Verdict
The Volkswagen Golf R Mk8.5 R costs RM338,812 against RM247,060 for the Volkswagen Golf R Mk7 R, a substantial RM91,752 jump. It answers with 329 hp and 420 Nm, up from 277 hp and 380 Nm, cutting the century sprint from 5.0 to 4.6 seconds. For a Malaysian buyer, the newer car also brings five doors, active safety assists, a reverse camera and a 12.9-inch infotainment screen. The Mk7 remains the rational used-car route if its 380-litre boot and much lower buy-in matter more than newer equipment.
Pick the Volkswagen Golf R Mk7 R if you want the far lower entry price and a larger 380-litre boot, and can live without the newer car’s driver assists and extra doors.
Pick the Volkswagen Golf R Mk8.5 R if you want 329 hp, a 4.6-second 0-100 km/h time, five-door access and modern safety equipment.
Key differences
- Price: RM247,060 vs RM338,812
- Power and torque: 277 hp/380 Nm vs 329 hp/420 Nm
- 0-100 km/h: 5.0 seconds vs 4.6 seconds
- Doors and boot space: 3 doors/380 litres vs 5 doors/341 litres
- Transmission: 6-speed wet DSG vs 7-speed wet DSG
- Wheels and tyres: 18-inch 225/40R18 vs 19-inch 235/35R19
Mk7 R
- RM91,752 lower purchase price
- 380-litre boot
- Five-star EuroNCAP and ANCAP ratings with seven airbags and stability control
- 277 hp and 380 Nm trail the Mk8.5 R’s 329 hp and 420 Nm
- Three doors instead of five
- No blind-spot monitoring, autonomous braking, lane-keeping assist or reverse camera
Mk8.5 R
- 329 hp and 420 Nm
- Five doors plus a power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory
- Blind-spot monitoring, autonomous braking, lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control
- RM91,752 more expensive
- 341-litre boot is 39 litres smaller than the Mk7 R’s
- No front knee airbag listed, while the Mk7 R has one
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM247,060✓ | RM338,812 |
| Body type | Hatchback | Hatchback |
| Segment | C-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM372 | RM372 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, turbocharged with variable valve timing | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing |
| Capacity | 1,984 cc | 1,984 cc |
| Horsepower | 277 hp | 329 hp✓ |
| Torque | 380 Nm | 420 Nm✓ |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore | 82.5 mm | — |
| Compression Ratio | 9.8 | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) |
| Transmission Name | DSG | 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) |
| Gears | 6 | 7 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | BorgWarner | BorgWarner |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 5 seconds | 4.6 seconds✓ |
| Rated Economy | 6.9 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | — |
| Co2 | 159 g/km | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,276 mm | 4,296 mm |
| Width | 1,799 mm | 1,789 mm |
| Height | 1,436 mm | 1,454 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,630 mm | 2,629 mm |
| Weight | 1,495 kg | — |
| Fuel Tank | 55 litres | 55 litres |
| Doors | 3 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 380 litres✓ | 341 litres |
| Front Tyre | 225/40R18 | 235/35R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 225/40R18 | 235/35R19 |
| Spare Tyre | — | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | — | Continental MaxContact MC6 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 18" Cadiz Alloy | 19" Estoril 2-tone Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 18" Cadiz Alloy | 19" Estoril 2-tone Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | 4Motion AWD with Torque Vectoring |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | 5 stars — With 7 airbags and stability control | — |
| ANCAP | 5 stars — With 7 airbags and stability control | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Front Center Airbag |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | — | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | — | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for two outer rear passenger seats | Available for two outer rear passenger seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | — | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | — | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | — | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | — | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive Bi-Xenon Projector | IQ.Light Matrix LED Projector |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED with Sequential Indicators |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Manual Adjustment | Power Adjustable Driver's Seat with 3-person Memory, Manual Adjustable Passenger Seat |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding | 60:40 Split-Folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | — | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Rear | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 Front USB-C, 2 Rear USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Audio | 5.8" Composition Media Touchscreen CD/MP3 Player with Bluetooth and 8 Speakers | 12.9" Digital Cockpit Pro with Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, 9-speaker Harman Kardon Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Two Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Manual Key | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Remote Control Activation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | — | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | — | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | — | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation | Remote Control Activation |
| Parking Sensor Front | — | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | — | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | — | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | — | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | — | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | — | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 2 years |
| Warranty Extended | 3 years | — |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used cars for sale
Mk7 R vs Mk8.5 R FAQ
Is the Volkswagen Golf R Mk7 R or Volkswagen Golf R Mk8.5 R better?
The Volkswagen Golf R Mk8.5 R is the better-equipped and quicker car, with 329 hp, 420 Nm, five doors and active safety assists. Choose the Mk7 R instead if its lower cost and 380-litre boot outweigh those gains.
What is the price difference?
The Volkswagen Golf R Mk8.5 R costs RM91,752 more than the Volkswagen Golf R Mk7 R.
Which Golf R has the bigger boot?
The Volkswagen Golf R Mk7 R has the larger boot at 380 litres, compared with 341 litres in the Volkswagen Golf R Mk8.5 R. The newer car trades 39 litres of luggage space for five-door body access.
