RE: Volkswagen Golf R: PH Fleet

[Studio117]

JD PH said:

neil1jnr said:

or delving into the tuning market for the R

Make sure you tune in next month!

JD

Is this was passes for good content these days?

I can't wait for the next instalment.

[Martin_M]

Fancy an R estate for my next car but I'd need to drive one beforehand - the M135i got great reviews but I wasn't a big fan when I actually owned it.

[redroadster]

If a car is good and you are happy with it and suits you why bother comparing it to another car ?? Just enjoy it simple.

[nunpuncher]

Carlique said:

I've been running a Golf R for 6 months now and couldn't agree more with this article.

As mentioned "The Golf R is the perfect car for someone who enjoys a fast, safe-feeling and very easy to drive performance car. The truth is, for a large amount of the time you spend on the road, most people would enjoy those attributes. However, the car really doesn't suit someone who demands more interaction or involvement."

I like to think of it as the floyd Mayweather of cars. Technically fantastic, dynamically brilliant, but ultimately not as entertaining as a wild brute like Tyson (Civic Type-R?).

By no means by this do I mean that it's boring, as shown in this RS3 vs Golf R track face off video, it's a hugely engaging and capable road and track tool. I just mean that with such aggressive and fierce competition from cars like the Type-R and Megane RS 265 Trophy, the R can seem tame in comparison.

4 months in and I would agree with this. It can be great fun. It doesn't go blunt and vague when pushed, instead it sharpens up and the "on its toes" description is quite accurate.

However, it never ever feels angry, like it could kill you if it wanted.

[acme]

nunpuncher said:

4 months in and I would agree with this. It can be great fun. It doesn't go blunt and vague when pushed, instead it sharpens up and the "on its toes" description is quite accurate.

However, it never ever feels angry, like it could kill you if it wanted.

Is it that you're saying it doesn't have 'character' (appreciate that means different things to different people)? Say in the way that an old 911 has, i.e. it might spit you off the road.

I know this will (rightly) get laughs of derision, but my 1.4ACT Mk7 is exactly the same, technically great, but arguably dull. Then again so was my MK5.....

[GT3hopeful]

Great little car and have had one for a year with no problems but engine feels weak in power delivery even if figures say otherwise . Bigger capacity 5 or 6 cylinder would be better but not way cars are going.

[GT3hopeful]

Great little car and have had one for a year with no problems but engine feels weak in power delivery even if figures say otherwise . Bigger capacity 5 or 6 cylinder would be better but not way cars are going.

[tim milne]

Darsettian said:

i'm interested in long-term tests as they're an opportunity to get anoraky; to verify manufacturers' boasts and popular assumptions; and dig deep into the kind of detail missing from a typical one or two day road test.

CAR magazine memorably led with 'Lemon' after running a long-term Golf VR6, giving warts and all testimony to a remarkably unreliable car marketed under the slogan 'if only everything in life...'

Now, it's clear this R is no lemon. That it is, in fact, pretty much all you could expect from a hatchback. More. Maybe.

But I feel I've learned little after three reports. And surely the point is to poke and prod and ponder. And poke, and ponder some more until something is gleaned beyond common assumption and the obvious. (Have I missed the test fuel averages btw? surely a no-brainer to publish).

Maybe I'm being a little harsh, but I feel that when there's not a lot to say--as seems the case here--it is merely a prompt to ask more and better questions.

On another point: no reviewer is truly impartial. We are all coloured by subjectivity. So just be open about your preferences and prejudices and comment with confidence.

Edited by Darsettian on Tuesday 11th August 14:16

I agree. This does feel like lazy journalism where PH merely tries to regurgitate what's being said in the forums — no more excruciatingly demonstrated than when Dan Trent quotes posts from the forums on the lamentable TV show — like they're letters to the Daily Telegraph.

Anyway, yes, you could delve much deeper into the actual experience of owning one. Pointing out that some people like them and some don't could be done from the side of the road and doesn't justify the largess of being given the use of one for months and months.

So, allow me to oblige...

I've been running one since November and here are my conclusions:

— It's good in all departments — performance, practicality, flexibility etc. but great in none. No single attribute stands out other than its all-roundedness.

— Yes, it's got no soul, either in its driving or its looks and the only time you'd turn around to look at it after parking it would be try and remember where you left it amongst all the other Golfs.

— It's not particularly economical, averaging 28mpg long term, maybe low 30s on a motorway run. Promises of 40mpg are fanciful.

— It's a potential threat to your licence since it makes big speeds with little drama, whisking you along A & B roads far faster than you'd imagine.

— The chassis is OK, but can be overwhelmed by complex surface changes: on more than one occasion it's kind of given up and bounced off its bump stops.

