- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.2i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
184kW, 320Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 10.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2004)
Used car review: Volkswagen Golf R32 2006-09
Volkswagen's Golf might be seen as a shopping trolley here and family wheels in Europe, but a performance variant has always been very much a part of the landscape. In fact, VW will tell you the original Golf GTI from the 1970s was the first true hot-hatch and it's a hard claim to dismiss.
These days, you can choose from the Golf GT with its high-tech 1.4-litre engine that incorporates both a turbocharger and a supercharger, or the stunningly good Golf GTI with a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine.
Both do a great job and are satisfying drives but if you want the biggest (if not necessarily the best) version of the Golf, then it has to be the R32. With all-wheel-drive and a big V6 engine, the humble Golf is transformed into a serious piece of work.
The whole Golf-with-a-V6-engine thing started in the mid-'90s with a model called the Golf VR6. With a 2.8-litre V6 engine and front-wheel-drive, it remained a bit of a handful and was never as agile as it should have been.
The first R32 model arrived in 2004 and sold for only a few months as a stop-gap measure until the all-new version based on the Generation V Golf arrived in mid-2006.
And when it did, it made quite an impact for a relatively low-volume model.
There was certainly a bit of wow-factor in the R32 with its Audi-derived AWD system and a V6 measuring a full 3.2litres in a car that was more usually powered by a four-cylinder engine under 2.0litres. Imagine an Audi TT 3.2 Quattro clad in the Golf's five or three-door hatchback body and you're getting the idea.
The reality, however, was the R32 never really went as well as the hardcore fans thought it should have.
That was down to a couple of factors. First up, the R32 was heavy. Weighing in at more than 1500 kilograms, the 184kW V6 had its work cut out.
That said, with 320Nm at its disposal, the Golf could accelerate reasonably well 0-100km/h in about 6.5 seconds isn't hanging around. But according to some, it should have been even quicker.
The other limiting factor was the type of all-wheel-drive system fitted. Rather than having drive shuffled constantly between the front and rear axles, the R32 relied on a simpler set-up that meant the car was basically a front-wheel-drive for most of the time. Only when the on-board sensors detected wheel-slip did the car send some of its torque to the back wheels.
Here's the nub of it, however: the R32 was actually a pretty good thing in just about any circumstance. True, it didn't have the sharp steering of some of its racier competitors, nor did its engine have the breathy urgency of some turbo tear-aways. But if you could live with that slightly more grown-up demeanour, the R32 was all class.
The R32's interior nailed the target with optional sporty Recaro seats and touches such as the flat-bottomed steering wheel.
Safety was the job of six airbags (only four if you opted for those delicious Recaros) and a full suite of braking and traction electronics to keep things steady. It worked, because the R32 scored a five-star NCAP result.
The biggest choice you'll need to make is whether to go down the purist path with the six-speed manual gearbox or the techno-trail with VW's excellent six-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Volkswagen's build quality in recent years has had its critics. It has been left wanting at times when compared with some European manufacturers and was really off the pace with this generation when compared with most Japanese companies' standards.
Silly little things such as interior electrics, ill-fitting carpet and water leaks are the most likely to drive you mad but mechanical problems have also surfaced.
Other than that, however, it seems the R32's higher purchase price conferred some kind of better build quality, because common problems are harder to track down than for other VW models.
One of the biggest complaints is that a small fuel tank (60 litres) combined with a relative thirst reduces fuel range by a little or a lot, depending on how savage you get with the throttle pedal. Watch out for strange tyre wear patterns, which suggest a four-wheel alignment is needed, and make sure there's no evidence of crash damage.
The V6 engine is neither turbocharged nor supercharged, so it's a bit easier to service than if it had been. Even so, you need to establish some kind of service record but since some R32s will still be covered by the factory warranty, that shouldn't be too difficult.
Speaking of servicing, the real test of ownership will come when the dual-clutch gearbox and the AWD system need a major service at the same time. You should budget for a major expense for this.
Need to know
- Niggling quality and build problems have been a bit of a theme in latemodel VWs. Even though the R32 seems better, it's still worth checking that everything works. A musty smell inside spells water leaks.
- Servicing costs will be higher than for some cars because of the R32's complexity. Dual-clutch auto cars will up that ante even further.
- Make sure the service book is stamped and up to date. The remainder of your factory warranty depends on it.
What to pay
Model | New | Now |
3-door 2006 | $57,290 | $42,400 |
3-door 2007 | $57,290 | $44,900 |
3-door 2008 | $57,290 | $48,500 |
3-door 2009 | $57,990 | $52,600 |
5-door 2006 | $58,790 | $43,500 |
5-door 2007 | $58,790 | $46,100 |
5-door 2008 | $58,790 | $49,800 |
5-door 2009 | $59,490 | $53,490 |
Source: Glass's Guide