How Much Fun is the 2023 Volkswagen Golf R in Winter? We find out!

James has a chance to drive the all-new 2023 Volkswagen Golf R during the winter to see if you can have just as much fun with it when it snows.
Follow James on his Channel to see his videos on all the cars he drives over at ‪@technicallycars‬ !
Volkswagen has updated the Golf R for the 2023 model year moving on to the Mk8 chassis. This vehicle has gotten a number of updates including more power out of the 2.0L turbocharged 4 cylinder engine, new safety technology, a new digital-forward interior design, tuning suited for the Nurburgring, and a new drift mode to name a few updates. Currently the VW Golf R is only available in white blue, and black here in North America.
James goes over the exterior design and features of the car along with his thoughts on the interior. The lack of buttons is a new design trait for Volkswagen putting all but shortcut menu buttons into the centre infotainment system.
We then take the 2023 Volkswagen Golf R on a winter road test to see how this hot hatch performs in Québec's winter, along with everything else potential buyers would need to know if they're in the market for this vehicle.
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TestDrive is proudly produced in Elgin County, Ontario, Canada.

[@technicallycars]

This Car is SERIOUS FUN! Try the drift mode in a safe area trust me you won't regret it!!

[@IMP3TIGO]

Love the Golf R but the all touch infotainment and climate controls is a deal breaker for me. Shame as it looks awesome otherwise. Hopefully they'll being them back in the mid cycle refresh.

[@PRNTestDrive]

A lot of manufacturers are opting for the touch screen or touch-sensitive buttons now, I think there's going to be continued pushback from consumers, but it'll be interesting to see if manufactures are interested in listening.

[@IMP3TIGO]

@@PRNTestDrive hopefully they'll yield to consumer demand, like Honda did when they brought back the volume knob on many models a few years ago! Glad you were clear in the video how it is a negative overall. Great video!

[@rickedmonds8309]

But the 6 speed is spot , perfect , !!!

[@PRNTestDrive]

And luckily James just published a review on the 2024 with the manual: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4GtiHV4fbuea5Y

[@aldante7079]

i wonder how the "buttons" and screen work in cold weather... is it laggy and annoying or is it fine

[@PRNTestDrive]

I believe we experienced that with some of the VWs we drove over the years, especially when you start up the car for the first time on a cold morning. Nothing beats a physical button, I don't understand why car makers don't keep them. No one wants these haptic stickers.

[@xxawesomedxx]

I honestly can't wait until mid-May when I can pick mone up. 20th anniversary in white but damn this waiting game is awful

[@PRNTestDrive]

Enjoy it when it arrives!

[@morbidgull8922]

I have to wait till winter apparently I put my order in last October, been watching these videos like crazy in the meantime lol.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Hopefully it arrives on time, there's been a recent delay in vehicle production, not sure what's going on across the board.

[@hanx9970]

Guys, Im picking one up in 2024 Jan, just ordered yesterday, I've heard some dudes have been waiting for long

[@PRNTestDrive]

Hope it arrives on time for you!

[@audiwankenobi361]

I hate the touch buttons all throughout the cabin. This car in a more analog version would be very nice.

[@technicallycars]

Agreed! The touch buttons is the only thing that’s not so great!

[@93455Driver]

Holding out for a Mk8.5, hoping they fix the UI.

[@redrosevisuals]

Own it?

[@audiwankenobi361]

@RedRose Visuals Don't own it....just sold my 2016 Golf Sportwagen tho. Still have my 2015 Passat TDI and 2008 Volkswagen Passat VR6 4MOTION Wagon........you looking for my credentials to speak?

[@93455Driver]

Fingers crossed for the 8.5. Apparently in 2024 the steering wheel will not have haptics.

[@Gyh373]

Pick my 2024 up today 😀😀

[@PRNTestDrive]

Congratulations, enjoy yours!

