Used 2016 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback Consumer Reviews
Used Golf R for sale
Screamin' T
B. Thurman, 11/17/2016
2016 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This car is a blast to drive and the best part about any VW turbo is they are extremely tunable. Out of the crate this car will surprise not only you but other drivers with how quick, and yet practical the R is. I put 19.5 wheels (VMR) on it with stock suspension and the stance and drive is great. Plus I went with a stage 1 APR tune with a CAI and if you think the R is fast off the showroom floor...when tuned it's how I envision. The VW engineers would do their own ride if the ban counters let them. Point being this is a quality ride, all around with great performance, with the option to be a true beast.
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Vroom: my VW Type R sizzles
Patrick, 11/01/2017
2016 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Exceptional fit & finish, DCC (6 speed auto) & VW 4 Motion (AWD) are sweet, 0-60 Times stock will rock your socks. Fender sound system fantastic. Drivers assistance package includes the latest tech advances: great! My only lament is it’s got a rough ride with factory rims and tires
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2016 Volkswagen Golf R for sale near you
Showing 3 of 21 listings
- Base 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $15,49686 mi away
- w/Dynamic Chassis Control and Navigation 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $23,995318 mi away
- w/Dynamic Chassis Control and Navigation 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $19,999310 mi away
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Retiree-owned R
WarpSpeed R, 10/03/2019
updated 04/14/2025
2016 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought my '16 R manual almost 4 years ago when I was still working. Coming from a 1st gen Mazdaspeed 3, I was a little disappointed in the power delivery. The red Speed 3 was raucous and in your face, plus it had a killer 2nd gear. The R felt sedate and tepid in 2nd gear by comparison. It took me only two weeks to return to the dealer to visit it's tuner division. An hour later, I drove out with an APR Stage 1 and the power deficit was instantly remediated! A few months later I noticed clutch slipping in higher gears, the price for the increased power. I waited another couple years, then returned to the tuner shop for an APR Stage 2 and a new Southbend Daily racing clutch plus APR intercooler, intake, and supporting hardware. At age 71, I feel as though the power is just right and it's reassuring to know the upgraded clutch will last forever. Now that I'm retired, I'm not driving nearly as much but enough to have fun. At just 50K miles and driving only about 100 miles a week, the car should last the rest of my expected life expectancy. The lesson learned is that if you're not satisfied with the R's performance, there are plenty of options to fix that. As for problems, there have been a few. Those included backup camera not working at times, balky window switch (fixed under warranty), oil leak in rear differential (differential replaced under warranty), ignition and spark plug coil failure, leaking water pump (replaced under warranty), and speed sensor failure causing dash warning lights to illuminate. Also, my speedo and tach backlights are very dim. In sum, this is not a cheap car to own and maintain but it's not bad for a near-supercar. A few months ago, I noted some deterioration of the clear coat on the rear spoiler and rotting of the weather seals around the front triangular corner windows. I tried to reapply some clear coat spray but that didn't turn out well. Other weather seals are showing serious deterioration. As a stop-gap measure, I applied some black auto body patching tape to those areas. Eventually I may take it to Carsmetics for a proper repair.
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