Golf R; Not perfect...but close video

[drisser]

my opinion.. for what its worth.

I wish VW and all other manufacturers would just stop wasting time and energy on tweaking things like DRL's and indicators.. they frankly seem intent these days on a competition to see who can make the most ridiculous DRL's like it matters.. First Audi were kings of it, then Merc with the E class and ridiculous inverted upside down lighting bolt DRL's and so it goes on..

I get that these tweaks seem essential in a facelift but I would rather they put some time and effort into other things rather than just trying to keep up with the Jones's (aka gesture control - why ??)  Never ever did I sit in a car and say I cant be arsed to reach 10 cm to the dial or actually use the buttons on the steering wheel..

Personally I much preferred the GTi the way it was in terms of the front end and the wheels and if I hadn't gone for a CS a just-used Mk7 would have been top of my list.  I get why some might want the newer "fresher" look though..

[CHB100]

Dresser, I know what you mean. But thank god vw have stayed true mostly to the essence of the Golf .IMO the finest car produced for not only the masses but with GTI and R competition far way above the cost.
These things you mention are options,which at standard spec. Agree you don't need, until they become standard. They have to compete,but still with class. I have a hire Astra turbo sri initially you think this is nice and well equipped 10 miles and you realise it's no more than a dressed up Datsun, Japanese bling body shell. Ok not that bad but no way a Golf. Class can come cheap.

[Daz Auto]

Excuse my ignorance, but what advantages does the 7 speed dsg have over the 6 speed?  Ta.

Apparently gears 1-6 are slightly shorter with a long gear 7. It is supposed to be noticeably faster and smoother shifting. In the new Golf R it has resulted in an improvement in both performance and fuel economy.

I know some people here will be shocked, but I just don't understand what looks sharp and sporty about U shaped headlights. I have been looking to change car for the last 2 years and the style of Mk 7 Golf never appealed to me. I always liked the rear of the Mk7, but never liked the front end. Luckily for me, I really do like what VW have done with the style of the new headlights. Though I guess if some people are in love with the old U shape they just won't see it.

The new headlights are also a change in technology from Xenon to LED. In combination with Dynamic Light Assist, they are not just low beam and high beam, but multi-beam. They should offer noticeable benefits. Especially as I live in the countryside. 

[wigit]

I have to admit the xenons on the 7 for me were not as good as those on my 6 and a let down so will be good to see what the LEDs are like

I think the front is tidied up nicely now they have lost the chrome strip but think they should have ditched the satin mirror caps and they have worked on the wagon

My favourite looking Mk7 is a Clubsport on 19s as they got it so right especially in the classic GTI colours and it seems to tick the emotion box.

R is sublime but progress in one is too easy, you make rapid progress but not particularly satisfying and for me i see ours as just two cars as it has not really grabbed at the emotions. I know a few who have sort the same thing and gone CS or BMW routes. This is why for me it works in estate form best as its only competition is the Seat.

[scanesare]

Excuse my ignorance, but what advantages does the 7 speed dsg have over the 6 speed?  Ta.

Apparently gears 1-6 are slightly shorter with a long gear 7. It is supposed to be noticeably faster and smoother shifting. In the new Golf R it has resulted in an improvement in both performance and fuel economy.

I know some people here will be shocked, but I just don't understand what looks sharp and sporty about U shaped headlights. I have been looking to change car for the last 2 years and the style of Mk 7 Golf never appealed to me. I always liked the rear of the Mk7, but never liked the front end. Luckily for me, I really do like what VW have done with the style of the new headlights. Though I guess if some people are in love with the old U shape they just won't see it.

The new headlights are also a change in technology from Xenon to LED. In combination with Dynamic Light Assist, they are not just low beam and high beam, but multi-beam. They should offer noticeable benefits. Especially as I live in the countryside.

The new 7speed should of course be an improvement but Noticeable faster and smoother? You sure you're not quoting some press release here? I can hardly feel the changes in the DSG6, as for speed, well let's say I never thought it was slow shifting? Pretty much the opposite. And LED offering noticeable benefits? Bi-xenons on the mk7 CS/GTI/R work fine for me and there's no road lights in most areas around here due to wildlife preservation purposes. Never thought they were lacking in power or range and let's wait to see the LEDs in action first, no? There must be some "new car beats everything else" type of enthousiasm in this post so I'll not argue any more, that's a sacred feeling

[Don76]

LED headlights are significantly better than xenon. You'll defo notice a massive improvement on distance as well as the colour of light they produce.

[Daz Auto]

The new 7speed should of course be an improvement but Noticeable faster and smoother? You sure you're not quoting some press release here? I can hardly feel the changes in the DSG6, as for speed, well let's say I never thought it was slow shifting? Pretty much the opposite. And LED offering noticeable benefits? Bi-xenons on the mk7 CS/GTI/R work fine for me and there's no road lights in most areas around here due to wildlife preservation purposes. Never thought they were lacking in power or range and let's wait to see the LEDs in action first, no? There must be some "new car beats everything else" type of enthousiasm in this post so I'll not argue any more, that's a sacred feeling

To answer your first question - on an Audi forum, owners of the facelift S3 have reported that their new 7 speed DSGs feel 'noticeably faster and smoother' than their old 6 speed DSG.

To answer your second question - my parents have LED headlights. They are definitely brighter and reach further than my Xenons and the Xenons on my wife's A3. Though as you say the Xenons are very good. I also read a review from another driver saying that the Dynamic Light Assist was excellent and really made a big difference.

As for your last comment... seriously? After all your "I own it, so it is the best" comments!

[Briggsy]

To answer your first question - on an Audi forum, owners of the facelift S3 have reported that their new 7 speed DSGs feel 'noticeably faster and smoother' than their old 6 speed DSG.

That's fair enough and it may feel different, but is that a placebo effect that it's faster.

Cold hard facts showing the difference in "noticeably faster" would be good.

[Daz Auto]

Isn't the 0-60 time of the new Golf R claimed to be 0.3 seconds faster than the original DSG car?

I'm reading through the latest VW Driver mag. They have a full review of the new 230hp GTI DSG. They are reporting a 0-60 time of 6.1 seconds. The test car also had the advantage of the wider Pirelli tyres for better grip. Compare that to the recent review on youtube that claimed the 245hp GTI Performance DSG had a 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds on the standard Bridgestone tyres.

Obviously these tests are not being carried out back-to-back. So there may be other factors influencing the results. However, there would appear to be a measurable difference. Though, I'm not sure how noticeable that would be in the real world. And, I don't know how much of that improvement can be attributed to the new DSG.

At some point VW Driver mag will be doing a review of the GTI Performance. Hopefully that will provide a better comparison and provide more answers.

[wigit]

Increasingly common on these sort of boxes to add the extra gear to aid cruising and improve the acceleration as they develop and move to a new generation and lower emissions (all be it new road tax system does not seem to necessarily encourage this)

Would be interesting to know if manual mode is true manual so it does not change up at the limiter and kick down, the two things that right royally annoy me and what the RS3 lest you do.

0-60 times are impressive and refer to these as 'numbers' cars these days as in a similar manner to the RS3.

Funnily enough having been a 'numbers' sort of person I have never paid much attention to the stats on the 2 series as they are secondary