Volkswagen Golf R versus Volkswagen GTI

In 1975, Volkswagen took its plucky Golf hatchback, stuffed more power under the hood, and called it the GTI. It quickly developed a rabid fan base and spawned a whole new segment: the performance hatch, combining speed with practicality.

Through the years other automakers have joined the party, but Volkswagen was the pioneer and continually updated the GTI. This year, VW has added a second variant to its compact hot-hatch mix—the Golf R—that sits atop the automaker's performance hierarchy.

At its heart, the Golf R's 2.0-liter engine is the same size as the GTI motor, but with a larger turbo and myriad performance modifications. The result is a whopping 292 horsepower—72 more than the GTI—sent through a six-speed dual clutch transmission. So much power in such a small package; it's amazing the Golf R doesn't levitate.

While the GTI is a front-drive tire squealer, the Golf R's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system sends power to the rear wheels when it senses slippage up front. Grippy Bridgestone Potenza performance tires help put power to the road.

Like the GTI, the Golf R can change its personality via the standard Drive Mode selector. Don't think this is a lame "sport mode" button that doesn't really do anything. In the R, Drive Mode results in actual dynamic changes to the car's engine response, shifting patterns, suspension settings, and steering feel.

There's no doubt in our mind that our GTI is one of the most fun front-drive cars out there. But it's no match for the Golf R's added power put to all four wheels. This combination begs you to fling the car into corners, and hammer the accelerator as you clip the apex.

Despite its thrilling performance, the Golf R tends to blend into a crowd. This could be an advantage, as rivals like the Ford Focus ST and Subaru WRX have more juvenile looks—which tend to scare away future in-laws and attract the attention of Officer Friendly. Even our GTI stands out visually compared to the Golf R.

The starting MSRP for the Golf R is $36,595 with the dual-clutch transmission. The soon-to-arrive manual model will cost about a thousand dollars less. Our loaner VW had navigation, but it lacked a sunroof and had a price of $39,090.

Still, for that money, you could buy a well-equipped GTI, and have thousands left over to modify it to your liking. That price also puts you within striking distance of the Audi S3 sedan, which has just as much power along with the cachet of the luxury badge. But the Golf R is a desirable proposition, delivering acceleration and handling most often found in luxury coupes, with the utility of the hatchback layout.

So which car to choose? Put plainly, the choice is in hands of the driver. Both the Golf R and GTI deliver an immensely fun-to-drive product that is more sophisticated than the competition, in both looks and ride quality. A quick poll shows that, if it were their own money, two-thirds of the Auto Test staff would be parking a GTI in their driveway, thanks to its more livable blend of affordable performance and practicality.

Read our complete Volkswagen GTI road test.

—George Kennedy