In a world where the Ford Focus RS and Honda Civic Type R feature crazy rear wings, flared arches and gaping wide air intakes, it can be easy to forget about the VW Golf R. After all, it looks almost identical to any other Golf in the eyes of the casual observer.
However, the Golf R isn’t a car to be underestimated. The existing model might be getting on a bit compared to its main rivals but it is still the king when it comes to overall performance, luxury, comfort and practicality. Does this make it the perfect car?
Well, the guys at Carfection recently jumped behind the wheel of a 2017 example to find out and while the conclusion shouldn’t surprise you (it’s not perfect), the German hot hatch isn’t far off.
In its most recent guise, the hatch delivers 306 hp from its 2.0-liter TSI engine and when installed with the optional Akrapovic exhaust like this model, it sounds surprisingly impressive.