Is the R now too numb to be an enthusiast vehicle? 2024 VW Golf R Manual Review

[@DynamicAttraction]

2024 golf r owner here picked mine up in December and love it. Perfect daily driver hatch

[@Neutralreviews]

Congratulations! One of my favourite cars ever. Enjoy

[@NoTechHacker]

Completely agree. Picked my 6MT ‘24 R up the last week of December. It’s a great car, great daily, and a lot of fun. I had a 2017 Focus RS for the last 7 years, and it took me a while to settle on something that would make me smile just as much.

[@Neutralreviews]

@@NoTechHacker nice!! How do they compare? I liked the more raw RS but I feel this mk8 R is the reboot and close interpretation

[@adamg6849]

just got my 2024 R lapiz blue 4 weeks ago and I still cant get the smile off my face. Im 50 - so all the tech complaints are total bs - took me 30 minutes to figure everything out. Plain and simple this car absolutely rocks. Most fun I have had driving since I turned 18 and first got my license. Wife says I need you to go to market and I run now - any excuse to fire that turbo up Im game. Like someone in the comments said - stop nitpicking these cars so they never stop building them.

[@Neutralreviews]

I love to hear it!! So great to have a car you want to make an excuse to get into! That's how I felt with it all week. I told VW I was sad to give it back lol.

[@GhostRkkon]

congrats buddy!

[@pabloandrade1954]

Im on the same boat. 3k miles after and the smile is even bigger

[@Neutralreviews]

@@pabloandrade1954 I was blown away how much better it was than the mk7.5 I almost bought. Congrats

[@adamg6849]

Thanks. Still trying to figure out all the hate for the tech. I love it.

[@CrimpKeeper]

Test drove a 2024 Golf R with the DSG today. It definitely is weird driving a sports car with an auto but those shifts were pretty quick. I’m impressed with the performance of the DSG and like the ability to be chill and have a normal auto but then you can turn on R mode, and use the paddles to have some fun. I will admit they not having the 3rd pedal and shifter to engage with does make me feel less in control of the vehicle but I think certain cars are better in auto. This is one of them.

[@Neutralreviews]

Well said. I have both transmissions for VW and agree. I got the manual because I love driving manual but for sure VW put their money into the DSG and it better suits the car.

[@steelecrafting]

I picked up my Golf R a week ago. Unfortunately for the Australian market the manual was not available which sucks as I would have loved this in a manual. Having said that this car is really fun to drive. Mine is fully optioned and really looks the part. Also there's not many on the road here. Maybe the cost is a factor we always pay way too much for our cars here.

[@Neutralreviews]

Awesome!! And agreed. I always complain at how much Canadians pay for cell and internet compared to most other major countries, but I guess it's better than what Australians have to pay for cool enthusiast vehicles;) I'm a manual person myself but I own a GTI with the DSG and feel it's probably the better transmission for the car. It feels more naturally geared. The manual is not my favourite for how they geared it. Plus the automatic is significantly faster in the R. Congratulations and enjoy. Truly one of my favourite cars ever

[@dubvr6nos]

The 6 speed is fun, but first gear is so short. The DSG being a 7 speed get better gas mileage. Don't get me wrong, I love my6 speed but DSG is actually better iMO

[@ahmeda.3198]

I’m pretty old, so maybe this is the new norm, but not a fan of these seats that have that bulky head rest. Not sure if it’s for supporting a helmet or what, but I prefer the older style of headrest, where it was smaller and a separate component to the seat back.

[@RaceCarFriends]

This was a great review, keep up the good work brother.

[@Neutralreviews]

Thanks for that! Means a lot! Really helps to keep me pushing to turn this into a successful show. The show actually has a MK8 manual on order and I hope to keep the car longterm and do many more videos with it (like 6mn, 1yr ownership experience, snow tires vs all season, how to drive a manual, etc.). Have a great day

[@kineticU]

Dude…you do great reviews for the normal dude-dads. I sold my manual 718 to get a more practical car the 24 golf R manual for less than MSRP. And kept my gen 1 BRZ manual (“rebuilt” title) to rag on. Looking forward to keep these guys for a long time. For speed, my wife will get an EV SUV that will blow by all these mechanicals.. lol.

[@Neutralreviews]

Ha! Great comments and thank you! I actually have a blue MK8 manual on order. Hoping to make lots of content with it!!

