Monday 20th April 2015

VW Golf R Estate: Review

The year of the fast estate continues as indomitable fast Golf gets a boot

---

Well this is nice. The estate version of the VW Golf R is called just that - the Golf R Estate. No Shooting Brake, Sportbrake, ST or Sportwagon nonsense here. It's just a really big, really fast Golf, plain and simple.

Colours other than blue are available. Really

Moreover, for those buyers who actually want an estate car for, y'know, moving stuff, the Golf (nearly) rules supreme. Its boxy looks may not win it any beauty prizes but it does allow plenty of boxes to be carried. Or whatever else needs to be transported. Handy. Seats up the boot capacity is a commodious (words you never expected to read on PH #23) 605 litres. Fold them down and it's 1,620, comfortably more than a Focus ST wagon and Leon Cupra ST, losing out only to the Octavia vRS. It even has quite a low boot lip. All most practical.

What car?
Good, that's the Which Estate Car? section done. What about the PH bit? Well to all intents and purposes, it is fundamentally and unsurprisingly identical to the Golf R hatch. Same 300hp 2.0-litre turbo, same six-speed DSG gearbox (there isn't a manual available) plus an identical 4Motion Haldex-based 4WD system. There are changes to spring rate and dampers at the rear to allow for the extra estate weight but that's it.

So therefore it would be reasonable to expect near-as-dammit the same experience on the road. And well... it's very much the same, yes. No surprises this time unfortunately.

5.1 to 62mph in a Golf estate!

The additional weight can't entirely be escaped however. The 0-62mph time for is only two tenths down at 5.1 seconds but the edge has certainly been slightly taken off the hatchback's fairly fierce acceleration. Don't misunderstand - it's still a very fast car, but that apparently unstoppable onslaught of speed isn't quite there.

The characteristics of course are very similar though. With 280lb ft from 2,200rpm to 5,500rpm, the Golf R estate is a consummate overtaker. It will be terrifically useful for moving lots of stuff very swiftly with minimal effort. A good getaway car perhaps... Anyway, it means slower cars can be comfortably passed on the Ronda road and some spectacular tarmac enjoyed.

Burden of expectation
As in a straight line, the Golf R Estate in corners against the hatch is a bit like the difference between DVD and Blu-Ray. The experience is fundamentally the same but certain aspect are more vivid, slightly sharper. The estate remains very good, and that rather outdated analogy sells its abilities short, but the hatch is simply that bit better. It's keener to turn in, grips a little more tightly and responds to each input a fraction more willingly.

More at home here than you might expect

Not far from the Ronda road is the Ascari track. Because where better to launch an estate car? All those sales are clearly boosting the VW PR budget too...

Having proudly declared the ESC is fully switchable in the press briefing, all track drives were to be conducted in the ESC Sport mode. Well they were meant to be. Isn't it awful when your finger slips and can't be lifted from a button?

Popular vote
Of course the Golf R isn't some hooligan Nissan Stagea 4WD drift wagon. But it's certainly willing to swing that big boot with some provocation and ESC off certainly appears off. It remains very much a front-biased 4WD system but it's far more fun than you would credit a fast Golf estate with being.

Essentially then for those people who like the Golf R - and it appears many do - then the Estate will most certainly appeal. It's only £695 more than the equivalent five-door DSG hatch and will surely be less ubiquitous. There's something appealingly unpretentious about it being just an estate too. However, it's hard to recommend the Golf over its MQB-based rivals. The Leon Cupra estate is more exciting to drive (and 108kg lighter), arguably better looking, very nearly as practical and £3,500 cheaper. Ignoring that benchmark sprint time it feels just as fast on the road too. The Octavia vRS has greater carrying capacity than the Golf and now boasts the VAQ locking differential in vRS 230 form. However the Golf has that undeniable badge allure and the 4WD kudos. Talented rivals both the Skoda and SEAT may be, but which do you expect will sell more out of the three? Exactly.

---

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R ESTATE
Engine: 1,984cc 4-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed dual-clutch auto (DSG), 4-wheel drive
Power (hp): 300@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 280@1,800-5,500rpm
0-62mph: 5.1sec
Top speed: 155mph 
Weight: 1,574kg
MPG: 40.4 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 164g/km
Price: £33,585

[Chiddo]

Looks bloody decent tbh, it would of been better if they did went down the route of having the rs design like oval exhausts pipes at the back imo.

[J4CKO]

Impressive how the whole car changes colour when you open the tailgate.

[Fastdruid]

Important question: Can it tow?

The Focus ST Estate can't and for that reason alone it's off my shortlist for my next car.

[Madafwo]

If the Skoda Superb hadn't been announced with the 2.0, 4x4 and a DSG gearbox this would probably be my ideal car. Fast enough to do Brighton to the West Highlands in a reasonable time while still being able to take the fanily/friends and the dogs, just the Skoda has more space, looks even more unassuming and will probably be roughly the same price.

[anonymous-user]

Weirdly, i find the whole "4 exhausts" thing just too much on the hatch, but strangely acceptable on the estate? Maybe because it makes it look a little like all those hot AMG estates?

