When the VW Golf 7.5 R was introduced to our local market it only came with 213 kW, while the European market made do with a little bit more, 228 kW. VW SA recently brought in the updated VW Golf 7.5 R with the same power as the European version which is accompanied by the optional extra Akarapovic exhaust. We got to drive this beaut, and here are the thing we love about it.
The styling
Its very distinct. To tell it apart from the other models in the line up, it features 19-inch Pretoria alloy wheels, sportier bumper, and quad exhaust at the rear. It’s quite a looker, park it anywhere and its bound to gets stares.
The performance.
Its packing 228kW and 400Nm of torque from its turbocharged 2.0-litre 4cylinder engine. Its sprints from 0 – 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds.
The practicality.
It accommodates 5 people with ease and has quite decent boot space. It’s hella comfortable in nearly all driving modes (if you’re not driving like a hooligan). It’s actually a proper everyday performance car. Drive sensibility and you can achieve lower than 8 L/100km.
The Interior.
It’s quite a nice place to be in. The seats are comfortable, the steering wheel feels proper, the infotainment system is easy to use and the digital dash is crisp and easy to read.
We had a blast in this car, the optional Akrapovic exhaust is well worth it, upshifts are accompanied with the legendary sounds of “VrrrPhaaa” with downshifts with some occasional pops and burbles. This is quite possibly the best all-round performance hatchback on the market.
