The refreshed Volkswagen Golf R has arrived with even more grunt and a host of styling tweaks.
Following up the Golf GTI’s updates, we’ve known for the past few months that a facelifted Golf R was on the horizon. Now, the new model is finally here, and we have the details on what’s coming down the pike for Europe starting this month, and ultimately the U.S. market when the latest, hottest Golf reaches our shores early next year.
First up, let’s cover the high points. After two decades and more than a quarter-million Golf Rs sold, this 2025 model is the most powerful and fastest version yet. This time around, the R gets 13 more horsepower, bringing the total up to 328 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The extra ponies, Volkswagen says, help shave two-tenths of a second off the 0-60 acceleration time to 4.6 seconds. Power still makes its way to all four wheels, naturally, through a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission.
The automaker also made a few quality-of-life tweaks to the car’s drive modes, with Comfort mode upshifting 100 RPM later in the rev band, and Sport mode disabling the EA888’s stop/start system and coasting functions. As before, the Golf R retains a Race mode that dials the Dynamic Chassis Control, selective wheel torque control, steering and all-wheel drive systems into their sportiest settings. Individual mode is also still available, as are Special and Drift modes (and an Eco profile, for the handful of people who will ever use it).
Taking a closer look at the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R, inside and out
European customers will get two versions of the updated Golf R, as they already have: the hatchback and the “Variant” wagon. That’s one piece of bad news for us Americans, at least if wagons are your thing. The other you’ll probably notice the first time you look inside…there’s no 6-speed manual transmission. Much like the GTI, the Golf R loses its row-your-own option with the new model year, so it’s DSG from here on out (or buy a Civic Type R or Elantra N).
From the headlights upward, the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R matches its front-wheel drive hot hatch sibling in terms of styling changes. The overall look is generally similar to the existing Mk8 we know, though you do get new LED headlights with straighter lines. Golf R models get Volkswagen’s “LED Plus” headlights as standard equipment. The lower fascia, though, gets several R-specific tweaks, including the bumpers, side skirts, mirror caps, 19-inch Warmenau forged alloy wheels and exhaust system. VW claims the new wheels are 20% lighter than “comparable alloy wheels”, helping to reduce unsprung weight.
VW promises a nice, burbly exhaust from the stock system — and you can actually call up some extra sound by pressing the start button for at least 1.5 seconds, then tapping the brake to start the Golf R, where it will briefly increase the starting idle to 2,500 RPM — but an Akrapovič titanium exhaust system is also available as optional equipment.
Other interior tweaks include a free-standing 12.9-inch touchscreen using Volkswagen’s latest infotainment system. The “Ida” voice assistant is part of that package, which allows drivers to control HVAC, phone, navigation functions and driving profiles by voice command, while the system can also access ChatGPT for more detailed responses to your prompts. Like several other revamped Volkswagen models, the new infotainment setup sports slider bars for temperature and volume controls, though they are actually backlit this time around. The automaker’s 10.2-inch Digital Cockpit Pro still comes as standard equipment on the Golf R.
What about pricing?
Apart from the standard model, the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R Black Edition brings a special model for would-be buyers right out the gate. While we won’t get a manual option or the Golf R Variant, we will get the Black Edition on our shores next year. Essentially, this model adds in darkened VW badges for a stealthier look, though the Performance Package that raises the top speed to 167 mph comes standard on the Black Edition. On the regular Golf R, that Performance Package is an option, as it has been in past years. The package also adds in a G-meter and GPS-backed lap timer into the digital cluster.
Pricing is not yet available for the U.S.-spec 2025 Volkswagen Golf R. However, the company did confirm it will be more expensive, so expect to pay more than the current DSG-equipped Golf R’s $47,690 price tag. This is speculation, so take it with a huge grain of salt, but it’s reasonable to believe Volkswagen will raise the new model’s price by a few hundred if not a couple thousand, while the Golf R Black Edition will likely come in around $50,000.
