2022 VW Golf R: If you’ve got the money, honey!

Last Week, I told you about all the fun of the 2022 Volkswagen GTI and the practicality of a turbo in small-ish SUV/sedan car for around $30K US. (BTW, Happy Thanksgiving Week to all who celebrate it!)

If you have some more money lying around and are really into 315 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque, a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic with a combined fuel economy of 30 –- all in a Volkswagen turbo –- have I got something for you!

The 2022 VW Golf R is one of the fastest and classiest yet.  Yes, it’s pricey, starting at $43,645 US. The R Line is VW’s signature trim for speed and strength on the road. 

You will get the 4Motion All-Wheel Drive on the 2022 Golf R.  In the past, that would have been considered the kiss of death when it comes to speed, but nowadays, this will not affect speed (though your driving and your driving record will) and AWD will help you considerably in adverse weather or road conditions.

This trim comes loaded with goodies, naturally: 

Heads-up display on your dashboard (it’s like a hologram of what you need to know while you are driving, like whether or not you are speeding), ‘Nappa’ leather seats (wine not included) with the front seats ventilated, navigation, 30-color ambient lighting, a steering wheel with so many buttons and commands it almost drives itself …. and a whole lotta other space-age stuff.

Standard safety includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, travel assist (always a lifesaver, but keep in mind that it does not know everything) and Emergency Assist on the automatic transmission trim.

The exterior design, as you can see, is also quite impressive:

Performance spoiler, signature detailing, quad-tipped chrome exhaust, 19-inch wheels, ‘R’-specific front and rear bumpers, illuminated light bar and grille (not to be confused with where you may be dining).

I enjoyed driving it around the hills of North Carolina earlier this month.  Again, I am always a little more cautious when driving in a United State where queers and steers are not always embraced, at least not publicly. The 2022 R is indeed one little performer…

… which is why I always encourage you to test drive a car first.  Take your buddies, get in, see how it feels and then see if this will fit into your budget just as you fit into your jeans.

I may be fighting a losing battle against companies that want you to do it all online and have a car delivered to your doorstep.  But even when you actually test drive a car and negotiate a price in person with a sales rep, so many things can go wrong.

Remember how you felt when the delivery service screwed up the chicken satay dinner for four that you so carefully ordered, even when you borrowed a friend’s desktop to do it?

I rest my case.