2025 Toyota GR Corolla vs Volkswagen Golf R Comparison Test

A couple years back, we collected the keys — er, fobs — to the then-new Toyota GR Corolla and the Volkswagen Golf R for a head-to-head test.

Our suspicions were quickly confirmed that these are both sensationally fun cars, yet they’re easy to live with for day-to-day commuting regardless of conditions. Ultimately, it was determined that the Volkswagen was the preferred pick, with its refinement outweighing the fun-to-drive deficit compared to the Corolla.

Both cars have undergone updates since then, gaining more power, among other more trivial changes. There’s one other, bigger change, too: Toyota now offers the GR Corolla with an optional automatic transmission, while VW has neutered its Golf lineup of manuals.

Despite the disappointment of that decision, it’s led to a newfound fairness in this fight. And that’s why we decided to pit the automatic-equipped 2025 Toyota GR Corolla against the recently updated 2025 Volkswagen Golf R to see if the latter still has what it takes to win us over.

Power

The 2025 Golf R sees subtle updates to styling, equipment, and output. With 328 hp on tap, it’s now the most powerful factory-spec Golf R ever, having received a 13-hp increase compared to last year. In a 1,545-kg (4,306-lb) car, it’d take a more sensitive backside than your author’s to notice any appreciable difference; but between these two, the VW’s engine behaves more like a six-cylinder than an inline-four. 

The latest version of the Volkswagen Group’s turbocharged 2.0L engine is not only impressively smooth, it’s incredibly tractable. It hits peak horsepower by 5,850 rpm and hangs onto it until 6,500 rpm, while its peak 295 lb-ft of torque is offered from 2,000 to 5,850 rpm. That means no matter what gear you’re in, or what speed you’re travelling, the Golf R can build up an effortless wave of acceleration that makes it sneaky-quick, claiming a zero-to-100 km/h time of 4.6 seconds.

Meanwhile, the engine under the GR Corolla’s hood is a turbocharged 1.6L. Despite its diminutive volume, it whistles out a 100 hp from each of its three cylinders, and thanks to a torque bump this year, it matches the Golf R’s total of 295 lb-ft. Both peaks require a lot more revs to achieve than in the VW, and there are times when stomping the throttle pedal with too little engine speed results in a two- or three-count of turbo lag before the Toyota catches its breath and rockets forward. It’s a character that recalls old-school turbocharged cars of the 1980s and ‘90s, and it feels and sounds far coarser than the VW. 

Published reports peg the GR Corolla at about a half-second behind the new Golf R in a zero-to-100 km/h run. While the VW takes the higher score here because of its extra power and more linear output delivery, Toyota’s engine is more fun and exciting. 

Driving Feel

Slogging through Toronto traffic reminded us that congestion sucks, and it can make living with a daily driver with three pedals a bit of a chore (and one many of us still willfully choose). It was in the first hour of the drive that we appreciated the reduced involvement of these automatic-equipped cars, with relaxed drive modes selected and some enjoyable tunes pumping through the speakers.

The Golf R has been available with VW’s venerable seven-speed dual-clutch automatic for years, and it’s as well-honed as the rest of the drivetrain. It’ll oblige obediently if you want to snap off immediate, racy gear swaps, but it can still be a smooth operator in traffic. 

More surprising is how well Toyota’s engineers rejigged what started out as an eight-speed automatic from the RAV4. Left to its own devices, it can change cogs smoothly enough, but driven in anger, the GR Corolla will hammer between gears unapologetically. This isn’t a complaint, but rather praise for the seriousness with which this little hot hatch goes about its high-performance mission. Want the next gear now? BANG! There it is.

It's also neat that the GR Corolla won’t upshift on its own in manual mode unless you’re creeping awfully close to redline, and we admit to switching to sport mode and manually shifting the Toyota almost every time we got in. Cracking off our own shifts and keeping the angry little engine growling meant it was nearly as engaging as the manual car we tested previously. 

The Volkswagen drives like it’s a size bigger than the Toyota, feeling solid, planted, and unflappably stable, especially at high speeds. In reality, the GR Corolla is longer, wider, and taller, and its wheelbase stretches further than the Golf’s. Yet despite those dimensions, its ultra-quick steering makes it feel twitchy by comparison.

Our test Toyota’s handling was seriously hampered by still being fitted with a set of winter tires despite June temperatures in the mid- to high 20s. Road feel and responsiveness was dulled by the squishy rubber, its shoulder blocks melted down long before we collected the car. At speed it also contributed to an unsettled feeling, especially when tackling sweeping turns.

Brakes on both cars are excellent, with amazing stopping power and great pedal feel. 

Fuel Economy

It should be safe to assume compact hatchbacks with little engines would deliver excellent efficiency too, right? Not quite. Despite a diminutive three-banger, the GR Corolla swills premium-grade gas at a rate of 12.1 L/100 km, putting it within a third of a litre of Toyota’s four-wheel-drive Tacoma pickup. The little GR’s highway (8.6) and combined (10.5) figures aren’t exactly great, either. What’s weirder is that despite having 2 more gears than the stick-shift variant, this automatic GR Corolla consumes more fuel.

Happily, the Golf R’s power increase doesn’t penalize its efficiency, and it still earns figures of 10.5 in the city, 7.7 on the highway, and 9.3 combined, making it more miserly than the Toyota. Plus, having a fuel tank that’s five litres larger means it can easily surpass the Corolla’s range, which struggled to reach 400 km between fills during this test. 

