One of Volkswagen’s best-selling sporty hatchbacks, the Golf R, recently received a generational upgrade from Mk 8 to Mk 8.5 for the year 2025. Volkswagen is offering both hatchback and estate versions of 2025 Golf R. The car was known to be bonkers, but the latest iteration is bonkers still. Let’s take a look.
Every market has a favourite hatchback. If you take India, we have the Swift. If you take Europe and UK collectively, many regard Volkswagen Golf as the best-selling hatchback ever made. It has both a sensible side appealing to everyday buyers and a raunchy side, appealing to enthusiasts. Prices in Europe start from EUR 53,795 (Rs 48 lakh) for regular Golf and EUR 55,065 (Rs 49 lakh) for R version.
Today, let us talk about the raunchy side of VW Golf’s latest Mk8.5 iteration. Golf R Mk8.5 get IQ. Light Matrix LED headlights like their standard versions, wrap-around LED tail lights, sportier front and rear bumpers with larger air intake and diffusers, lightweight 19-inch Warmenau forged alloy wheels (8 kg each), chunky brakes with efficient air cooling, quad-tip exhausts and large roof spoilers.
On the inside, VW Golf R Mk8.5 gets a sporty dark theme. Dashboard is dominated by the 12.9-inch free-standing touchscreen infotainment screen with ChatGPT support. Sporty seats with integrated head restraints, optional Nappa leather and carbon-look trims. Golf R also gets company’s 10.2-inch Digital Cockpit Pro instrument cluster with a sportier R theme and horizontal RPM display.
While both hatchback and estate versions get R versions, only the Golf R hatchback gets a Black Edition, which looks quite radical with a murdered look. Black Edition gets 19-inch Black ‘Estoril’ forged alloy wheels, R brake callipers, black exhaust pipes dark VW and R logos among others.
Design is not what makes a Golf R, a Golf R. It is the powertrain and sheer performance. In this regard, 2025 VW Golf R Mk8.5 doesn’t disappoint. We get the same 2.0L turbo petrol engine that is capable of kicking out 333 PS of peak power and 420 Nm of peak torque, mated to a quick-shifting 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Performance metrics of this vehicle are increased by 13 PS and 20 Nm over its predecessor, making it the most powerful iteration of Golf R ever. Volkswagen has given it Adaptive Chassis Control and a capable 4Motion AWD setup with R-Performance Torque Vectoring for maximum traction in any situation. There is a dedicated ‘Drift’ mode and a ‘Special’ mode for track work.
The car will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds, quicker than its predecessor by 0.2 seconds. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h, but with an optional R-Performance package, both Golf R hatchback and estate versions will hit 270 km/h. We hope it launches in India. However, the chances are very meek.