2017 VW Golf R Manual - I'll take the DSG

I drive a 6-speed manual Volkswagen Golf R with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) and Navigation, which costs just north of $40,000 as tested (MSRP). I would suggest a DSG Golf R instead if you're looking for a fast Golf, and a manual Golf GTI if you're looking for something fun without all the messy race details.

[@timwatkins6641]

I own a manual '17 R and its phenomenal. The gear change is slick, quick and precise. I've owned several GTIs and parted with a Boxster S for this car so I feel I can offer a decent rounded opinion. The DSG only shaves a fraction of time off the 0-60 time and in real world driving is negligible. If you want a car you can control and have the right gear for the right moment then get the manual. I'm afraid you need to practice more with your clutch and gear change. Try moving the seat forward a bit and adjust the steering wheel...failing that hang off a bar to stretch your arms ;) Maybe you guys over the water need to stick to your muscle cars and leave us Europeans to quality precise engineering ;) Thanks for the review though and keep practicing !

[@RoadandTract]

Golf R DSG 0-60 time is 4.5 seconds. You'll never get that from the manual, let alone do 0-60

[@RoadandTract]

+Bradley Hill Are you in the US?

[@Digiphex]

Agreed. You must be a manual fanboy to really like it though. Lots of shifting involved with the ratios.

[@matts6551]

Tim Watkins - Newsflash Tim, at this very point in time, more people in United States drive stick then Europeans do. Especially when it comes to the golf r. How many sports cars and trucks can you name that still offer manual transmission in Europe, as the standard option? Mustang Shelby GT350/500/1000, corvette ZR1, viper SRT10, Camaro (ZL1), Jeep Wrangler, challenger hellcat, etc all offer manual as standard equipment. Ferrari, Porsche, lotus, Lamborghini, Mercedes, bmw, radical, bac mono, pagani, Koiennsegg, mcLaren, Bugatti DONT!!!!! And many don’t offer it period. So what were you saying again about Europeans?

[@BhpBones]

Anon User exactly man! Soo true! Manuel all the way! Still just as fun tbh! :)

[@Joose]

The DSG's acceleration benefits aren't worth losing the fun of the manual, at all, in my opinion.

[@timwatkins6641]

0-62 is officially quoted as 4.9 for the DSG and 5.1 for the manual. If you can notice that on the road I'd be both amazed and impressed.

[@RoadandTract]

+Tim Watkins Actual results vary. Just ask anyone in California with 91 octane.

[@silvercrown88]

New Car Spin How's that 0.5s difference between dsg and manual translate to everyday driving? u made it like its a big deal. Manual is only slower (maybe 0.15s per gear) during gear changes but engine reaction time is the same. It should pull the same. There are some truth to the clutch but that's a very easy fix. Actually if you watch again your review you will find that you are a bit whiny.

[@RoadandTract]

+silvercrown88 There is a noticeable difference.

[@RoadandTract]

This may be interesting to some. The US spec R has different gearing than the ROW R. forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?6934346-Anyone-know-the-gear-ratios-for-the-manual-and-DSG-R&p=85864848&viewfull=1#post85864848 I've seen some comments about how the manual is almost as quick as the DSG, but it's hard to tell if that's for US spec or ROW spec Rs.

[@trapeenot]

I have '16 Manual R w/DCC. Your right about the clutch. I upgraded it and it's like a different car. Tune it to stage 1 and it's now perfect.

[@RoadandTract]

+trapeenot On the '17, DCC resumed speed after changing gears on the manual. Does you '16 resume speed?

[@trapeenot]

New Car Spin yes. you only need to change gears and it stays at the same speed.

[@aaronvisco13]

Which clutch did you upgrade too? Just picked up a 17 and allready thinking about it

[@trapeenot]

www.hstuning.com/product_info.php?products_id=3888

[@Bmwguy2011]

Love your transparency. Most reviewers gloat over the R, or criticize it if they can't afford one. I have a 16 DSG without DAP without DCC and 18''s. A nearly perfect car. Yes: GTI needs manual. R needs DSG. Hans Stuck, famous Indy rader, designed the R suspension, but they made the car for the DSG. Manual was an after thought for the R.

[@Bmwguy2011]

I had both as well and I remember the gears in the dsg in the gti being much taller than the R... the auto in the gti had the engine at 2800 or so at nearly 100 and with the r I'm at 3200 or so at 80.

[@Bmwguy2011]

You've slamed me twice and I've complemented you once. I like your review and come in peace. Yes, I'm comparing the auto in both and as you agree, found the gti taller. Whether you prefer manual vs auto or tall vs short gear ratios is/ are other matters. I wasn't saying tall is better than short or auto is superior to manual. If I could do it over again, I'd still go with the R but probably manual.

[@RoadandTract]

+Zach Payne I put 115k miles on my mk5 tdi in 2.5 years. Rowing the R was not fun, and it sure wasn't rewarding.

[@nolongerhuman13]

New Car Spin You have zero skill at handling that R. I have a 17 R and will spank ur A3 with ease. And u spent over 10k more. For 4 circles in front instead of a VW symbol.

[@RoadandTract]

+nolongerhuman13 ROFLMAO! You spent $40k on a VW without the VR6!

[@Digiphex]

Saw a review by The Getawayer who said it is the best manual car he has driven. After taking a drive with a Stage 1, and a normal untouched DSG at the dealer, I preferred the manual. Not sure without the Stage 1 what the manual is like but with it is fantastic.

[@RoadandTract]

+Digiphex Electronics That guy has driven several Porsches and the Golf R has the best manual, ever? Yeah, right.

