The Golf R hatch is great, but for some buyers, it’s just too damn small, and not everyone who needs more trunk space wants to upgrade to a taller, heavier SUV. That’s why we love the R wagon – that and the fact that it’s so low-key you can hoon around using all the performance without attracting too much attention. Unfortunately for America, the long-roof Golf R was never offered in the U.S., and this summer VW Australia announced it would stop selling all Golf wagons, including the R. But these spy shots prove that the model will live on for the small band of European buyers who like its stealthy blend of pace and space.
We’ve already caught the hatch and estate
versions of the facelifted 2025 Golf R testing almost completely undisguised at
the Nurburgring, and now our spy photographers have snapped the wagon being put
through the R&D ringer by itself in snowy Sweden. Visual changes are very
minor but include some tweaks to the front grille and bumper, most obviously
the wide lower air intake, which switches from three horizontal bars in each
corner to two. As it always does, VW has attempted to hide the changes by
artfully applying tape to mimic the look of the current car.
Inside, the facelifted Golf range,
including the R, is in line to get a larger, more modern infotainment system
that we believe is the same 15-inch setup fitted to the latest Passat and
Tiguan. As for what’s under the hood, well, we can be sure that it will be very
closely related to the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine fitted to the current car.
That’s currently rated at 315 hp in the U.S. but we’re hoping VW makes
the 329 hp version from this year’s 333 limited edition standard on
all cars.
Whatever it’s kicking out, it will of
course be delivered to all four wheels, and unfortunately, only through a
seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The R is already only available with the
DSG in some markets (like the UK), and VW in America won’t offer a stick-shift
version after 2024.
