Used 2017 Volkswagen Golf R Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Scary quick.
rpeyw1@gmail.com, 02/10/2017
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
18 of 18 people found this review helpful
This vehicle has interested me for almost 2 years. When the 2017 came out with DCC, I started a little more research and decided to pull the plug. The ride home from the dealership on I-95 left a smile on my face until the next day, when I got an even bigger smile after understanding more about the systems. The car is scary quick, and goes exactly where you point it. The seats are very comfortable, even after spending over 4 hours in the vehicle on the second day. The tech may be a little intimidating at first, as the vehicle has almost every conceivable bit of information at your finger tips. VW's carnet blows away Onstar. The fender sound system is absolutely outstanding. I leased mine because of my previous experience with VW products. They all developed "issues" around 60K miles. Assuming this vehicle hangs with me, I will probably buy it outright at the end of my lease. There is supposed to be a limited quantity of these this year. I say if you can find one, drive it, and you will smile like a lil kid. Hatchbacks are not everyone's cup of tea, but if you are a hatchback type of person, IMHO, this one is very hard to beat. Happy motoring!
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2017 rrrrrrrrr is a true pirates car
Alan, 10/18/2016
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
21 of 22 people found this review helpful
I love my new golf R! I was skeptical at first even with all the reviews, however after I test drove the car I was hooked. The car moves like a rocket, but holds the road tight. The 19 inch tires are wonderful,and I bought a set of 17 inch snows that will come in handy here in the northeast. The fender sound system is better than most, and the ability to switch driving modes from comfort to race really makes a difference.I can truly say this is a great car to drive and enjoy!
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2017 Volkswagen Golf R for sale near you
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A real "Q" ship
75 year old car lover, 02/20/2017
updated 02/22/2019
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
20 of 22 people found this review helpful
The Golf R is a car that many just can't understand. $41K for a mere VW Golf? It's certainly no chick magnet regardless of color. And it's not designed to cosset the boss on a ride to a sales appointment. But like the mundane-appearing WW II freighters that packed hidden heavy guns, it is a real "Q ship." For those who value performance , it equals or exceeds more than a few so-called sports-cars. Compare its acceleration, handling, and braking statistics, for example, to those of the last generation C5 Corvette. While equipped with the same engine and transmission as the Audi S3 and TTS, it sells for thousands less with fit and finish to match. Unlike some ostensibly competitive "hot hatches," it doesn't beat you up in daily driving. It's as quiet as many popular sedans, it absorbs road irregularities with aplomb, and provides all the convenience of a four-door hatchback that can haul all kinds of stuff home from Best Buy and Home Depot. Oh yes, it's not perfect. The video screen is simply too small and the lack of an automatic garage door opener is inexplicable. Similarly, I very much dislike the car's inability to run the navigation system without having to listen to the radio. The new adaptive cruise control is terrific, but the lane-keeping system needs a good bit of work. Whatever you, do not compare this car to the previous generation Golf-R. Having just sold my 2012 R, I can say without the slightest hesitation, it's vastly better, particularly in NVH. The car's greatest problem are its beautiful, very light alloy wheels. They simply are not sufficiently strong to withstand the potholes of late Midwestern winters. And at a replacement cost of $800 a wheel, that's not a trivial issue. Additionally, VW needs to do some work with its proximity warning system and integrated navigation system. Unless you turn it off completely, there is no way to shut off the proximity system's warning sound, which most times remains on far too long. Similarly, there is no way to use the navigation system without also having the radio running. Honda's figured that one out, VW should, too.
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Performance, comfort, luxury, & practicality
Chris Stiles, 05/09/2017
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
6 months of ownership in Lapiz Blue, DSG, & dynamic chassis control, and overall I'm very satisfied. A hoot to drive, very fast, excellent grip, reasonably luxurious, stops on a dime, & practical. Handled well in snow with high performance all season tires. An Audi S3 for $4500 less. The Fender audio is excellent, but my entertainment & navigation shut down and required a dealer refresh to get it back up again. For $40K this car should have a Homelink garage door opener, LED tail lights, and a sunroof should be an option since the interior is black, dark & serious. An open roof would give the car a more airy interior. And how come the center console is bolted shut? Makes no sense and the dealer was unaware & of zero help. But other than these minor gripes, this car is special and exclusive. Hope it proves reliable. Highly recommended if you can strike a good deal.
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Great car with one big design flaw
nital1, 12/12/2017
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
This is a true driver's hatch. However, there is one major design flaw that has resulted in my poor review. Note that the front lower corners are openings which offer no protection to the components behind. I have experienced, and so have others incidences where roadside debris punctures the radiator resulting in a broken car. Recommend buyers keep this in mind - there are several workarounds for this but not something that is part of the original design.