[@ziggymack2233]

This is the first non-UBER positive review I've seen in the solid 3 months of me researching this car. Thank you for the balance.

[@RoadandTract]

Glad to be of service. Thanks for watching!

[@chiman730]

so damn right about the clutch. I tested out the manual too, and I dun get why it have such a long travel , while the gears engage at just 40% of the entire travel. no very sporty. I remember I drove Vr6 back in Mark 3 days, it was so much fun in that 190 horse pocket rocket, but just that the car had so much crooks to live with. I just bought a JCW 6 speed manual, the gearbox is the much sportier than Golf R.

[@germi1]

This must be the best review of a Golf R I have found on KZbin! I'm totally with you about the transmission! I am a manual transmission fan and I wouldn't even consider an automatic gearbox until I tried the Golf R! I was about to buy a manual Golf R last week but was so disappointed at the light clutch and the long reach of the soft gear that it totally killed the deal. I was surprised because all the reviews says that the manual is so good but I didn't agree from the first go. The funny thing is that I drive a Mini and the feeling on my car (gear, clutch and direction) is a lot more sportier than what I got on the Golf R that has more than twice the power. I'll try the DSG this weekend to see if I kind do the change but I am not really liking the idea of giving away the joy of the heal and toe manual changes...

[@jamstersmith4625]

Think you should stick to riding stick not driving stick.

[@RoadandTract]

+Jamster Smith I take it you're suggesting this based on your current situation.

[@2wheeldom11]

I might pick up a used 2017 one in spring, can't wait ..it has everything I want. I would definitely be getting the manual tho.

[@bosse641]

Sure looks good. ...I'm sure it drives like a dream as well.

[@ischwartz7875]

I set out to buy a manual R. After driving a DSG back to back with the manual car I ended up with the DSG. I did not find the manual very satisfying.

[@RoadandTract]

Good to know and thanks for sharing!

[@georgemaly4747]

I noticed the same problem with my 2014 manual TDI Beetle, the clutch is very high on the peddle.

[@burqueboy07]

I own a 17 R and had no idea the headlights got sprayed with the windshield lol

[@yayankee1]

Thanks...very honest review...keep up the good work!

[@terrancemoore496]

Ok got it. You are not too happy with the manual because you don't actually own a manual. I was get a bit confused with you video until you stated that. As you stated if you a manual fan boy then maybe this the car for you, but to my understanding the GTI has more torque steer.

[@RoadandTract]

Correct. Here's my logic: GTI - Get the manual R - Get the DSG Based on all the VW press cars I've driven, this is what I recommend. Thanks for watching!

[@vr6gls]

New Car Spin Both the Golf R and GTI are better with DSG. I have driven both and bought the GTI. I feel that a manual transmission handicaps the car. I like a good manual transmission as well as anyone else; however, I am not blindly loyal to owning a manual. The DSG provides the best of both worlds and is a phenomenal transmission.

[@JaiGandhi5]

I'm trying to make this decision as well. Manual vs DSG for the R. I have test driven both Manual for R and GTI and the GTI felt much much better. Not sure why. But I think the DSG is better for the R as well. Too bad i dont have one to test drive :(.

[@MrMichael3905]

I definitely wouldn’t say that It has the same travel in sport vs comfort, I agree with what you said about the dampening but my winters are a bit too big and if I’m in anything other than race it rubs the tires in the wheel wells when I hit the slightest bump so there’s no way the travel is the same in race vs comfort

[@RoadandTract]

That's odd. Isn't there a snow tire setting in the mfd?

[@hascodelavega3098]

Hello, A question for you, I don't need snappy gear shift or doing any track. I have a GTI manual and I just need more power to get fun, not get faster. But, Will I get bored with this Golf R ? as it has too much power which I won't use because the speed limit ? Should I just keep my manual GTI ? Also,There is the Torque which on paper is (292-258) = 34 ft-lbs more for the Golf R. Do you feel really the difference ? Is that worth to upgrade from GTI to Golf R ? Thanks for your feedback, I will be able to know better what I want, because test drive with a manual gear, not every dealership has some available.Something important I don't like DSG or any Automatic Transmission.

[@RoadandTract]

I would keep the GTI manual. The R manual was annoying. The GTI DSG was also annoying. I like the Jetta GLI manual as well. The GLI has 207 hp (less than the GTI), but it delivers power better at the top end of the rev range kzbin.info/www/bejne/qn22d41jlq9-l68. I'm driving a Jetta GLI DSG right now and it has the same tendency as the Golf DSG to spin the wheels off-the-line. But the GLI sounds better and feels faster at the top-end than the GTI. But if you're sticking with a hatch, your manual GTI is what I'd get. Otherwise, you'll notice a big difference between your GTI and a R DSG. If you're looking for a good middle spot, check out the Audi A3 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iam7inhnrbaGmq8

[@hascodelavega3098]

Alright Thanks for your advice

[@vr6gls]

New Car Spin You are the only reviewer I have ever seen to recommend a GLI over a GTI. Either everyone else is wrong or you have a screw loose. LOL. The GLI is old and outdated, especially when compared to the GTI. If you want performance and practicality, the GTI is the way to go.

[@t6553gw]

So this 2017 golf R ride smoother than the 2016 you reviewed before?

[@RoadandTract]

+The Wisdom of the FlashGordon Same ride, different roads. The Golf R transmits most of the road quality directly into the cabin. It sounds worse hitting a rough road than it feels. The ride is firm and is compliant when the suspension travel is stressed.

[@jonbe9]

The turbo on the R and S3 is bigger.