Performance road-trip review! VW Golf GTD, GTI and R

By Ané Theron

20 Journalists, 2 days, 4 Golf GTDs, 3 Golf Rs and 3 Golf GTIs. To end the year on a light and fun note, Volkswagen SA invited local media on a two-day road-trip, themed “For the Love of the Drive”. When it comes to road-tripping that involves plenty of tarmac, a performance Golf is the car to travel in.

People often ask me what the Golf R and Golf GTI are like on the race track, but the real proof of the pudding is when you’re living your everyday life; driving to family in far-off places perhaps, doing the school run and driving to work. On this road trip, we’d be spending at least five to seven hours per day in the Golf. So by the end of this trip we would know all about what your motoring-life is like when you own one of these coveted German hatchbacks.

In search of adventure (amongst other things)

Loosely based on the well-known TV-show The Amazing Race, the Volkswagen team had quite a bit of adventure in store for us in many little towns, where we’d have puzzles to solve, objects to find and creative photos to take; but without a set time in which to complete all the tasks. The winning team would then have some cool GTI-prizes to take home.

GTD-time

Being a just a little bit competitive, my co-driver and I set off in our first drive of the day, the diesel Golf GTD. We were in no hurry, but none of us are particularly slow drivers and our fuel economy of only 5.1 litres per kilometre blew my mind – for a punchy two-litre engine with 130kW and 350Nm of torque, I nearly forgot about the whole Dieselgate scandal. My only issue was with the deep sport seats (optional) that didn’t give me much lumbar support, despite adjusting them in every which way – but my colleagues didn’t have that issue, so maybe my spine is just unique.

Once we found the almost 100-year-old suspension bridge over the Vaal river and a certain round lock with engraved letters, we stopped for a leisurely lunch at a trendy café (by the name of Hoi Polloi) in Parys.

‘R’ is for rev it!

Next-up, we hop into the über-sporty Golf R. I easily pair my iPhone to the infotainment system (all are equipped with Apple CarPlay) and the tunes start to flow via Deezer, my music streaming app. All of the Golfs on the event are top-spec, and have the virtual cockpit and big-screen infotainment screen with high-res, crisp-looking satnav (optional).

As the heavens open and a cloud-burst ensues in the Bultfontein area, the four-wheel driven Golf R is a blessing to drive, as the roads are completely drenched, and a few last-split-second manoeuvers have to be made to avoid some bottomless potholes. Visibility becomes poorer and poorer, until we’re driving at approximately 60 km per hour with our hazard lights on. When the clouds clear up, we could go back to the boring-but-necessary national speed limit of 120 km per hour. As we hit another hidden pothole quite hard, we check the tyre pressure monitor on-screen, and all is intact. Rather surprising, given the R’s sporty R19s with only a thin sheet of rubber.

Of course, when your car has a turbo-charged, two-liter mill with 213 kW and 380 Nm, you almost cannot wait to overtake a slow-coach – it’s the only time you ever get to put your foot down, really, so when the opportunity presents itself, you go for it. Vrrphaaaa!

From standstill, the Golf R takes only 4.6 seconds to reach a 100 km/hour.

By about 4pm, we go in search of a church in Florisbad, near Soutpan, Mangaung. It’s a deeply rutted dirt road, but the Golf R is not too perturbed by it. With the drive mode setting on Comfort, we make our way there and back without shaking loose any fillings in our teeth.

That night, at dinner, my co-driver and I smugly bag the prize for most creative team. The challenge was now over and the next day we’d have nothing else to do but drive to OR Tambo airport after visiting Gerhard’s Volksie Museum just outside Bloemfontein.

Flying high in the GTI

After an early breakfast, I make a run for the Golf GTI and fling my overnight bag into its 380-litre boot (the slightly smaller Golf R’s boot is also more compact, with 343 litres, but the GTD has 380 litres too). I take the wheel first, and put the drive mode on ‘Sport’ for maximum sound effects, and use the flappy-paddles on the steering wheel for frolicsome manual shifting. As always, the GTI delivers in spades, but it’s such a pity the old N1 is so straight, full of speed cameras and slow, large trucks. Eventually I just switch to Eco Mode and set myself a new challenge: How Iow can we go with our average fuel consumption? I also set the standard cruise control (adaptive cruise control is optional) to 120 km/h. Now I can just sit back and relax. You can also use the +/- button on the steering wheel to increase or decrease your speed, so you needn’t even have a foot on the petrol nor the brakes. When we reach Kroonvaal 1-Stop, our average fuel economy is at a stellar 6.8 litres per 100 km, pretty good for a hot-hatch with 169 kW and 350Nm.

Are these performance Golfs road-trip friendly?

What stands out about these three mighty Golfs is how comfortable they are for everyday use, regardless of their powerful output, sharp handling, and sportiness in general. If you’re a grown-up, discerning petrol-head who has to go through the daily grind, these three Golfs will make the rat race so much more enjoyable.

Pricing

Golf R (with 213kW and 380 Nm) - R657 000

Golf GTD (with 130kW and 350Nm) - R506 900

Golf GTI (with 169 kW and 350Nm) - R545 900