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Broken engine before 2nd Oil Change
Nelson, 02/14/2018
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
27 of 41 people found this review helpful
We bought our 2017 Golf R as a weekend/road trip car and I was super satisfied with it's performance. I babied it for the first couple thousand miles as advised and I was very meticulous about maintenance, well I finally decided to give it a nice spirited drive on the highway on a late Saturday night. BIG MISTAKE!!! It had exactly 7,701 miles on the odometer as I did a full throttle acceleration from 40 mph, we heard a few loud POPS, I immediately let off the gas, and as I pulled over it sounded like a bunch of rocks in a clothes dryer! I towed it to the dealership the following Monday, I was told the engine block cracked severely!! Well I was confident thinking my warranty would cover a new block when VW decides to VOID MY WARRANTY!!! They lied and said I had an aftermarket tune that was not covered! A complete lie. I had no modifications done, everything was stock but they say otherwise. I currently have a lawyer fighting VW for me as I don't plan on making these big car payments for a horrible product stuck in my garage! plus we put a big down payment to drive it off the lot! It's already been 3 months, hopefully my problem gets resolved soon.
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Just an absolute riot
Bill Iannopolis, 04/20/2017
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I cross shopped this with much more expensive cars. Once I started driving it, I was blown away. It's quick, but not incredibly fast. It handles, but isn't the best handling car. That being said...it all blends together into an incredibly balanced and engaging vehicle that makes driving to work a rush. The interior is beautifully finished. The seats are comfortable and the nav has some fun features. The stereo is pretty damn good. Not really able to point out a fault.
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Performance, comfort, luxury, & practicality
Chris Stiles, 05/09/2017
updated 11/12/2018
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
6 months of ownership in Lapiz Blue, DSG, & dynamic chassis control, and overall I'm very satisfied. A hoot to drive, fast, excellent grip, reasonably luxurious, stops on a dime, & practical. Handled well in snow with high performance all season tires. An Audi S3 for $4500 less. The Fender audio is excellent, but my entertainment & navigation shut down and required a dealer refresh to get it back up again. For $40K this car should have a Homelink garage door opener, LED tail lights, and a sunroof should be an option since the interior is black, dark & serious. An open roof would give the car a more airy interior. And how come the center console is bolted shut? Makes no sense and the dealer was unaware & of no help. But other than minor gripes, this car is special and exclusive. Hope it proves reliable. Highly recommended if you can strike a good deal. 2 years and 15K on the odometer. Car has been reliable but I haven’t put many miles on it either. Balance of performance & practicality is hard to beat. Still highly recommend this car.
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Beast !
DAVID OLLIFF, 03/18/2018
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
So much fun!......great sound system.....fast.......nice fit and finish.....great fuel economy.
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A total blast
Andrew Wilson, 06/12/2017
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Have had it for 5 months and enjoyed every minute. More comfortable and practical in day to day driving than I had expected and even more fun than expected when driving for fun. All round a great car.
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Little Wolf in Sheeps Clothing
Bull, 02/08/2018
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The Dealer network is horrible, But this is one of the best cars I ever owned. I owned all the german makes (spent well over 100K on many cars) and this is the most fun, I have put another 10K in performance mods and it's amazing.
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Great car
Mike, 06/03/2019
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Bought my R brand new November 2016 I have 24,000 miles on it now zero problems. It is a very comfortable car with all the upgrades and it is fast. 2 1/2 years later still puts a smile on my face.
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5 years and 130k km
They, 02/15/2023
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Bought it brand new in 2017 DSG, reflashed the ECU +TCU with stage 1 from Eurodyne right in the dealer lot, until 2023, now being catless and Stage 2, goes like a charm with no issues. Keep up with maintenance, change the oil every 8-10k km or yearly, you wont have cam phasers issues. Flush out the haldex and clean the filter, you wont have Haldex pump issues Flush out the DSG fluid and filter, you wont have issues. The DSG is (roughly in laymens) a manual transmission that's computer operated. It does not have a torque converter. If you buy this hoping its going to be smooth and buttery like your common CVT or Drum shifted transmission, just keep away from these cars. Put OEM parts for goodness sake. I work in this industry, for Honda. Let me tell you, OEM parts aren't cheaper at Honda or any other brands. And guess what, they always work on the first try and lasts just as long, if not longer than the one you just replaced. Through the time, i've had to replace the thermostat housing (under warrenty) at like 80k km A rear wheel bearing (warrenty) at like 80k km The rest like brakes, fluids and spark plugs are just part of normal maintenance you will find with every other car brand. Fender sound system is amazing if you dont blast your ears off like a 15y/o that discovered the bass boosting slider in his 2008 Accord. Maybe the Android auto is a bit wierd at times, did have some, now I say SOME entertainement unit crashes while using Android Auto, but its so random and rare, that I may blame it on my old Samsung. Oh yeah, if you want the right to be a bit less harsh, treat yourself on a nice set of lightweight 17inch wheels, with a matching proper set of tires, any potholes that you hit with the 19" will make you cringe so hard your ears will bleed. The DCC works fine, I just drive it in "Race" 99% of the time, i'm not the gadget type of guy really. In the snow this car is great, the Haldex is a bit random some times. On the same turns at the same speeds, depending on throttle input and how hard you are, sometimes you get understeer and sometimes you get oversteer. BUT you eventually get used to this and can make this kinda predictable.
