2025 Volkswagen Golf: Refreshed Australian lineup detailed

The Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf is due to arrive in Australia from April, when the facelifted German hatchback will become available in six model variants.

It’s been a year since the updated Golf was revealed in Europe, and now Volkswagen Australia has locked in features and specifications for the local range – but pricing is yet to be announced.

The lineup will comprise the entry-level Golf Life, the new Style, the mid-range R-Line, the front-wheel drive GTI, the all-wheel drive R performance flagship, and an even more aggressive looking R Black Edition.

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While there’s no sign of a return for the discontinued Golf wagon, all variants of the Mk8.5 Golf feature a restyled front bumper and LED headlights, as well as a full-width front light bar, which on European examples is interrupted by an illuminated Volkswagen badge.

The Golf Life’s equipment remains largely unchanged, except for its infotainment touchscreen growing from 10 inches to 10.4 inches, and now featuring a new, simpler menu structure with configurable shortcuts and upper and lower control bars that always remain visible, as well as illuminated temperature and volume control sliders.

Positioned above it, the Golf Style – which Volkswagen says is more akin to the Mk7 Highline – gains a larger 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation and voice assistant, a 14-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory, microfleece upholstery and LED Plus headlights, among other features.

The R-Line is also virtually unchanged, except for its larger infotainment screen.

Golf GTIs have received a 15kW power increase and now produce 195kW and 370Nm, while they’ll also be fitted with 19-inch wheels as standard, up from 18 inches.

At the top of the range, the Golf R has also become more potent, gaining 10kW and 20Nm to now produce 245kW/420Nm, matching the Audi S3.

It’s also two-tenths of a second quicker from 0-100km/h, achieving the benchmark sprint in a claimed 4.6 seconds.

A breakdown of each variant’s drivetrain is available below.

Price increases are expected across the range, accounting for the new equipment and higher outputs.

The pre-facelift Golf Life is priced from $39,190 before on-road costs, the Golf R-Line starts at $42,290, the Golf GTI costs $56,090 and the Golf R is $70,590.

Standard Equipment

The 2025 Volkswagen Golf Life features as standard:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic LED headlights
• Surround lighting
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Climate control
• 10.4-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Ventilated wireless smartphone charger
• Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane-keep assist
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Park assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert

The Golf Highline adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• ‘LED Plus’ headlights
• Chrome exterior highlights
• Dark tinted privacy glass
• 14-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory
• ArtVelours microfleece upholstery
• 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Embedded navigation
• IDA voice assistant
• 30 ambient lighting colours

The Golf R-Line adds:

• Unique 18-inch alloy wheels
• R-Line exterior and interior styling
• Front sports seats with heating and ventilation
• Power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory
• Vienna leather-appointed upholstery
• Driving profiles
• Progressive steering

The Golf GTI adds:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Fog lights
• Tartan upholstery
• Tri-zone climate control
• Adaptive dampers
• Park Assist Plus

The Golf R adds:

• Unique 19-inch alloy wheels
• Matrix LED headlights
• 3D LED tail-lights
• Harman/Kardon sound system
• Nürburgring and Drift drive moses
• Surround-view camera
• Torque-vectoring

The Black Edition package for the Golf R adds:

• Darkened badges and headlights
• Black brake calipers
• Black 19-inch ‘Estoril’ wheels
• Black exhaust outlets

Options

A Sound and Vision package for the Golf Style, R-Line and GTI will add:

• Harman/Kardon sound system
• Head-up display
• Surround-view camera

These variants can also be ordered with a panoramic sunroof as a standalone option.

The Golf GTI’s Leather Package will bring:

• Vienna leather
• Power-adjustable driver’s seat
• Heated and ventilated front seats

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