— The gear change is particular unpleasant with no hint of mechanical notchiness and a gear lever that bounces up and down (to do with reverse lock-out, but why not just in reverse?)

— If it has an outstanding feature — and just as well — it'd probably the brakes, which are impressive at retardation if still lacking any feel.

— The steering is inert and tells you very little about what's going on, though it's safe to assume that all four tyres are stuck to the road

— The controls and electronics are fine, if not more complicated than necessary. If you're stuck in heavy traffic with nothing to do, you quickly work out that there are lots of buttons that all basically do the same thing

— the Bluetooth phone thing works very well, and doesn't seem to get fazed by getting in and out of the car

— Unless you particularly like having your head battered — in which case an Ariel Atom is probably a better buy — you can't drive over 40 mph with the drivers window down.

— The standard wheels will inevitably get damaged on a kerb; it's probably better to take a screwdriver to them on delivery and get it over and done with.

— It's an easy car to like, but a hard car to love.

Next time PH gets offered a long-termer, I'd be happy to the reporting.

[Olivera]

rb5er said:

It looks unbelievably boring. Fast but numb. Zzzzz

All reviews of the Golf R from those that I would trust (Meaden, Bovington, etc not PH) state the chassis is genuinely talented and pretty involving, and anything but boring and numb.

Also funny to note Evo have the Golf R regularly oversteering in shots, but the PH boys struggle...

[big_rob_sydney]

I've read quite a few threads about them. And? Meh.

Its almost as though its an accountants car. Low expectations mean it satisfies. It doesnt do anything spectacularly well.

I'd rather have multiple vehicles, and try and get some kind of specialisation from each. Appreciate not everyone will do that, for a variety of reasons. But as it is, cars are compromises in so many ways.

I dunno. Considering I drive a Lexus some days, to me, this car is about as exciting as a Toyota.

Think I'll go have a blast on the bike again tomorrow to forget thinking about this abomination.

[nickfrog]

tim milne said:

I've been running one since November and here are my conclusions:

— It's good in all departments — performance, practicality, flexibility etc. but great in none. No single attribute stands out other than its all-roundedness.

(...)

— It's an easy car to like, but a hard car to love.

Tim. Not sure that's gonna make you feel better but everything you've just so eloquently listed I could apply to my recently acquired M135i if I am honest. I am hoping that the forthcoming trip to SPA and Ring will change things a bit but if anything it might make things worse, it's no track weapon.

[Tex]

Olivera said:

All reviews of the Golf R from those that I would trust (Meaden, Bovington, etc not PH) state the chassis is genuinely talented and pretty involving, and anything but boring and numb.

Also funny to note Evo have the Golf R regularly oversteering in shots, but the PH boys struggle...

If you spend your life driving at 10/10ths then yes the above is true (ish) in the context of modern electrically steered,high grip, low feedback cars. But at anything less, which lets be honest is most of the time for a high mileage every day car, is most of the time, it's pretty dull and inert.

I've done 25k miles in a year in mine and agree with many of the comments already made. I find it infuriating in many ways. One of the biggest annoyances is the the woeful mapping of the DSG box. In sport it revs it's nuts off for no reason whilst in D it changes up rediculously early and consequently feels dull and lethargic - like driving a 4 cylinder diesel. As a consequence I ignore auto and use the paddles, which makes it feel much more alive.

Ultimately it's impressive for the speed it carries at 8 or 9 tenths and quite good fun at 10/10ths. But as an everyday tool it's just a Golf...

[Vroom101]

tim milne said:

I've been running one since November and here are my conclusions

— It's not particularly economical, averaging 28mpg long term, maybe low 30s on a motorway run. Promises of 40mpg are fanciful.

— If it has an outstanding feature — and just as well — it'd probably the brakes, which are impressive at retardation if still lacking any feel.

— the Bluetooth phone thing works very well, and doesn't seem to get fazed by getting in and out of the car

And yet...

anonymous said:

[redacted]

z

So, two actual owners who have had the car for the same amount of time have completely different experiences of aspects of the car that you would expect to be pretty much the same. How the hell is the rest of the internet meant to make up their mind!

I think there would be more love for the car if it still had a V6, like the original 'R' Golfs.

[Buster73]

The mark 6 was a far better looking car , quite a rare beast and you never used to see another R very often , they now seem 10 a penny , combined with a poor colour choice , crap std.wheels and predominately 5 door versions have diluted its appeal to me.

[ShaunTheSheep]

Vroom101 said:

So, two actual owners who have had the car for the same amount of time have completely different experiences of aspects of the car that you would expect to be pretty much the same. How the hell is the rest of the internet meant to make up their mind!