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I really love this thing
M5 on the A5, 03/14/2023
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is an amazing experience. One of the most enjoyable performance cars with a strong helping of practicality. Never fails to put a smile on my face. I look for excuses to drive it. I have driven a lot of sports cars and have some background doing this. Ranging from renting a new 600HP M5 covering long distances at top speed on the Autobahn to local auto cross events and track days. I also get groceries, go on road trips and commute to work in snow storms. This is not the fastest, however it will hang with some pretty serious cars and is an exceptional daily driver. The flexibility if this car is amazing. Want to go fast, it does. Exceptional handling with adaptive suspension or soften it up for a drive with your boss. Haul furniture, just put down the seats. Need to stop quick, it looks like they pulled the brakes off a F150, they are huge. Want great gas mileage for a fast car that is driven hard all day, no problem. How about a drive in a snow storm in Minneapolis, just get a second set of wheels and some dedicated snow tires and let the all wheel drive go to work. It is awesome. Feeling like a normal experience leave the default settings. Want to go fast, a quick flick of a button in to race mode and here we go. This is a feather weight experience, light and nimble, it is no Hellcat. The DSG dual clutch is amazing, faster and better than a manual (I never thought I would utter those words). And to be clear, no a modern automatic is NOT better. Also, at 80k miles it has just been standard maintenance items, no real repairs needed. Still tight, fast and no unusual rattles. Great paint, interior is holding up very well. Looks nearly new. Usually after 5 years I get the itch to get a new car. No thanks, I still love this thing.
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Fun car
Ron, 04/02/2017
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 5 people found this review helpful
Great car
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A Rocket
Mr Bullet , 07/28/2020
updated 08/02/2021
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This Car is Almost Perfect
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Best car in its class!
40 Roller, 06/28/2022
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Volkswagen's top performing car is a delight to drive. AWD, adaptive cruise and semi-autonomous driving means this car will almost drive itself. Coupled with the DSG transmission this car moves from a dig. Rated at 292hp this turbo 4 delivers with its IS38 engine. Turbo is strong mid-range and keep pulling all the way through the powerband. .5 seconds then the Audi S3 on the track. There is another level once you really start to rock and roll over 200kph. Handling grips hard around corners and even the Extreme Contacts from Continental perform admirably. There is so much technology on this vehicle and the cockpit and interior is better then the Audi S3. Infotainment system could be better but the Fender audio is perfect! Strangely this car comes with no spare tire in the trunk but they do give you a compressor. If you live near snow or can head to the hills in January for some snow, this car handles incredibly well with no issues.
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Quieter and better build quality than Subaru WRX
Roger, 06/18/2023
2017 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Comfortable, fast, fun and beautiful leather seats. The fuel tank only holds about 12 gallons but if you drive it sensibly expect 28 mpg. Using the fun pedal gives you 20.
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Awesome hot hatch
Jkooler, 09/11/2023
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have been a Subaru WRX/STI owner since 2003. When they stopped making the 5 door I had to find another car and the Golf R is a step up in all categories. The technology is all newer, the car is finished better and the automatic transmission with paddle shifters is faster and crisper shifting than I can do! I am able to pull extra performance out the an APR Stage 2 tune for the engine and transmission. A joy to drive!
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Man, what fun!!!
kirkGolfR, 03/08/2017
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
I struggled over the decision to spend so much for a car of this type but SO glad I did. I had a 93 Corrado SLC that was awesome... this is the 2017 Star Wars version of that with more storage. It flys, stops on a dime, creature comforts are incredible.
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Golf R
Ken Brenner, 06/23/2017
2017 Volkswagen Golf R w/DCC and Navigation 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
This could be the best sleeper care on the road. Looks are classic, performance is outstanding and technology is great. Driving is just plain fun, shifting through the gears feeling the pull of acceleration while handling the road like it's on rails. This is the best car I have owned. It also can be tuned and modified to your hearts content.
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