Fast Golf Face-Off! (2026 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs R Comparison Review)

Times have certainly changed for the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Once a value hero with a driveaway price in the mid-$40K range, it now demands a price of just over $70K over the road, once you tack on the many extras that many fans would deem mandatory.

The gap to the full-fat R at almost $80K has never been closer and has collected a fan base all of its own – and for very good reason, thanks to its rocket-ship-like straight-line performance and now, excellent cornering dynamics.

But the Mk8.5 GTI has recently fought back to address some key criticisms of the previous Mk8 and is now armed with more power than ever before.

In today’s comparison, road test editor John Law puts both under the microscope to find out if the GTI is still the king of the Golf range, or if the R now officially wears the crown.

Time codes:
1:20 - What they include?
2:54 - GTI interior
6:20 - R Interior
7:20 - Boots
9:09 - Running costs
10:05 - GTI driving impressions
15:27 - R driving impressions
22:28 - Verdict

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