NEXT STAGE: Redesign in 2021
The eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf arrives in the U.S. in the second half of 2021, but only in two versions: the GTI and the high-performance Golf R. The redesigned GTI will sport a mildly retuned version of the current car’s turbocharged 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine. The motor is now rated at 241 hp, up 13 hp over the 2020 GTI. Two transmissions will be available: a six-speed manual and an optional seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic.
The redesigned 2022 Golf R has 315 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque from a 2.0-liter I-4 turbocharged engine, an increase of 27 hp. The fifth-generation Golf R features a new torque-vectoring awd system to boost performance and handling. The Golf R is set to arrive in the U.S. in the second half of next year.