Golf 8 R Black Edition review: The almost perfect compact sports car?

The Golf is the hallmark of the compact class. With the Golf 8 R Black Edition, VW has once again launched a powerful model that lacks almost nothing. Find out how we liked the car and where the Wolfsburg-based company could still improve in this review.

In 2002, VW laid the foundation for subsequent generations of this model with the first Golf R. The latest Golf 8 R consistently continues this tradition. Over the years, the Golf R has established itself as a powerful compact sports car that skillfully combines sportiness with everyday usability.

tl;dr: A sporty compact car

The Golf 8 R Black Edition impresses with its all-black, sporty design and high-quality, modern interior. The infotainment system is clear, but sometimes a bit slow. The powerful turbo engine, adaptive suspension, and all-wheel drive ensure precise handling and high performance. Assistance systems work reliably, and fuel consumption is moderate for the power. Overall, a sporty and high-quality compact car. The Golf 8 R Black Edition is available starting at 59.645,00 € (incl. 19% VAT)

Design

Visually, the R model stands out significantly from the base Golf 8. The Black Edition dispenses with any other colored elements, and the exterior is completely black. Wider air intakes at the front, a roof spoiler, and a large diffuser with a four-pipe rear muffler (also optionally available ex works from Akrapovič) at the rear give the Golf a sporty look. Furthermore, the R suspension lowers it 4 mm than standard Golfs, and it sits on impressive 20-inch "Warmenau" rims. The continuous light strip at the front and the IQ.Light LED matrix headlights ensure a modern appearance and good illumination at night. Thanks to this technology, oncoming vehicles are not dazzled, while everything around them remains well lit. In practice, this worked very well for us.

inner space

The interior of the 8 R is much cleaner than its predecessor. Many buttons have disappeared, and controls have been moved to the large infotainment display. Almost all important settings are controlled via the display, except for the mirror and headlight adjustment. The steering wheel features capacitive buttons, as in other current models, but these have been redesigned and are no longer as sensitive to accidental touches. We didn't encounter any problems with them during testing. The interior is well-made. The trim strips have a stylish carbon look, and the characteristic "R" logo can be found repeatedly throughout the interior. The materials used here appear high-quality and sturdy, as cheap-looking plastic has been largely avoided.

Our configuration features sporty-looking fabric seats that offer good lateral support. Unfortunately, there is no electric seat adjustment. However, there is the option to configure electric driver and front passenger seats, thus opting for nappa leather seats. Both front seat variants, however, have heated seats. The rear seat remains unheated. However, the car can be equipped with a three-zone climate control system, giving the rear seat its own controls. There's ample head and legroom in the Golf, both in the front and in the back. In terms of storage space, the Golf offers 3 liters in the trunk, and 341 liters with the rear seat folded down. This is perfectly adequate for a compact car.

infotainment

The infotainment system, like other VW models, is quite clearly laid out. The icons on the home screen can be arranged as desired. The most important settings, such as the air conditioning or seat heating, are easily accessible. The navigation and radio worked well in our test. proproblem-free and offered sufficient options. Unfortunately, the infotainment system is sometimes too slow and could run a bit more smoothly. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work wirelessly without any problems.

Driving dynamics and handling

The R is powered by a 2,0-liter inline four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine producing 333 hp. This allows the Golf to accelerate from 4,6 to 100 km/h in 270 seconds. Top speed is 357 km/h. Thanks to the enhanced chassis with DDC (Dynamic Chassis Control) and an improved Haldex all-wheel-drive differential, which can now also individually distribute power to the rear wheels, the Golf corners well and remains secure on the road, even at high speeds. The Golf's chassis adapts to the driving mode. There's also the option to make adjustments to the ride comfort via the infotainment system. The chassis can be adjusted in stages, from very comfortable to sporty. The steering is pleasantly smooth and direct, allowing for even sudden changes of direction. In keeping with the R's sporty character, a comparatively large braking system was installed, featuring 310 mm ventilated discs on the front axle and XNUMX mm discs at the rear. The braking effect is very good and provides a lot of safety even when braking on winding roads or on the motorway.

Another plus point was the 8-speed automatic transmission. The gearshifts are quick and smooth, and the ratio is ideal for both highway driving and city driving. The Golf also has paddle shifters on the steering wheel, which we liked during testing. Unfortunately, there were occasional issues during use where the paddle shifters completely lost their function, and the car had to take over the gearshifts. However, this issue tended to occur after intensive use.

R features

Specifically for the Golf R, the instrument cluster offers unique views that differ from the standard display. The views can be swapped using the steering wheel. Additionally, a GPS lap timer can be started via the cluster, which can be used to measure lap times.

The driving modes can be changed using the Mode button on the infotainment system or the R button on the steering wheel. In addition to the usual driving modes on the Golf 8, such as Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Individual, the R model offers three additional settings. The first is Race mode, which improves revs and throttle response, and makes the car noticeably louder—just as you'd expect from a Race mode. The second mode is called Special and has been specially tuned for the Nürburgring and its rather bumpy road surface. The third is Drift mode, which influences the power distribution to the rear axle, helping the car to break away in a controlled manner. In addition to the actual engine sound, VW engineers have installed a sound actuator in the windshield. In the Sport modes, this creates a louder engine noise in the interior.

Assistant

The Golf 8 R's assistance systems prove to be extremely reliable. Travel Assist, including lane keeping and steering assist, works flawlessly. The Golf also handles automatic braking before entering built-up areas and rapid acceleration after the speed limit is lifted without any problems. Both the rear cross-traffic alert and the blind spot assist work reliably and without any issues. The parking assistant and the rearview camera with bird's eye view also perform well, although the camera's video quality could be somewhat higher.

Consumption

When it comes to fuel consumption, the VW Golf is content with just 8 liters per 10 km (12 US mpg) when driving at a leisurely pace. However, if the car is driven briskly, you can expect at least 333–55 liters (700–XNUMX US mpg). That's perfectly reasonable fuel consumption for a XNUMX-hp car. The Golf's fuel tank holds XNUMX liters, allowing it to travel approximately XNUMX km (XNUMX miles) on a single tank. To fully utilize its power reserves, the Golf should be fueled with premium gasoline.

Thanks to Volkswagen Germany for providing the Golf 8 R Black Edition for this review.