Compare the2025 Audi S4VS 2024 Volkswagen Golf R

The S4’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Golf R doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the S4 and Golf R 4dr have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S4 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Golf R’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Audi S4 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Golf R doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The S4 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard Top View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Golf R only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the S4 and the Golf R have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi S4 weighs 408 to 483 pounds more than the Volkswagen Golf R. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The S4’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Golf R’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the S4’s reliability 23 points higher than the Golf R.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 8 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The S4’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 34 more horsepower (349 vs. 315) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 280) than the Golf R Manual’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The S4’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 34 more horsepower (349 vs. 315) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 295) than the Golf R DSG’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi S4 is faster than the Golf R DSG (automatics tested):

Regenerative brakes improve the S4’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Golf R doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Audi S4 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Golf R.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Audi S4, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Golf R.

For better traction, the S4 has larger tires than the Golf R (255/35R19 vs. 235/35R19).

The S4 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Golf R’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S4’s wheelbase is 7.4 inches longer than on the Golf R (111 inches vs. 103.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the S4 is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Golf R.

The S4’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the Golf R’s (59.2% to 40.8%). This gives the S4 more stable handling and braking.

The design of the Audi S4 amounts to more than styling. The S4 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .3 Cd. That is lower than the Golf R (.33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the S4 get better fuel mileage.

The S4 has .1 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Golf R.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the S4 offers cargo security. The Golf R’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the S4. The Golf R doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the S4’s available trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Golf R doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The engine in the S4 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Golf R. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

If the windows are left open on the S4 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Golf R can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The S4’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Golf R’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S4 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Golf R doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the S4 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Golf R doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The S4’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Golf R has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The S4 has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Golf R.

The Audi S4 has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Volkswagen charges extra for Homelink® on the Golf R.

The Audi A4/S4 outsold the Volkswagen Golf/GTI by 27% during 2023.