The headline figures for the all-new 2022 Volkswagen Golf R will certainly turn a few heads. This humble hatchback does the 0-60 sprint in four seconds, and dispatches with the quarter-mile in just 12 seconds. A top speed governor limits you to a mere 155 MPH. Oh, and Volkswagen claims it’s the best handling Golf they’ve ever made.

The GTI is already a hot hatchback, but the Golf R takes it several steps further, so let’s just call this thing what it really is: Germany’s ultimate hyper hatch.

Pop The Hood

Similar to the Golf GTI, the range-topping Golf R utilizes VW’s EA888 engine. This is a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder with an iron block and an aluminum cylinder head. Unlike the GTI, the R benefits from a revised cylinder head that incorporates a stiffer valvetrain, and a slight decrease in compression (from 9.6:1 to 9.3:1), which is a good thing, because the upgrade we all care about is a larger, more capable turbocharger.

By dropping the compression a tad, the Golf R’s revised engine is better able to withstand boost, which explains the power bump from the GTI’s 241 horsepower to a healthy 315 horsepower. VW nerds will no doubt notice that’s a healthy improvement from the previous MKVII Golf R, with its 288 horsepower.

Your choice of transmission will dictate the torque figures. Mercifully, the Volkswagen gods have continued to bless us with the availability of a standard 6-speed manual transmission. With the stick, buyers can expect 280 lb-ft of torque on tap at a mere 2,000 RPM.

If you do not wish to row your own gears, the excellent 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DSG) is available for a mere $800. With the DSG, torque jumps to a lofty 310 lb-ft of twisting force.

For the practically-minded buyers out there, the DSG is the more efficient of the two, returning EPA fuel economy figures of 23 MPG city and 30 MPG freeway. Expect about three MPG less with the stick.

After sampling both transmission choices, the differences between the two are obvious. The DSG is the faster, more efficient option. It offers sublime around town smoothness, but in an instant can activate a wicked launch control system that will hurt your face from both the brutal acceleration and from how hard you will be smiling.

On the flip side, the manual is the clear choice for the most enthusiastic of buyers, offering more driver engagement. It may be the slower of the two, but for the three-pedal aficionados out there, it will not matter. The clutch is light, but intuitive – a breeze in Los Angeles’ brutal commuter traffic – and the shifter has nice, positive action and feedback. Both are great, pick whichever you prefer.

The Golf R Puts The Power To The Pavement

The big advantage the Golf R has over the GTI is putting the extra power down to the ground, as the R employs Volkswagen’s 4Motion AWD system. While this system utilizes a 50:50 split from front-to-rear, new for 2022 on this MK8 Golf R is the inclusion of a torque-vectoring rear differential that can send up to 100% of the power it receives to either rear wheel.

According to Jan Schiedek-Jacht, Volkswagen’s head of technical development for the Golf R: “It transforms the vehicle, giving a dynamic, intuitive feeling to the driver. It delivers a planted experience on a winding road or track while minimizing over- and understeer.”

It also means that the new Golf R has a selectable “Drift Mode'' feature, which puts that active rear diff to work, sending power to the outside rear wheel to initiate sideways action. This allows the R to do some wicked four-wheel oversteer action. It works beautifully, and is a tire-smoking, hilariously good time, that you should absolutely never use on the public roads. Hoon responsibly!

Related: 8 Reasons Why The MK8 Golf R Is Perfect For Driving Enthusiasts

What you can take advantage of on the public roads is the immense level of driver confidence bestowed by this hyper hatch.

Not only does the clever AWD system put the power down with ease, but seeing as the R has Volkswagen's Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive damper technology, toggling between the drive mode selector will notably change the personality of the car.

Despite rolling on gorgeous 19-inch wheels with thin 35-series sidewalls, the Golf R is very comfortable in day-to-day driving, thanks to those fancy shocks. Turn the drive mode selector, however, and the ride firms up notably, as do the responses from the engine and steering.

The Golf R is an absolute delight on a winding road. There is no higher praise I can give it beyond telling you that I did not want to stop driving it. I only begrudgingly left the driver’s seat to write this review.

Other changes compared to its predecessor include larger front brakes, a variable-ratio steering rack, and a sportier exhaust system. Though, despite the four fat exhaust tips sticking out of the rear diffuser, that is one of the few sore spots in this experience.

The Golf R pumps synthetic engine noise into the cabin through the speakers. Meanwhile the exhaust note itself is very tame. Despite being the most raucous and dynamic hot hatchback to wear a VW badge, the Golf R could stand to let loose just a little bit more in the acoustics department.

To some of the more mature enthusiasts out there – to which the Golf R most strongly appeals – this blend of extreme performance and high refinement might just strike a chord, because interior refinement – you know, the place where you will spend the most time with a car – is a clear strong suit with the Volkswagen.

Take A Look Inside

The Golf R only comes one way, fully-loaded, which means that despite ringing in at a top of the absolute top of the sport compact price bracket at $45,185, it feels well contented, with every luxury, comfort or convenience one would expect from any vehicle at that price point, let alone a 315 horsepower hyper hatch.

That means the Golf R has heated and ventilated front seats – as well as heated second row seats – and a heated steering wheel. There’s also a Harman Kardon premium audio system that bundles in wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto connectivity, along with wireless phone charging.

Related: Five Races, Two Cars: See Who Wins Between A VW Golf R And A Hyundai Elantra N

Being based on the MKVIII Golf, that unfortunately also means that the R inherits…the screen. Similar to other new VW models, like the ID.4, at first glance the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment display looks slick, but it is prone to slow, laggy operation and saddles occupants with frustrating capacitive touch buttons instead of conventional hard buttons or knobs. This is exceptionally annoying considering that almost everything, even the HVAC controls, are only accessible via the screen. Using this system while driving can be borderline hazardous.

Do you eventually acclimate to this interface? Kind of, but it will never be as nice to use as what you would find in the Honda Civic Type R, or the Hyundai Veloster N, or really any other new car on the road.

Mercifully, once you pair your phone and get your tunes up and going, you can forget about the frustrating screen and take in all the other good things happening in the Golf R.

At 6’1”, I fit very comfortably in both the front and back seats, with headroom to spare. The hatchback’s practical form factor means that trunk space is generous, as well. The Golf R may have a small footprint on the road, but it makes great use of its available space.

Being equipped comparably to a fully-loaded GTI Autobahn Edition, the overall fit, finish and feel of the interior is leagues ahead of any other sport compact. Subaru would go bankrupt trying to develop a WRX interior that feels as bank vault solid, and quiet inside, as the VDub.

Related: V10-Powered VW Polo Widebody Is A Bold Hot Hatch Powerhouse

The 2022 Golf R is no doubt an expensive proposition, its base price is nearly $14,000 more than a GTI, but because it only comes as a fully-loaded example, building a comparably-specced GTI closes the price gap to around $5,000. For the extra power, four season utility of AWD and the other upgrades bundled into the Golf R’s package, it will be a no-brainer for the more well-to-do buyers in the crowd.

Beyond the family rivalry, comparisons for the R are few and far between. The Mitsubishi Evolution is dead. The Subaru WRX STi is basically dead, and the regular WRX, while a great vehicle for the price, simply does not really compare in any meaningful way beyond being a turbocharged sport compact that offers AWD and a 6-speed manual.

The forthcoming GR Corolla will have AWD, a 6-speed manual and a spicy 300 horsepower turbocharged triple, but the two are so different philosophically, with the GR positioned as an extreme rally-bred track toy for the road, that they, too, are a bit difficult to compare.

The new Golf R represents the ultimate one car solution for the right buyer. For those who don’t have the room for multiple cars, and need one amazing enthusiast ride that can do everything well, the Golf R ticks a lot of boxes. It’s fast, fun, practical, comfortable and despite a few quirks, a near ideal car to drive every single day, regardless of the occasion, and it’s certainly a car you will want to drive, every single day.