[@kineticU]

@@Neutralreviews looking forward to your channel being successful!

[@Neutralreviews]

@@kineticU ❤️

[@rj9617]

High 3 second range 0-60 with the automatic?! That's very quick!

[@Neutralreviews]

Most magazines have the auto at 4.1sec 0-60mph but I've seen some say as low as 3.9secs. In reality that's going to feel and look similar. Super cars like the R8 and Viper had these type of times. Amazing how far the hottest hot hatches have become!

[@93455Driver]

I loved my Mk7 GTI Sport, it did everything well as did the two other GTIs I had owned before (and no reliability issues). I was all set for a Mk8 Glf R but the UI was a deal breaker, not sure if this was CARAID's fault or not. The good news is that they have fixes on the way with the 8.5.

[@landofsyn2980]

Forgot to mention- a WRX will... and I promise you this... will blow up- not today but 1 day- you will do a pull and it will blow- there is nothing to stop this with the new FA motor-

[@vwmafia1360]

I’m waiting for the refresh but super impatient!!

[@Neutralreviews]

Very curious myself!

[@emiliodaloisio3312]

Getting one in a couple of weeks...I'm old so might be time for a dsg, thoughts?

[@Neutralreviews]

You are only as old as you think (or feel lol)...I'm 18 in my brain but in my 40's and drive a manual BRZ😝 I love manual but get it;) I have a DSG GTI and almost bought the R at the time but went with two cars instead (used VW DSG & BRZ manual instead of new R DSG). I personally feel the DSG better suits the car and VW put way more effort into it. Manual feels a little forced in the MK8 whereas the auto feels in sync with everything else it responds and coordinates with. I still would go with the manual because I have problems lol, but the DSG is better and waaaay faster. Good luck. Amazing car either way

[@ahmeda.3198]

Unless you have problems with your knee, or if you will spend most of your time stuck in stop and go traffic, I would go for the manual. This is the end of an era for manual. Besides being more fun, they also don’t do that annoying behavior of turning off at stop lights.

[@emiliodaloisio3312]

Thanks guys…went with the manual just can’t give it up yet.

[@ahmeda.3198]

@@emiliodaloisio3312 The big emphasis nowadays is all this crap about shifting faster, launch control, etc. But so much more fun and engaging to up and down shift around turns. I’m not trying to drag race anyone, but I love rev matching and shifting through curves. Congratulations on the car. ❤️

[@Tigerex966]

I think the manual resale will increase in resale value in e they are gone a few years and maintenance is way cheaper however it's always going to lose in a drag race as they have never improved the manual in a decade ni rev match no no lift throttle shift no 7 or 8 speeds no added synchro or shorter shifts all the rnd went into the dsg.

[@ahmeda.3198]

So is it correct that the only purpose of the drift mode is to allow the driver to do these drifts? As in, it’s not a driving mode one would use for going down the road, but just for fooling around in a parking lot? That is bizarre.

[@Neutralreviews]

Lol. I know. I have a RWD car and this seems silly. You can definitely drive in that mode (all it does is routes more power to the rear than the front and reduces the nannies). It was fun and great that it can do it when others can't but still not a rwd;)

[@ahmeda.3198]

@@Neutralreviews I am older and don’t follow all this business about drifting and launching, but it seems this is something that many auto enthusiasts are really into. I just enjoy shifting through curves. Where I live there are ‘road take overs’ where groups of youth take control of an intersection or even the freeway, and do this sort of thing. Not at all my interest, but there is a whole generation of people who grew up watching Fast and the Furious, and this is a desirable feature for them. It’s very interesting how the popular culture influences automobile design (and you can also see that in the now profile tires), which were not a thing when I was young.

[@ave649]

Drifting ,launching, track racing, street racing, and daily hard accelerations off the red light, are all great ways to destroy an engine . These are not race cars or toys to be broken. Immature idiots are the main cause of engine oil burning and mechanical breakdown. Not the cars design. And, never buy a used performance vehicle, you will be buying a problem.

[@curiouschiang]

what does pass for the brake test mean?

[@Neutralreviews]

Good question! Really more for fun, but what I'm more or less looking for is if the vehicle feels under braked or just weird when breaking. I used to love Hyundai designs years ago (still nice now), but the brakes always felt so incredibly soft and squishy. Other cars like ones that use one pedal braking, I look to see if they are smooth and something you'd want to actually use. Once the show gets bigger and I can rent tracks, etc. I hope to do more formal tests. A lot of times I try to quote numbers from Journalists who have properly tested.