Practicality

Equally strange is that despite its larger exterior dimensions, the GR Corolla’s cargo capacity is a modest 503 L versus the Golf R’s 564 L. The same is true for passengers, where the VW’s boxier shape offers more front- and rear headroom, and notably more rear legroom. Short of the glovebox, the GR Corolla is utterly bereft of storage spots for most of the little detritus many of us carry with us. Got a couple of drinks and some sunglasses?  Tough luck — something’s gotta go.

At least both cars have folding rear seats and hatchback formats that will accommodate bulkier items, and their all-wheel-drive traction assures all-weather practicality, too.

Comfort

Not only is the Golf R more generous for passenger space, it also offers a significantly better ride. Even when set to the sportiest drive mode, the Volkswagen never punishes its passengers by smacking over pavement heaves and cracks the way the Toyota does. 

Each car offers excellent front seats that are both supportive for cornering and comfy enough for long stints on the road. I couldn’t pick a favourite between them since they both fit me well. The Golf R also earns points for the way it suppresses wind and road noise, but despite the optional Akrapovič exhaust, it didn’t offer enough mechanical music that drivers of sporty machines expect. The GR Corolla, meanwhile, presents lots of noise of all sorts, including its wonderfully gruff mechanical soundtrack. 

User-Friendliness

The GR Corolla’s driving position puts essential controls easily at hand. And being a Toyota, they’re sensibly designed in their operation. Knobs and real buttons are found here, even if the whole setup feels several years out of date. 

The Golf R also offers a driver-oriented cockpit, and although its larger infotainment screen is perched high on the dash and within easy reach, the system still employs the maddening haptic panels for temperature and volume controls. The steering wheel buttons are the same annoying sensor panels from last year’s car, in the interest of retaining the “R” button performance hotkey.

Features

Both cars are performance-oriented machines with various drive modes to sharpen or soften the sportiness of their personalities. Both have heated (but not cooled) front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless connectivity and phone charging, adaptive cruise control, and upgraded sound systems (although the Volkswagen’s sounds appreciably better). Our Volkswagen had a large sunroof, while the Toyota was topped by a single piece of carbon fibre. 

Safety

Volkswagen and Toyota each load up their cars with a great collection of active safety features that enable automated emergency braking and collision aversion programming. While both cars have automatic high-beam control, our Volkswagen featured adaptive matrix headlights that can constantly adjust the beam to avoid blinding oncoming traffic while still maximizing illumination for the driver. This type of high-tech feature has typically been found on very expensive European cars, so it’s nice to see it on a relatively affordable machine here.

Styling

The historically-conservative Golf R’s design gets evolutionary updates to its front and rear ends. The lights all around are changed, and now the VW badge up front is illuminated, but the overall profile remains as it has been, and will be instantly recognizable to most as a Golf. Our car was a Black Edition that rides on the fantastic new 19-inch Warmenau forged wheels painted black, a black roof, and a few badges finished the same way. Hugely disappointing is that such an interesting car can only be ordered in black or blue, unless you get a Black Edition, which can be done in white, too. Some of the colourful shades available on the Golf GTI would be great here, too.  

The Golf R’s interior looks properly upscale compared to the basic and chintzy Toyota’s, and its new 12.9-inch infotainment screen is among the updates for 2025. 

The GR Corolla looks both angry and hungry, scowling and about to inhale whatever gets in front of its face. With its bulging fender flares and the trio of exhaust trumpets nestled beneath the rear bumper, it’ll be obvious to anyone around that this little Toyota is meant to be a performance machine. Its hood vents are a constant reminder that this isn’t a run-of-the-mill Corolla, even when slogging through traffic. 

Value

Since we last compared these two, the Golf R has seen a very modest price increase despite getting styling, power, and feature updates. Starting at $50,995 before freight ($2,050) and tax, a base Golf R is a well-equipped, premium-feeling machine for a reasonable cost. Our tester was specced up with the Black Edition package that ups the starting price by $2,600. Added to that was a $500 paint job and a $3,000 exhaust that sounds decent, but is still very quiet. After freight charges, our Golf R was a little more than $59,000 before the government’s share.

Meanwhile, the last GR Corolla we compared started at a little more than $45,000, which at the time seemed like a lot for a car whose interior looks like it belongs in an aging economy car. Today, that base car seems like a bargain, as our admittedly more premium — and automatic-equipped — tester started at nearly $59,000, and crested $60,000 after a $255 paint job and freight ($1,760). There’s no question the GR Corolla is chock-full of exciting mechanical bits limited only to this car (and its smaller GR Yaris sibling sold in other markets), but it's hard to justify at this price. 

The Verdict

Its engineers have done an amazing job making the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla a die-hard driving enthusiast’s car. I love it more every time I’m given an opportunity to drive one, and its automatic transmission does very little to diminish the raw, engaging personality that makes it so loveable.

As before when we compared these two, our hearts want the Toyota, even tolerating the harsh ride, abundant noise, and cramped interior to regularly enjoy that snarling little engine and hyperactive personality. Our heads just can’t justify the cost of admission, especially as the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R continues the trend of getting incrementally better all the time. The Golf R does everything well, and makes so much more sense as a daily driver. Skip some of the options and it even offers pretty good value, too.