The Volkswagen Golf R Is Gone, At Least For Now

It’s not clear when VW’s hottest hatch will return.

If you’re holding out to get the updated Mk8 Volkswagen Golf, a bit of puzzling news just emerged. Volkswagen released details on their full 2020 lineup Tuesday, but Motor Authority noticed the Golf R was conspicuously absent from the list. Volkswagen confirmed the Mk7 Golf R has reached the end of its production run, and that we won’t be seeing its replacement in the 2020 model year, either.

Volkswagen’s all-wheel drive hot hatch will return, though. A company spokesperson did say, “timing on the next-gen Golf R has yet to be decided.” Volkswagen plans to launch the next round of the Golf in Europe first, before it makes its way to the U.S. We will eventually get at least the next-generation models, but not until the 2021 model year. For the time being, it seems like the Golf R will stay on hiatus, but it’s not clear for how long.

So far as the 2020 model year is concerned, you will still be able to buy a Volkswagen Golf GTI. It will be available in two trim levels — S and SE. The normal Golf is also getting some changes for 2020, trimming its range down to a single Value Edition trim.

We’ll have to wait and see exactly when Volkswagen plans to bring us the Mk8 Golf R. If you’re in the market for one now, however, the 2019 Volkswagen Golf R is still a fun hot hatch in its own right. What’s more, time is running out if you want to get your hands on a Mk7 example, instead of waiting for the updated, newly styled Mk8.

Check out our comparison of the current-gen GTI versus the Golf R below: