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For the latest UAE Car Reviews checkout Motopedia.ae or our Youtube channel Motopediauae For the latest UAE Car Reviews checkout Motopedia.ae or our Youtube channel Motopediauae. Intro How do you take a tame family compact and turn it into a ferocious little beast? VW know the answer, because out of their standard pretty Golf, comes in the much more powerful Golf R. Can adding a letter make a difference? This is a MECOTY 2015 nominee and we take it out for a few days! Exterior So there's not a huge difference in looks between the standard Golf and the R. What is immediately noticeable are 18 inch "Cadiz" alloy wheels and brake calipers with the "R" embedded on them. The front looks slim and mean with large air inlets emphasizing its sporty potential. The thin line of daytime running LED lights also feature dynamic cornering lights that move into the steering direction. The twin tailpipes are the biggest indicator of what lies under the hood and differentiate it from the stock Golf. All in all, a hot hatch that checks all the boxes in the design department. Our only gripe.. we wish it would look more different from the standard Golf! Performance This is really what you're paying for. Under the hood is a 2 liter TSI turbocharged 6 speed engine that produces 280 horsepower that can take you from 0-100 in 5 seconds! That's blazingly fast especially when you factor in the 4Motion, all wheel drive that really keeps you gripped to the road at all times. The car is really fun to drive because its so perfectly balanced, you can really get sport car-like output and maneuvers that a sedan would struggle with. The dual clutch gearbox and paddle shifters provide lightning fast response and allow you to anticipate the sound the of that beautiful engine. Definitely more powerful than the GTI, both on paper and in reality and compared to the Scirocco, its suspension is far more relaxed. Interior VW are exceptionally good at providing quality but understated interiors to all their cars. In the Golf, there is a definite sporty allure with "Carbon Touch" inlays, stainless steel door sills and pedals and an R specific gauge. The layout seems carefully planned and the focus on quality materials is obvious. It's a nice place to be, especially in the drivers seat, snug with everything within arms reach. The center console is a simply rectangular design, with everything neatly in place, surrounding the 5.8 inch multimedia screen. You get Satnav, but we're not fans of the low resolution graphics and we're really hoping VW will replace the 30 pin adapter to a simply USB input. The 400 watt fender audio system with 8 speakers is absolutely brilliant. Comfort & Safety The "Nappa Carbon" leather upholstery with contrasting side bolsters make the driver and passengers seats perfect for what the car is capable of. There's ample legroom for even taller passengers, although, the rear is not as spacious as the GTI. Ideally, its best for children. You get front and rear airbags, ABS, traction control and all the other good stuff, but a blind spot assistance is missing specially at this price. Car Rating Performance - 4 Styling - 4 Drive & Feel - 5 Technology - 3 Price - 3 Fuel Economy - 4 Summary Pros More horsepower, better fuel economy Excellent road handling Quality interior materials Cons Expensive Interior the same as the GTI Bad graphics on the multimedia screen The Golf R is a fun, fast little box, that offers exhilarating performance and tight handling. It is however, much more expensive than the GTI and for everyday drivers, they may not feel the driving difference too much. Who else is the competition.. the Ford Focus ST, Volvo V40, VW GTI and VW Scirocco. See them on motopedia.ae!