The AWD drive is a step up over any FWD, but could still use some tweaking, at times you still get some torque steer and it seems to kick in late on heavy cornering. There's a bit of turbo lag, due to its larger turbo but once you wind up the engine to 3500 RPM this thing is a beast! You need to be an experienced manual trans driver to get the most out of this car. There's a bit of body roll as well, but the sport suspension makes for a good balance of comfort and responsive handling which is important when driving in LA county's notoriously terrible roads. My sore points: some of the radio settings are buried under too many menus, the body roll, the not so perfect AWD, the seats aren't super comfortable for long hauls, the A/C temperature is only either cold or not, luckily there's many fan settings and vents to maneuver the air around, the electronic speed limiter :(. The car feels heavy and solid and the exhaust note although not obnoxious, can def get your blood pressure rising. As for maintenance, dealer handled the first 36k miles which made the first 3 years super easy. I recently had to replace the clutch slave cylinder at 55K, it was a dodgy plastic part (now made of metal), and was a real bear to replace, but other than that, the car has been rock solid and I have only had to replace wear n' tear items. I've been pleasantly surprised with its overall reliability, especially for a European car, and aside from the few complaints above, I still love my R and have no plans to get rid of it. This one is going to be a lifer.
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2013 Golf R
lovcars1, 04/24/2013
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 2dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
28 of 43 people found this review helpful
I love driving. And I'm getting older and need something more practical. Enter the Golf R. I've always enjoyed the practicality that hatchbacks offer and there are reasons why Golfs have sold so well. I have not been disappointed with her the past 2 months since I purchased it. Interior is excellent and offers everything I need and more. The drive quality is firm, but German. It corners nicely, and being 4wd it never scares and the tires let you know when you're on edge and about to break traction. It's predictable and its growl at highway speed is great. There is turbo lag but no torque steer--as expected since its 4wd. Nobody pulls up next to race. Only Golf GT/DI people know what it is.
This car is a blast to drive
peter emmons, 04/19/2016
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Buy the manual shift. I thought the automatic in my GTI was great, but this manual is much nicer and gives a better driving experience. The power and acceleration of the R is fantastic. Great comfort and relative fuel economy is an added bonus.
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I really want to love this car
Jacob, 09/03/2019
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I've been a Subaru STi fan for the past decade. On a whim, I decided to give this car a try. at the start it's pretty impressive compared to other cars in its market, very cush interior, nice feeling responsive steering and powerband. But after a few years of ownership, certain non-wear items started breaking for no apparent reason. The clutch is barely strong enough to manage stock power levels, and even with the APR stage 1 stock tune I noticed some occasional minor slippage in higher gears, no big deal really... The problem is the most "reasonable" upgrade/replacement that makes the car dependable again costs around $1500, and most VW dealerships will charge in the neighborhood of $2000 for installation. The non-wear items that I was referring to are the paint, which is apparently weaker than sketch paper, I have chipping galore, and 90% of my driving has been on city streets and highways. The entire roof lining has separated from the foam, and the crazy part is, apparently other R owners just know about this are are cool with it... the interior repair shops know modern VWs are notorious for this, and even the dealership admitted that it's pretty common in most models for this to happen. and the weirdest bit of unexpected wear is the rear bumper reflective marker just "fell out"... For real... I don't beat on this car, I don't race, I have no plausible explanation for what happened to this stupid little plastic piece, I just got home one day, was walking around my car and noticed something missing. Performance-wise, this car is awesome, it feels so great to romp on, the engine and transmission feel fantastic and respond positively to high revs. But it seems like everything else built around the powertrain is built with the lowest cost in mind... be prepared to be asking yourself how the hell "that" fell apart if you're willing to stick it out for the driving experience.
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Best all-around sports car
Charlie F. , 04/13/2020
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 2dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I can drive this 12 months a year. when others are parking their sports cars I am cruising around in the snow and ice.
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I won't grow up
Aaron Maas, 03/26/2016
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 2dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
The PERFECT commuter car. All the appearance of maturity but silly enough for any true car guy.
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the DNA of the MK1 rabbit.
