AOL Cars RTOTY 2014: Volkswagen Golf R

Blackball Media

Our Road Test of the Year feature continues this week, and flying the flag for everyman motoring is the Volkswagen Golf R. It may look like a shopping car, but with nearly 300bhp and four-wheel-drive, it has the hardware to rival its more exotic competition. But can it compete on the desirability scale? James Batchelor is your guide.

I wasn't looking forward to driving the Volkswagen Golf R. I'd read great things about in magazine road tests – from journalists were more ready to let the racy German five-door impress them.