The Golf R hatch is great, but for some buyers, it’s just too damn small, and not everyone who needs more trunk space wants to upgrade to a taller, heavier SUV. That’s why we love the R wagon – that and the fact that it’s so low-key you can hoon around using all the performance without attracting too much attention.
Unfortunately for America, the long-roof Golf R was never offered in the U.S., and this summer VW Australia announced it would stop selling all Golf wagons, including the R. But these spy shots prove that the model will live on for the small band of European buyers who like its stealthy blend of pace and space.
We’ve already caught the hatch and estate versions of the facelifted 2025 Golf R testing almost completely undisguised at the Nurburgring, and now our spy photographers have snapped the wagon being put through the R&D ringer by itself in snowy Sweden.
Related: 2025 VW Golf R Ditches Disguise, Shows All On The Nurburgring
Visual changes are very minor but include some tweaks to the front grille and bumper, most obviously the wide lower air intake, which switches from three horizontal bars in each corner to two. As it always does, VW has attempted to hide the changes by artfully applying tape to mimic the look of the current car.
Inside, the facelifted Golf range, including the R, is in line to get a larger, more modern infotainment system that we believe is the same 15-inch setup fitted to the latest Passat and Tiguan. As for what’s under the hood, well, we can be sure that it will be very closely related to the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine fitted to the current car. That’s currently rated at 315 hp (319 PS) in the U.S. but we’re hoping VW makes the 329 hp (333 PS) version from this year’s 333 limited edition standard on all cars.
Whatever it’s kicking out, it will of course be delivered to all four wheels, and unfortunately, only through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The R is already only available with the DSG in some markets (like the UK), and VW in America won’t offer a stick-shift version after 2024.
