If you are interested in performance cars, you’ll know the Volkswagen Golf R hot hatch has undoubtedly set the cat amongst the pigeons since it went on sale in 2014. With just under 300bhp and four-wheel drive, it’s the fastest and best ‘R’ model to drive ever released.

But, the Golf R also works beautifully as a ‘normal’ car. Drive sedately and it’s quiet, comfortable, practical and now, because of the arrival of an Estate version, it is also very well-suited to families who find travelling light a struggle.

Performance

The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol (codenamed EA888) remains unchanged, so that means it’s just as fabulous as before. It’s not an uncommon engine, being fitted in various hot Audis, SEATs and Volkswagens in various states of tune, but in the Golf R it seems extra special. The way it picks up from low revs is fairly familiar, but its muscular mid-range and then the way it seems to race to the red line feels more akin to a Porsche than a Volkswagen, with a soundtrack to match.

Extra weight means the 0-62mph sprint time increases from 4.9 seconds in the hatch to 5.1 seconds in the Estate, which is only available with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. You’d have to be a racing driver to feel that kind of difference on the road though and the limited speed remains pegged at 155mph. The main difference you may notice is the sound of your extra luggage rearranging itself if you don’t tie it all down appropriately.

Ride and Handling

In normal driving you’ll hardly notice the four-wheel drive, but in poor weather it comes into its own

The Golf’s chassis has only had minor changes, mainly to beef up the rear suspension for those times the bigger boot is fully loaded. On the road, you’ll be hard pressed to feel the difference, plus you’ll be too busy wondering how the next corner has arrived so quickly. The R Estate is devastatingly fast, with amazing grip and composure, well-weighted steering and sharp gearchanges. You don’t have to be an expert either, it simply feels like normal driving on fast forward, so you’ll have to learn to be strict with your right foot to stay legal. In normal driving you’ll hardly notice the four-wheel drive, but in poor weather it comes into its own, giving you a sense of security and traction out of corners the driver of a front-wheel drive hot hatch could only dream of.

Interior and Equipment

The Golf R Estate is half-a-second faster from 0-62mph than the mighty Volkswagen Passat R36 Estate which was on sale from 2008 until 2010.

It’s no secret we think the Golf has a great interior, but does it still seem fitting in a car costing £33k? We think it does, just. The level of fit and finish is superb and you get some extra ‘R’ features like ‘Carbon’ decorative trim, front sports seats and an instrument cluster with blue needles. Space in the rear seats is just enough for two adults or three kids, and the boot is absolutely huge. It measures 605-litres behind the rear seats, or 1,620 litres with them folded down, figures significantly ahead of the 343 and 1,233 litres of the hatch.

Cost

You’ll also need to factor in trips to the petrol station, with between 30-35mpg seeming realistic in our experience

Costing from £33,585, the Golf R Estate is around £695 more than the hatchback with the DSG automatic gearbox. It’s certainly not cheap then, costing considerably more than the Ford Focus ST Estate, but it also undercuts the even-more-powerful Mercedes A 45 AMG and Audi RS 3. Perhaps more surprising is the fact you’ll still need to add some pricey options for the ultimate Golf experience, with the Discover sat-nav infotainment system coming in at £765, with an additional £100 required to add the ‘Car-Net’ functionality required to access Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink smartphone connections. Dynamic Chassis Control really adds to the chassis’ sophistication, giving three levels of suspension stiffness, costing £830. Leather upholstery including heated front seats adds around £2,600, while a Dynaudio speaker upgrade is £545 and reversing camera around £170. You’ll also need to factor in trips to the petrol station, with between 30-35mpg seeming realistic in our experience after a week behind the wheel, some way down on VW’s claimed 40.4mpg. CO2 emissions of 162g/km are however quite low for a vehicle with this level of performance.

Our Verdict

It might be a very expensive Golf, but if anything the Golf R Estate challenges any perceptions of what a Golf is. With the performance of a rally-bred hot hatch, the civility of a luxury saloon and the practicality of a family estate, this is certainly a convention-defying model if ever there was one. So, if you are in the market for a family car which can keep up with (or even embarrass) most sports cars, the Golf R Estate is certainly a very intriguing proposition.