[@brandonjoseph1489]

It has 315 horse power not 215 like you said

[@PRNTestDrive]

Might have just been the audio

[@العقيدمعمرالقذافي-ح4ف]

is the extra 15k over the gti worth it ? 😂

[@PRNTestDrive]

Not to regular buyers.

[@DarenSullivan3]

Good review however less coffee next time…it’s difficult to understand you sometimes because you talk so fast

[@PRNTestDrive]

We'll pass the feedback along, thanks.

[@vicgill1980]

11:20 you’re welcome

[@malcolmh5736]

Thanks for the review! I don't like head-rests that aren't adjustable, that's a bummer b/c they're usually a bit too forward for my liking, particularly for longer cruises. Last time I test-drove type R (2018) the traction control could NOT be fully turned off. Has that changed?? It was actually a deal-breaker for me; I ended up getting a Focus RS. I don't know if I could do infotainment-only controlled climate control.

[@PRNTestDrive]

The Focus RS is probably a better choice overall in the long run, enjoy it!

[@malcolmh5736]

@@PRNTestDrive I love it actually, thanks.

[@LordStaind]

Got yourself another subscriber. It’s great to see more Canadian auto reviewers here on KZbin. Keep up the great work!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Welcome aboard!

[@rickedmonds8309]

I only wish I could have gotten the automatic instead of the 6 speed.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Plenty of them out there to swap into.

[@KP-xi4bj]

Does it come with all season tires or summer tires from the factory?

[@cyril2011]

Summer, at least mine did.

[@KP-xi4bj]

@@cyril2011 Do you have winter tires or do you drive around with summer tires since it's AWD?

[@cyril2011]

I bought a set of cross climate 2s they're practically an all season with snow tire capability. They're amazing

[@gregorytrane7828]

The 2023 Golf R going to the U.S. is suppose to have 315 H.P. please check with VW or it's dealers. Good review.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Bunch of different numbers all over the place, the specs we got are from VW Canada.

[@EddieRicks-i8v]

I need this car in my life 😊

[@PRNTestDrive]

Hopefully you can make that a reality!

[@MEQUPWER]

you said 215 hp but its really 315 hp, i would never want one that was only 215. it would BE SO SLOW!

[@PRNTestDrive]

The engine specs pop up had the correct numbers.

[@cparent2012]

​@Lurch the nice thing about the mk8 R is the Magna rear diff . Due to the torque vectoring where It can now send 100% of the power to each individual wheel cornering has improved quite a bit over the mk7

[@haydensmith888]

Shame it only comes in 3 colour choices! Bring back Oak Green from the Mk2

[@PRNTestDrive]

It's surprising also, considering the previous generation had about 40 to choose from.

[@haydensmith888]

@@PRNTestDrive seems a shame doesn’t it that the flagship car is so restricted in colour choices

[@GethinJames]

What isn't "nice"?

[@PRNTestDrive]

The reliability? The cheapening-out of materials?

[@tarzan9833]

No thanks that’s safty issues

[@tarzan9833]

Toyota and Honda are so thankful to Volkswagen for doin this so more people would buy their products

[@BoostedFB6]

What are the safety issues?

[@merica7050]

This dude is intox

[@tarzan9833]

No one is buying this unsafe car that’s why I only saw 2 of them on road in past 12months

[@BoostedFB6]

@@tarzan9833 that’s because they’re hard to get there’s nothing unsafe about it 💀

[@dougmaverick3287]

If you think the Golf R is a lot of fun you should test drive the new Toyota GR Corolla, because any car with a manual transmission is better than an automatic. I'm picking up my GRC next month.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Enjoy it!

[@Phantom_Anthem]

Will always take automatic over manual

[@dougmaverick3287]

@@Phantom_Anthem You should really learn how to drive a manual it's so much more fun, more engaging and involving for the driver, I promise you.

[@Phantom_Anthem]

@@dougmaverick3287 I get that but, I rather just have the convenience of an automatic. Steering through corners and chasing the racing line is enough for me

[@dougmaverick3287]

@@Phantom_Anthem 👍👍