2023 Volkswagen Golf R Consumer Reviews
MSRP Starting at
$44,740
Save as much as $196
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Golf R, so we've included reviews for other years of the Golf R since its last redesign.
Germans common sense lost, trouble coming?
trai an, 05/26/2022
2022 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Good car but user experience destroyed by touch/swipe/wave controls. Touch screen, full one second latency mixed with rigid suspension means fifty-fifty chance of changing temp, air flow, media source or playlist etc on first try. And likely even then involving at least ten seconds of distraction from driving itself... Other half the time your finger lands just so that you touch something else (add time to get menu back) or en route your hand waved by another sensor, so by time finger reached screen it meets another menu, not one you wanted. Then the wheel, omg, purified disgrace of engineering and design. Holding both hands on in standard position but riding hard can make either right thumb base touch the wheel-heating touch-button (doesn't toggle on/off, have to cycle through four settings, same with seat heating, btw), or left thumb base touch and trigger driving mode change. So now you are out of your drive setting. And the fake/virtual display changed with that (different looks asigned to different driving modes). Like a teen on meth playing DJ for their fix. Graphic touch-based user interface with layered menus for a fast and hard driving mechanical construct where user is in unstable position. That's what held me back from buying electric, all those i tried had the plasma screen in the middle and touch GUI, did not see it coming that decent German engineering would give me same on 300hp stick driven hot hatch. Other functions acceptable but few hiccups present, not expected in price range: engine hood rubber dampener flying out of position every fifty miles or so; wireless phone charger overheats so much that the phone dies and base of stick shifter heats up; mirror not turning down on reverse though setting "on"; system not flagging low tire pressure repeatedly and on all wheels (as low as 29 psi from recommended 45). Manual shifter took about a thousand miles to flow and not stick, at five thousand miles now almost as good as best ones I've used.
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Hottest hatch needs a software update!
Fred Mephisto, 11/17/2022
2022 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
To me this is one of the most enjoyable cars to drive in the real world. Super snappy acceleration, AWD is glued to the road, quiet (but can give some pop and rumble if you like), it is just pure fun to tear around town. Seats are really comfortable and I think the overall appearance of the exterior is spot on, especially in the blue. There was a recall to remove the plastic engine cover as apparently it could come dislodged, but honestly I prefer to see the engine anyway. The VW luggage rack accessory kit is a perfect fit and works great so far. I am not positive but I strongly suspect a large number of this model coming to this The real Achilles' heel of the 2022 Golf R is the in-dash system. Lots of annoyance here. A variety of problems relating to connecting our phones (pixel) and using Android auto. Connects and drops bluetooth over and over, can't decide which phone to use, has to be plugged in AND connected via bluetooth. (Which I believe is an Android auto issue, but I additionally purchased Motorola MA1 adapter which I also can not get to work in the R, however haven't tried on another vehicle.) Slow system boot. Occasional total audio failure requiring ignition cycle to fix. Always fun get into a hot car and wait for a boot process to complete before you can turn on a fan... Overall, because this is my daily driver, the interface problems definitely dampen the otherwise glowing review I would have here. I'm hoping these are the sorts of things that get corrected with software updates.
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Best all around hatch!
T, 01/08/2023
2022 Volkswagen Golf R 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
The touch controls you adjust to fairly quickly, it has a great on road feeling and great acceleration. I do hope that they give everyone a software update on the infotainment but other than that I love it.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value