[@kbas6297]

didnt turn off esc for drifiting

[@Neutralreviews]

I don't remember having to do anything other than hitting Drift mode. It definitely was a cool feature but definitely different feeling. It literally felt like a button gets pressed moment, because unlike my rwd car that feels natural and progressive, it just throwed you around the opposite way perfectly stopping you before you went too far. That said, the CTR doesn't even have a manual handbrake and my GTI definitely isn't going around sideways (on purpose) lol.

[@charlesmack2078]

I’ve enjoyed blowing the doors off Hondas, Subarus, Toyotas and a few Porsches after easily having my old GTI R boosted and to super tuned by iconic Nardi Motors in SoCal 😎

[@Neutralreviews]

I bet that thing is nuts. I was impressed with the stock manual. I did a review on a focus RS that was tuned and it was crazy fast

[@partytimeNYC]

Great review. I’m in the U.S. and have a 2018 Focus RS. I love it and I’ll never sell it (it’s probably one of the lowest mileage examples out there and the last of its kind) but I want something a bit more comfortable for day to day. I’m eyeing a ‘24 Golf R manual. This review helped push me further in that direction 😬

[@Neutralreviews]

Thanks!! Good call. The RS is one of my favourites. So much so, for my birthday when they came out I rented one for the day lol. That said, the MK8 is maybe a little less raw but with the extra comfort it brings, it makes it a great choice if using the car a lot. Hope you enjoy it:)

[@partytimeNYC]

@@Neutralreviews​​⁠It sucks that VW is killing all the manuals right before the Mk 8.5, which will supposedly address many of the infotainment gripes. This is the last chance to get a manual R so that’s definitely influencing my decision. I’ll go check out your Focus RS review now 😬

[@Neutralreviews]

@@partytimeNYC Totally agree. Seriously considering myself.

[@ahmeda.3198]

Great review. Never heard anyone else mentioning anything about negative camber. Two questions please: 1. Are you able to please provide the link to that document you showed with all these details like the negative camber. 2. I’d be interested to know, like when you mention there was maybe half an inch longer wheel base to the new model, is something like that considered negligible or important for ride stability, or for whatever it’s for. Same with the negative camber, those are interesting observations, but I don’t know so much what that results in, means, etc. This is really an excellent review, very informative and enjoyable.

[@Neutralreviews]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYacY5tnncqtlZosi=nDaC97Lrw4aa-P91 Great questions (and thank you for the kind words). This is a link to one of my favourite car channels that get more into the engineering. That's where I got that info from (screenshots). The longer wheelbase is better for providing more interior space and a better more stable feel when travelling straight like on a highway. Downside is, the longer wheelbase makes it slightly less agile. The camber points the wheels in a way that helps the car go around a corner better like hockey players lean when turning. The R last gen or this has to be one of the best all around vehicles out there. Really tough balance on all these pieces but VW seems to do them well for the R.

[@ahmeda.3198]

@@Neutralreviews Thank you very much for the link and explanations. Yes, I really enjoyed the review and unlike most of the others I’ve seen, I learned some new things. I bought this car about one month ago, because it was the last opportunity to get a manual transmission vehicle that’s AWD, sporty and comfortable, and lower price than these something like a BMW, or what not that also fits this description. I am coming from driving a motorcycle, not another car for about 15 years and love the Golf. I don’t care about the launch control or drifting, but love up and down shifting through curves. I am grateful for it, but my nitpicks are the buttonless user interface for climate and stereo. This requires the user to takes eyes and attention off the road. I also really don’t like the bulk of the seat’s headrests; I am used to swiveling my head for lane changes, and these things really block visibility. One other point is this lane centering feature. As a motorcyclist, I am always on the very edge of the lane (so as to be able to respond if someone changes lanes into me), with the Golf, I had on several occasions, it would take control of the steering and shift me over into the center of the lane. I did not like that behavior at all and saw how to disable it. It is a very nice car. Back in 1994 I had a 1989 VW Fox for a little while, but am not a VW enthusiast or anything like that. I just wanted a nice manual car before they stopped making them. I really enjoy this car. It’s very fun and comfortable to drive.

