[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/why-the-golf-r32-is-overrated\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/why-the-golf-r32-is-overrated\/","headline":"Why The Golf R32 Is Overrated","name":"Why The Golf R32 Is Overrated","description":"The VW Golf R32 certainly has a legacy. The R32 is a cult classic and amongst hot hatch enthusiasts, is known to be up there as one of the best to have ever been made. In 2003, VW launched the Mk IV Golf R32 as the first production car in the world to have a Direct Shift Gearbox, also known as a DSG. The Mk V Golf R32 carried the \u2018R32\u2019 name to new heights thanks to its increased power, […]","datePublished":"2020-03-18","dateModified":"2020-03-18","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Why-The-Golf-R32-Is-Overrated-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Why-The-Golf-R32-Is-Overrated-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/why-the-golf-r32-is-overrated\/","about":["Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS","Volkswagen"],"wordCount":846,"keywords":["golf","volkswagen","Volkswagen Golf R32"],"articleBody":"The VW Golf R32 certainly has a legacy.The R32 is a cult classic and amongst hot hatch enthusiasts, is known to be up there as one of the best to have ever been made. In 2003, VW launched the Mk IV Golf R32 as the first production car in the world to have a Direct Shift Gearbox, also known as a DSG. The Mk V Golf R32 carried the \u2018R32\u2019 name to new heights thanks to its increased power, smooth V6 engine and outstanding handling encouraged by the very clever 4MOTION AWD system. That being said, this car is not perfect. The reputation of the Golf R32 does in fact doit an injustice. Walking up to the car that you have heard so much about,thinking about all the tall tales of them smoking every car that dares to raceit at the lights, you would expect to be truly flabbergasted at the experienceof driving one. Well, you would be disappointed. At the end of the day, it\u2019s just anotherplastic-clad hot hatch which is about as thrilling as a children\u2019s rollercoaster. Here\u2019s why it\u2019s overrated and overhyped. The interior is just godawfulAs just mentioned, time has not exactly beenkind on the Golf R32\u2019s interior. This applies to all cars with plasticinteriors, really. The more plastic you have, the more awful it will look infive or ten year\u2019s time. Where\u2019s the leather, the metal, the ambient lighting,the effort? It looks like the inside of a Transit van, for goodness sake. Unfortunately, this would also apply to prettymuch all of the hot hatches of this period but at least some of them tried.Still, I think a lot of people forget just how bad the inside of this car isand don\u2019t realise until they have actually sat inside. Let me remind you…it\u2019sbad!It\u2019s just not very fastSome people may hail this car as a stylishmasterpiece or a hot hatch icon, which is agreeable, sure, but one cannot callthis car a pocket rocket by any definition. The Mk V Golf R32 had 247 bhp(updated models) and could do 0-62mph in around 6.5 seconds. Now, don\u2019t get me wrong, and at the risk ofsounding like a stopwatch snob, but that\u2019s pretty mediocre right? If it\u2019sperformance you want, you would be better off in an old Subaru WRX. Not onlywould it be quicker, but better looking too! The reputation of the Golf R32 truly exceedswhat it actually is. All of those stories you have heard about them warpinginto hyperspace are either not true or are from modified examples that have hadsome serious remapping and tuning done to them. Sounds like rattling tin cans Unfortunately, the car sounds exactly how itlooks. Like a boy racer car. Perhaps that\u2019s what VW was going for at the timeand if you like that sort of thing then this car is perfect for you. On theother hand, if you\u2019re after a car that sounds a little bit more grown-up thenthis is not for you. At higher revs, the VR6 engine does send somedeeper (and much cooler) sounds through the exhaust. However, at low revs, thecar sounds like a fart cannon. It sounds like every youngster\u2019s cheap exhaustthat\u2019s fitted to their Fiesta. Like an eBay exhaust. Now, of course, this is all subjective butexhaust notes and engine noises are particularly subjective. If you\u2019re intoraspy cars then you\u2019ll surely love the sound of a farting R32. The Golf R32 is not what you think it isNot just the Mk IV and V Golf R32s, but allGolf R\u2019s, are often mistaken for something they\u2019re not. They are not meant tobe perfectly tuned and refined racing machines and they\u2019re not meant to be wildor extravagant. The Golf R is essentially a sensible and practical car with abit of a kick to it. Perhaps this is why it\u2019s so overrated. It\u2019slike if people started saying the Lotus Elise is the best car for drag racing.Although it may be pretty quick in a straight line, the car is built forhandling, cornering, track days and so on, not straight-line speed. The same applies to the beloved R32. At theend of the day, it\u2019s not as stylish as a Nissan Skyline, it\u2019s not as crazy as aSubaru WRX STI and it won\u2019t have equal performance to an E46 M3. That\u2019s becausethe Golf R32 excels at being practical, drivable and also fairly quick. It\u2019snot the hottest hatch in town but it\u2019s still a great, well-balanced car whichis something you can\u2019t say for all of them.Let us know how much you hated us talking badly about your favourite car in the comments! Or, let us know if you agree\u2026"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why The Golf R32 Is Overrated","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/why-the-golf-r32-is-overrated\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]