The Volkswagen Golf is one of the most popular cars on South African roads, with the GTI and R models being particularly loved by enthusiasts. There are currently three Golf variants for sale in the local market, but which one is best?
Related: Volkswagen Golf R (2023) Video Review
Your choices are either the front-wheel drive GTI in standard or Jacara Edition flavours or the all-wheel drive Golf R, which commands a significant premium over the GTI, making your choice more difficult than one might think. Are you looking to add a Golf to your garage but need to sell your current car first? AutoTrader can get you an Instant Offer!
Volkswagen Golf line-up
The eighth-generation Golf has been around for a few years now, however, the local variants have been limited to the GTI only up until the recent introduction of the all-wheel drive R variant. Despite the fact that both the GTI and R featurette EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, admittedly in different states of tune and with different hardware, both products are very different in what they offer their respective owners.
Related: Volkswagen Golf GTI review (2021): The segment benchmark reveals chinks in its armour
All models come reasonably well-specified, however, a worrying trend that has crept into Volkswagen's products of late is their lofty list prices and lengthy options list that can inflate pricing further. We have summarised the key attributes of each Golf model in the table below.
Here's how they compare.
| Golf GTI Jacara Edition | Golf GTI | Golf R | |
| Price | R749 800 | R766 500 | R912 800 |
| Gearbox | 7-speed dual-clutch | 7-speed dual-clutch | 7-speed dual-clutch |
| Engine | 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol | 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol | 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol |
| Driven wheels | Front | Front | All |
| Power | 180kW/370Nm | 180kW/370Nm | 235kW/400Nm |
| Headlights | LED | LED | LED |
| Fog Lamps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mirrors | Electric | Electric | Electric |
| Steering wheel | Leather | Leather | Leather |
| Steering controls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Central locking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Climate control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audio | BT, CarPlay and Android Auto | BT, CarPlay and Android Auto | BT, CarPlay and Android Auto |
| Cruise control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tyre pressure monitor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Airbags | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Blind spot monitor | Opt | Opt | Opt |
| Lane departure warning | Opt | Opt | Opt |
| Keyless entry/start | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seats | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Leather seats | No(cloth) | Yes | Yes |
| Heated seats | No | Yes | Yes |
| PDC | Front/rear | Front/rear | Front/rear |
| Reverse camera | Opt | Opt | Opt |
| 0-100km/h | 6.4 sec | 6.4 sec | 4.8 sec |
| Top speed | 250 km/h | 250 km/h | 250 km/h (270 km/h opt) |
| Fuel consumption | 7.0 L/100km | 7.0 L/100km | 7.8 L/100km |
| CO2 emissions | 159 g/km | 159 g/km | 178 g/km |
| Boot space | 374-1 230-litres | 374-1 230-litres | 341-1 197-litres |
| Turning circle | 10.9 | 10.0 | 12.0 |
| Fuel capacity | 50-litres | 50-litres | 55-litres |
Verdict
Choosing a winner here is difficult as the GTI and R model have such different target audiences, however, with the rising cost of vehicles in general, and the looming demise of an ICE-powered GTI on the horizon, the base model Jacara Edition, with its Plaid seats might just be the right Golf to buy right now.
