Golf R VS Subaru WRX STi - Fifth Gear

Vicki tries out the Golf R and Subaru WRX STi in another Fifth Gear Shootout.

[longbowdt]

The Golf R's Haldex does not send 100% power to the rear. It sends 100% of the available power to the rear, and the available power that can sent to the rear by the Haldex is 50% of total power. That's how the system works. If it did as the lady says, it would be going from a FWD car to a RWD car, and not from a FWD to an AWD car (as the Haldex transforms it to be when needed). So, no. Not 100% of total power goes to the rear. That's just wrong. Ask Audi\VW or Google it.

[kobrien]

I got pulled by the rozzers in my Scooby last week for speeding, i told the old bill that it was encouraging me to speed. They understood and sent me on my way. Result

[JD-hvik]

Thank you for making a review that actually reviews what people like me care about. Performance. This wasn’t some stop and go traffic chat about touchscreens and cup holders!

[alienlivingform]

the turbolag is not due to engine configuration as much as to the fact that the golf has a twin scroll turbo while the sti does not. it's also direct injected

[Paquette]

they're both great cars. depends what the end user is looking for. for a refined daily driver. I'll take the golf R. and I have. for a second car, I'd take the sti. my complaint with STI's, having owned them is the interior is pretty lack luster. for a daily driver, the VW is refined. they are two completely different cars in a completely different class. they're both great rides. sick of fan boys on both sides ruining the car scene for everyone.

[ethownzbh]

In the STI she was demonstrating the turbo threshold not the turbo lag.

[RevyM]

Boost Threshold of the STI is at 4k RPM. Its not lag when you're not in the powerband....I hate this analogy. More so when you step your foot back on the pedal at 4500 RPM then theres lag before you car is back up to 14 ish psi....why dont car reviewers understand this by now.

[CraigyGInDaHut]

Always wanted the Subaru but drove the Golf R the other day. I want it more than the Subaru now. Interior feels better quality, cheaper to tax and cheaper to insure. I plan to get a Golf R next year.

[milinddixit]

Big difference between receiving two cars for free, taking them on your own to a race track and blasting around it, or going to a dealership with your own money and buying a car that'll you use 99% of the time on normal roads doing normal things.

Going to a track for a couple hours, if I had a choice I'd go STi as it will be more fun. But I'd take the R home. No hesitation.

[klidaras]

1:50 When the so called car experts will learn to distinguish turbo lag from boost threshold? It's not even funny anymore..

[bryandoherty]

The FA20DIT in the WRX doesn't suffer turbo lag. You have torque from 2000rpm to just before redline. But the FA20DIT has a twin scroll turbo, direct injection and equal length headers. Where the old EJ257 in the STI doesn't have a twin scroll turbo and unequal length headers. That's the cause of the lag, but a twin scroll requires the equal length headers

[JohnSmith-mcbk]

Subaru have one of the highest resale value in Australia.

[PurpleSideBlack]

I've owned my Canadian spec 2016 VW Golf R DSG for 4 years now. I'm glad I chose it over the STI. Reason being, it's a better daily driver. Any track performance that it lacks compared to the STI, It gains in daily drivability. It should be noted that the Subaru has a larger engine with more horsepower than the Golf R. I dunno why Fifth Gear claims identical HP specs. 292hp/280tq Golf R and 305hp/290tq STI. 2.0L vs 2.5L.

[joako]

Poor Golf even with the DSG, electric steering and torque vectoring can`t match the sheer pace of proper AWD traction, hydraulic steering a short-ratio manual.

[HLDENSUX]

Just imagine how quicker the STI would be with a dual clutch transmission. Apples with apples.

[aluisious]

The Golf also has the hottest styling cues from 1992.

[maddudenyc]

What kind of tires were used in these tests? I know the Sti's comes stock with Summer tires. No way it could hold that well on wet pavement on Summer's. What about the Golf R?

[davidyoung]

I would still rather have the Golf R. I am not 20 and single anymore. I think the Golf R is more refined and more user friendly for day to day. I will give up 1.3 sec on a track once a month at best for that.

[clanmac]

If I've just spent 30k on a sporty car, I want people to know, Scooby for me!!

[lazypanpan]

I'm really impressed about the driver