The Volkswagen Golf has been on the circuit for almost five decades now, but it is still as popular as ever. In recent times, it looked like Volkswagen is paying all the attention to strengthen its SUV portfolio, introducing a new model every year for the last four years in the States. This led to people assuming that the enthusiasts are left out to dry. However, the company re-instilled the faith by announcing the return of the Golf R after a small hiatus. Arriving as a 2022 model year, the new Golf R will be the most powerful Golf ever built!

What’s New On The Outside?

The 2022 Golf R sports a new front bumper with splitters and R-specific air intake grilles. Chrome elements are ditched in favor of high-gloss black elements. There is a blue cross crossbar on top of the radiator grille that also doubles up as an LED strip for daytime running lights. It stretches all the way up to the fenders.

The car rides on 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels wrapped in low-profile summer performance tires. You can see the blue calipers peeping from behind. The wing mirrors project the ‘R’ logo on the road. Other than this, the Golf R features model-exclusive side skirts to further give a lower stance appearance. It, by the way, sits 0.8 inches lower than the standard Golf.

The rear bumper incorporates a newly designed high-gloss black diffuser to give it a sporty look. The exhaust system features chrome-plated twin tailpipes. A roof spoiler is also present to ensure a necessary level of downforce. The 2022 Golf R will be available in three different colors – Lapiz Blue Metallic, Pure White, Deep Black Pearl Effect.

What’s New On The Inside?

A 10-inch ‘Discover Pro’ touchscreen system is mounted on the center console, whereas the instrument cluster now comes with a configurable ‘Digital Cockpit’ as seen on many Volkswagen products. The steering wheel is wrapped in leather with blue contrast stitching. The automatic gearbox models come with paddle-shifters.

The seats are wrapped in Nappa leather and have a carbon-look with blue accents on the sides. The signature ‘R’ logo is embossed on the backrest. Other than this, the car comes with:

-* Carbon look dash panel decor

-* R-specific door trim

-* Brushed stainless-steel pedal caps and driver footrest

-* 30-color ambient lighting for the dash panel and doors

What’s Different Under The Hood?

This equates to 27 horses and 30 pound-feet of torque over the preceding model, which made 288 horses and 280 pound-feet of torque. The peak torque will be available right from 2,100 rpm and all the way up to 5,350 rpm, which ensures a punchy mid-range. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual as standard – big, happy news for the purists – but can also be had with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox as optional. The 2022 Golf R can sprint to 62 mph from a standstill in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph.

New 4Motion Drive System

Power will be sent to the wheels via a new performance-oriented all-wheel-drive ‘4Motion’ system. In the standard 4Motion system, the different transfers the power to the rear wheels in a 50:50 ratio. The new system, however, comes with torque vectoring and transfers the torque variably between both rear wheels. The outer wheel can receive up to 100-percent of the power during cornering, making it all the more agile. It sounds highly impressive on paper and assures a much better driving experience, but we’ll wait till the real-world reviews pour in.

Suspension System, Drive Modes, etc.

There is an ‘R’ button on the steering wheel that lets you select and activate the drive modes. Volkswagen has also tuned the suspension to make it a better handler at high speeds. It features a strut-type system at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. The Mk8 Golf R also sits 0.8-inch closer to the ground when compared to the standard Golf.

The automaker has said that every model will come with a sport exhaust system and variable-ratio steering. Apart from this, the brakes are also improved. The 2022 Golf R features larger discs at the front. They now measure 14.1 inches in diameter and 1.3 inches in width, compared to 13.4- and 1.2 inches respectively in the 2019 model.

Final Thoughts

The 2022 Golf R will hit the dealerships late in 2021. Prices aren’t out yet, but expect it to sell in big numbers irrespective of the sticker price. The last Golf R that was on sale here – the 2019 model – started at $40,000. Expect the 2022 Golf R to be priced at least a couple of thousand bucks more.

Do you think the 2022 Golf R serves as a fitting return for the brand’s performance halo car? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.