ERNEST J, 06/22/2020
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
the golf R has a light feel when driving, sharp handling, quick turn in with the rear of the car changing direction quickly. the wheel base is correct. brakes are very good with no drama feel is good no fade. no problems with 50000 km tire wear is very good with the all wheel drive and no torque steer when driving the car hard. power is very good from idle to red line. the car is very good in corners and is stable. the real leather seats are all leather. not like other cars with leather centers and sides are pleather. door panels and dash steering wheel is high quality. I can not find anything bad to say. as for the others hatch back cars I see poor interior. torque steer. drive line problems. looking at other cars similar to the size with 4 tires and a steering wheel don't compare. the get in and drive the car is a pleasant mix of power handling fun to drive. ITS a car hard to compare. before you buy a CUV SUV drive this car it really sets the bar it very high.
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More like this, please.
Flyby, 01/04/2023
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The car has been rock solid reliable and a fun back road abuser. Yes, it's front-drive biased, but learning it's handling secrets reveals its true capabilities. As with any fwd car, do all your turning before your braking.
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Love the R
Kristian, 09/16/2023
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 2dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've owned my 2013 R since 2017. It had around 59,000 miles on it and was in excellent shape. This is easily the best car I've ever owned. I have owned a 2000 and 2007 GTI, a circa 1980's RX7 and a few other small quick automobiles. When I first learned about the R32 and later the R, I knew that I must have one. I find New England winters so much more fun in an AWD vehicle. I considered the WRX, but they are ugly AF and have poor interiors. And I'm just not the type to have a hood scoop on my car. The lines of the 2013 Golf R are simple and beautiful and I've found the 2L turbo to be somewhat bulletproof in my experience. After I bought the car I brought it to the local VW shop to have APR stage 1 installed. Funnily enough, the previous owner had already had it installed, but it had been shut off by the dealership for the sale. For only $200 they turned it on, and told me the engine should be making around 310 hp. Well, I simply love this car. It's quick as hell, corners like a dream, and surefooted in a way that my GTI's never were. Third gear on a freeway on ramp is a blast. Zero to 60, or better yet, 0 to 100 has never been so much fun. In a typical New Hampshire winter, I have had no problem driving anywhere under all conditions. I have never been stuck or stranded. One slight problem can be the ride height, when the snow reaches about 8-10 inches it can take some maneuvering to "steer" your way out of it. The interior is beautiful in my opinion, the Dynaudio system sounds great when playing off my Iphone. I'm now at about 125,000 miles and I haven't had any major maintenance issues. A poorly executed aftermarket exhaust by the previous owner started to fall apart, and replacing it with the stock exhaust set me back about $1400. The same year and model is currently selling for just about what I paid for it in 2017. I'm keeping this one for as long as I can. Happy Motoring!
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Fantastic Car
Alice, 12/30/2017
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 2dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I fell beyond in love with this car and would have kept it forever had I not needed more room for people in the back. I could go on forever with how much I loved it, just test drive on for yourself and fall in love on your own!
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2013 R20 4D
Kane, 11/22/2022
2013 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD w/Sunroof, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I always wanted an R, and was finally able to get a used one at a decent price. I have had a number of VW prior, but I go through cars fairly quickly, about a new one every 18 months or so. I've always purchased them new, so never really had any issues with them. This one is used, 6 years old. First few months was great. Then electrical issues killed my experience. Sunroof opening on its own, very bad if your car is parked and then it rains. O2 sensor issue, were the ECM can't read it, throws a CEL. Take it into the shop and apparently everything works as it should. New O2 sensor, $290! Pay hundreds just for troubleshooting, oh get that fixed, well how about it craps out again in a few months, hahaha. Battery dies, then somehow my headlight programming craps out and it now longer moves. Oy Vey... Engine power is the only thing that kept putting a smile on my face. Had to replace the clutch after going stage 1, OEM is so weak it so disappointing. The maintenance that needs to be done is so expensive just to do it yourself. If you plan on taking it to the shop get ready to fork over hundreds and hundreds of dollars for the simplest thing. New clutch, easily a grand for labor. Doing it yourself, you'll need a special tool for everything, and you would need new nuts and bolts. Everything for VW seems to need new bolts everytime you unscrew it.
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