2025 Volkswagen Golf R

There's Topgolf, and then there's The Top Golf. Because you're here on Edmunds instead of partying with your friends, we'll surmise you're interested in the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R. The R has always been the ultimate version of VW's Golf hatchback. It has more power than the Golf GTI and a specialized all-wheel-drive system that can adjust the amount of engine torque that goes to the rear wheels to help make the car feel more nimble when you're powering out of turns. There are also some appealing updates for the 2025 Golf R. These include a slight boost in power (up 13 horsepower to 328 hp), a bigger and improved center touchscreen, and a couple of new ways to customize your Golf R.

VW has introduced a new Black Edition trim level for 2025. As you can likely guess from the name, it adds blacked-out styling elements such as the wheels, trim pieces, badges and exhaust tips. Also in store for 2025 is the new Euro Style package. Oddly, it's more about performance than style. It deletes the otherwise standard sunroof and swaps in a manually adjustable driver's seat instead of the power-adjustable one. You also lose the standard front seat ventilation and get special cloth/microfiber seating instead of leather. It does come with lightweight forged wheels and a lightweight titanium Akrapovic exhaust system, though. VW says these changes drop about 80 pounds from the R's curb weight.

The Honda Civic Type R is the Golf R's longtime rival, joined in recent years by the Toyota GR Corolla and Hyundai Elantra N. The GR Corolla and Elantra N are significantly more affordable, while the Type R costs about as much as the VW. The Golf R boasts a smoother ride and more standard features than any of the others, though some might find the R to be a bit too refined. Read our Expert Rating below for the rundown on what makes the Golf R so endearing.

The 2025 Volkswagen Golf R is available in two trim levels: the base Golf R and the new Black Edition. Each comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that cranks out 328 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Now that the manual transmission is no longer offered, every R comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. All-wheel drive with rear-axle torque vectoring capability (it helps to make the car feel more nimble when powering out of turns) rounds out the powertrain.