Compare the2024 Volkswagen Golf RVS 2023 Toyota GR Corolla

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Golf R have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Toyota GR Corolla doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Golf R has standard Maneuver Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Golf R and GR Corolla have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Golf R has Rear Traffic Alert (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The GR Corolla’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Golf R and the GR Corolla have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Golf R its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GR Corolla has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The Golf R comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car. The GR Corolla’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Golf R’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the GR Corolla’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

The Volkswagen Golf R’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the GR Corolla’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The Golf R Manual’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (315 vs. 300) and 7 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 273) than the GR Corolla’s standard 1.6 turbo 3-cylinder. The Golf R Manual’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (315 vs. 300) than the GR Corolla Morizo Edition’s standard 1.6 turbo 3-cylinder. The Golf R DSG’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (315 vs. 300) than the GR Corolla Morizo Edition’s standard 1.6 turbo 3-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Golf R Automatic’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Golf R uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The GR Corolla requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Golf R has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GR Corolla (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Golf R offers an optional automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer an automatic transmission.

The Golf R offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer an SMG.

The Golf R Automatic’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

The Golf R stops much shorter than the GR Corolla:

	Golf R	GR Corolla
70 to 0 MPH	151 feet	167 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	110 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Golf R’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GR Corolla’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Golf R has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the GR Corolla.

The Golf R has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the GR Corolla; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Golf R has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The GR Corolla’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Golf R handles at .99 G’s, while the GR Corolla Circuit Edition pulls only .94 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Golf R is 4.7 inches shorter than the GR Corolla, making the Golf R easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Volkswagen Golf R amounts to more than styling. The Golf R has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the GR Corolla (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Golf R get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Golf R is quieter than the GR Corolla Circuit Edition:

	Golf R	GR Corolla
At idle	39 dB	52 dB
Full-Throttle	74 dB	81 dB
70 MPH Cruising	67 dB	72 dB

Passenger Space

The Golf R has 7.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the GR Corolla (91.9 vs. 84.6).

The Golf R has .1 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 5.1 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear hip room than the GR Corolla.

Cargo Capacity

The Golf R has a much larger trunk than the GR Corolla with its rear seat up (19.9 vs. 17.8 cubic feet).

The Golf R’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The GR Corolla Morizo Edition doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

Servicing Ease

The Golf R uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The GR Corolla uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Golf R DSG has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When three different drivers share the Golf R, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Golf R’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Golf R has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Golf R’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The GR Corolla has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Golf R’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The GR Corolla’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Golf R to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Golf R has a standard rear wiper. The GR Corolla MORIZO Edition doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Golf R has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Golf R is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The GR Corolla’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Golf R has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the GR Corolla, and aren’t available on the GR Corolla MORIZO Edition. The Golf R also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the GR Corolla.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Golf R keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Golf R has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GR Corolla.

The Golf R has a standard center folding armrest for the driver and front passenger. A center armrest helps combat driver fatigue. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer a front seat center armrest.

The Golf R has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The GR Corolla Morizo Edition doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Golf R’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Golf R and the GR Corolla offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Golf R has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Golf R has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the GR Corolla.

The Golf R’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its April 2023 issue and they ranked the Volkswagen Golf R higher than the Toyota GR Corolla Circuit Edition.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Golf R second among compact cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The GR Corolla isn’t in the top three.

Motor Trend selected the Golf R as their 2015 Car of the Year. The GR Corolla has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Golf as the 2015 North American Car of the Year. The GR Corolla has never been chosen.