Volkswagen’s New Golf R Estate, A Versatile Everyday Wagon With An Outstanding Performance

A versatile all-rounder that showcases more power, more space, and numerous innovations, Volkswagen’s new Golf R Estate is the most powerful and dynamic Golf Estate to date.

It is a comfortable leisure-oriented and family-friendly wagon suitable for everyday use and is in no way compromised by the R-specific sports trim and the motor racing engineering.

Volkswagen’s head of R business unit Sven Smeets remarked, “The Golf R Estate is the perfect combination of a compact Golf R and an estate. Sportiness, performance and emotions meet space, versatility and innovation.”

Exterior wise, it features several R-specific elements such as the front bumper with splitter and side wings as air deflectors, which dominate the new Golf R Estate’s powerful-looking hide.

Panning around the silhouette, the striking wider side contours in the body colour aids to its menacing stance.

Flipping to the back, all-new are the R-specific rear bumper with the diffuser painted in high gloss black paired to a set of slit looking fog lights fitted at both edges.

Also new is the sports exhaust system built according to Volkswagen R specifications, and it boasts two mean-looking chrome-plated twin tailpipes.

Completing the hide is an option of three colours ranging from the R-typical Lapiz Blue Metallic, Pure White and Deep Black Pearl Effect.

Transitioning inside, the Golf R Estate’s interior signifies a true R model as well. Fitted as standard are the new multifunction sports leather steering wheel and premium sports seats at the front. 

The latter have integrated head restraints with sporting blue ‘R’ logos, and the seat centre panels are covered with the ‘R’ fabric seat covers in black-blue.

Extending the premium feel, the inner side of the seat cushion bolsters are made of ArtVelours microfleece in Flint Grey. 

An optional Nappa leather package can also be ordered. It includes active climate control for the front seats and, on the insides of the doors, are detailing of carbon elements with blue finishing.

As for the driver controls, it gets a redesigned layout with touch buttons, touch sliders, and touch screens that substitutes the functions of classic controls and analogue displays.

It is also installed with the R-specific Digital Cockpit Pro, which features a horizontal engine speed display and a lap timer for keeping time on the race track.

Infotainment wise, the new MIB3 system is networked with the various online services of the brand’s ‘Volkswagen We’ ecosystem, enabling cloud-based personalisation.

Other than that, the vehicle’s system can be operated with the new, natural, learning voice control function.

Both the Digital Cockpit Pro and the MIB3 infotainment system are arranged in the driver’s line of sight, making it easy to see and operate at all times.

Aforementioned, the Golf R Estate fully benefits from the space it has with a 66 mm longer wheelbase than the standard Golf trim.

Benefiting especially for the occupants in the rear, it has maximum legroom that expands from 903 mm to 941 mm.

Storage is also a luxury with a luggage compartment volume of 611 litres, which increases to a maximum of 1,642 litres with the second row of seats folded down.

Apart from that, the Golf R Estate is available for the first time with an optional ball coupling with a permitted maximum trailer weight (braked) of up to 1.9 tonnes and a drawbar load of 80 kg.

Peeking under the hood, the Golf R Estate sports VW’s 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged TSI engine that produces 235 kW (320 PS) of power and 420 Nm of torque.

Power is transmitted via an R-specific 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the Golf R Estate can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds. 

The top speed is electronically capped at 250 km/h. However, with the optional R Performance package, a top speed of 270 km/h can be unlocked. 

Said package also includes a set of 19-inch wheels and two additional driving modes, i.e., Special (Nürburgring mode) and Drift (for power slides).

On the other hand, the standard driving profiles are Comfort, Sport, Race and Individual. Drivers can also use a button to adjust the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) to fit personalised requirements.

Moreover, the Golf R Estate also features the newly developed 4MOTION all-wheel drive with R Performance Torque Vectoring with selective wheel torque control on the rear axle.

VW’s new drive system distributes the drive power between the front and rear axles and the rear wheels. Significantly increases agility, particularly when cornering.

This all-wheel drive is also networked via the Vehicle Dynamics Manager with other running gear systems such as the electronic differential locks (XDS) and adaptive chassis control (DCC).

All things considered, the new Golf R Estate can be ordered in Germany, and Europe and the prices start from EUR 51,585 (RM 257,547).