[@ricktrue8441]

Was carbon buildup on the intake valves a consideration before purchasing this car?

[@Neutralreviews]

I'm not sure if anyone else can answer but I haven't heard anything (also not combing the forums).

[@ricktrue8441]

So you don't know this car lacks Port Injection which leads to carbon buildup on the back of the intake valves? @@Neutralreviews

[@Neutralreviews]

@@ricktrue8441 I do. But most new engines use direct now. Some are worse than others and I haven't heard of any mainstream complaints but as I said I don't own one so I haven't dug that deep. Usually when a new model comes out you'll hear about a particular issue like with the Ford Focus RS or BRZ but as of yet I haven't heard anything.

[@ricktrue8441]

It's an issue with any engine that uses direct injection only. The manufacturer has nothing to do with it.Google the subject and then get back to me.@@Neutralreviews

[@Neutralreviews]

@@ricktrue8441 I know the subject lol. That's my point and why I am confused on your persistent question other than you seemingly being argumentative and an authority on the subject. Almost all engines have gone this route so I don't know what your point is? Are you warning potential buyers of AE888 TSI engines? If so you need to hop on almost every review channel for every new car. I imagine most manufacturers encourage their dealers to promote extended warranty to mitigate the issue. From my understanding they went this route because of difficult regulations to meet and increased efficiency. My BRZ has both port and direct and in part why I bought it. It's like complaining cars aren't sold without power windows and doors anymore and they cost more to repair. I agree it sucks for the consumer but what do you do. I have mentioned this issue in other episodes.

[@BrakRulesAll]

"and things like that"

[@johnyacoub69]

What a ridiculous clickbaity premise; the car is a more visceral drive at least in its sportier drive mode configurations than any of its Golf R predecessors.

[@tonymcflattie2450]

Needs auto blipper or I don’t buy

[@Neutralreviews]

I thought that - especially because of the price point - but didn't miss it. My BRZ doesn't have it and I like the challenge of doing it myself. That said it was nice to have the week Honda gave me an Si

[@tonymcflattie2450]

Mk7 is too numb, good grocery getter though

[@Neutralreviews]

Exactly

[@BrakRulesAll]

304 years into the Mk8 and these electronics in this car are still a disaster. VW software development/support is 2nd tier at best. Can't wait for next year, the stupid oversized infotainment screen gets even much bigger! Fuuuuuuuuu

[@Neutralreviews]

I'm looking forward to when car companies replace the windshields with widescreens lol.

[@NeverSeenAMooseIRL]

They are fine. I own a MK8 R and I actually like the infotainment. Takes like 2 days to get used to it.

[@emiliodaloisio3312]

@@NeverSeenAMooseIRL too may cry babies out there

[@NeverSeenAMooseIRL]

@@emiliodaloisio3312 Yeah a lot of talk from people that don't own MK8's and reviewers that have never lived with this card.

[@krane15]

Manuals are way overrated. That's a good resolve since after now, they well be gone. "Getting used to it". The excuse for poor design

[@Neutralreviews]

I agree on the bad design. I'm happy VW is going to address. Kind of like Honda had to a few years ago with the FK8. The R is better suited with the DSG auto but have you actually gotten to drive a manual? Some people I know say manuals are overrated until they drive one. Especially on track where it is really fun to challenge yourself with the extra engagement that comes from driving a manual. I own both. DSG and manual. Thanks for commenting:)

[@toddhunt2087]

I agree I hate shifting lol.

[@vandrosia]

Any moron can drive an automatic. But it takes skill to drive a manual and everyone knows this.

[@ahmeda.3198]

I don’t think so at all. Personally, I don’t care about drag racing, launch control or anything like that. I love the level of engagement with the vehicle when shifting. Especially when downshift, in order to match e fine speed. It’s really fun to coordinate the arm and two legs like that, and makes driving the vehicle a more interactive experience rather than a passive one (which is fun with these sportier cars). I don’t get all the emphasis on ‘launch control’ and just accelerating very quickly in a straight line. That’s my take on it.

[@vandrosia]

@@ahmeda.3198 You're one of the few drivers who prefer a stick shift and the engagement that comes with it. Today's automatics have gotten so good that they're much faster than a manual. However, you're not one of the ding-dong sheep who only cares about drag race times. I also prefer driving a stick.