- The 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R are priced at $36,495 and $50,995 respectively in Canada
- The Golf R gets a 13-horsepower bump over last year, making it the most powerful Golf ever
- But only a dual-clutch automatic is available in the thing—yes, the stick-shift is gone
Volkswagen Canada mid-February announced pricing for the 2025 Golf GTI and Golf R, which will start at $36,495 and $50,995 respectively when they arrive this spring. Both receive an update with new styling cues and colours, new wheels, an upgrade to the infotainment systems, and on the Golf, an extra 13 horsepower that Volkswagen says makes it the “most powerful Golf model ever.” The GTI and R are the only Golf models available in Canada; the regular Golf hatchback isn’t offered here anymore.
The Golf GTI gets a new front bumper and headlights, along with an illuminated logo on the grille. The new interior receives a 12.9-inch freestanding infotainment touchscreen and ventilated wireless charger; and the haptic switches on the steering wheel have been replaced with real buttons. New standard equipment includes navigation, road sign display, front and rear parking sensors, and adaptive front lighting.
As before, the GTI uses a turbocharged 2.0L engine with 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, and with an automatic seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Available options include 19-inch wheels with summer performance tires, panoramic sunroof, and seats lifted from the GTI Clubsport sold in Europe (but just the seats—the Clubsport itself stays overseas).
That $36,495 price is for the entry trim, while the new Autobahn trim, equivalent to last year’s Performance trim, is $40,495 and includes the Clubsport seats, performance tires, and sunroof as standard, along with premium audio, head-up display, three-zone climate control, and heated rear seats. Leather upholstery and ventilated seats are among the available options.
The Golf R also receives the GTI’s styling upgrades, and its new 19-inch alloy wheels are 20% lighter than before. It includes the premium audio system, along with heated front and rear seats, and 12-way power-adjustable ventilated front seats in Nappa leather. The panoramic sunroof is optional.
A Golf R Black Edition, new for 2025, takes it to $53,595. It adds the sunroof, plus black badges and trim, black wheels, black brake calipers with the “R” logo, black quad exhaust tips, and carbon-fibre interior trim accents. A no-charge cloth seating package, paired with an optional titanium exhaust, reduces the car’s weight by seven kilograms (15 lbs).
Its horsepower bump means the Golf R now produces 328 horsepower, channelled through 4Motion all-wheel-drive with rear-axle torque vectoring—but, as Volkswagen previously mentioned, the sole transmission choice is a seven-speed dual-clutch, as the stick-shift has ridden off into the sunset. Hey, it was fun while it lasted.
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