I Have Driven Over 250 Miles in this Golf R, AMA

"Future Heap Owner" (aperiodic)
12/02/2018 at 04:01 • Filed to: Ze Germans

DISCUSSION (12)

pip bip - choose Corrour > Future Heap Owner
12/02/2018 at 04:04

how well does it hoon?

did the roof racks create much wind noise?

is it a manual?

MPG?

Svend > Future Heap Owner
12/02/2018 at 04:07

Ho does it compare to the others cars you’ve had? How it drive compared to how you thought it would drive?

Are you happy with your new car?

Future Heap Owner > Svend
12/02/2018 at 04:27

It is not mine, it is a rental.

I have not driven many cars. The closest car for sure is a Fiat 124 Spider (a.k.a the Fiata). This is not quite as fun as that one, but it is very fun. The Fiata has this feeling of intimacy & tossability that this doesn’t but this Golf is still:

* eminently hoonable. The 4WD helps a lot for sure. I was taking twisties at 20MPH over on wet roads and I only once or twice detected any hint of pushing limits.

* so powerful. Passing people in this is trivial in a way that I’ve only felt in a Tesla Model S before (where the flat & ample torque response lets you dart ahead instantly). Downshift to put the current speed’s revs at 3k+, then apply pedal for boost. Zoom.

* still a hatchback! Though a fairly small one as far as American standards. I couldn’t see putting adults in the back, but if you can sell this as a family vehicle , by all means go for it.

As far as to how I thought it would drive, slightly below the mark. From how everyone talks about German cars, I figured it’d be more fun than a Fiata, but this is still a hatchback and not a no-nonsense convertible sports car. If I had to pick a vehicle purely for fun, I’d take a F/Miata, not one of these. Which maybe I shoulda seen coming, but I wasn’t.

Future Heap Owner > pip bip - choose Corrour
12/02/2018 at 04:31

Damn well. Spend a good 45 minutes on twisties in 4th gear at more than 3k RPMs with nobody in sight. That was fun.

Lotta noise. Enough to spook me out at 80+ MPH (at least, at first).

Yes.

21 MPG on the 250 miles I’ve driven, a decent amount of which has been driven for fun over efficiency.

duurtlang > Future Heap Owner
12/02/2018 at 05:39

You can’t fit adults in the back of a Golf? Are the R seats limiting space in the back? I mean, Americans are on average shorter than people I’m used to and I can fit in the back of a Golf (mk2 and newer) just fine at 187 cm (6'2"?)

Anyway, the Golf (GTI/R included) is known as a competent car with a nice interior for the segment but also relatively boring compared to the direct competition. A Focus ST or especially a Megane is a more engaging hot hatch.

Rico > Future Heap Owner
12/02/2018 at 05:42

That’s great MPG for hooning!

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > duurtlang
12/02/2018 at 07:59

Americans expect more leg room in the rear for adults. We compare the Golf to a minivan or Suburban, and find it lacking.

nermal > duurtlang
12/02/2018 at 10:31

The consensus seems to be that the Golf R is better as your only car, and for doing adult type stuff like being seen in public by coworkers .

The Civic R or Focus RS are better on a track or blasting down back roads. Great as a 2nd car, but terrible as your only one.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > Future Heap Owner
12/02/2018 at 11:36

Now I want one. Why do I want one?

Future Heap Owner > Rico
12/02/2018 at 12:12

My hooning is pretty mild

Future Heap Owner > duurtlang
12/03/2018 at 02:40

You could fit an adult back there , but it won’t be comfortable. I wouldn’t sit back there for longer than about 15 minutes myself . I do think the R seats make it worse.

Here’s a crappy night-time potato photo of the space left between the back row and the driver’s seat when it’s in a good position for me (a 6’1” / 186 cm guy with long legs):

Kinja'd!!!

Future Heap Owner > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
12/03/2018 at 02:43

Because it looks nice, handles well, and has plenty o’ boost, all while being a real car that can seat more than just two people and a picnic basket?