possible new R owner question

Have you compared the interior on the MK8 to the MK7? Do you have a preference between analog and all digital dash? Physical buttons vs. haptic digital?

When the MK8 first released, I couldn't stand the way it looked. I hated the 2 "reverse fangs" on the front bumper. The reflectors on the front bumper seem like a terrible afterthought for US models. And the headlight tips extend too much for my liking. Over time though, it's grown a little on me. I no longer hate it.

But I still prefer the design of my MK7R. I personally think it will (and already has) age well. I love my analog guages and real buttons on my steering wheel and entertainment system. And the fit and finish of the interior on the MK7 is fantastic. Other than the MK8 R's torque-vextoring haldex system, there's nothing that would make me choose an MK8R over my MK7R.

If you end up getting the MK7R, you can easily swap out the 6.5" screen with an 8" screen. You can also swap out the rearview mirror with a frameless auto-dimming mirror with homelink. Those factory upgrades are well worth it IMO.

My 2016 MK7 R has 38k miles on it now. I thought that was low lol. That MK7 R you're looking at is barely broken in.

I would go with the R over the GTI for the performance & traction, resale & depreciation, uniqueness, and personally I think the MK8 lost aggressive/ masculine styling and the new electronics are not intuitive to me….all IMO.

I would caution on comparing the two and suggest you drive an R and GTI back to back while it is fresh in mind. My wife’s 17 GTI was always more fun to drive than my 16 R, and when I’ve shared that with others they didn’t understand. I think the differences in weight, drive train / suspension, 19” vs 18” wheels, and leather vs cloth plaid seating led to my R feeling more harsh and serious and less “fun” to drive. Car & Driver magazine editors can describe it better, as they have done for the last 10+ years when awarding the GTI the 10 Best…and fighting over who gets to drive it.

I concur with poster who said to test drive the R and a 2023 GTI back to back. If you've never had an R before, its a different driving experience than a GTI. I had a 2004 R32. Sold it in 2011 and bought a new Autobahn GTI. Just traded in the 2011 to buy a pristine condition, low mileage 2019 Golf R that a guy traded in on a 2023 R. I had initially put a deposit on a 2023 SE GTI with my exact specifications that was going to arrive at the dealership next month. I love both Golf versions and have driven them since 2002 and plan to own them for the rest of my driving life (unless the Marxists succeed in destroying gas cars). Factoring into my decision was my past R32 and my brother in law's 2019 R. I cannot fully explain it but after test driving this 2019, I just wanted one again. Ultimately, you cannot go wrong either way. Just make sure you ask dealer if they are confirming in writing there is no tune done on the engine. When I was researching used Rs for sale out of state, I found one with low mileage at a great price. However, I then learned the previous owner had done a tune on it and the dealer said I'd have to sign a waiver and due to the tune it couldn't be a certified used car with a warranty.

There are many good things about that Golf R! It appears to be unmolested, completely stock, e.g., OEM wheels, no intake, no exhaust, no different shift knob, and not even tinted windows. That's a very good sign and what I searched for, although mine did have tint and I had some of it removed. The mileage is also low with a clean CarFax and if it's VW Certified by the VW dealer you'll get the remaining ~2.5 years of factory warranty and the additional year from the VW Certification. Getting ~3.5years of VW warranty is a very good thing and very close to what you get with a new VW. It's also being sold by the dealer that serviced the car. I like that. It also doesn't have a sunroof. I like that too, because I don't like the the way VW added glass in front of the sunroof on the MK7 and MK8, instead of the old way with just a cutout in the metal roof like my 2010 MK6 Golf TDI. Finally, I don't think 38K is a bad price for a clean, completely stock, very low mileage 2019 Golf R with ~3.5 years of VW warranty.

Black isn't my favorite color to own, but it does look awesome. Mine is white. The mpg is not as good as a GTI and the R requires premium fuel, but the R does have a bigger gas tank than a GTI so it's not that you'll have to stop more often. The additional fuel costs didn't matter to me because I'm retired and don't commute anymore, but you said you drive 100 miles per day. The front plate is drilled and I generally stayed away from NY cars, but it sounds like you also live in NY since you drove the car. I'm in Pennsylvania.

The thing that would make my 2019 Golf R perfect for me would be if it had taller gears. It seems designed for the race track so the RPMs don't change much when you shift. I don't think that's ideal for daily driving, although it's still a joy to drive and shift my own gears. I think the GTI gearing is a bit taller although not as tall as my Golf TDI gearing. At highway speeds of ~70 mph my TDI is at about 2000 RPMs, but the Golf R is closer to 3000 RPMs (~2800). I think the GTI is somewhere in between.

One more thing! The interior of the MK7.5 R is beautiful! The digital gauge cluster and the real glass headunit are gorgeous, modern, and very functional. And the stereo sounds great too. It's a wonderful place to spend some time. There are also little things, like the sliding door over the cup holders looks so much better to me, the shift knob is nice, and the Auto Hold actually works properly unlike the MK8 automatic Hill Hold that so far can not be disabled.

The Golf R has a 14.5 gallon tank, but the GTI has a 13.2 gallon tank. My MK6 Golf TDI also has a 14.5 gallon tank. I think it changed for the Golf and GTI with the MK7. For the TDI version of the MK7, my understanding is they needed room for the AdBlue tank. I don't know why they changed the GTI. I'm just glad they kept the 14.5 gallon tank for the Golf R.

My 2019 Golf R also wasn't listed as VW Certified. I simply asked for it and they did it for me as part of the sale. My car was originally sold, then serviced its entire life, and offered for sale as used by the same dealer. I also looked at another low mileage 2019 Golf R that wasn't certified but it sat for a couple of weeks, then was certified and sold that day. I suppose they think it might sell without the certification since it has low mileage and remaining factory warranty. It also must cost them something, but since the selling dealer serviced the car most of its life I'm sure they'll add it if you ask for it as a condition of the sale.