[PK0001]

I am just waiting for the VAG haters on PH to comment, the ones who have not driven the car yet, but assume what its like by reading reports like this and will criticise it for being too competent, which is exactly what you want if you are in the market for car like this.

I love it

[corcoran]

J4CKO said:

Impressive how the whole car changes colour when you open the tailgate.

thumbs up gif
smiley face gif
ha gif

[court]

corcoran said:

J4CKO said:

Impressive how the whole car changes colour when you open the tailgate.

thumbs up gif
smiley face gif
ha gif

Is the photo of the loadbay of the GTD accurate for the R too? The 4wd gubbins robs some space in the hatch. Does it in the estate?

[Panthro]

Seat Leon Cupra ST 280 for me.

[pad58]

Love my Quattro Avant manual for that reason , not too sure on this expensive dsg marred to the golf estate would sway me towards it.

[Hub]

Well this is exactly what I need... though with budget will most likely end up with a Focus ST, flawed as it is!

[dunnoreally]

Madafwo said:

If the Skoda Superb hadn't been announced with the 2.0, 4x4 and a DSG gearbox this would probably be my ideal car. Fast enough to do Brighton to the West Highlands in a reasonable time while still being able to take the fanily/friends and the dogs, just the Skoda has more space, looks even more unassuming and will probably be roughly the same price.

The Superb was the first car that came to my mind, actually. The 3.6l v6 estate is actually about a grand cheaper than the R...

Obviously the Golf is going to be a much more focused driver's car, and a lot les likely to lose half its value in about 18 months, but it's an interesting thought nonetheless.

Edited by dunnoreally on Monday 20th April 13:08

[MagicalTrevor]

Fastdruid said:

Important question: Can it tow?

The Focus ST Estate can't and for that reason alone it's off my shortlist for my next car.

That's the main thing I wanted to get out of the review.

[Matt Bird]

J4CKO said:

Impressive how the whole car changes colour when you open the tailgate.

The one thing Golf Rs can't do (!). James here in the office raised an absence of boot pics in the story but the R images from VW didn't have any, hence the GTD images. All models 605/1,620 litres on capacity.


Matt

[Dave Hedgehog]

a lot of performance and practicality for the money

[darren f]

Fastdruid said:

Important question: Can it tow?

I'm sure I've read somewhere that answer is "no"- even if technically possible (exhausts or haldex not obstructive), I think it's going to be one of those situations where there is no type approval so insurance then becomes an issue. Which (... similar to the Focus ST Estate) is plain daft as a stupidly fast 'load lugger' with the ability to do just about everything would very much be a USP. If anyone finds out to contrary, I'd like to know too (.. now doing the man maths on a new trailer for the Seven ).

[Fastdruid]

darren f said:

Fastdruid said:

Important question: Can it tow?

I'm sure I've read somewhere that answer is "no"- even if technically possible (exhausts or haldex not obstructive), I think it's going to be one of those situations where there is no type approval so insurance then becomes an issue. Which (... similar to the Focus ST Estate) is plain daft as a stupidly fast 'load lugger' with the ability to do just about everything would very much be a USP. If anyone finds out to contrary, I'd like to know too (.. now doing the man maths on a new trailer for the Seven ).

It's one of these things, while I've not actually towed using my current car (Mondeo 2.5T Estate) that's just due to small children and not doing any trackdays since I've had it.
It has a (hidden, factory fitment) towbar and I can if I want to when the size of the boot comes into its own.

In the old Mondeo many times we'd do a trackday, 4 in the car (two riders, two hangers on), boot full of leathers, spares, tools etc and the current Golf Estate is larger than the Mk2 Mondeo!

[MagicalTrevor]

darren f said:

Fastdruid said:

Important question: Can it tow?

I'm sure I've read somewhere that answer is "no"- even if technically possible (exhausts or haldex not obstructive), I think it's going to be one of those situations where there is no type approval so insurance then becomes an issue. Which (... similar to the Focus ST Estate) is plain daft as a stupidly fast 'load lugger' with the ability to do just about everything would very much be a USP. If anyone finds out to contrary, I'd like to know too (.. now doing the man maths on a new trailer for the Seven ).

I know somebody who's selling a Brian James Clubman if you're after one!

[Limpet]

Lose the R badges and you have a serious Q-car right there. I like it a lot.

[Steve_F]

Fastdruid said:

Important question: Can it tow?

The Focus ST Estate can't and for that reason alone it's off my shortlist for my next car.

First thought too, my old man always has a small estate and loves his motorsport. He'll never have something that won't tow, or a non-estate or anything too shouty (has to be able to ferry older neighbours around). These seem absolutely ideal, I think he'd have been in to talk about the Focus by now, if they could take a tow bar. Doesn't matter that I'd likely have something that could tow, if he couldn't get his logs or whatever when he wants to it's out.

Real shame but the Golf looks to be off the table too. Unless I can persuade him to also get an old 4x4 as a work horse (which I've already tried too).

Come on hot estate makers, lets have a non-shouty one with a tow bar option so I can have the chance to borrow it!!!