2023 Volkswagen Golf R vs. Competition
Hot hatches remain an incredibly popular segment in the automotive market, but only a few automakers have really pushed the idea as far as Volkswagen has with the Golf R. Much more than a GTI, the Golf R only has a couple of competitors. To see how this competition breaks down, Volkswagen of Ann Arbor has put together a guide to this hottest of hot hatches segment.
Volkswagen Golf R VS Toyota Corolla GR
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VS |
|
|---|---|---|
2023 Volkswagen Golf R |
2023 Toyota Corolla GR |
|
| $44,290 ? | MSRP | $35,900 |
| 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cyl ? | Engine | 1.6-liter turbocharged 3-cyl |
| 315 HP @5900rpm 280lb-ft TQ @1900-5900rpm ? | Power | 300 HP @6500rpm 273lb-ft TQ @3000-5500rpm |
| 6-speed manual, or optional 7-speed dual-clutch ? | Transmission | 6-speed manual only |
| 19 inches ? | Wheel Size | 18 inches |
| Standard ? | Leather Upholstery | Optional |
| Both rows, standard ? | Heated Seats | Front only, optional |
| Standard ? | Sunroof | Not Available |
| Standard ? | Head-Up Display | Not Available |
| 10 inches ? | Touchscreen Size | 8 inches |
| Standard ? | Premium Stereo | Optional |
A relative newcomer to the world of very hot hatches, the GR in Toyota Corolla GR stands for Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s highly successful factory racing team. Unfortunately, the Corolla GR is built as though it was intended primarily for use on a racetrack. 300 horsepower, while less than the Golf R produces, is awfully impressive for a 1.6-liter 3-cylinder. But that peak doesn’t come until way up near redline, and torque doesn’t peak until 3,000 RPM. That’s fine on a track, but the Golf R not only packs more power, it’s also much more usable in the real world. Add to that an optional dual-clutch transmission that shifts in a fraction of the time even the fastest humans are capable of, and the Golf R is clearly going to outrun the Corolla GR between the stoplights every time.
The Corolla GR does have a lower starting price, but getting into the standard equipment, we quickly see why. Leather upholstery, a premium stereo, and heated seats will all cost you extra in the Toyota, and you still only get heated front seats. The VW also comes standard with a head-up display, a bigger infotainment screen, a sunroof, and bigger wheels, all equipment that isn’t even available for the Corolla GR. For real-world performance, and something you’ll live with in the real world, the Golf R is clearly the better choice.
Volkswagen Golf R VS Honda Civic Type R
|
VS |
|
|---|---|---|
2023 Volkswagen Golf R |
2023 Honda Civic Type R |
|
| 2-liter turbocharged 4-cyl | Engine | 2-liter turbocharged 4-cyl |
| 315 HP @5900rpm 280lb-ft TQ @1900-5900rpm ? | Power | 315 HP @6500rpm 310lb-ft TQ @2600-4000rpm |
| 6-speed manual, or optional 7-speed dual-clutch ? | Transmission | 6-speed manual only |
| All-wheel drive ? | Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive |
| 10 inches ? | Infotainment Screen Size | 9 inches |
| Leather ? | Seats | Cloth |
The Honda Civic Type R was famous before it even became available for sale in the US. But when it finally did arrive, last generation, it didn’t quite measure up to the Golf R. So Honda has just debuted a new generation of the Type R, and already we can see that it comes with more power than its predecessor. But just like with the Corolla GR, we must look at how usable that power is. The horsepower numbers are the same, but the Civic doesn’t hit that number until higher up in the rev range. And even though the Civic Type R has more torque, it hit that peak much later than the Golf R, and it drops off sooner as well. The torque plateau on the Golf R, from 1,900 RPM all the way up to 5,900 RPM just makes so much better use of torque. Again, real-world usability is on the side of the Golf R.
The elephant in the Civic Type R room is that it is only available with front-wheel drive, while its competitors have moved up to all-wheel drive. Torque steer might not be as bad as it once was, but the best way to avoid torque steer is still not to send 310lb-ft of it to only the front wheels. Now consider that Volkswagen gives you the option of a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and we can see that the Golf R is just much more usable than the Civic Type R. You also get a bigger infotainment screen in the Golf R, and leather seats.
Winner - Volkswagen Golf R
The whole point of a hot hatch is that they don’t make you choose between performance and practicality. The Golf R has been designed for real-world use in a way that its competitors simply haven’t. Not only with more creature comforts, but the performance itself is more usable in the real world.