I there would be more love for the car if it still had a V6, like the original 'R' Golfs.

I can relate to all of tim Milne's points. Maybe there have been changes in each of these parts, mine was an early august '14 build.

I agree with the soul less comments though. Scores Great on just about any possible metric. Still lacks any kind of soul.

[nunpuncher]

Vroom101 said:

So, two actual owners who have had the car for the same amount of time have completely different experiences of aspects of the car that you would expect to be pretty much the same. How the hell is the rest of the internet meant to make up their mind!

I think there would be more love for the car if it still had a V6, like the original 'R' Golfs.

I can add further confusion by adding that as another owner (of slightly less time) I'm somewhere in the middle of these 2 opinions.

I drive it in Race mode all the time, don't make any real attempt to be economical and I'm averaging 30mpg long term. The average motorway jaunt with the odd blast up to speed usually sees mid 30s easily.

The brakes are stupidly over servo'd as usual with VAG. Not sure if they fade as you'd really need to be going some to experience that on the road.

No issue with the Bluetooth using an android device. Both phone and music streaming works very well.

Having had quite a few manual BMWs lately I rather rate the manual box. All the BMWs were hideously notchy where the golf is rather smooth and positive. The clutch is a little light and the shift could probably be improved with a weighted shifter. Otherwise good.

Chassis feels very capable. To the point that the engine can feel weak due to comparison. It does get bouncy on some surfaces but never wallows or rolls and it does bottom out rather easily. Some expensive coil overs would be a good addition but any stiffer as standard would be too much of a compromise for most owners I suspect.

The hype is over the top and a lot is fuelled by young leasers who are as excited as a dog with 2 d1cks getting such a car so cheaply coupled with the nonsense hot hatch power war that certain manufacturers seem to be participating in. It's a decent enough car. Definitely the best fast golf I've had but not the best car.

[Darsettian]

tim milne said:

I've been running one since November and here are my conclusions:

— It's good in all departments — performance, practicality, flexibility etc. but great in none. No single attribute stands out other than its all-roundedness.

(...)

— It's an easy car to like, but a hard car to love.

Next time PH gets offered a long-termer, I'd be happy to the reporting.

If I were hiring you'd have the job. Thanks.

Edited by Darsettian on Wednesday 12th August 01:12

[Baryonyx]

The stats on the Golf R are tremendous, and so I never thought I'd feel so nonplussed about a performance car. It even makes the M135i seem like a paragon of interest.

I assume the PH staff feel the same way about it since they have fk all to say on the subject.

[Tuvra]

Vroom101 said:

tim milne said:

I've been running one since November and here are my conclusions

— It's not particularly economical, averaging 28mpg long term, maybe low 30s on a motorway run. Promises of 40mpg are fanciful.

— If it has an outstanding feature — and just as well — it'd probably the brakes, which are impressive at retardation if still lacking any feel.

— the Bluetooth phone thing works very well, and doesn't seem to get fazed by getting in and out of the car

And yet...

anonymous said:

[redacted]

z

So, two actual owners who have had the car for the same amount of time have completely different experiences of aspects of the car that you would expect to be pretty much the same. How the hell is the rest of the internet meant to make up their mind!

I think there would be more love for the car if it still had a V6, like the original 'R' Golfs.

Another owner:

• I get 22mpg around town (I launch a fair bit and the car is always in Race & Sport on the DSG), however, I averaged 39mpg on an economy run
• No problems with the brakes, certainly as good if not better than the Focus RS
• Absolute zero problems with bluetooth, in fact its the best I have had paired with an LG & Samsung.

I am glad I am not the only one to notice that you can't go over 40mph with the window open though, it causes my ears to feel like my head is caving in (3dr)

Also, for the record, I actually like its blandness, makes it a wolf in sheeps clothing:

I do wish I went for the 19" wheels though

[simundo777]

I for one have ordered for all the reasons people are slagging it off.

I want something low key (even ordered it in grey)

All weather, no nonsense performance without any drama.

Fairly economical, anything in the low 30's which I know I'll get with my commute etc is pretty good in my book.

As for numb, I found it very impressive at being able to turn from a practical family hatch into a fun hatch to hoon around the Welsh roads.

Just to note i'm coming from an E46 M3 CS so I'm fully aware what a proper drivers car should feel like.
The Civic Type R comments are laughable, its a totally different market. Anyone that considers the Type R and is over the age of 22 is clearly going to find the Golf dull. I for one find the Civic so over styled, i'd be embarassed to be seen in it. (Previously owned 3 EP3's and an s2000 so wanted to like it).