The eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI, which first launched in 2020, has been due for a mid-cycle refresh. VW actually unveiled the refreshed Mk8 GTI, along with the more powerful and similarly updated Golf R,

Volkswagen has announced pricing for the 2025 Golf GTI and Golf R. The GTI starts at $32,445 and features revised styling inside and out. The $47,100 Golf R has an upgraded engine that now produces 328 hp.

The Golf R is priced at $50,995. It has the same 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine as before, but it’s been calibrated to offer more with a cavalry of 328 hp, an increase of 13 over 2024. Volkswagen makes no mention of torque in this case, so we can only guess that it's the same at 295 lb-ft.

Here's what to expect when the updated 2025 VW Golf R hatchback goes on sale early next year. A person can have a lot of fun answering the prompt of: "What is the world's fastest Volkswagen?" You can be clever and argue it's the brand-new Bugatti Tourbillon V-16 hypercar,

VW's hot-hatch halo car loses its manual transmission, a move that makes the 2025 Golf R cost $1720 more than the 2024 model.

The hottest Golf gets a $1,435 bump in its cheapest form. The 2025 GTI is more expensive, too.